10 Ways To Travel At Home (When Plans Get Canceled)

When plans get canceled, we have to get creative and think of ways to travel at home.

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With the outbreak of COVID-19, many vacation plans have been postponed or canceled. It's a huge disappointment for those who had special trips planned with family or friends. The travel industry is at a standstill as almost everyone is staying home to help stop the spread.

Dylan and I travel - a lot. We like planning trips, exploring the outdoors, and visiting new places as much as possible. Unfortunately, we’ve had many vacation plans get canceled due to bad weather, illnesses, car breakdowns, or missed flights. And right now, we aren't going anywhere.

In the past, it's been up to two us to come up with a backup for other fun ideas, activities, and ways to spend our time when vacation plans get canceled. While we definitely feel disappointment and sadness when things don't go as we hoped, we try to find a silver lining.

As we all self-quarantine to help our healthcare workers fight this virus, I've revamped this post with a new set of ideas for vacation backup plans. If your vacation plans or trips are canceled due to the Coronavirus, here are ten ideas to find a silver lining, keep that travel spirit going, and bring your vacation home to yourself, your partner, or your family.

10 Ways to Travel From Home

Practice Vacation Blues Self-Care.

Planning a trip can be exhausting. Canceling that trip can also be exhausting AND sad. Lots of phone calls, emails, online research, credit card bills, and hours of frustration will create stress for anyone right now.

It's okay to feel sad about canceled plans. We all need to increase our self-care practice more than ever. Focus on vacation blues self-care and enjoy a nap, a bubble bath, or curl up with a cup of tea and a good book. Be gentle with yourself. Allow extra time to get proper sleep, eat well, and connect with loved ones at home.

Bring Traveling To You.

So you can't physically go to your vacation destination. But that doesn't mean you can't bring a little of that destination to you! Were you planning a trip to Spain this spring? Have a Spain-themed day with your partner or your family at home. Watch a movie that takes place in Spain. Cook a Spanish meal. Listen to Spanish music. Invite your vacation destination into your home for a safe way to explore, and not have your vacation plans be erased completely.

Visit Museums Online.

If you can't visit a museum in person, you can actually visit them from your living room. Thanks to technology, museums and art galleries across the globe are opening their doors and offering virtual tours to view their priceless works of art. Get lost in a maze of dazzling portraits, sculptures, canvas, and color as you wander the halls of these amazing collections. Get the list of what museums you can explore online.

Play Games At Home.

Playing games with your travel partner or family is a great way to pass the time and have some fun at home. A deck of cards can provide endless possibilities, or try Settlers of Catan, Sushi Go Party, or Dominoes- some of our personal favorites. Feeling bored with the games you have? Mix them up and make up your rules. Or research popular games from your vacation destination and try playing them at home.

Cook A Travel-Inspired Dish.

With restaurants off-limits, it's up to you to bring international cuisine to your table at home! Try a new recipe from a different cuisine. You can even rotate and have a theme for each day of the week. Try Italian cooking one day, Thai food the next, and maybe Mexican-focused dishes the day after. Food is one of the best ways to experience a culture, and you can explore those flavors, ingredients, spices, and customs by cooking a travel-inspired dish. Get some recipe inspiration for your next international meal.

Curious about more ways to embrace traveling at home through food? Get 5 new recipes from around the world in my Travel at Home eBook!

Take A Virtual Field Trip.

Google Maps is a wonderful way to get a real picture of places around the world. If you are sad you can't visit your destination in person, plan a virtual field trip instead. No, it won't be the same as actually being there, but it will give you a chance to explore somewhere new and keep your traveling spirit alive. Use the itinerary you had planned out and explore those places online. Marvel at that waterfall, count the number of people you see downtown and observe the behaviors of locals.

Focus On Your Mental Health.

Mental health is a priority for everyone at home right now as we navigate this new normal. Yoga classes and meditation retreats have been filmed all over the world. Take a look at YouTube for free classes from tropical destinations, tranquil locations, gardens, and beaches. Practice yoga, meditation, or mindfulness from peaceful destinations all over the globe. You can do this with a partner, by yourself, or invite your children to join you.

*I love the Calm App for meditations & mindfulness.

Learn A Second Language.

Connecting with others, even while far away, is one of the best ways we can keep hope alive during this time. While you can FaceTime and Google Meet with local friends and family, you can also connect with people from all over the world by learning a second language. Consider Duolingo, a free tool to learn a language, and join a group to chat with others abroad. With proficiency in a second language, you can expand your world view and see new places when it's safe to travel once more.

Check out this post to learn how to relearn Spanish!

Create A Travel Memento.

Photography, scrapbooking, hand lettering, and journaling are all wonderful ways to recall your previous trips and travel experiences. Try something artsy for a chance to channel your creative energy. Consider drawing, doodling, calligraphy, or maybe even just writing down what you remember about a recent trip. If you're feeling up to it, make a scrapbook with ticket stubs, photos, keepsakes, and mementos to honor your most recent adventure.

Want more ideas to scrapbook your travel memories to look back on previous vacations?
Get all my favorite scrapbooking ideas here.

Plan a Staycation.

It's hard to have plans canceled - especially if you have a love for traveling.

Is there a hotel, B&B, or place you can visit that's in your town or city? Sometimes just staying somewhere else for a change can make us feel like we are taking a vacation. See what's available nearby and travel like a tourist in your own neighborhood. You never know what you might find!

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Have you had vacation plans canceled due to COVID-19?

How are you keeping the spirit of travel alive at home?

Tell me about it in the comments below!