With New Year’s approaching, many people are making the resolution to travel more. Since most people have been homebound for quite some time, the idea of getting out seems all too amazing. Unfortunately, despite vaccines and other breakthroughs, we may be looking at another year where travel has to be put on the backburner. Luckily, there are numerous ways to travel from the safety of your own home. Best of all, these methods won’t cost you a fortune, so you can actually save up for the trip of your dreams when things begin to look up.

1. Read
Reading is your ticket to anywhere. You can travel abroad, to a magical realm, or even throughout the galaxy. The best thing about reading is you can pick up books for free from the library. With the pandemic upon us, many libraries even have a digital book library, so you won’t even have to put yourself at risk in this way. Of course, you can also purchase new books for about a penny plus shipping on websites like Amazon. That is only the beginning though, as you can find many books for free online, especially if they are older. You can immerse yourself in fiction, history, travel guides, and more. No matter what you choose to do, you’ll be traveling in one way or another.

2. Try Cuisine
One of the best ways to connect with a culture is to try out their food. If you’re stuck at home but you want to travel, then consider ordering some food from a restaurant that specializes in the region’s cuisine. This will not only allow you to have some fun, but it will also help you keep a local business going in the face of the pandemic. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on cuisine, then you can always check out a tutorial video or try to work from a recipe. This will help you to give the food a try while getting a taste for the cooking experience.

3. Virtual Tour
Technology is a huge asset when it comes to travel. Over the years, many people have taken up the challenge of documenting some of the greatest wonders of the world. These places are now available to you online, so you can enjoy them from the comfort of your own home. You can explore the greatest wonders, virtually walk down iconic streets, and explore the countryside of your favorite places. You can even take tours of iconic museums and galleries, which can truly change the way you feel about life. Most of these tours are totally free too, so you can travel the entire world in no time at all.

4. Foreign Films
Another way to travel abroad is to check out films from the country that you’re interested in. Movies can give a lot of insight into the world, which is why so many people connect to them. If you check out foreign films, then you’re definitely going to be able to understand more about the culture of a specific region. You should also be able to watch most films with subtitles so that you can enjoy the language as if you were traveling abroad. Foreign films can give you a taste of a country too, so you can choose if it is somewhere you might want to explore at a later date.

5. Explore Travel Writing
Travel writing is a wonderful way to explore new places. You can check out everything from blogs to books in order to connect yourself with new places. Travel writing is different than your typical stories as it highlights the aspect of travel rather than the person itself. Through travel writing, you can learn about food, music, art, culture, traditions, mentality, and so much more. You can even find writing based on the things you are interested in. After exploring travel writers, you may actually find that you are inspired to write about travel too. You can even start with talking about the places you hope to go, which can offer a deeper emotional connection to your trips.

6. Travel Podcast
If reading isn’t something you like to do or something you have time for, then you might want to swap things up with a travel podcast. More people are turning to podcasts to express themselves to a greater audience, so you will have many options to choose from. Once you find a podcast that suits your needs then you may consider following along through virtual travel. It will give you the chance to explore the world while listening to some amazing experiences. These podcasts might actually help you plan more accordingly when it comes to traveling in the future, too.

7. Decorate
Simply reading and enjoying media might not give you the effect of traveling that you want. So, if you’re looking to have a little extra fun then you might consider decorating to suit the destination of your choice. You might start by showing off some pictures of the destination you like. This will allow you to immerse yourself in the world. You can also display art, artifacts, and anything else that you think will bring you closer to the location. If you really like to craft, then you can make fun items to decorate with which will save you money while also occupying your time.

8. Video games
Believe it or not, but video games can actually help you to travel. Although most video games are going to give you fictitious worlds to explore, there are some that are based around real locations. You may find that these help you to explore areas that you may have always been interested in or places that may no longer exist. If you want to take things to a new level, then you can even look for VR games that will help transform your free time while giving you the opportunity to explore the world.

9. Study Language
Language is going to be one of the biggest keys to travel. You won’t get a chance to be immersed in the language from home, but you can begin the process of learning the language. For instance, you might download software that will help you learn with ease. You can also use apps that will give you little tasks each day. If you’re really feeling dedicated, then you can work with an online tutor or make virtual pals that you can speak the language with. Although this might not be as fun as traveling, it can actually help you to enjoy your travels more in the future.

10. Plan it Out
While you’re exploring the world through books, movies, and more, then you might find inspiration to plan out your own holiday. As you learn about the sights, you’ll find that some appeal to you more than others. You can easily plan around these things to help make your trip all the more memorable. You can even plan out restaurants that you would enjoy trying. This will not only take up some time while offering a touch of fulfillment for your traveling needs, but it will help you plan the trip efficiently. This will allow you to save up the correct amount of money for you to make your dream trip possible.

Just because you’re stuck at home, doesn’t mean you don’t have an opportunity to travel. It might not be traveling in a traditional sense, but it will allow you to broaden your horizons while you are at home. This can offer a form of fulfillment while allowing you to know more about your travel needs and desires for the future.