100 places to go (with your travel buddy) when you can’t leave your home

You can both trek to Petra with a guide, cook pasta with the Pasta Grannies, listen to a concert or podcast together, take a rollercoaster or go on a safari - all from the comfort of your homes. You can grab some drinks, discuss the adventure and even plan to go there when all this is over, because no matter how enticing virtual travel is, it's no substitute for actually going places, is it?

Photo by Krissara Lertnimanorladee on Unsplash

Ever since lockdown hit us for the first time in March 2020, we’ve been using our newsletter to suggest various places to visit from the comfort of our sitting rooms. Almost a year on, we’ve accumulated a massive list of places to go when you can’t leave your home.

And why not share the experience with a potential travel buddy or plan a virtual meetup with others - the more the merrier. Okay, it’s not the same as a proper face-to-face get-together, but it’s as good a substitute as we’re going to get right now.

Besides anything else, the pandemic has had a huge impact in the way we explore, socialise and connect with the world. And I feel that the effects of social distancing will keep influencing our lives if we don’t extend our environment and find ways to stay in touch with people.

“Everybody is energy, every discussion is valuable, and every exchange of opinion helps us grow.”

So rather than find new things to watch on telly, why not tap into your community of friends here at Thelma & Louise Club and enjoy some of these ideas together.

100 places to go when you can’t leave your home

1. Feel a bit of cabin fever coming your way? Watch horses run on the beach.
2. These are the 25 most beautiful medieval towns in Europe. Add them to your bucket list.
3. Have your travel experiences made an impact on the person your are today? You are not alone. Rensina looks back to her life-changing journeys and tells us why the more she travels, the more she becomes a better person.
4. Explore space with The Planetary Society videos.
5. Emerge yourself in the paintings of Vincent van Gogh. Tap on the photo and run your finGer anywhere on the painting, really gently in any direction you wish.
6. If you are bored of the view from your window, try someone else's.
7. Make pasta with a real Italian grandma or just watch them do it.
8. Explore the street art of Buenos Aires.
9. 15 older (wiser) women on the wildest decision they ever made and don't regret. They took a risk by betting on themselves. Was it worth it?
10. Find out where Italians spend their staycations! They love exploring mountain meadows, relaxing on wild beaches, steaming in hot springs and visiting lesser-known towns.
11. The Day of the Dead is one of the most important days in Michoacan Mexico. Click here to teleport yourself there for the next 4 min.
12. Dare to enter the garden at Alnwick Castle, the Deadliest Garden in the World.
13. Have you ever wondered how friendship changes with age? 3 older and wiser women talk about it. From what makes a good friend, to making friends in unconventional places and finding the power in sisterhood. 
14. Find out about remarkable women such as Sylvia Pankhurst and Minnie Lansbury in this Virtual Tour of Radical Women of London's East End.
15. Take an interactive art course with Sian: Cultural Travels from home.
16. Wonder at the Acropolis illuminations, a project commissioned and donated by the Onassis Foundation.
17. Swim to the first semi-submerged tidal art gallery, Sculpture Coralarium.
18. Go on a complete tour of Sydney Opera House.
19. Michelle, aka TimeTravels tells us everything you need to know about embracing the expat life from a woman who's been there and done that.
20. Go whale watching in the Pacific.
21. Keep your spirits up and plan a route for your next trip.
22. Wander virtually through London’s National Gallery.
23. Try an invigorating morning yoga class with Erin at Five Parks retreat in Nicaragua.
24. Watch high-speed adventure talks from London’s Night of Adventure here. 400 seconds per talk – enough time to inspire you to go and do something really crazy.
25. Free hugs! In case you miss hugs, you can recharge your empty hug box here.
26. Take a virtual tour of Machu Picchu.
27. Have you wondered what pedalling beneath towering Redwood trees is like?
28. Take a hike on the Great Wall of China.
29. Dreaming about owning a home in the Mediterranean? Here's all you need to know.
30. If you are feeling adventurous, take a virtual zip line at Niagara Falls.
31. Fascinating - how climate change is affecting 5 major heritage sites and what they are doing about it. 
32. Online cooking classes, wine tasting and baking with top chefs and culinary experts from Delicious Experiences.
33. Italy's plague-era 'Wine windows' return for the pandemic-proof drink service. The covid pandemic has brought back the 400-year-old tradition of socially distanced drink service through wine windows; contagion-free service.
34. This underwater winery in Croatia lets you dive for your drink. As if you needed a reason to learn to scuba dive…
35. The badass adventurers in the 'Tough Women Adventure Stories' collection are all fearless, intelligent, compassionate and curious about the world. While we don't feel we could run across mountain ranges, sail across the Pacific Ocean solo or run marathons barefoot, we can definitely find inspiration in their stories and maybe gain a bit of courage to plan a little challenge of our own.
36. What it's really like to buy a 1euro Italian home? It's a brave move, but does it pay off? If you are tempted, here is the list of houses on sale on the town's official website.
37. Put on your best gown and enjoy the 10 most popular opera arias. 
38. Check out 'The Travel Diaries' podcast, where celebs talk about their best trips. We all need a bit of holiday porn from time to time.
39. The New York Times has turned to photojournalists to help transport us virtually to some of our plant's most beautiful and intriguing places. 
40. For when you need to let it all out, Iceland has offered to collect all our screams and release them in the open. #LetItOutIceland
41. Looking to plan a road trip? Here is the complete guide to road trips, with great ideas of where to go and how to start planning.
42. Explore the Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough, an interactive journey.
43. Travel to 20 of the best Greek Islands.
44. Find out what happened to Santorini when the tourism 'machine' stopped.
45. Take a coastal road trip of Latvia.
46. Check out 6 tried and true ways to volunteer abroad for free. 
47. Go on a safari. Live from Greater Kruger Park in South Africa and Maasai Mara in Kenya.
48. Watch the 2020 New Year Vienna concert in full.
49. Grow, forage, cook and ferment online classes with Coleen from, you guessed it Grow Forage Cook Ferment.
50. This image of Mount Everest visible from Kathmandu is such a refreshing symbol of why we are fighting climate change. This would not have been possible a few months ago; it’s actually never been seen in living memory. We have come a long way, let's keep going in this direction. 
51. Take advantage of Zoopla’s virtual viewings and have a nosey peek inside houses around the world.
52. Missing the buzzing streets and crowds? Take a tour through the Grand Bazaar Istanbul.
53. Feed your travel dream by tracking the planes in the sky with FlightRadar24.
54. Art with Monday morning coffee! Start the week with brilliant art lectures from specialist art historian and lecturer Sian Walters who works for The National Gallery, The Wallace Collection and The Arts Society.
55. Take a virtual tour of the Moon, courtesy of NASA.
56. CityLabs have invited their readers to draw a map of their worlds in the time of Coronavirus. The 300+ submissions include: 'my authorized living perimeter', 'a way to capture my daily life in a playful way', 'an intimate bridge over the life I was leading before', 'a place where people notice each other more', 'the street will be my gallery, the park my theatre'. What would your map look like?
57. Four women share their stories of grit, freedom and excitement of the unknown hitchhiking around Europe, The Silk Road, South America and volunteering in Uganda, from a time before smartphones, apps and Google maps.
58. Get comfortable and watch some of the best movies about Rome.
59. While most governments suggest quietly staying at home, Swiss Embassy in the UK suggests we all try yodelling through an open window along with a few other thoughtful recommendations...
60. This icy landing in Greenland at dawn is one of the most beautiful I've seen recorded from the cockpit.
61. Watch this live streaming from the Gorillas Forest Corridor, Africa.
62. How to land a jet aircraft? Have you ever wanted to know what is actually going on behind those closed flight deck doors? Pilot Maria, who flies a Boeing 737-800 is answering our most common aviation questions!
63. If you want to see a satellite (or 60) pass overhead in the night sky check the James Darpinian website.
64. Do you miss live music in a chic bar? Grab a drink and pretend you are in this Philadelphia restaurant with these jazz musicians.
65. Tempted to Move and Retire to Italy? Join this virtual workshop covering everything you need to know about making 'la dolce vita' a permanent fixture.
66. Meet the woman who is travelling more in her 70s than she did in her 20s. Thanks to a career on cruise ships, Rosemary Barnhart has been to 167 countries and she's still going.
67. You can also find a great source of virtual tours at Girls Travel Tours. They are free unless you want to tip the guide.
68. Looking to change the view? Take a ride in a hot-air balloon as part of the festival in Cappadocia, Turkey.
69. Watch brown bears catching their salmon lunch through a live camera in Alaska.
70. The Moving Roadmap podcast features the adventurous journeys of global citizens leaving their home country and starting fresh in a foreign country. 
71. She could be the next Frida Kahlo.... Here is a wonderful artist I have discovered recently; Ana Leovy's paintings are mesmerising with their vibrant colours and good vibes!
72. Follow National Geographic as they look for the Lost City of Atlantis.
73. Stroll through a Japanese garden in bloom and immerse yourself in a magical world. Open the window and let in the breeze, go full screen and make sure the sound is on.
74. Explore the living legacy of Dr Jane Goodall: The Hope documentary, scientist, activist and change-maker, and the huge impact of her unshakable hope for a better future.
75. How can a bunch of high class musicians entertain us with home-made instruments? Sneakers, wooden spoons and scissors were used. Sting joins Jimmy Fallon and The Roots to perform social distancing remix of the Police's song 'Don't Stand So Close To Me' and it's a hit! 
76. Virtual dives through National Marine Sanctuaries around American Samoa and Florida Keys.
77. The Social Distancing Festival A festival during the pandemic?! Yep! A digital one of course. As long as there is talent and people to celebrate it, there will be a festival. This one comes in the form of an amazing database for streaming music, visual arts, theatre, opera and musicals.  
78. Tune into some travel-themed TED talks that will educate and inspire you to take on a new challenge.
79. All I Ask Of You! Prepare to have goosebumps as you enter the sitting room of a composer in isolation. It's magic and you might even feel inspired to brush the dust off your old keyboard and join in. #HomeIsWhereTheMusicIs
80. Watch these happy sea otters. Their joy is intoxicating.
81. Lessons from Florence. From art and writing contests to a best balcony competition, there has never been a better time to be creative.
82. Explore glaciers, fjords and icebergs in the Alaskan wilderness.
83. Feeling adventurous? How about a ride on a rollercoaster at Seoul Grand Park?
84. Feel the vibes at the Brazil festival parade.
85. Earlier this year a single mum from Wales become the first person to swim a mile in the Antarctic Polar Circle. I'm not suggesting anyone try this, but I think you'll appreciate the extent of this achievement and the good vibes it brings!
86. Delve into Italy’s virtual ski resorts in the Dolomites.
87. Visit the Sistine Chapel and zoom in to take a closer look at the celling.
88. If you are in the US or Canada, Girls Nite Out is a great resource of virtual entertainment.
89. Take a tour through an Ice Hotel and add it to your bucket list if you’d like to sleep in one.
90. Explore USA National Parks with the rangers.
91. Watch Nestflix – a collection of live cams recording the life of birds in their nests.
92. Meet the woman who is travelling more in her 70s than she did in her 20s. Thanks to a career on cruise ships, Rosemary Barnhart has been to 167 countries and she's still going.
93. Thinking about changing the way you travel? Regenerative travel is about actively improving a place, rather than just slowing its decline by making tourism more sustainable.
94. Do you miss gardens? Here are 5 virtual gardens you can tour any time.
95. Trek Petra with a guide and decide if you want it to your bucketlist.
96. There is plenty of good news happening around the world. Here are 30+ illustrated good news stories that will help restore your faith in the world, from the illustrator of The Happy Broadcast.
97. Susie and Norah, aka 2 travelling aunties from Singapore are fully living on the road pretty much since the pandemic started in November 2019. They have some fun stories from the road and what's been like to travel during Covid 19. 
98. The Last Bohemians Podcast - interviews with amazing women in their 60s, 70s and 80s who's are pretty cool and live fearlessly. Their stories will impress and charm you.
99. "If you are a woman over 40, ever going to be a women over 40 or you've ever met a woman over 40, you should read this book "The Shift", by author and journalist Sam Baker. This is the good, the bad and the liberating of menopause, a great book to look after each other.
100. Find out Why 300 women off-road through the Moroccan Desert. Tempted to test your limits?

Even if lockdown finishes before you go through the list, feel free to come to it every time you feel the need for a bit of escapism.

If you know of any other ways to virtually explore, connect and socialise, please add them to the list, using the comments below.

At the time we wrote this article all links were active, but please let us know if we need to update any of them.