With the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, all businesses and places deemed “non-essential” are quickly shutting down. Depending on where you live, even parks are off-limits, making it nearly impossible to travel or even find a place to go to just get out of the house for even a moment- we are all social distancing. If you are finding yourself or your family going stir crazy, we have the perfect solution! Many museums, companies, and tourist hot spots are offering virtual experiences to give us all a much-needed break from our usual routines and social distancing. Whether you are looking for a fun escape or want to take the kids on an educational journey, we are here for you! Here are 12 ways to “go out” and travel while still staying safely at home, social distancing:
Spend the Night at a Museum (Maybe without Ben Stiller)
Google Arts and Culture gives virtual access to art exhibits and tours of over 2,500 museums throughout the world. You can find the work of specific artists like Van Gogh, or feed your inner fashionista with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Explore the Louvre in Paris and the breathtaking pieces in the Vatican. For those of you who love art, but hate the establishment, there are endless stories to discover through virtual walking tours that feature leading street artists and their work.
Explore World Wonders Up Close and Personal
Discover the world like never before. Technology has brought us the ability to visit endless wonders in the comfort of our own homes. Explore the history that was made in Ford’s Theater, Machu Picchu, and Giza Necropolis. Learn the moments behind historical moments in human history. Visit the Holy Land, the Great Wall of China, Buckingham Palace, and the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. Take in monuments such as the Palace of Versailles, Stonehenge, the Colosseum, and the White House. You can even take a moment to appreciate America’s most stunning terrains with the help of the National Parks Service where you can fly over active volcanos and explore the depths of the Kanai Fjords.
Attend an Ivy League University Class
Many of us currently have more time on our hands than ever before. Is there a better way to fill it than expanding your mind with a subject you love taught by an Ivy League Professor? From The Science of Well-Being at Yale to 18th-Century Opera at Harvard, you are sure to find a class to fill your time and better your mind. Various Ivy League universities are offering almost 500 classes online, free of charge! Click here to see the whole list of offered courses.
Discover Life Under the Sea
Aquariums are wonderful places to take the whole family. You can learn so much about the ocean, the world, and the endless variety of life in water. Though you may not be able to go to the nearest aquarium, the National Aquarium offers a virtual tour of all of their exhibits. The Monterey Bay Aquarium offers live camera feed while they are open, and a recorded one while they are closed. If you want to travel abroad, head to the Great Barrier Reef! Take a virtual dive with sea lions through National Marine Sanctuaries.
Leave the Earth Behind with an Outer Space Tour
Learn what it is to experience the adventure of a lifetime. With these tours, you can experience what it’s like to live in space, circle the Earth, and travel beyond the Earth orbit. Walk on the surface of Mars with images recorded by NASA’s Curiosity Rover. Explore the International Space Station through numerous virtual tours. Take a journey from the Earth to the Sun with stops at the moon, Venus, and Mercury.
Learn New Recipes in a Cooking Class.
If social-isolating with your family has helped you to realize that you or a loved one needs some help in the kitchen, we have answers! Whether you are new to cooking or just want to learn some new techniques, Instructables is offering free online cooking classes. With their help, you will be able to expertly saute and roast foods like never before!
Become a Rainforest Explorer
The rainforest is only a few clicks away with Michigan State University’s Virtual Rainforest. This virtual guide takes you to a neotropical rainforest where you can spot over 20 species of life with educational facts and videos while social distancing. It will also teach you all you need to know about rainforest flowers, trees, and deforestation.
Find Your Inner Bob Ross in an Art Class.
Are you interested in mastering a new creative skill? With these free online University art classes, you will be able to capture scenes or create your own comics in just a few weeks. You can start exploring different styles and histories through art with the 155 art classes offered on EDX.org. This is a great resource for everyone looking to improve themselves during this time social distancing.
Watch the most famous circus in the world and be wowed
Never had the chance to visit Las Vegas and experience their amazing shows? Cirque Du Soleil is now giving the world a taste of their magic through virtual shows through their CirqueConnect online hub. Through the new virtual reality app, you will feel as though you are on the stage, right in the midst of the performers!
Go play with Mickey Mouse (ears optional)
Though the Disneyland Parks are closed at least through the end of March, you can still experience some of their magic. Feel the thrill with a virtual ride through Space Mountain and Splash Mountain, or revisit your childhood with Snow White’s Scary Adventure and It’s a Small World.
Keep Active in Your Faith with Remote Church Services.
Churches across the country are having to close their doors during this difficult time. Practicing your faith alone at home is always possible, but some of you may be missing the weekly preachings or church lessons. Hundreds of churches use CWM to live-stream their services so everyone can participate in the comfort of their own homes. You can also find pre-recorded videos on any gospel subject here.
Exercise with the Pros via Remote Workout.
Across the world, we are all left with canceled fitness classes and closed gyms, but that doesn’t mean our healthy lifestyle has to come to an end! Exercise is one of the best ways to boost your immune system and decrease stress. Thanks to technology there are many ways to find the right workout. During the coronavirus pandemic, you can find companies offering FREE workout apps, or follow along to numerous workouts on YouTube.
