Staying home is draining on the human spirit (especially if you're still bummed over cancelled trips). While we all would much rather be relaxing on a beach or exploring somewhere new, we can still appease the travel bug from our living room enough until we can finally pack our bags and GO! Here's how you can keep exploring from the safety of your living room:
1. Eat Adventurously
Experience your "new" through food. Look up exotic dishes you would normally not practice at home and give it a shot! Or find new restaurants in your area to support. In Columbus, The Kitchen is offering meal kits you can pick up curbside and make at home (they are also offering Taco Tuesday, cheese & charcuterie, and beer & wine curbside).
2. Learn a New Language
DuoLingo makes it easy (and free) to learn a new language. Take some time each day to learn some basics and combat future language barriers.
3. Keep Learning With Us!
We're excited to host this new series of virtual events: Lunch Adventures with UTD! Have lunch with us as we discuss different adventures you can embark on at a later date. More information and the full lineup of co-hosts can be found here on our event page.
4. Virtual Tours
Get a small taste of the real thing and explore some incredible sites from your couch including:
- Go on a safari with WildEarth! They livestream a sunrise and sunset safari here.
- Keep an eye on this South African watering hole in Tempe Elephant Park with a live cam you can find here.
- Take a dive into what the British Museum in London has to offer by timeline in their virtual experience here.
- Google Arts and Culture site has hundreds of museums and galleries you can view. Each site has a profile page that can lead you to online collections or even a Google Street View style tour that let's you stroll around and explore! Examples include (but certainly not limited to):
5. Live Vicariously Through Netflix
Or Hulu... or Amazon Prime Video ... or Disney+.... There's tons to binge watch that gives you insight into new cultures and places to explore. For instance, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations is available on Hulu and Netflix's documentary series Street Food: Asia are some UTD team favorites.
6. Map Out Your Next Trip
The Uniglobe Travel Designers team is still at the ready to support and help you plan future getaways. Now is the time to think of where your next adventure will be! Contact us at letsgo@uniglobetd.com to get started or ask us any questions.
7. Curl up with a Good Book
Most libraries offer the ability to download books to your kindle or through an app. Check to see what your local library offers! You can download travel books and guides or read fictional tales that take you all around the world. There are thousands of recommendations depending on your style. If the countless lists online like this one don't catch your interest, see if your library has a portal (like this one from Oceanside Library in NY) where you can ask for personal suggestions.
8. Reminisce in Craft
If you're looking for something a little more time consuming than posting a #throwback, you can scrapbook past adventures, make a memory board, or something else cute and crafty. There is plenty of inspo on Pinterest to take some small mementos and photos and turn it into something fun!
We're all in this together. While the explorers in us need to stay put for now, this isn't forever. We'll get back out there soon enough!
Written by Ali Iovino
Ali is the Director of Marketing at UNIGLOBE Travel Designers. She is an avid road-tripper and will use any excuse to hit the open road. In her spare time she can be found volunteering in Columbus, hanging out with other people's dogs, or visiting family on Long Island.
