It might seem like forever ago since you've taken a trip. You may be texting your travel buds in a group chat that you'd happily sit on a plane with little leg room, or pay big bucks to sit at your favorite eatery in Italy, France, or Japan. If you want to satisfy your wanderlust, grab your laptop and check out these virtual vacations you can take for free.
They may not be as eye-opening as the real experiences, but they'll give you a chance to tour some of the most beautiful places this planet has to offer. From the comfort of your couch, you'll be able to explore wonders of the world and check into resorts that have always been on your travel to-do list. The best part? You can take these vacations for free. (Do you know how hard that is to come by?) You can learn all about palaces and otherworldly pieces of art for a grand total of $0.
You don't even need to spend an entire week planning out an itinerary or making reservations for accommodations, tours, and more. For that reason, taking a virtual vacation is pretty ideal. Here are six you'll want to take right away.
First up, check a major item off of your bucket list and head to Machu Picchu in Peru ~virtually~. This experience is possible, thanks to Google Arts & Culture. It allows you to adventure around the grounds of this world wonder. See the staggering, green mountains and explore the ancient ruins, all while in a pair of sweatpants and sitting at home.
Would your wanderlust be cured by cute animals like penguins, pandas, and polar bears? Look no further than the live streams from the San Diego Zoo. This popular zoo has some of their most famous exhibits online for you to enjoy. Go to their website and see what the giraffes, butterflies, and oh-so fluffy tigers are up to in real time. (Although enjoying the live streams is free, you can make a donation to the San Diego Zoo here.)
Are you desperately wishing you were by a pool or some salty waves right now? If so, these resorts in the dreamy spot of Myrtle Beach have you covered. They bring you onto their beaches and near their picturesque piers. Tune in at dinner time to watch a sunset with your SO, and gaze at stars as they peak through the night sky.
Step into the great outdoors with this live stream of Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park. It'll give you such a rush (No pun intended.) and may motivate you to do an at-home workout and take a walk around your neighborhood. Watch it to feel like you're camping and make s'mores to really round-out the experience.
The Taj Mahal is just as breathtaking as you think it would be, even when you're experiencing it through a computer screen. Take an afternoon and explore around miraculous building to really satisfy your wanderlust. Zoom in on the architecture and realize that you could never really get that close to the dome IRL. Thank goodness for virtual trips, huh?
Sydney, Austrlia looks particularly stunning under a camera's lens. See the #views for yourself by tuning into a live stream that gives you a complete look of the water, the Sydney Opera House, and Sydney Harbour Bridge. If you really want to go "down under," then this virtual vacation will be a great place to start. Spot where you may want to take pics one day with your travel buds.
