This year was going to be an amazing travel year. I had almost all of my travel plans for 2020 put together at the end of 2019 and I was so excited! My husband and I kicked off with a trip to St. Maarten in February, but have since cancelled the rest of our trips due to the pandemic. I’m glad we got in one last trip before it was unsafe to travel. A few weeks after we returned home social distancing became a thing, there was a global toilet paper shortage, and then the world basically shut down.
I know there are plenty of travelers out there just itching to get out and explore. As someone who basically lives to travel and plan trips, I’ve been trying to figure out other travel-related things to do when you cant travel abroad. Here are a few travel-related ideas that can hopefully keep your travel needs fulfilled until it’s safe to travel again.
Disclaimer:
This post contains *future* travel and travel-related ideas for when it is safe to travel again, as directed by health and government officials across the globe. Please follow your government and official health recommendations on social distancing and being safe during this time!
1. Research destinations for a future trip
Look for exciting destinations on social media like Instagram or Pinterest and save these for later / pick a few destinations from your bucket list and learn more about these for a future trip. I’m particularly interested in learning more about Budapest, Prague, Vienna, and Bratislava – because that’s where we were supposed to be going in a few months. Now I have more time to perfect my future itinerary!
You can use the save feature on Instagram to start a new “collection” for each of your destinations. All you need to do is find a photo you like, press and hold the ribbon on the right hand side, and either add it to a collection you have, or press the “+” sign to make a new one. See screenshot below for instructions from the IG site.
2. Plan a future trip abroad
While we still don’t know what the future of travel looks like, we do know that we will eventually be able to travel again! As the world starts opening up, you could begin planning a trip for (very) late 2020 or early 2021 – if it’s safe to travel at that time. There will likely be lots of travel-related deals available, and you can always book reservations that offer free cancellation for any reason. Or work with a travel agent (like me!) to help plan your next adventure.
3. Plan a local trip or weekend getaway
As of July 17th in Ontario, 24 regions have entered stage 3 of reopening! Unfortunately, my region isn’t one of those regions… but it shouldn’t be too much longer. This means that most businesses are now open! Depending on where you are, your restrictions may be more or less strict, so check into it before you plan anything. It’s a great time to explore locally and see some of the attractions in your own backyard. Or venture a little further and use your vacation time to plan something you wouldn’t normally do. In the Ontario area we have Niagara Falls, Prince Edward County, cottage country, provincial parks, and many more outdoor attractions open to keep you busy and entertained this summer.
4. Use this time to save money for travel
An alternative approach would be to simply use this time to save money for travel, and then plan an epic trip in 2021. If you’re working from home you can save the money you’d normally use commuting, buying your morning or afternoon coffees, buying meals like breakfast and lunch, and social events after work. If you’re still going into the office, prep your meals and coffee at home and save that money in a travel fund. My husband and I even started organizing our house and selling things we don’t need on Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace. All funds will be going toward our next trip!
5. Organize your travel photos and videos
Now is a great time to organize travel photos and videos from previous travels. Clean up some of your hard drives with photos that are blurry or low quality to free up room for future travel photos. You could even create some photobooks online or create some memorable travel videos.
6. Cook a “destination inspired” meal
Find a destination you really want to go to, and look up some of their most popular dishes. You can try to recreate these at home and host a small dinner party (here we can have 10 people in our social circles), or just do it for yourself! I’ve done this a few times and tried out some new recipes that I ended up really enjoying. And some of them completely failed… but it’s all part of the experience!
Check out some YouTube cooking videos and do a cook-along or head to Pinterest for inspiration and recipes.
7. Read a travel-inspired book
Whether you prefer fiction or non-fiction, there are tons of travel-related books out there for any interest. If you’re looking for factual, destination-specific guide books you can choose from Fodors, National Geographic, Rick Steves, Lonely Planet and many more! For travel stories, some of my favourites are:
- Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
- Wild by Cheryl Strayed
- The Beach by Alex Garland
- The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner
8. Watch a travel-inspired movie or show
If reading isn’t your thing, that’s OK too! There are so many movies and shows that feature destinations around the globe. I am an avid movie watcher and also like a good TV series. Here are some of my favourite travel-related movies and shows:
Movies
TV Shows
- Into the Wild (also a book)
- The Beach (also a book)
- Midnight in Paris
- Indiana Jones (only the trilogy!)
- The Darjeeling Limited
- Up (Disney)
- Anthony Bourdain – Parts Unknown
- Rick Steves Travel Series
- Planet Earth
- Househunters International
9. Learn a new language
If you’re planning to travel somewhere in 2021 and they speak a different language, try to learn some of the common phrases and greetings. You can use free apps like Duolingo or make an investment into a program like Rosetta Stone. I’d suggest starting with the free app, and try to recruit a friend or family member to learn with you so you can practice speaking together.
10. Watch travel videos on YouTube
There are many travel vloggers and adventurers out there documenting their trips, tips, and travel information. Head to YouTube and search for a destination or travel-related topic you’re interested in…you may end up finding some great content creators to follow as well. I’ve been watching Kara and Nate (living out of a van which they have no idea how to operate), The Endless Adventure (currently renovating an old RV, and always entertaining), and Jumping Places (documenting their time being quarantined in the Philippines). And if you’re looking for some travel tips, you can also check out my YouTube channel, The Average Tourist! (shameless plug)
11. Do local day trips
If you’re still not feeling comfortable with the idea of a weekend getaway or local trip, you can opt for day trips. Pack some snacks or a picnic and go explore nearby parks, trails or towns for the day. This will help fill the travel bug, and you’ll save money by not staying overnight in a hotel or campground (but if you want to – that’s totally fine too!). If you’re in the Greater Toronto Area there are so many local attractions to visit within an hour or two drive like Prince Edward County, Niagara Falls, Niagara on the Lake, Muskoka, etc.!
I’m looking forward to venturing out in my local area in August to do some day trips, perhaps a weekend getaway, and enjoy summer in my own province – something I never used to take time off to do. I hope these travel-related ideas can keep you busy, entertained, and your wanderlust satisfied while travel continues to evolve. What have you been doing to keep busy while you can’t travel?
