Virtual Wanderlusting

Travel to Backyard

We may be home physically, but that does not stop us from connecting with our friends and family from all over. This situation also does not mean we can no longer travel—we can still do so, virtually! For me, the wanderlust is still always there but our health and safety are more important during these times. So, I am sharing instead some links to enjoy the world from the comfort of your home.

You can search destinations in https://virtualtours.city/ and you can have a virtual trip. Great for shoppers as it features a lot of shops who sponsored the site, but you can still get a preview of the general feel of the location.

For museum lovers, Google Arts and Culture has made available various online exhibits from various galleries around the world.

• We missed Musée d’Orsay on our trip to Paris last year. Was planning to catch this next time but for now, we have this virtual tour of this museum: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/musee-dorsay-paris?hl=en
• And since we are talking about France, check out the virtual tours offered by the Palace of Versailles. http://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/resources/virtual-exhibitions#louis-xiv-/-nicolas-fouquet:-a-certain-history-of-taste
• The National Art Gallery of Washington also offers online exhibits: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/national-gallery-of-art-washington-dc?hl=en
• And here is the one for the Uffizi Gallery in Florence: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/uffizi-gallery?hl=en
• Or take a streetview trip to Tokyo National Museum https://artsandculture.google.com/streetview/tokyo-national-museum/PQG948Fv3mc_KA?sv_lng=139.7759333&sv_lat=35.71879&sv_h=-151.87621284312152&sv_p=-23.15760655907158&sv_pid=wQva_jfaR5T1clE3NB4ZXg&sv_z=0.9999999999999997

How about trying out some virtual rides on Disney and Universal? Most Youtube videos are not the very best quality but there are some good ones out there:

• Youtube channel iThemePark has a great collection: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo83OnV1SoOZHPQd1UNMx-g
• Here is the New Star Wars Ride—Rise of the Resistance experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWbWghpV0Q8
• and the classic Space Mountain ride: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N0otrMuh7E
• And of course, for Harry Potter fans (like my DD#2), here’s a virtual ride on the Hogwarts Express: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u16kKrⁱbb_4

Sadly, we are also missing a few shows this year. However, there are living room concerts available! 

• Check out: https://www.broadwayworld.com/topic/LIVING-ROOM-CONCERTS
• Or catch some of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s shows on his Youtube channel. The Shows Must Go On streams a different stage production on Fridays for free (for 48 hours): Today, it’s Carrie Underwood in the Sound of Music https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdmPjhKMaXNNeCr1FjuMvag

I hope this simple list (there are many, many more out there) allows you to discover many places and experiences albeit with our current limitations. Stay safe and healthy!