Travel-inspired things to do at home

Admittedly, it isn’t always easy finding new ways to keep busy during a global pandemic. That’s why here at easyHotel HQ we’ve put together a handy guide on our top travel-inspired activities to do from the comfort of your own home.

Experience some top attractions virtually

With virtual tourism on the rise, most of the UK’s top tourist attractions – including museums and art galleries have upped their virtual experience game during this time. This alternative form of travel has also brought along a variety of new opportunities for businesses within the travel and tourism industry to showcase the best of what they have to offer for lovers of travel and culture.

If you’re someone that likes to plan when it comes to visiting somewhere new or are simply looking to find some escapism amid all the chaos, what better way to experience it first-hand through your own devices at home?

Here are just some of our favourites that are currently offering virtual experiences:

• The National Gallery – Take a virtual tour of London’s famous visual hub of art, education, and culture. There are currently three virtual tours to choose from featuring various art collections.
• Buckingham Palace – Get a taste of royalty with a free virtual tour of Buckingham Palace.
• The Natural History Museum – As you wait to visit The Natural History Museum after adding it to your bucket list of things to do after lockdown, you can gain free access to the museum’s popular ‘Lates’ event which continues to run online. You can also experience some areas via the ‘virtual museum’ section of the museum’s website.
• Shakespeare’s Globe – Whilst the Globe has put a temporary halt to its current productions, fans of the historical venue can explore its grounds with a 360 tour that features photos, videos, and interesting facts about the famous building.

When you’re ready to travel again, don’t forget to book a stay at an easyHotel in London to enjoy these attractions.

Virtual tours in Europe

You didn’t think we’d continue without giving the rest of Europe a mention, did we? There are also some fantastic ways to experience some best-loved cultural attractions in Europe online.

• The Louvre – Admire the architecture and explore the current exhibitions on display with a virtual room tour inside the iconic Parisian museum.
• Van Gogh Museum – Learn more about the famous artist’s life and work through the online tour of his collection.
• La Sagrada Familia – Explore the Basilica ahead of visiting in person. If you’re planning on visiting in the New Year, book a stay at easyHotel Barcelona to be within commutable proximity.

Watch travel documentaries

We all love a good documentary, and this has been no different since the first lockdown. With so much choice available and the wide selection of streaming services that are now accessible to us, a great way to fuel your wanderlust is to watch some inspirational documentaries such as our top recommended below:

• Our Planet – This eight-part documentary is Attenborough at his finest as he explores nature’s most extraordinary yet fragile habitats.
• Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown – Follow chef Anthony Bourdain on an off the beaten track culinary journey across the globe.
• The Kindness Diaries – For a much-needed burst of positivity, tune into this travelogue style documentary on Netflix.

Read up on your dream destinations

It’s safe to say everybody has an idea of some of the places they want to see and experience at least once in their lifetime, and with recent circumstances being the way they are, there’s never been a better time to read up on your dream travel destinations to pass the time.

Spice up your routine with a range of fiction and non-fiction reading as you explore the world from the comfort of your own living room. From bestsellers such as Eat, Pray, Love to useful guides like The Atlas Obscura and Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travelist, a good read can provide some comfort and inspiration to lovers of travel.  

Create a bucket list and plan your next trip

See what we did there? Now that your inspiration and need for travel has been turned up a notch, the next step is to get creative!

With so many options available, it can often be mind-boggling when it comes to deciding what route to go down. Our first suggestion is to decide whether you’d prefer to start a travel bucket list online or offline.

Whether you decide to start a travel journal or purchase a scratch map of the world, here are some cheap and cheerful ways to get planning your future travels.

• Start a travel blog: A travel blog is a fun and inexpensive way to document past and future travels. It’s as easy as signing up for a free website builder like WordPress. You don’t need to be an expert at coding as most website builders will come with easy to install themes and templates.
• Get inspired with travel apps: Apps such as Tripnary helps you plan your trip by allowing you to bookmark your bucket list destinations and how to get there on your desired budget – perfect to help you plan your future trips!
• Start a Pinterest board: Create your very own virtual mood board of travel destinations that you aspire to visit.
• Research using online travel guides: Discover some interesting facts about destinations that you want to visit using travel guides.

Dig out your travel photos and souvenirs

Why not re-live some of your favourite holidays and travel memories with a travel journal or scrapbook? They can be a great way to fill up some blank pages with everything from photos to magazine cut-outs of your favourite destinations. Categorise your journal according to town, city, and continent, or start by decorating your pages with some seasonal themes. We’re always looking to share any snaps of your travels during your stay at an easyHotel. Don’t forget to tag us over on Instagram!

Cook your favourite global dishes

One of the greatest things about travel is trying the local cuisine, and seeing as we can’t currently make the journey abroad, a top recommended activity to do at home is to bring the culinary experience to your own kitchen with an online cooking class or by recreating tasty recipes that originate from your bucket-list destinations.

Book online and become a pasta master by the end of the year with Zoom classes from The Jamie Oliver Cooking School, sign up for a personal pastry-making masterclass with a famous chef via Masterclass, or take a charity-run cooking class with Migratful.

Learn a new language

Speaking another language is a useful skill to have, and if this is something that you have always wanted to try, now is a good time to give it a go. Get started with the basics using handy apps like Duolingo and Babbel, both of which allow you to choose from a wide selection of popular languages where you can pick up new verbs and sentences with a short daily lesson at your own pace. If downloading an app isn’t enough, there are even free online language courses available with the Open University. ¡Vamos!

Start following travel influencers

To get real and honest accounts of what it’s like to visit a destination, following a travel influencer is highly recommended. Not only that, but that daily dose of inspiration will put a much-needed spring in your step on those dark and rainy days where travel isn’t necessarily available. Some of our favourites include:

• Jennifer Tuffen  @izkiz
• Yaya and Lloyd @handluggageonly
• Follow the team at @globalgrasshopr
• Pip Jones @pipsays

And there you have it. Whether it’s a staycation or a European city break, there’s never been a more fitting time to get planning that next adventure. If you’re feeling lucky, why not discover some of the world’s most popular tourist destinations with our variety of hotels?