As disappointing as it might be to cancel vacation plans right now, you can still explore the world while staying safe at home. Many popular travel destinations have virtual experiences that gives kids an opportunity to learn something new. From theme park ideas to museum tours, here are fun virtual family vacations to try.
1. Visit a Disney park
You can visit the happiest place on Earth right from your couch. There are plenty of YouTube channels sharing the Disney experience with virtual rides, food tours and parades. For hardcore Disney fans, you’ll have to watch The Imagineering Story on Disney+ to get a behind-the-scenes look at their parks.
2. Tour the White House
Google Arts & Culture serves as a great online resource giving you free access to iconic places. For example, you can explore the White House with more than 200 years of history. You can tour Eisenhower Executive Office Building including the Vice President’s Ceremonial Office and the Secretary of War Suite.
3. Watch animals live at San Diego Zoo
Do you miss going to the zoo? San Diego Zoo’s got you covered with their animal live cams. Kids will go wild to see penguins, elephants, koalas and more. We personally enjoy watching butterflies eat fruit. Each live cam page also provides additional information about the animal you’re watching.
4. Travel inside the Great Pyramid of Giza
You don’t have to fly all the way to Egypt to see the amazing pyramids. BBC has created a virtual tour of the Great Pyramid of Giza, the only surviving Wonder of the Ancient World. You can learn more about Egypt’s pyramids on this clickable tour here.
5. Learn about art inside The Met
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York gives pint-sized art fanatics a chance to enjoy art via MetKids. Virtual visitors can click on the colorful map to find various artifacts or hop on their time machine to explore different types of art history such as medieval art or early modern.
6. Explore Yellowstone National Park
You can still see the great outdoors without leaving the house! Take in Yellowstone National Park via Google Earth or watch a YouTube travel video to make it feel more real. Here are some other national parks you can visit virtually.
7. Swim with a shark
Get up close and personal with animals in the wild with National Geographic’s 360 Videos. Face a hammerhead shark under the sea or watch “pirate birds” fly around in Costa Rica. Their YouTube channel also offers 360 videos showcasing other natural wonders.
8. Take in the sights and sounds of the Sydney Opera House
If you’re going to go on a virtual tour of the Sydney Opera House, you better expect to see a performance at the same time. Watch soprano Nicole Car and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra perform along with other parts of the Australian building.
9. Feel like you’re walking the Great Wall of China
This tourist attraction is on many people’s bucket lists and you can feel like you’re there in this immersive walkthrough video. Want to learn more about the Great Wall of China? Explore this virtual guide that breaks down the wall into sections.
10. Spend time under the sea.
When visiting Chicago, Shedd Aquarium should be on top of your list. They have an array of colorful fishes swimming around in their exhibit Underwater Beauty‘s live cam. See how many fish you can spot on the cam … we bet you’ll lose count!
