The COVID-19 crisis has significantly influenced the tourism industry. There have been numerous studies about the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry. However, how the COVID-19 crisis influenced individuals’ leisure life has been rarely focused on. This study proposes that the travel restriction during the COVID-19 lockdown disrupted the leisure balance of individuals between tourism and other leisure activities informed by the Core and Balance Model of Family Leisure Functioning. This study adopted a phenomenology approach to answering the research question. Data was gathered from a large college population in the Midwest of the U.S. A total of 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted. This study is expected to provide the tourism industry with insights into recovery and reaction strategies for any future travel-restricted situations and contribute to the expansion of the Core and Balance Model of Family Leisure Functioning to the individual leisure setting.