5 ideas for a virtual family adventure
(Family Features) A dream vacation is the perfect antidote to stress and the monotony of daily life. When a getaway isn't in the cards, you can still escape and explore new places virtually.
A virtual trip can be a great way to explore destinations you might consider for a future vacation, or it may be a chance to see remarkable sights around the world that you wouldn't get to experience otherwise. Virtual travel can also engage kids in learning when you pair the experience with lessons on culture, geography or even a homemade take on local culinary treats.
Add authenticity to the experience with special touches that mimic the ambiance. If you're visiting the beach, kick up the heat and turn on a fan for some breeze. Light a coconut-scented candle and enjoy a bowl of ice cream while you take in the sights.
Get your virtual adventures underway with these selections from the travel experts at Vrbo:
Look around the Louvre in Paris. Explore the Egyptian Antiquities, remains of the Louvre's Moat and Galerie d'Apollon by virtual museum tour as you head inside this iconic art lover's institution.
Sneak inside the San Diego Zoo. Get up close and personal with the resident apes, penguins, pandas, giraffes, elephants and tigers in real time via one of the many live cams positioned to spot wildlife from the comfort of your couch.
Walk the Great Wall of China. Make your Great Wall goals a reality. Get a glimpse of this 300-mile wonder of the world with a cyber stroll before dreaming up your own future family trip.
Watch big wave surfing in Maui. Transport yourself to the beach as you watch white-knuckle surfing at its most surreal. Whether you're a super fan or first-time spectator of the sport, it's a compelling beach-cam watch and a welcome escape from the everyday.
Travel 352 million miles to Mars. Feel a world away as you explore Mars from aboard NASA's Curiosity Rover. Learn as you roam between its different mission sites for a virtual, yet realistic, view of the Red Planet's remarkable landscape.
For families who miss traveling together, you can share the joys of your virtual journey through videoconferencing and adding some extra ambiance and a change of scenery by downloading a travel wallpaper for your meeting background. If the virtual destinations inspire you to visit in person someday, use resources like Vrbo's Trip Boards to create a list of places to stay as soon as you can get away, and keep the dream going by sending the link to family members and asking them to vote and comment on their favorites.
Find more travel-inspired ideas to pass your time at home at vrbo.com
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
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