April has been a tough month for travel, and we’re not sure what May holds for us. Staying at home has put a damper on everyone’s plans, especially for those of us who already made plans to see the sites, soak up some culture, and see new parts of the world.
But technology has come to the rescue during our downtime, and there are still some ways you can experience these different places from the comfort of your own couch.
Here are nine ways you can see the world via virtual travel on your phone, laptop, or television.
1. TAKE A TRAIN RIDE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD
One reason why travelers still use trains to get from one place to another? They’re the most scenic way of traveling on or above land. If you were looking forward to a train trip in the United States, Norway, England, Peru, or even Japan, you can watch hours-long videos and see what you’ve been missing.
Travel & Leisure has videos for 13 virtual train rides you can take, including: a 4-part journey on the Ferrocarril Central Andino railroad, which links the Pacific port city of Callao to the capital city of Lima; a one-hour and 41 minute journey from Chester, England to Holyhead, Wales; over the mountains on the Geibi Line to Fukuen Line, Japan, racing from Hiroshima to Fuchū Station; and, Flåm to Myrdal with Sun and Rain In 4K, just to name a few.
2. THE SHOW MUST GO ON!
If you’re missing live theater, there are several theaters that are streaming past plays on their websites or other services, including the Stratford Festival, which is streaming 12 of their most successful Shakespeare plays for three weeks each. You can also see several of Shakespeare’s plays as performed at his own Globe Theatre.
You can even find several Broadway plays already on Netflix and Amazon Prime. And of course, you can always subscribe to the Broadway HD service just like you would those other streaming services.
3. DO CULTURAL SIGHTSEEING
You may not have considered yourself to be a culture buff, but you can see some of the wonders of the world in an afternoon. Now more than ever, we have access to some of the most amazing sights in the modern world using Google Earth and Google Street View as your lens.
For example, you could visit the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles, tour the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, or take a walk all the way around the in India.
4. LET’S VISIT SOME MUSEUMS
One way to keep minds inspired and fascinated, you can now tour museums around the world through Google’s Arts and Culture website. You have chance to go visit some of the most illustrious museums in the World, like the Guggenheim Museum of Art in New York or Pergamon Museum in Berlin. Check out the Natural History Museum in London, the Rijksmuseum in The Netherlands, or the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in South Korea
5. WANT TO SEE FRANCE?
Spring time is typically a great time to visit France. Even if you can’t fly there, you can still see several of the sites, including the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Mucem, and even the Air France Museum. Just start your virtual travel trip here and visit a few of your bucket list locations. If you poke around on other places like Google Arts & Culture, you might be able to find a few interior tours of some of the museums.
6. VIRTUAL TRAVEL TO JAMAICA?
The beaches of Jamaica are some of the most renowned in the world. While nothing beats being physically being there, you can still experience a taste of the island with a virtual tour from Beaches Negril.
You can also visit the Jamaican Tourism Board’s Instagram page and their IGTV channel to explore nature, hear some music, and watch several videos by their local chefs, do fitness sessions, or do a yoga session with Empress Thandi.
7. SOME BEAUTY FROM THE NETHERLANDS
The Netherlands is a hot spot for travelers who love to garden, especially tulips. The country, which is known for its rich, colorful tapestries of millions of tulips, has virtual tours of the Keukenhof Flower Exhibit. Stream this one on your HD TV or 4K TV for the brightest experience.
8. VISIT THE SUNSHINE STATE
Maybe we’re a little biased, because Florida has many different wonderful locations you can visit virtually, but we’re having some fun in St. Petersburg on our state’s west coast. They’re showing virtual experiences like iMAX films, virtual go-karting, a tour of the Salvador Dali museum, and more.
9. WALK AROUND THE WORLD
And of course, you can walk almost anywhere you want around the world with Google Earth. Thanks to Google, anyone with a computer, smartphone, or tablet can walk cities and tour countries through their screens. Just go to the Google Earth website, pick a city or even a specific address in the city, select Street View (the icon in the little corner that looks like a person), and then just navigate your way around.
You can also download the app from the Google Play store or Apple’s App Store, and explore the world on your mobile device, or even beam it to your TV to create a bigger, more immersive experience.
What are some of the ways you’re touring the world? Have you done any virtual travel during your time at home? Tell us about it on our Facebook page, or on our Twitter stream. You can also find us on our Instagram page at @TravelproIntl.
Photo credit: PhilRiley427 (Pixabay.com, Creative Commons 0)
