As exciting as travel is, most people can’t do it all the time. With work, school, activities, and all of life’s other responsibilities, it can be months - or even years - between your adventures. For many of us with an insatiable love for travel, staying at home isn’t easy to do. We yearn for that feeling we get when we travel. It’s a feeling that is hard to describe, but for those of us with wanderlust, a description isn’t necessary. You know the feeling you get from travel. Exploring a new place where everything from the culture to the smell is unfamiliar that evokes a sense of excitement, piques your curiosity, and leaves you wanting more. Sadly, when we return home from a trip the feeling often fades.
For families who have been bitten by the travel bug, this is hardly ideal, yet you don’t need to spend all your time wishing you were somewhere else. While you may not be able to get away right now, there are some easy ways to incorporate travel into your home and daily life. Here are some ways to feel like you are traveling when you can’t, so you can create that vacation feeling at home.
Get Lost In An Adventure
Just because you can’t get out of the house doesn’t mean you can’t still experience an adventure from the comfort of your living room. Getting lost in a readymade adventure is a great way to keep yourself keen on travel without any of the cost, time, and sweaty jungle treks.
One of my favorite things to do before taking a trip is to search out books and movies that can help me get a feel for a place. But you can still do this even if you’re staying close to home. Researching the top Adventure movie recommendations or diving deep into a book will help you scratch the adventure itch, and it could even introduce you to a new part of the world that will be the next destination for your family’s travel bucket list.
Visit a museum — Virtually
Museums in many locations have started to reopen with social distancing and masks, but if you’re not ready to go in person, you can spend an afternoon exploring them online. Travel to the African safari, or deep into the jungles. Maybe you will fall in love with new baby animals as you watch them grow up. Dive down deep into your favorite aquariums. Sharks, penguins, reefs, and the whole sea are under one roof waiting for you to explore. We have over 50 adventures, so there is no reason for plane tickets and to start packing. You can visit them right from your couch. Have you ever traveled to Space? I bet you haven't but, now you can!
Plan Your Next Trip
If you know you’ll have some free time in the near future, planning your next trip ensures you get excited about your next trip and have something to look forward to. Whether you’re planning on taking a road trip or taking an overseas flight, there are so many incredible destinations to look at.
You should have no trouble finding family-friendly accommodation to ensure the kids are comfortable, and you can look for a vacation that matches your needs. If you’re looking for adventure, something fast-paced should appeal. But, if you want to spend a week by the pool or beach, you’ll have trouble finding that, either.
Cook Different Meals
Feeling like you’re traveling isn’t all about meticulous planning or simple entertainment. If you have a favorite recipe from your previous travels, such as this blackened mahi mahi recipe, try cooking different meals to feel like you’re there all over again.
Experiencing new tastes and flavors is one of the best things about traveling, and these flavors can reconnect you with your favorite places or prepare you for wherever you plan to visit next time. Whatever your cuisine of choice, learning to cook meals from your travels can be a fun way to make you feel like you’re traveling when you can’t. And luckily, thanks to the wonder of YouTube, you don’t have to be a chef to learn to cook even the most exotic meals.
Organize Your Travel Snaps
Reminiscing about your trip after getting back is always bittersweet. You’re happy you went, but you’re also sad it’s over. One way to get over the post-travel blues is to organize your snaps.
You have many more options than a regular photo album like your parents used to use. Whether you set up a website (or add them to your blog), post to social media, or create collages or slideshows, you’ll have plenty of ways to remember one of the best trips of your life. We have always used travel-inspired decor in our home because it reflects who we are at the core: travelers.
Daydreaming
Rather than spending all day staring out the window watching planes fly past, these ideas can help you get a little international flavor from the comfort of your home. As you build up the expectation of your next trip, the moment you arrive will be so much sweeter.
