The Covid-19 pandemic has changed a lot of things, including our ability to get out and travel. Fortunately, there are a number of things we can do at home to keep busy, have fun, and best of all, prepare for our next adventures.
1. Seek out Travel Inspiration
If you’re looking for things to do while at home during Covid-19 restrictions, why not seek out some travel inspiration?
Fortunately, being at home provides ample time for reflection, so you can think back on your favorite travel experiences. Take some time to consider what it was you liked best.
Next, spend some time digging around travel blogs, Instagram or YouTube for inspiration. A search for travel bloggers, for instance, reveals a number of resources where you can tap into the personal experiences of others.
Of course, the importance in reflection was to isolate the type of adventures you like best, so you can be specific in your search as well. Asking Google to reveal the best hikes in America, for example, will let you explore locations within the U.S. considered epic by others.
If you’re just starting out, consider being less specific in your search. Searching for travel inspiration is always a good way to start out, providing you with many options. Once you’ve isolated a particular type of experience that seems appealing, you can start narrowing things down.
2. Start Planning Your Next Trip
If seeking out travel inspiration is inspiring a case of wanderlust, why not use the time at home to start planning your next trip. While airlines are continuously changing routes right now for travel over the next month or two, things should start to even out for late summer travel.
Before you make any reservations for post-pandemic journeys, however, do your research. Take your time at home to explore how people in the area are faring in the face of the Covid-19 crisis, and think long and hard about whether it’s a good place to travel during your anticipated time frame.
New York City, for example has been hit hard by the virus as have parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey. Stay at home orders are currently expected to linger into May and could go well into the summer, making these destinations less than ideal to visit.
Also, be sure to look into the cancellation policies associated with your bookings. A resurgence of the virus could happen during the year, so seek flexible arrangements that offer full refunds in the face of cancellations or at least allow you to rebook with no fees.
Planning future travel will give you something constructive to do while stuck at home, and could at least partially fulfill your feelings of wanderlust
3. Plan a Road Trip
As social distancing restrictions ease, many people might still feel hesitant about jumping on a plane or being in close proximity to others. This is particularly true if you have a pre-existing condition such as diabetes or asthma that make you more susceptible to the severe effects of Covid-19.
If that’s the case, why not plan a road trip? This approach gives you more control over where you go, and how many people you meet. Seeking out off-the-beaten-path destinations allows you to travel while still maintaining some form of social distancing.
In many areas, it’s possible to rent vacation homes from organizations such as VRBO. You’ll have the opportunity to isolate if you feel the need in a private residence, many of which offer a full range of amenities, including homes with residential pools, hot tubs, backyard grills and accommodations with incredible views.
Mapping out a road trip and finding the perfect accommodations are the perfect things to do at home while waiting for travel restrictions to end.
4. Use Time at Home to Prepare for Your Next Adventure
Now that you have an idea for where you are going and what you’ll do when you get there, you can start preparing. Things to do at home include coming up with a list of gear you’ll need and researching which options are best.
Maybe you’ll want a new camera to capture all of the amazing landscape shots on your national parks adventure. Or maybe it’s a pair of hiking boots to tackle the amazing trails you’ve mapped out.
L.L. Bean carries a wide variety of items related to outdoor travel, such as camping gear and active clothing. Likewise, Columbia Sportswear is another hub for travelers seeking outerwear against the changing elements.
Meanwhile, the Container Store carries some clever packing accessories to make life on the go more manageable.
If you’re thinking about getting a new camera, it’s important to find reputable retailers. Don’t be drawn in by a super low price, as these outfitters are often famous for the bait and switch or for later revealing a host of necessary components that aren’t included with your purchase.
A few years ago, we made this mistake. After meticulously researching the type of entry level DSLR we wanted to purchase, we then applied the same rigor to finding the best price. After placing an order, the retailer then called us post purchase to let us know that the camera did not come with a battery or charger. Purchasing one would cost extra, as would a host of other items they tried to sell us.
If you’re looking for reputable retailers, Shannon Ciricillo of Photo Workout recommends a few, including Adorama, BH Photo and NewEgg, three of our favorites for quality gear and good prices.
Meanwhile Paul Skidmore, also from Photo Workout, shares his list of top travel photography gear to help you find the best products for your next trip.
5. Break in Your New Gear or Become Reacquainted with Some Old
If you’ve researched new gear for your next trip, such as a new camera, getting familiar with its settings and functions is a great thing to do at home while waiting for Covid-19 restrictions to ease. Taking advantage of the quieter days under isolation to hone your photography skills will put you in a better position to capture stellar shots while out on the road.
Likewise, if you’ve purchased a new pair of hiking shoes or boots for your grand adventure, why not use your days at home to break them in. Many states still allow residents to hit local trails and parks. If not, why not take a walk and try some roads you have visited before?
6. Take Time at Home to Get in Shape.
Using the days of social distancing to get in shape is a worthwhile pursuit, and it can help you get in shape for your next vacations while also giving you something to do at home.
Fitness-related searches through Google spiked as states started mandating social distancing in March, besting the volume seen in the beginning of January when New Year’s resolutions to get fit typically swell numbers. That means, you won’t be alone in taking on a fitness challenge.
If you’re used to working out with a buddy, don’t lose your streak just because you can’t meet in person. Consider scheduling a Skype, Zoom or Apple Facetime session and take an online class together. Several fitness apps, Such as Nike Training Club, are offering free memberships during the Covid-19 crisis, supporting you in your fitness goals while you shelter in place.
7. Organize Your Travel Photos While at Home
If another trip isn’t in the plans for this year, why not take some time to revisit your old excursions. If you’re like us, you have hundreds of photos sitting on your phone or hard drive. Looking back at old memories is the perfect thing to do at home with kids or as a family.
Then, while you’ve got the files open, why not takes some time to get organized. If you’re anything like us, you have several hundred shots that could benefit from some more precise organization. While all of our photos are categorized by year and general location, this time at home has provided free hours for getting more precise. As a result, some of our travel photos have even found their way into more precise location subfolders.
Once you’re done with the reminiscing and organizing, creating a scrapbook of your favorite experiences is a creative thing to do at home with the kids or even alone.
8. Think about Trying Something New
The Covid-19 pandemic has a lot of us examining our priorities and thinking about changes we can make. For us, our thoughts have turned to trying something new on our next adventure.
Of course, we probably won’t join the likes of the slackline walkers we saw at Sahalie Falls last summer, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take a personal look at ramping up the adventure by trying a new experience. We’re thinking about kayaking at night on a glass-bottom boat and taking the road less travelled through the Oregon mountains.
No matter what your style of new is, dreaming up new ways to expand your boundaries is a worthwhile thing to do while at home waiting for the pandemic to end.
