Mandatory stay-at-home orders in many states, restrictions on travel, and limits on crowd sizes at public meeting spaces: these are all mitigation efforts state leaders are implementing in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19. As a result of these efforts, some of the country’s top tourist destinations spots are empty.
Here’s a glimpse of what some of these tourist attractions look like amid stay-at-home orders captured by Instagram users.
The French Quarter – New Orleans, Louisiana
Back in February, more than a million people visited the city to celebrate Carnival for more than a month, culminating in Mardi Gras at the end of February.
Usually bustling with live music and entertainers, The French Quarter is now a ghost town.
With more than 22,000 positive COVID-19 cases in Louisiana, New Orleans has been hit particularly hard with more than 1,100 reported deaths.
Caesars Palace – Las Vegas, Nevada
More than 42 million people visit Sin City each year, and 20 percent of tourists come from international destinations.
Now that casinos and hotels are shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic, Las Vegas is quiet.
Outside of the iconic Ceasars Palaces, the fountains have been drained.
According to Road Trippers, in their more than half-century history, the fountains have rarely been turned off and drained.
Times Square – New York City
New York City’s Times Square attracts more than 50 million tourists each year. On any given day, there are more than 340,000 pedestrian crossings through the area.
And while the lights are still there, the city has come to a screeching halt.
New York City has been an epicenter of the coronavirus where more than 11,000 people have lost their lives.
National Mall – Washington, DC
During this time of year, the nation’s capital is getting ready for the thousands of tourists who want to get a glimpse of the cherry blossom blooms.
This year, however, the National Park Service asked people to stay home this year to prevent the spread of the coronavirus as it “is difficult to maintain effective social distancing in large crowds.” The park service added, “slowing the spread of infections diseases is everyone’s responsibility.”
Sunset Boulevard – Los Angeles, California
Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades to Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles.
The 22-mile-long road is perfect among locals and visitors alike because it’s the perfect snapshot of life in Southern California as it can take you from Hollywood to the beach in Malibu while taking you through Bel-Air, UCLA, and Brentwood.
Like so many other destinations, Sunset Boulevard is empty.
Centennial Park – Atlanta, Georgia
Downtown Atlanta’s Centennial Park District welcomes over 20 million visitors each year.
There are dozens of attractions to choose from in the area but one of the most popular is the unique 22-acre green space that serves as Georgia’s lasting legacy of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. It has become the hub of the Downtown community where concerts and festivals are hosted throughout the year.
While looking at an empty park, Instagram user @bywellcarvalho captioned his post with words that we all can relate to: “I hope we see these streets & park full again!”
