Just Heading Out

Now that we’ve all been stuck at home for a year, I miss travel more than ever. I am craving a vacation somewhere tropical where I don’t have to think about corona. But alas, it seems like that will have to stay a dream a little longer.

Luckily, there are lots of ways to feed your wanderlust without leaving the house. In our digital age, traveling from home is always an option. I’ve been trying hard to entertain myself by finding fun activities to do at home. And of course I am more than happy to share my favorite ones with you all!

So for all my travel loving friends with itchy feet, here are some things for you to do at home that are almost as good as taking a trip. From virtual travel experiences and online tours to theme nights, these travel from home tips allow you to explore the world from the comfort of your couch.

Host a theme night

A really fun way to travel from home is by immersing yourself in different cultures by organizing a theme night. It can be a date night with your partner, an evening with friends/family/roommates, or just by yourself.

My friend Jenn from Vagarious Wanderer has some amazing ideas for travel themed date nights

Lockdown can get monotonous, so it’s good to give yourself something to look forward to. And planning a theme night has a lot of the same components of planning a trip! Like doing research on the culture and learning a bit of the language. Truly, planning this evening is half the fun. You can even use everything you learn for when you can actually visit the destination.

You can go all out or keep it simple, but here are some ideas of elements to include in your theme night to make it even more fun.

• Read about the history and culture of that country
• Learn a few common words and phrases
• Put on a playlist with music from that country
• Cook or order some traditional dishes and drinks
• Watch a movie from or set in that country
• Decorate your house and wear a costume (be culturally sensitive!)

Your chosen destination can be anywhere. You can go through the alphabet, by continent, or work down your travel wish list. Include places you’ve been to and love, as well as surprising destinations you may never have considered traveling to. The world is your oyster!

Need some inspiration? These amazing places and experiences are on my travel bucket list.

Watch travel movies and TV, read books, and listen to podcasts

I feel like I’ve watched everything on Netflix by now. I’ve always been a big TV and movie fan, but since the pandemic I’ve watched more than ever. If I can’t travel myself, watching movies and TV shows set in foreign countries are a great alternative.

There so much great stuff out there, here are five of my favorite travel movies and five of my favorite food & travel shows on Netflix.

Of course, reading is another option. There is nothing better than getting lost in a good book. Forget about the woes of the world and let yourself be transported to faraway lands through the pages of a book. Take a break from the screens and curl up on the couch with your favorite travel stories, memoirs or regular adventure book.

If you love badass women travel stories, you’ll love these travel books by female authors.

And sometimes you just want something to listen to. I’ve been getting into podcasts lately and love to listen to them while on my daily walk. It makes the same old stroll through the neighborhood a lot more interesting, and you get to learn with minimal effort.

Podcasts can be a bit bland, but these women hostel travel podcasts are always fun!

Take virtual tours

Thanks to technology, you don’t even need to leave your house to see some of the most beautiful places on earth. Due to the pandemic, some famous museums like the Louvre and Guggenheim now offer online museum tours. So you can enjoy all that beautiful art as if you were strolling around the museum yourself.

Check out this list of free virtual museum tours

If museums aren’t really your thing, and you’re more into nature, fret not. Even the great outdoors can be admired right in your own living room. Some US National Parks offer virtual tours through beautiful landscapes with drone and camera footage. Or check out the Grand Canyon with Google street view! A personal tip: check out the World from Above series on YouTube with gorgeous drone shots from all over the world.

More views from around the world? Check out the very fun website Window Swap. Here you can flip through recordings that people have made of the view out their window. It really makes you feel like you’re right there with them.

And if you’re in a shopping mood, why not go buy Berber carpets at a Moroccan Medina or artisanal coffee in Costa Rica? With Local Purse you get a live online shopping experience with a local guide. They take you around the market to the best local vendors. Your purchases will then be shipped to you.

Join online courses and events

It’s not just tours that you can do online to give you that wanderlust feeling. Lots of travel and tour companies have pivoted to online events for you to enjoy.

From cooking classes to art lessons, locals around the world are excited to share their culture and stories with you. I can tell you from personal experience that these online experiences are a lot of fun. They are great to do as an activity with friends or family as you can join from all around the world.

There is a wealth of online experiences to choose from. Airbnb has the biggest portfolio of online experiences, while Withlocals offers more upscale, boutique classes.

Are your friends tired of hearing you complain about how much you miss travel? Find some online friends that love travel as much as you do and can totally relate to your misery! I love Facebook groups like Girls Love Travel.

I’m a proud member of Wanderful, a community for travel loving women. Not only is it a tight-knit global sisterhood, but Wanderful also organizes a lot of great online events. From regular meet ups and chats to lectures and work-shops by travel experts.

Take a trip down memory lane

Finally, one of my favorite ways to travel from home is to take a trip down memory lane. I love looking through old pictures, reading my travel journals, and working on this blog. It instantly transports me back to that beach in Cambodia or those mountains in Canada.

Being in lockdown, I have a lot of time on my hands. So it’s a great opportunity to sort through vacations pics and make photo albums and prints. I even had a picture turned into a jigsaw puzzle, double fun!

It might also be a good time to start planning future trips for when travel is possible again. Do a deep dive and research all the places at the top of your wish list. Look into activities, accommodations, and tips. Maybe create some spreadsheets or Pinterest boards, so you have it all handy and ready to go.

Ready to start traveling alone? Check out my tips for planning a solo city trip

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I hope these tips help you combat the boredom and itchy feet during lockdown. Until it is safe to travel again, these fun activities to do at home will at least allow you to explore the world in spirit. What are some of your travel from home tips? Feel free to share them in the comments.

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