Coronavirus has us all stuck at home playing all the games, finishing all of Netflix, and living on “airport rules.” And if you’re anything like me, you decided that you, too, can be a TikTok dancer, learned the routines to the popular “dance challenge” songs, watched yourself in playback, and gave up that dream. So if technology and social media hasn’t gotten the best of you yet, I have some suggestions about what to do when you’re stuck bored at home and everything else has become boring to you too. Now is the time for free virtual travel to see all those places you wished you saw but without the lines and fees!
Coronavirus has us all living on "airport rules." Take off on a virtual flight and see what the world has to offer! Click To TweetTraveling in quarantine never felt so good.
Hike the Appalachian Trail
Race family, friends, and coworkers down the Appalachian Trail with the Walk the Distance app for iPhones. The Appalachian Trail spans about 2,200 miles through 14 states, from Georgia to Maine. In real life, it takes about 4-6 months from beginning to end.
Hop on a plane for some virtual travel to Georgia, where your adventure begins. Along the way, you’ll see check point pictures of what you would see on an actual hike. The app uses the pedometer feature on your iPhone to track your steps and calculate how far you would go each day on the Appalachian Trail. Leave it on and carry your phone with you when you walk outside for exercise to race your friends and see who gets to checkpoint 1 first!
Walk the Great Wall of China
China might not be the place to visit in person right now, but the Great Wall has withstood worse. And this unprecedented time makes it a great time for virtual travel to China!
Explore part of the Great Wall of China between Jinshanling to Simatai, a well-known part of the wall for having some of the most well-preserved sections with original features.
Did you know the Great Wall has stood for over 2,000 years and spans more than 3,000 miles (4,800 km)?
Take a Guided Tour of Stonehenge
I don’t know about you, but Stonehenge has been on my travel bucket list. Not enough to put it at the top over somewhere like Machu Picchu, but definitely over a place I’ve been before. Now, I can learn about Stonehenge for free! I’d still love to go in person someday, but this guided tour gives us some background info so we can already seem like professional historian travelers once we get there in real life (or irl as the kids are saying these days). There is a quick Stonehenge Youtube video that gives some information too.
What better time than now for virtual travel to Stonehenge?
Visit the Queen of England at Buckingham Palace for Free
Have you ever felt like a king or queen? I know I grew up thinking my future home would be a palace. I’m not quite on the right track for that, but I did enjoy my virtual visit to Buckingham Palace in London. This 10-minute Youtube video shows you all the elegance of the Queen of England’s home with some interesting background information. (Sad note: you don’t actually get to see Queen Elizabeth in the virtual tour.)
Take a Guided Tour Through the Tower of London
This 360° video of the Tower of London comes with great commentary to learn about this fortification before you go in person. Plus, the British accents help to keep your attention.
Go Inside Casa Batlló in Barcelona
I have been to Barcelona a few times now, but I always decided to spend my money at places other than Antoni Gaudi’s architecturally famous houses like Casa Batlló. I’m kind of glad I waited, because now I can go inside for free and without anyone else around! Although it looks so cool that next time I am in Barcelona, I will for sure be paying to go inside in person. Worth the entrance fee? Check!
Visit Disney World and Universal Studios
Spring break trip to Orlando cancelled due to coronavirus? Never fear, you can still make a virtual trip! Grab your VR goggles or just put the link on a big screen while you ride the Mako virtual roller coaster in Sea World, wave your wizard wand in Diagon Alley in Universal Studios, check out private Disney theme parks, visit the hotels, and so much more with Xplorit. This is one of my favorite places to go when I’m feeling bored at home!
Fly Over Edinburgh Castle
Soar over Scotland’s Edinburgh Castle and get some great aerial views of the whole capital from a virtual helicopter in this quick 1 minute 23 second Youtube video. If you want the full tour of the 1,100 year old castle, check out this 28-minute video for a free virtual tour instead of paying the normal 18 pounds!
Hop On Facebook and Instagram Live
Some smaller venues are going live on Facebook and Instagram to help you feel like you are somewhere tropical, cultural, or exciting. Follow Margaritaville Beach Hotel for some live Florida beach action. The Facebook page also offers discounts to entice you to come visit when this whole madness is behind us.
FlyNyon flies a helicopter over the biggest landmarks in New York live on Instagram, and posts daily aerial views in every location FlyNyon operates out of. Sign up for their email newsletter to get some serious discounts on helicopter rides in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The sky’s the limit!
What other Facebook or Instagram pages have you found that post live videos you enjoy? Share them with me in the comments, I could always use a few more good vibes in my social media!
Watch a Live Concert or Festival
This is the first year in 33 years that the SXSW film festival in Austin, Texas will not happen. But fear not, film fans: SXSW has teamed up with Amazon Prime for a free digital film festival! If you don’t have an Amazon account, be sure to create one to watch the festival (but no Prime account is needed). Films that never got screen time due to the festival’s cancellation will air on Amazon’s streaming platform, Amazon Prime Video, for free. Dates are to be determined, but expected to air in late April 2020. Who’s up for a little virtual travel to a film festival right from their own couch?!
For music lovers, Lady Gaga is launching a virtual music festival to unite isolated people. It’s called “One World Together At Home” and will air on April 18, 2020. It is not a fundraiser, just a concert to “celebrate and encourage the power of the human.” Celebrity musicians you can expect to see include Elton John, Paul McCartney, John Legend, Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Alanis Morissette, and Lady Gaga herself.
There are definitely other virtual concerts or festivals out there too. Help me out and leave some that you know of in the comments!
Travel to Machu Picchu
Take a guided tour of Machu Picchu on a beautiful day. Some clouds are welcome so you can see just how high up in the sky you are, with the clouds around you! Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit each year, but on this tour you can see the new wonder of the world all by your lonesome. Talk about #celebstatus! Don’t forget to put some virtual carrots in your pocket for the alpacas (do alpacas eat carrots?)
Visit a Museum
Wander the halls of the Louvre in Paris for free and without the crowds (when does THAT every happen?!), see the sculptures and paintings up close and personal in Florence’s Uffizi Gallery, travel through time back to 2,000,000 BC at the British Museum in London, or go inside the Guggenheim in New York with Google Street View. Almost every museum you can imagine is offering virtual tours through one outlet or another.
What’s the old saying, when you have enough time you never have the money, and when you have the money you never have the time? Now is the time, now that everything is free virtually and we have all the time in the world. Take advantage and find your silver lining in this crisis and enjoy your free time!
Have you discovered any other virtual travel trips that pique your interest? I need some inspiration for my next trip…and something to keep me occupied while I’m in self isolation! Share some ideas with me in the comments below!
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P.S. You might also enjoy 5 Self Isolation Tips During Quarantine or How to Choose Your Next Travel Destination