With the world largely at a standstill when it comes to leisure travel, particularly for seniors and those with underlying medical conditions, it can be frustrating and disappointing for those who love to see the sights. For seniors who are unable to leave their homes, this can be especially hard. But did you know that there are many companies and organizations offering virtual travel tours? From museums to sightseeing, opportunities for virtual travel are plentiful. Most are even free! While nothing can replace the real thing, the benefits of going on a virtual adventure extend to body, mind, and spirit. Read on to find out how these tours work and to find one that you or your loved one will enjoy.
How it works
Most virtual tours offer three hundred and sixty-degree views of rooms, views, or exhibits. To enhance the experience, you could also invest in a virtual reality headset, but this is not required to have a great travel experience. As long as you or your loved one has a screen and an internet connection, you can visit an amazing list of places!
If you or your loved one is unfamiliar with technology and has a caregiver or works with an in-home senior care agency, ask him or her to assist with setting up whichever tours you’d like to try. Another advantage if you are working with a home health care agency is that you can bond and share some meaningful companionship time with your caregiver while taking in some sights and sounds that you enjoy!
National parks
From Yellowstone National Park’s website, you can explore some of the most popular attractions and learn about geological formations, including Yellowstone’s famous geyser, Old Faithful. Most of the media provided on this site is in the form of videos, and, while it doesn’t offer a truly interactive experience, it’s still well worth visiting.
Yosemite offers stunning views, majestic waterfalls, and soaring cliffs, all of which you can experience virtually.
Many people dream of vacationing in Hawaii. Now you can go there virtually! Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park offers stunning views and guided tours. You can fly over an active volcano, enjoy the breathtaking views from the cliffs along the coastline, and see the effects of a volcanic eruption from 1959.
Sightseeing
From the Americas to Europe to Africa, sightseeing tours of some of the great wonders of the world are available. If you’d like to see the seven wonders of the world, you can do it from the comfort of your home.
- Head here to experience Machu Pichu.
- If you’d like to “walk” along the Great Wall of China, simply click here.
- To view Petra of Jordan, head here.
- To visit Chichen Itza on the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, click here.
- You can take a closer look at the Taj Mahal here.
- Visit the Christ the Redeemer sculpture in Rio de Janeiro by clicking here.
- And finally, you can take a virtual tour of the Colosseum in Rome by heading here.
Museums
Museums all over the world have taken the initiative to create virtual experiences for the public. Here are some of the best.
The Louvre Museum in Paris offers virtual tours of its most popular galleries. Simply click on a room and you’ll be taken to a view of that location’s artwork. From there, you can use your mouse (or finger on a touchscreen) to navigate through the gallery.
The Guggenheim Museum in New York also offers virtual tours of both the outside and inside of the building. Their tours are not quite as interactive as the Louvre, but you can still see the main sights and view breathtaking artwork from the comfort of your living room.
The British Museum in London also offers an immersive virtual experience allowing you to see hundreds of artifacts and works of art. Their website offers an amazing blend of information and beauty.
And the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York allows you to view twenty-six virtual exhibits and over two hundred thousand documented works to learn about nearly any era in history.
Theater
If you or your loved one is a theater buff, there are options for catching a show as well!
The Globe Theater in London, once home to Shakespeare, offers full-length productions of some of his most famous works.
If you enjoy opera and ballet, the Royal Opera House in London offers a variety of shows for your viewing pleasure.
And if you prefer Broadway, you can catch many of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s productions by heading here.
Whatever your interests, you’re sure to find something you’ll enjoy seeing from the comfort of your home. And a trusted family member or caregiver is sure to be ready and willing to lend a helping hand if you run into any issues using technology.