The world may be staying home right now, but that hasn’t stopped our wanderlust. There are so many different ways to transport yourself out of your living room and on to a mountain top, thanks to virtual reality technology. Virtual travel has been around long before COVID-19, and now millions of people are discovering the unique experience.
While you’re staying cautious, you can also stay curious with these virtual travel experiences:
1. Wailea Beach Resort Live Cam
This live cam is brought to you by Marriott, Maui. Back in 2014 Marriott installed live cams on several properties for travelers to virtually view parts of the property. If you’re looking to transport yourself to an island - this is for you. Set up the feed on your tv or computer and relax by the waves!
2. Navarre Beach Live Cam
This live cam allows you to enjoy 12 different views of streaming video that zoom in and out of the Gulf of Mexico along the Emerald Coast of Florida. The live cam does the work for you by changing the view automatically so all you have to do is turn on your imagination and pretend you’re sunbathing on a Florida beach.
3. San Diego Zoo Live Cam
There are 11 different live cams, each for a different animal at the San Diego Zoo. You can watch baboons, elephants, giraffes, and tigers, among others. This is a great way for parents, kids and animal lovers to enjoy a zoo outing - without the outing. There’s also information on the species under the live feed so you can learn about the animals you’re watching!
4. Monterey Bay Aquarium Live Cam
There are 10 different live cams, each for a different animal at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. You can watch penguins, jellyfish, sharks, and turtles, among others. The jellies are especially beautiful with their hypnotic colors and movement. These live cams make it feel as if you are in the ocean with these creatures - not just an aquarium. It’s an incredible way to relax and entertain yourself, and your kids!
5. Airpano
Airpano features 360° photo and video options for over 100 destinations and experiences. The photos and videos are high quality, educational, and short enough to maintain your interest while satisfying your wanderlust! Some favorites of ours include Greenland icebergs, diving with turtle, and Victoria Falls.
6. Disney World Virtual Tour
This is for all the Disney lovers! Once you’ve watched every Disney movie you can think of, you can take a virtual tour through all 5 parks at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The tours feature videos, 360° photos, and a look into the many different worlds of Disney theme parks. This is sure to keep you entertained and reminiscent of all the things you love most about Disney.
7. Louvre Virtual Tour
There are 4 different virtual tours of exhibits in the Louvre you can take, which is about how many you’d get through if you were to actually spend a day in the museum. Currently the exhibits with virtual tours include The Advent of the Artist, Egyptian Antiquities, Remains of the Louvre’s Moat, and Galerie d’Apollon. The virtual tours feature 360° photos of each room in an exhibit, and you can zoom in on high quality photos of art.
8. British Museum Virtual Tour
Thanks to this virtual tour you can view art and artifacts from Africa, North America, South America, Asia, Europe and Oceania that date back to 2,000,000 B.C. When you select works of art or artifacts, you are able to view a high quality photo, as well as read and listen to it’s history.
9. Vatican Museums Virtual Tour
The Vatican Museums offer the chance to virtually view 360° photos of 7 rooms. Seeing these jaw dropping rooms empty is amazing in itself! The photos are high quality and you have the ability to zoom and focus on the details of the ceiling and wall paintings.
10. MoMA Free Online Courses
The Museum of Modern Art is offering 9 different courses you can take online that range from fashion and photographs to abstract painting and contemporary art. These courses take on average 20 hours to complete and include video lectures and quizzes. These courses offer a different educational experience that expands your skills and worldview, and they make a truly engaging break from Netflix.
11. St. Supéry Virtual Wine Tasting
St. Supéry Estate Vineyards and Winery in Napa Valley, California is offering a free Facebook live wine tasting called #Injoy at Home Tasting. The livestream is hosted by the CEO Emma Swain every Thursday until April 23, 2020. You can purchase the Tasting kit from St. Supéry and receive free ground shipping with the coupon INJOY@HOME. The tasting kit includes the 6 bottles of wine featured in each weekly virtual tasting. During the tasting you will learn about the wine of the week from different expert guests, and enjoy some quality social distancing interaction.
12. Virtual Kayak Ride
Watching this video will relax and transport you like no other. The 30 minute kayak ride through Abraham Lake in Alberta, Canada shows you incredible views of the Canadian Rockies. The water is tranquil and the sky is blue. This video will make you want to go on a mountain adventure. Set up the video and watch as you sip your morning coffee and you will feel completely ready for the day! It’s the perfect morning experience.
13. Journey to the Edge of Space
Seeker VR has created this 360° video for people to experience what it’s like to leave earth and travel 90,000 ft into the sky. The aerial views of the city and sky are beautiful, and the view of the atmosphere from 90,000 ft in the air is unlike anything you’ve ever seen. The video is narrated to tell you exactly what you’re seeing, and what it would feel like to be in the sky at these heights. This is sure to amaze even the most seasoned traveler.
14. Surrounded by White Lions
This 360° video by INTOSOL takes you into a lion enclosure with three white lions. The curious cats interact with the camera and you get amazing views of the playful animals as they roam around their territory. INTOSOL has many other VR videos that are equally as entertaining.
15. VR Gorilla
This VR production company offers 360° videos of destinations, animals, experiences, and festivals. They have almost 100 different videos that will satisfy your wanderlust right from your couch! A few of our favorites include Experience Amsterdam, Boat Safari, and Travel Cuba: Havana. The videos are high quality, and they have sound, truly immersing you in the experience.
These 15 virtual travel experiences are sure to keep you entertained and satisfy some of that wanderlust.
Other Ways to Travel
Books:
If you enjoy more of a story behind your travel inspiration you’ll want to read these books:
1. The Alchemist, by Paolo Coelho
The story follows a young shepherd from Spain as he travels to Egypt in search of treasure. Along the way he faces challenges, falls in love, and discovers his true self.
2. Love With a Chance of Drowning, by Torre DeRoche
The memoir is written by travel blogger Torre DeRoche, and depicts her journey to overcome fear so she may sail across the Pacific Ocean with her boyfriend. The writing is evocative and the story is inspiring.
3. The Lost City of Z, by David Grann
A non-fiction book that recounts the journey of British explorer, Percy Fawcett, who disappeared into the Amazon Jungle while searching for the Lost City of Z. The author, David Grann traveled into the Amazon himself in hopes of uncovering exactly what happened to Percy Fawcett.
4. The Beach, by Alex Garland
The book is influenced by another great novel, Lord of the Flies. The story is set in Thailand and depicts a group of backpacker’s search for paradise. The group builds a community on the idyllic beach they find, but soon discover life isn’t as perfect as they hoped.
5. The Geography of Bliss, by Eric Weiner
This book follows Author Eric Weiner as he sets out on a year long journey to find the happiest places in the world. He travels to Iceland, Denmark, India, Moldova, and more, where he attempts to answer the question “what makes a society happy?”
6. Cruising Altitude, by Heather Poole
This book, written by flight attendant Heather Poole, is about life 35,000 ft in the air. She recounts dealing with pilots, coworkers, and customers, and she describes training, crew terms, and daily life as a flight attendant.
7. Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer
A non-fiction book that follows Christopher Johnson McCandless, who after graduating college, donates his entire savings and travels to Alaska to live alone in the wilderness. His risk filled search for enlightenment eventually leads to his downfall after spending over 100 days trekking through the Alaskan Wilderness.
Want even more books to inspire wanderlust? Here's 19 more!
Movies:
Movie lovers, we haven’t forgotten about you! These films have interesting stories and beautiful visuals that will help scratch that travel itch:
1. Eat Pray Love
Elizabeth Gilbert Gilbert embarks on a journey around the world that becomes a quest for self-discovery. In her travels, she discovers the true pleasure of nourishment by eating in Italy, the power of prayer in India, and the inner peace and balance of true love in Indonesia.
2. Midnight in Paris
While on vacation in Paris, Gil Pender begins touring the city alone at night. Each night at midnight he parties with a group of Parisian writers and artists - who were alive in the 1920’s. As he spends more time in Paris in the 20’s he begins to realize how much happier he is in the past.
3. Vicky Christina Barcelona
Americans on vacation in Spain visit an art gallery in Barcelona where they meet a handsome local who invites them to spend a weekend filled with art, food, and romance with him.
4. The Sound of Music
Set in Austria after World Word II, this film is full of life, music, and beautiful scenery. The story follows Maria, an Austrian abbey who becomes a governess in the home of a widowed naval captain with seven children.
5. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Walter Mitty gets the chance to embark on an adventure when he is asked to take the perfect picture for a magazine’s final print issue. His search takes him through Greenland, Iceland, the Himalayas, New York City, and Los Angeles.
6. In Bruges
Two hit men travel to Belgium to hide out after a difficult job. They encounter tourists and locals as they explore the medieval city.
7. The Grand Budapest Hotel
Set in the 1930’s, the Grand Budapest Hotel is a popular ski resort in Hungary. The concierge finds himself the recipient of a priceless painting and the chief suspect in a guest’s murder.
8. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
An epic fantasy adventure set in a fictional world, but filmed in New Zealand. The trilogy is regarded as one the greatest films of all time. The story follows hobbit Frodo as he embarks on a quest to destroy the One Ring.
Songs:
Transport yourself by putting in your earbuds! These songs will take you to new destinations and inspire your wanderlust:
- Send Me On My Way, by Rusted Root
- Indian Summer, by Jai Wolf
- Geronimo, by Sheppard
- Home, by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
- Canopée, by Polo & Pan
- The World Ain't Slowin' Down, by Ellis Paul
- Africa, by Toto
- Don't Leave Me (Ne Me Quitte Pas), by Regina Spektor
- Down Under, by Men At Work
- Roam, by The B-52's
- Wild World, by Cat Stevens
- Born To Be Wild, by Steppenwolf
Looking for more inspiring songs and playlists? Check out our post about Songs That Make You Want To Travel
While you can’t travel, you can add to your bucket list!
