The world is a big place. There are so many things to see and do, but not enough time in the day, or money for that matter to get it all done. But don’t worry! You can travel vicariously through these 15 tips on how to have a great vacation without ever leaving your home.
Here is a list of 15 tips to travel vicariously:
- Plan ahead
- Stay in the moment
- Research destinations
- Plan activities
- Download a travel guidebook app, like Tripadvisor or Lonely Planet
- Create itineraries for your trip
- Create Activity Expansions
- Give yourself mini-vacations throughout the year
- Use social media and blogs as inspiration for traveling vicariously
- Find ways to experience foreign cultures at home
- Get on the airplane even if you can’t go to a destination
- Utilize technology for digital travel experiences.
- Use the internet to find your destination
- Learn new languages and culture
- Find other ways to experience your favorite things vicariously
1. Plan Ahead
Planning ahead is the most important part of traveling vicariously. It will make your trip go more smoothly and ensure you don’t miss anything that’s worth checking out while on vacation. There are a number of things to think about before setting off:
- What am I going for? A relaxing beach escape, exploring new cultures, or a whirlwind tour of the world?
- What type of food am I expecting to eat while traveling?
- Is my destination safe for me and my family’s needs?
Check out: How to Plan a Trip that Suits you Needs
2. Stay in the Moment
Staying in the moment entails making the most of your time while you are on vacation. Avoid taking a million pictures and videos that will only crowd up your camera roll or fill up all your memory space, instead try to take one picture every day for an entire year to document the places you’ve been and things you’ve done. This is also good for people who don’t want to carry around a camera with them.
It’s easy to get caught up with all that you’re not doing at home. Remembering your vacation is about the destination itself will help make it a more memorable experience.
3. Research Destinations
Bringing the world to you can be done with just a few clicks of your mouse thanks to travel blogs and social media! Research where you want to go, what typical food they eat, and how safe it is for tourists on sites like Tripadvisor or Lonely Planet.
Researching destinations will give you a better idea of what to expect when going somewhere new. The more information you have about the destination, the easier it will be for your mind to create images and memories of your experience before even leaving! This is now what we call traveling vicariously.
Check out: Why you Should Visit Palouse Falls State Park
4. Plan Activities
Now that you know where and what you want to do, it’s time to plan activities for your trip! Things like hiking, swimming with dolphins, or going on a historical tour are all great things to add to the itinerary before leaving home. If these aren’t possible then there are still many ways to experience these activities vicariously.
Planning activities is an important step in planning a great trip! There are so many things to do and see, but not enough time or money for them all. But don’t worry about that!
5. Download Travel Guidebook Apps
This is an important point on how to travel vicariously. Travel apps are perfect for anyone who wants to explore new places, but doesn’t want the hassle of carrying around an extra device like a camera or phone! Download one from Tripadvisor and Lonely Planet for the best recommendations on what to do and see while you travel vicariously!
Travel Apps are perfect for those who want to travel vicariously because they are full of recommendations on the best things to do and see while you’re exploring new places!
6. Create Itineraries for Your Trip
It can be easy to get caught up in day-to-day life and miss out on some of the wonderful opportunities that come your way. One way to avoid this is by creating daily itineraries with things like fun activities, picturesque views, or favorite foods.
For many people, it can be hard to keep track of the trip you’re taking vicariously when there are so many other things going on in your life! Planning out an itinerary and then crossing off items as they happen will help make your day more enjoyable by creating a sense of accomplishment throughout the day.
Travel vicariously by creating daily itineraries to keep you on track of the trip you are taking! Create an itinerary and then cross off items as they happen for a more fulfilling experience.
7. Create Activity Expansions
If you don’t want to stay in your hotel room all day, download some extension apps like Lonely Planet or Tripadvisor to find interesting activities in your area.
Traveling vicariously can be great, but it’s not always possible to have a full day of fun without leaving the hotel! Creating Activity Expansions will make you feel like you’re really exploring new places and doing all the things that are important to you.
8. Give yourself mini-vacations throughout the year!
Giving yourself mini-vacations throughout the year is a great way to experience your favorite things without ever leaving home. You can do anything you want and still create great memories!
Create a list of what the best activities are to give yourself mini-vacations throughout the year! Experiencing these vicariously will make it feel just like you’re living in that moment for as long as possible.
9. Use social media and blogs as inspiration for traveling vicariously
Social media and blogs are a great way to get ideas for traveling vicariously! There are many different people posting about their trips, the places they go to, or what happened on that specific day. This is an easy way to see other people’s lives while living your own life at home.
Travel vicariously by looking through social media or blogs for inspiration. There will be many different people posting about their own travel stories, places they visit, and what happened on that day making it feel just like you’re living vicariously through them!
10. Find ways to experience foreign cultures at home
If you want to experience a foreign culture vicariously, there are many things that can be done right at home! For example, listening to or watching the language is one way.
There are many ways to experience new cultures without ever leaving your couch! If you’re interested in experiencing different languages and cultures then find out about some of the different languages that are spoken around the world.
Experience foreign cultures vicariously by taking in other people’s culture through listening to or watching it, and find out about some of the different languages that are spoken across the globe!
11. Get on the airplane even if you can’t go to a destination
It can be difficult to find the motivation to travel, especially if you’re feeling bogged down with work and other obligations. Maybe taking a mini-vacation isn’t in the cards for this year, but there is still something that can help get your mind off of things: getting on an airplane!
If you want to experience the feeling of flying without actually going anywhere, then get on an airplane!
Get the same feelings as you would going to a destination by getting on an airplane. This is a good way for people who are having difficulties motivating themselves to take that mini-vacation they’ve been longing for!
12. Utilize technology for digital travel experiences
Technology is a great tool for experiencing new things vicariously! There are many ways to utilize technology and still have the feeling of being there without ever leaving your home.
Utilizing this technology is a good way to experience something without having to go through all the trouble or even get out of bed! Digital travel experiences can be done anywhere with any type of technology, and they can be done anytime.
13. Use the internet to find your destination
The internet is a great way for people who want to experience new things vicariously but don’t want the hassle or cost of actually going somewhere! You can use Google Maps and Street View so you can explore places in 360-degrees.
Google Maps and Street View are great tools for giving people the opportunity to explore places without ever having to leave their homes! You can visit any place in 360-degrees with this technology, so there’s no need to go out of your way or breaking the bank just to experience something new vicariously.
14. Learn new languages and culture
One way to experience new cultures and languages is by going on the internet. There are many possibilities for learning a language or culture, but remember that there’s no substitute for actually visiting!
If you want to learn about different languages and cultures then take in other people’s cultures through listening to or watching it. You can also find out about some of the different languages that are spoken across the globe!
15. Find other ways to experience your favorite things vicariously
There are many ways to experience your favorite things vicariously, even if you can’t go on a trip or indulge in that dessert!
Find other ways to have the experiences of traveling and eating without ever leaving home. It’s possible with some creativity, so find new and inventive ways to get your fill of anything you want!
What are some of your favorite things to do vicariously?
- Watching tv shows about traveling and different cultures.
- Listening to or watching movies in foreign languages.
- Reading blogs about traveling around the world.
- Checking out what other people have posted on social media who are traveling or at home.
- Checking out what’s trending on travel sites, such as Google Trends and Kayak.
- Watching language learning videos on YouTube. Listening to these videos is a great way to experience languages without ever leaving your couch!
- Talking with someone who is from another country that you’re interested in visiting.
- Listening to the radio in another language.
- Learning how to cook a new dish from an online video or blog post.
- Watching cooking shows on TV while cooking your favorite dishes at home!
Some ideas for Activity Expansions
● Take a walk around your neighborhood and take pictures. Then go back to your house and make up stories about the people you saw on your walk (what were they doing? Did two people get in an argument?). These are now memories that will last forever!
● Create a list of what the best activities are to give yourself mini-vacations throughout the year!
● Create a bucket list of all your favorite things and start crossing those off one by one. You can do anything you want on this list, as long as it’s something that makes you happy!
Summary
Traveling vicariously is a fun way to experience new things without ever leaving the house! There are many ways to do this, such as watching tv shows or blogs about traveling around the world. You can also explore different languages and cultures with Google Maps Street View by going on YouTube for language learning videos and listening to other people’s cultures through podcasts.
If you want to have your favorite things during a mini-vacation, then create an activity list of all the best ways to experience them without ever leaving home. You can do anything on this list and it doesn’t matter if you actually make what is listed in the blog post or not!
