If you can’t travel at the moment, there are many fun things to do at home. The current situation in the world is impacting us all and in many different ways.
No one ever expected a global pandemic like that, but here we are. So let’s use this time to reconnect and work on ourselves.
If you are a travel addicted and would like to satisfy your travel bug, then this one is for you.
So how can you actually travel from home without physically traveling?
We put together a list of 32 things that you can do at home which are great for your travel soul and mind.
“Keep looking up! I learn from the past, dream about the future and lookup. There’s nothing like a beautiful sunset to end a healthy day.” – Rachel Boston
Check our other favorite beach quotes to help you to stay salty.
Table of Contents
HOW IS THE SITUATION AFFECTING US?
We both started a new job recently, as we need to have a steady income, but we still keep working on our blog. Our traffic dropped 50% and for every travel content creator, it is a tough situation. We also planned some trips and we need to postpone like everyone else. But that doesn’t mean that we will have to stop dreaming about traveling.
No one knows how it is going to be in the future and of course, we worry. We just know that it affects us all and we are in this TOGETHER. Our world and society have never experienced such a situation before.
So what do you do these days? How are you spending your time at home? And how can you keep your travel spirit up?
“We are the waves from the same sea” – Roman Proverb
CUTE SMILE QUOTES TO BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY
FUN THINGS TO DO AT HOME
MAKE BUCKET LIST
One of the best things you can do at home now is to create (or update) your bucket list. Not only with places, you want to visit, but also new things you want to experience. Open your travel atlas and see where you want to go next. Check 1700 bucket list ideas from my friend Slavi.
SORT YOUR TRAVEL PHOTOS & VIDEOS
If you are staying home for some time, and can’t travel, this is the perfect time for you to finally go through your travel photos and sort them into beautiful albums. It is also a great time when you can create a travel video from the destination you visited.
If you sorted out all your photos from hard drives, move to your phone. I hate backing up my phone, but this is a perfect time to make space for new travel memories.
MAKE A SCRAPBOOK
This is something I planned to do for so long, as I love to keep my flight tickets, museum tickets and other things from my travels. Well, this is a time when you can finally create a lovely scrapbook with all your travel memories.
FINISH A PUZZLE
There are so many puzzles out there with unlimited themes, and also from many travel destinations.
READ BOOKS
Do you remember these days when we actually had time to read books? Normally we read a book only when we are on vacation. So one of the best things to do at home is to catch up on your favorite travel book.
There are many great books about travel. So, just to name a few:
- 7 Years in Tibet
- Ultimate Travel Destinations by Lonely Planet
- 1000 Places to visit before you die
- Alchemist
- Around the world in 80 days
- Shantaram
Leave us a comment with your travel book recommendations.
LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE
One of the best ways how you can travel without traveling is to learn a new language. Are you planning a trip to South America? Well, you need to speak some Spanish, so why don’t you start learning now.
Try using apps like Duolingo or Babbel.
WATCH TRAVEL MOVIES
Of course, Netflix is a lifesaver. Luckily we have the internet and so many possibilities to watch, and of course, there are so many travel movies.
I have recently watched 7 YEARS IN TIBET and it was so fascinating for me, that we are planning to go to Tibet next year. It is based on a true story about Austrian mountaineers that got trapped in Asia during world war II. He escaped a prison camp in India and fled to Tibet.
LOST IN TRANSLATION: this lovely story is about two separate travelers, Bob and Charlotte who are visiting Tokyo at the same time.
INTO THE WILD: this is one of my favorite movies, also based on a true story about Christopher McCandless, a university graduate who hitchhiked to Alaska.
VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA: very funny movie about two friends who go on vacation to Barcelona, and where they meet a painter Juan Antonio, and who asks them to spend the summer with him.
THE INDIANA JONES SERIES: One of my favorite movies from my childhood. Every movie of the series plays somewhere else and they are super fun and adventurous.
EAT PRAY LOVE: Beautiful movie about a woman who quits her life and travels, rediscovering herself and marveling around the world.
HANGOVER SERIES: Super funny series and one of my favorite ones is the first movie which played in Bangkok. Since then I wanted to visit Bangkok and Southeast Asia.
WATCH ANIMALS DOCUMENTARIES
I have always loved watching animal documentaries and being able to virtually transfer myself into Amazonas, Antarctica or savannas.
Recently we watched a new series from Netflix called NIGHT ON EARTH, where scientists and videographers are using new technologies to capture nightlife in the animal kingdom. It is very fascinating and we totally recommend it.
CHECK VIRTUAL TOURS
It is crazy, but Google maps introduced a virtual tour with landmarks and other sites. You can also create your own virtual tours. Check it out here.
GET INSPIRED FOR YOUR NEXT TRAVEL JOURNEY
We all know, that this situation is not forever (hopefully) and we will be able to travel again. So why not use this time and think about your next trip? If you like and have time (sorry, it was just so easy to tease) check our 20 tips on how to plan a travel itinerary.
Here are only a few inspirational articles:
- 15 Most beautiful places in South America
- 15 Iconic Landmarks in Australia
- Most beautiful beaches in Southeast Asia
COOK SOMETHING FOREIGN
If you can’t travel now, it doesn’t mean that you can’t make a meal from a country you visited and that you reminisce about. There are so many cuisines you can choose from. We love to prepare Thai or Indian dishes.
Or if you fancy a greek food, then have a look at 13 Traditional Greek foods.
And stay healthy. So grab your healthy cookbooks, which have stood on a bookshelf for years and pick healthy recipes. In a time like this, we need to eat energetic and healthy food to stay strong and positive. Eating junk will shove us even deeper into depression.
LEARN HOW TO MAKE COCKTAILS
This also goes to learning how to prepare your favorite cocktail you had during your travels. Every country has its traditional drink and now you can transfer yourself mentally to your favorite country.
DANCE AND SING
Maybe it’s time for you to learn a dance? What about Tango, Salsa or Rumba? Once you travel to Colombia or Argentina you will be ready.
PLAY BOARD GAMES
Pick monopoly, cards, scrabble or any board game you like. this is the perfect time to play together. There are also a lot of travel games. Maybe you can play educational games and learn more about other countries and cultures.
“We have different mountains and rivers, but we share the same sun, moon, and sky” – from a Chinese Poem
LISTEN TO INSPIRATIONAL PODCASTS
There are many podcasts out there with so many topics you can choose from. Also many travel podcasts and inspirational ones for self-growth. I like to listen to Jay Shetty On Purpose podcast, and if you are are interested, he is doing meditation live classes for the next 20 days on Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube.
Three ways how to deal with Social/Physical distancing.
TAKE A LONG BATH
This is absolutely perfect time for taking a long bath to lower the stress level caused by isolation and so much uncertainty. Turn on some nice candles, chillaxing music and made as much as bubbles possible and relax.
You can create a perfect Balinese bath with lovely aroma and flowers and pretend you are next to one of the most beautiful beaches in Bali.
DO YOGA
You do not need to go to yoga classes to do yoga. Yoga and meditation are a perfect way how to calm yourself down and release stress and anxiety. I started doing home yoga already in January and I love it.
I did yoga a couple of times during our travels, for instance on Koh Rong in Cambodia, or on Montania Beach in Ecuador. Every time I do yoga, I somehow transform myself there. Turn on nice relaxing music, close your eyes and imagine you are on the beach or any place you would like to be now.
EXTRA TIP: Yoga helped me a lot with my migraines and relieved me of so much pain from my neck and shoulders. If you need some inspiration, check Yoga with Kassandra or Yoga with Adrien, they both have really nice YouTube channels with videos for beginners and for advanced yogies.
EXCERCISE
Do you know the app called iFit where you can pick riding on bikes or rowing machines in different countries? How cool is that?
There are so many online apps and online videos that you can watch. Exercise is a great way how to feel better and do something for your body. If you can, and have the possibility to go for a walk or run in the forest, do it.
OTHER IDEAS FOR WHAT YOU CAN DO AT HOME
ORGANIZE YOUR COMPUTER AND DESKTOP
We are all so busy and we keep our hard-drives exploding and the same for the desktop. So I took a screenshot of how my desktop looks like at the moment and it’s a mess. So guess what I am going to do now? Organizing my desktop!
And if you would like to go even further, you can also start backing up your phone.
DON’T GET ADDICTED TO NEWS
I know it’s very important to stay informed but refreshing your feed every 5 minutes won’t help either.
WRITE NEW BLOG POSTS
I know that the situation might seem a bit hopeless, but I am very confident that it will get back to normal soon. So you can use this time to actually catch up on your content.
This is what I am doing at the moment, I still need to catch up with over 45 articles.
Write about things which can be useful for your audience. Finding interesting and useful topics is very difficult. But it can be anything which is inspiring, making people laugh or giving some kind of advice.
We want to make you smile, so if you need some inspiration, head to our cute post about SMILE QUOTES.
HAVE A HEARTY BREAKFAST
It’s definitely a great time to be creative in the kitchen and start your day right with lots of love. Make some tasty energy/ immune-boosting smoothies or these cute hearty eggs.
BEAUTY TIME
Finally, you can use all the beauty face masks (pun intended) you bought and never had time to apply. Use this time for self-care and self-love. If the world is ready, so are you.
CLEAN YOUR APARTMENT
Well, I guess no more excuses here, you are at home and finally have time to clean up. Cleaning always helps me to clear my mind.
SORT YOUR SOCKS
I don’t know about you, but I am always losing socks. So at the end of the day I somehow always find a few socks which I can’t pair anymore. This can be a great “challenge accepted” task and can keep you busy for hours.
MAKE ENTERTAINING VIDEOS
If you are a blogger or social media influencer, try to create content that is inspiring and helpful. We take this situation seriously, but honestly, we are lively human beings and we need to LAUGH.
ORGANIZE YOUR WARDROBE
Absolutely perfect time to organize your wardrobe. I know it is scary, but open your wardrobe and look at what you can sort out. Fold your clothes, pick what you do not need and what you want to donate.
ORGANIZE YOUR TEA BOX
Honestly, order a tag printer and tag your tea boxes. It is so satisfying.
DO SOME GARDENING
If you have access to a garden, do some gardening. Being outside and doing some manual work is always a good idea.
If you have a garden, you can also go camping in your backyard.
GET ROMANTIC
If you are staying at home with your loved one, you can organize a lovely romantic evening. Or recreate your first date night with your partner. You see, and you also have time to practice Kamasutra.
PICK UP A NEW SKILL
Learning a new instrument or starting a new hobby is definitely one of the best things you can do at home. Perhaps, try some online crouse and learn calligraphy. Or you can learn how to play the piano, guitar, ukulele or maybe you want to draw. The possibilities are endless.
TRY DIY
If you are interested in creating your own products, you can do that if you are staying at home. This is a perfect way how to get creative and also make something which can be environmentally friendly or something which makes us laugh. You can make your own beauty products anything for the household. One of the most popular DIY now, is I guess making your own hand sanitizers and face masks.
PLAY DRESS UP
Staying home can get boring, but what if you can create a nice evening with your family, something like the 90s night, glamourous night or anything you like that come to your mind. I would go for a beach holiday theme.
BE SOCIAL
We can still call, text and smile at each other. Call your loved ones, ask them how they feel. Be as helpful as possible. Offer help to your neighbors if they need help with shopping.
Again, it shouldn’t be called SOCIAL DISTANCING, but PHYSICAL DISTANCING. In fact, BE AS SOCIAL AS POSSIBLE.
That means if you need some inspiration, check travel Instagram accounts or read travel blog posts on Pinterest.
BE SUPPORTIVE
Support and solidarity are the keywords in this current situation.
People do get desperate, but we urge them to stay positive and hopeful. And most importantly: be kind, caring and think about others.
I have seen some pretty interesting comments when people are complaining about why they cannot do this and that and that we exaggerate so much. But it is very important to know that we cannot be selfish and egoistic. I know that it’s not great that you cannot travel now or that you might miss your Easter holiday but it is very important to stay positive and not selfish.
Think of the elderly, ill and people who might actually die because of your selfishness! I’m very hopeful that this will pass and we can move on with our daily lives again!!! As everything in life will pass!
We will get through this, we promise. We are not sure when but I am sure we will.
Of course, please let us know in the comments of other activities you came up with.
Stay healthy and be safe.
Lots of LOVE
If you want to inspire others, then pin this guide about FUN THINGS TO DO AT HOME when you can’t travel.
About The Authors
I totally forgot about about scrapbooking! Thanks for the great ideas.
You are very welcome Caroline, happy you find them useful 🙂
You are very welcome Caroline, have fun with scrapbooking.
Love your recommendations. They’re so important right now. I’m going to try out the romantic tip I think. Maybe do a date night inside.
Thank you so much Bliss, happy that you found these tips usefull. Have a lovely date nite 😉