Most of us stuck at home are dreaming of the next trip we can take. Maybe you already have something planned or you’re just wanderlusting through Instagram and Pinterest. I’m in your shoes as well, but I’m here to share ten travel things you can do while staying home to fill that wanderlust or help plan a trip for your future travels!
Create a Bucket List
Something we all like to daydream about at home is all the adventures we can have when this is all over. Why not put all of that desire and wanderlust to paper and have some ideas of activities for your future travels?
There’s many ways people make bucket lists, from a pen and a notebook, to Pinterest boards, the options are endless! I personally have a Pinterest board with bucket list items that I have completed, as well as things I want to do! I find that Pinterest is a great way to help visualize the activity actually happening, which can help it to come true! I also have a bucket list on my site, check it out here!
A big bucket list item that I've completed - bungee jumping!
Plan Your Next Trip
Probably the most obvious travel activity to do while at home is plan your next trip! You don’t need to book anything right away, but setting yourself up an itinerary and researching flights and accommodations can not only help kick that wanderlust but have you super organized when it is time to book!
If you are ready to book, utilize the down time at home to really research the best deals! Check out many airlines, google flights, accommodation pricing and options, and really lay out the things you need to hit, and the things you’d be comfortable skipping.
Make a Scrapbook
If you’ve just come back from a trip, or don’t have anything planned for the near future, why not collect those memories and make them something tangible? Print your favorite photos, collect those ticket stubs, and get out your notebook and create memories to look into that aren’t just digital.
Collecting and creating with these memories not only helps to fill that desire to travel, but allows you to be productive and creative with your time at home rather than zoned out on social media!
Research your Bucket List Destination
The Bahamas is a bucket list destination for many people, is it on your list?
Everyone’s got that one place they’re DYING to visit. If you can’t travel to that place right now, why not do some research? Look up great itineraries to get the most of that trip. Research their culture and see what you can indulge into - India? Check out Hinduism and yoga practice. Italy? Check out Mediterranean cuisine and agriculture. Brazil? Look up the history of Carnival. There’s so much culture in every destination that it’s impossible to experience it all in one trip, but learning ahead of time can help you have a more in depth adventure while you’re there!
Research International Cuisine and Try Your Hand at Making Some
Something I’ve been enjoying while at home is indulging in international cuisine! Sure, this falls under the culture category, but there’s so many aspects of culture that I thought I’d make it it’s own!
And I’m not talking spaghetti and meatballs or French fries - really start to learn the ins and outs of an area or nation’s dishes. Lately I’ve loved cooking an Indian curry recipe, Mediterranean pastas, Middle Eastern falafels, Asian stir-fry, and Central American tacos! There’s so many different recipes that you can find on Pinterest, it’ll keep you busy at home for days!
Read About Travel
Whether it be blogs or novels, reading about travel is a great way to escape your abode. Novels help paint the picture of the destinations you hope to visit, while blogs give you the knowledge you may need to plan a trip!
Reading not only helps pass the time, but helps spark inspiration for your day to day routine and your future trips. Some of my favorite travel blogs have sparked a desire to visit a destination I never thought I would have ranked on my bucket list!
Reading about travel is a great way to escape and fulfill some of that wanderlust!
Learn Another Language
Now you don’t have to become fluent, but learning another language is always helpful, whether you’re planning a trip soon or not! You can either research the common languages spoken in your next destinations, or common languages spoken around the world.
There’s many ways to pick up a new language. Researching the words for common items and labeling them is one, downloading a language app will give you more skills! I personally love Duolingo, and have been working on a few languages with this app!
Research Travel Insurance and/or Vaccines You May Need for Your Trip
A quick story: When I traveled South Africa, I started feeling sick about a week after our first weekend safari. We were up in the northeastern part of South Africa, which is an area that could potentially have malaria infected mosquitos. When we arrived to Hermanus, I started displaying all the symptoms of malaria and decided to get an over the counter test from the pharmacy. After taking the test, it came back positive (for the more deadly strain too…goodness!)
We headed right to the Emergency Room of the private hospital, where they did a full workup, ran four different malaria tests, and provided me with some mild pain medicine for the aches. After a few hours, the doctor came back and said that everything was fine, the tests were all negative, and that the over the counter test I took was probably a false positive. I walked out with just a traveler’s flu, thank goodness.
The moral of the story is, without having medical travel insurance, that visit would have cost hundreds of dollars, but I walked out with only the lab fees to be paid (around $30 USD). This may not be the most exciting topic, but is 100% essential. Different parts of the world have different diseases than your home country may have. Finding out if there are recommended vaccines can help not only save you from ailment, but may save your life. Having travel medical insurance can help offset the costs of treatment if you do happen to get sick on your trip.
Consider Upgrading Your Luggage
The luggage I used before upgrading! It lasted me well for a long time, but it was time for something a little sturdier!
Luggage is something we all need for travel, whether that be a duffel bag, suitcase, rolling carry-on, or backpack. While we’re all at home, now is the perfect time to be researching and considering upgrading to a higher quality piece that will last on all your future trips! I know my luggage took a dive after traveling with it for years, so as a Christmas present, my family got me an Away carry on! It’s a smart bag that has a removable battery bank, super cute colors, and are overall high quality!
If you already have luggage that you love, but are looking for something to up your travel gear, check out some new packing cubes! They’re great for organizing all of your clothes while packed up, and keep things easy to reach! I swear by mine, and was one of the ways I was able to pack for a month long trip in South Africa! Need some tips for packing for a trip with just a carry on? Check out my Traveler’s Guide to Packing here!
Connect With People in Other Countries
If you’re craving the part of travel that strengthens our human connection and desire to learn about new cultures, try and make a penpal! It doesn’t have to be the old-fashioined letters (but it's even more fun if you do it that way!) Reach out to friends you follow on Instagram, see in travel Facebook groups, and just start connecting! Once you've established a connection, ask to have a Facetime or Zoom call to talk about each other's country and lives.
I've made friends through traveling and Instagram all over the world. I love chatting with them and getting to know the person behind the photos! Its a great way to learn about a place before visiting, to learn about culture, and to have friends to meet up with when you arrive!
Travel in general is uncertain right now, so fulfilling that wanderlust and desire to travel in other ways at home is a great way to learn and indulge in new hobbies, people, and culture! I hope all these tips help to spark some wanderlust while you're at home and help you feel excited for travel in the future! What other travel related things can you do from home? Let me know below!
Love these ideas? Don't forget to pin it!
I think these are some awesome tips! I have definitely been trying to find some things to do around the house to cure my travel bug. As you mentioned, doing research on some new places have helped me keep my inspiration afloat. Although we can’t physically explore new places, we still can research them on the internet!
I’m glad you enjoy the tips! Researching new places has been one of my favorite ways of “traveling” during these times!
These tips are great! I am definitely going to be buying some new luggage, I really want a matching set.
I love getting new luggage! Good luck on your search, hope you find some that make you happy!
I am trying to learn German! I live here now, and it looks like all my vacations for the foreseeable will be German based! Es ist nicht einfach!
Ooh how fun! I had a German friend a few years ago that tried to teach me a little bit, good luck!
I love this! Been feeling so uninspired lately because work has been drowning out every other thing in my life since the lockdown started – definitely gonna find some time to squeeze a couple of this in to restart the fire!
Aw thank you! Glad I could provide a little more inspiration!
These are some really great creative tips to get that wanderlust when we can’t travel. I especially love your idea of learning another language, this is the perfect way to use all this extra time we have,…especially if you learn the language of the next bucket list destination that you are planning! Thanks so much for the ideas and for the inspiration!
What a great list to read during this pandemic!