3 DIGITAL WAYS TO TRAVEL WITHOUT LEAVING HOME
Check out the fun tools and devices that let you see the world without leaving your couch.
– KEYS SOULCARE
Home might be where the heart is — and your office, and your gym, and your… must we go on? — but we could seriously use a vacation right about now. Thanks to a new assortment of gadgets and services, your home can be bursting with adventure. Ready to satiate your wanderlust? We’re rounding up a few ways to explore the most popular destinations — no passport required.
1. Level Up Your Tech
Day lamps and ring lights are useful for getting through virtual work days, but when it comes to getting a little escape after them, VR headsets (aka virtual reality or augmented reality headsets) top our shopping lists. Once you’ve landed on your headset of choice (and Googled your dream destination), dive into a world of sense-dazzling, made-for-VR tours, from diving at the Georgia Aquarium, to scaling Hawaian volcanoes. (Want to learn more about VR headsets? Wired breaks down everything you need to know, from their rich history to product recs.)
2. Put Nature on Repeat
Take your ears on a well-deserved (and totally re-energizing) adventure, courtesy of The National Park Service’s soundscapes library. This jet-setting-friendly playlist features recordings taken throughout the Colorado State Park’s Rocky Mountains. Chill to the sounds of an approaching thunderstorm, take a sunrise walk along a coyote-clad lake, and envision your next IRL nature getaway.
3. Take An Art Tour
Yes, despite spending the bulk of your time at home, arts and culture are still within reach. Case in point: the 2,000 institutions that teamed up with Google Arts & Culture to let you view the latest exhibitions from the comfort of your couch. Go ahead, tour Paris’s Musée d’Orsay or a Keith Haring exhibit in Tokyo in between Zoom calls. (We won’t tell your boss if you don’t.) You can also browse works by color or historical touch points — and bookmark your favorites to your phone for an on-the-go art tour.
What’s next on your virtual bucket list? Share where you’re headed in the comments!