Cabin fever has made it clear: There will never be a substitute for experiencing the world in person. And trust us, like you, our editorial team can’t wait to travel again. But until the coronavirus crisis runs its course, here are our current picks for taking flight and going on vacation from the safety of your home (thank you, technology).
Tune In and Track African Wildlife
“A birdsong can even, for a moment, make the whole world into a sky within us,” the poet Rainier Maria Rilke wrote. Avian orchestras from the African bush can be especially uplifting, including this soundtrack from eco-lodge operator Singita, which also posts live game drives (think tracking lion prides in South Africa’s Sabi Sand Game Reserve) on its Facebook page.
Sail Past Fjords in Norway
Leave it to Norway (aka the world’s fifth-happiest country) to create a television genre that can actually reduce stress. If you’re new to Slow TV – which covers everyday events in superbly meditative, marathon sessions – we suggest starting with Hurtigruten’s 1,100-mile voyage along Norway’s coast. Spoiler alert: A sublime sunset paints the horizon at the 3:36:28 mark. Need to speed things up? The following time-lapse condenses the voyage to 37 minutes.
Hurtigruten’s six-day sailing in time-lapse.
Get Wild in the Galápagos
Daily programing on Lindblad Expeditions’ Facebook page lets you listen to live concerts curated by the cruise line’s ethnomusicologist, step inside design studios of global artisans whose crafts are featured in onboard galleries, and take nature excursions in places such as the Arctic and Galápagos Islands.
A deep dive into the Galápagos Islands.
Gallery Hop at Top Museums
Taking virtual tours of the Louvre, Smithsonian, and myriad other museums means you can browse at your own pace and without barriers (read: other people). We’re also loving online exhibits from Google Arts & Culture, featuring everything from France’s Chauvet Cave to L.A.’s J. Paul Getty Museum. Another must: Visiting Viking Cruises’ new Viking.TV site for its Museum Mondays series, including a video tour of Oslo’s Munch Museum.
Journey to Japan
The 2020 Summer Olympics may have been postponed, but Tokyo still ranks high on our list of this year’s top places to visit. A live cam of Shibuya Crossing puts you right in the city, but when it’s time to delve more deeply into Japan’s culture and countryside, this 360-degree VR movie (smartphone and VR goggles are required) from the Japan National Tourism Organization also features Sumo wrestling, sushi counters, and strolls on the Sugano Bamboo Forest Road.
Explore U.S. National Parks
Writer and historian Wallace Stegner called America’s national parks “the best idea we ever had.” Here’s another: Connecting (literally) with nature via National Park Service webcams (check out this live underwater cam at Channel Islands National Park). At The Hidden Worlds of the National Parks, interactive, 360-degree videos also let you explore lava tubes at Hawaii Volcanoes, crevasses in Kenai Fjords, and more.
Step Foot on Antarctica
Blue ice, breaching whales, penguin parades. Seabourn’s epic Ultimate Antarctica & Patagonia film takes you as far as the Seventh Continent to commune with its remote and rugged wilderness (bonus: no oversized parka or Drake Passage crossing required).
Super chill: Exploring Antarctica from your living room.
Embrace Continuing Education
Our suggested curriculum for homebased classes that take you far away via Facebook Live: Aqua Expeditions’ Pisco sour and ceviche masterclass with Peruvian chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino (look for updates on the cruise line’s future cooking classes here). Mindfulness Meditation from Spas at Six Senses Hotels and Resorts (follow its regular wellness classes at #AtHomeWithSixSenses). And Nihi Sumba’s Surf Survival session on May 2 (tune into the Indonesian resort’s culturally themed, daily live classes here).
Toast California Wine Country
Cab savs and pinot noirs are playing a big part in helping us take the edge off social distancing. But until we can revisit California wine country, we’re raising our glass to virtual winery tours. Meet us at the Russian River Valley’s La Crema estate, set in a restored nineteenth-century barn, and Napa Valley’s 130-year-old Freemark Abbey, home to one of the world’s largest libraries of cabernets. In Oregon, a tour of the Penner-Ash estate provides panoramic views of the Willamette Valley.
Look to the Stars
At last, the heavens call. See live telescope feeds from Chile to Morocco at Slooh (subscription required) and take a tour of the cosmos with Google Sky.