Are you stuck at home, unwilling to peruse Netflix yet again? Is every flat surface in your house covered with your latest Lego creation or 1,000 piece puzzles? Don’t worry, I’ve got you. Adventure at home has never been easier to create for ourselves.
No plane ticket required!
While we’re all trying to stay home and do our part, I’ve put together some ideas to help you find adventure at home.
Not only can you find destination-specific travel adventures you can recreate at home, but wanderlust-worthy memories you can cultivate for you and your family.
Let’s help make #TravelAtHome a popular movement to keep the wanderlust alive, while still maintaining social distance!
(Mistaya Canyon, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada)
We’ve all seen the endless pictures of people at home, lounging in fluffy robes, sipping on cold drinks in front of a large TV screen with a beautiful beach picture plastered in front of their eyes.
They understand. They get it.
They figured out how to create their own adventure at home and are saving a ton of money. They didn’t need to stand in endless lines to grab that one picture.
Or spend hours packing and organizing logistics.
How can you scratch that travel bug itch, when it’s not possible to board a flight to a tropical destination? How do you cure that insatiable wanderlust when the only places you can visit are the rooms in your house (and if you’re lucky, your backyard, balcony, or porch)?
I’ve written about the benefit of staycations and how you don’t have to travel far to have an adventure multiple times on this site, which you can read here and here.
Now it’s time for me to prove that I know what I’m talking about!
Since we’re all stuck inside for the next foreseeable future, I thought it would be fun to create some travel-themed vacation ideas!
These ideas will help you find adventure at home. They’re packed with virtual museum tours, traditional recipes that embody a culture, iconic movies to watch, music playlists to discover, and so much more.
As you scroll through these ideas, keep in mind that they’re simply suggestions. You can do all of them, some of them, or just be entertained by reading them. It’s fully up to you and customizable to your individual situations.
Maybe you have small children and want to get them involved.
Or reluctant teenagers that need a creative outlet.
Maybe you’re looking to fill an hour. Half a day. A weekend.
Whatever your situation is, hopefully you can find a little relief and joy with an adventure at home. These ideas were cultivated on the assumption that you are only allowed outside to go to the grocery store. If you have the ability to go outside into your yard, these ideas are fully adaptable.
Adventure at Home Tips:
*Block out a chunk of time to fully enjoy the adventure at home. Yes, it’s easy to look around and see all the chores that need to be done. It’s easy to quickly respond to emails. Do the dishes, etc. Try your best to say, “Okay, for these next 3 hours, I’m going on an adventure.” If you’re like me and struggle to relax in a dirty or cluttered space, do all your chores “before” you go on your adventure.
*Get everyone involved. I’ve been encouraged to see my friends adventures at home with their kids helping make decorations, plan out their adventures, and take “photo shoots” around the destination. If you have family or friends that you want to partake in the adventure with you, take advantage of virtual platforms (Zoom, FaceTime, Instagram Live, etc.) if you’d like!
*Get creative! This is by no means a comprehensive list, and you might have different ideas that sound better to you and your situation. And don’t be afraid to be a little bit extra! Since we’re all stuck in our own homes, nobody will see you, so give yourself the freedom to express yourself. And hey, if you DO take pictures and plaster them all over Instagram, feel free to tag @adventureisneverfaraway so I can adventure with you!
*Plan ahead before you adventure. I’m not suggesting you have to plan weeks in advance, but give yourself time to gather items and create things if needed. Plus, if you give yourself a buffer of planning, you’ll be more able to relax and enjoy the adventure at home, rather than stressing.
At this point, I feel inclined to cover myself with a little disclaimer. Yes, some of these ideas are hokey and even stereotypical. Some flirt with the border between ludicrous and ridiculous, but isn’t that the idea? I’m a hopeless romantic at heart, so these ideas reflect that.
The point of this article is to create adventures at home, and sometimes we need to go over the top. Sometimes we need to embrace the sillies. We need to lean into the stereotypes that make a destination special in our minds.
In no way are these ideas intended to poke fun of, ridicule, or degrade any culture or destination.
Here are some amazing Adventure at Home ideas!
Hawaiian Island Paradise
In my opinion, every day should have a taste of paradise. If you’re craving a bit of sunshine and warmer weather, why not recreate a Hawaiian slice of heaven in your own home?
It’s time to dig out those sundresses, sunglasses, and colorful bathing suits! And the best part? No shoes required. Although if you do happen to have some awesome flip flops, time to show off your toes!
*Start the day off with SPAM and eggs for breakfast. Scrambled, over-easy, poached, omelette – however you “egg” best, fry those babies up with some slices of SPAM and welcome to Hawaii!
*Make a lei crown or necklace. One of the coolest experiences I ever had in Hawaii was visiting a plumeria farm on Molokai and getting to pick my own flowers for my lei. Now, I can understand that most of us don’t have plumeria trees on our property. That’s okay! Get creative. Straws. Colorful paper. Coffee filters. Whatever you have lying around.
*Learn to hula dance. If you haven’t discovered the power of YouTube yet, let me clue you in. You can learn so much from YouTube, including how to hula dance. Put on some calming tropical music on Spotify and follow your virtual instructor. Learn how to tell a story through dance, in a way that you probably haven’t moved before. Everyone is always talking about the new skills they are learning during quarantine…why not add hula dancing to your repertoire?
*Watch “Lilo and Stitch” as you lounge in your bathing suits. Traveling to Hawaii combines adventure and relaxation. Throw a beach towel on the floor (or if you have a lounger or beach chair, even better!), get decked out in your brightest-colored beach outfit, and relax as you watch one of the most underrated Disney movies. This is also a great activity for younger kids that might need some “quiet time.”
*Make Hawaiian Haystacks for dinner. I have no idea where these came about, but Hawaiian Haystacks were all the rage when I was in college and broke. All you need are a few ingredients that just might already be in your food storage: rice, cream of chicken, canned pineapple, mandarin oranges, tomatoes, green onions, chow mein crunchy noodles, cheese, and whatever else you want to toss into it. You can make it your own or follow a recipe from Pinterest.
*Widen your tastebuds with some tropical fruits. While preparing for your Hawaiian adventure at home, purchase some tropical fruits from your local market. Guava, kiwi, mango, pineapple, passionfruit, coconut, lychee, rambutan, dragonfruit, starfruit, papaya, watermelon and others can usually be found in a lonely corner of the produce section of grocery stores, such as Sprouts, Whole Foods, or Trader Joe’s. If you can’t find any fresh, check out the freezer section to whip up a smoothie or acai bowl. Some of these tropical fruits look downright crazy (I’m looking at you, dragonfruit and Buddha’s hand), but you never know if you like something unless you try it!
Road Trip Around the USA
While I do love a good road trip, this is not the best time to be out and spreading germs around. But why not take a virtual road trip around the United States, hitting up a few iconic landmarks on the way?
*Start the morning in The Big Apple, NYC! Turn on “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” either the song or the movie, and dig into some NY bagels. If you’re feeling adventurous, add a heaping dollop of shmear, lox, a little bit of dill and capers. After breakfast, take a virtual tour of Ellis Island. Learn about how immigrants came to America and the process they had to go through. Write down your family history. Ask your grandparents to tell you stories. Maybe you had someone come through Ellis Island.
*Throw a baseball around (if you have a yard or room in your house). Don’t like playing catch? Can’t trust that all the windows will survive? You can watch a game instead! Whether it’s listening to Harry Caray’s “Cubs win! Cubs win!” or Vin Scully’s “It’s time for Dodger Baseball!” you can stream classic baseball games on YouTube. Nothing beats reliving one of the greats calling a game. Here’s one of my favorites!!
*Head over to Chicago and eat some deep-dish pizza for lunch. There’s always going to be a heated debate regarding the perfect pizza style: New York vs. Chicago. Maybe today is the day you finally put the debate to rest in your own house. And while your pizza is digesting, take a virtual tour of one of Chicago’s amazing museums.
*Learn about the history of Jazz in New Orleans. Listen to the great jazz players of our time, my favorites include King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, and the legendary Dr. John. If you play a musical instrument, try to improvise along with some of the tunes.
*Have a BBQ dinner in Texas. There’s just something about grilling some meat and veggies over an open flame that brings a smile to your face. Skewer some hot dogs, get those briskets marinated, and season that steak. Now would be the optimal time to purchase that Traeger and become the grill master that you’ve always wanted to become. Or, order in!
*Watch Disney’s “Cars” in a backyard/living room drive-in movie theater. Using cardboard boxes, make your own vehicles that you can sit in while watching the movie, just like you do at a drive-in movie theater around town. Decorate your car like a hot rod, convertible, or even a limo! Watch Lightning McQueen discover Route 66 and learn what road trips used to be like.
*Finish your USA road trip in California with the Beach Boys. Get your inflatable pool filled up and put on your water wings. Soak in the pool while listening to “Surfing Safari,” “Surfin’ USA,” and “Surfer Girl.” Find some sand and kick off your shoes, squidging your toes like you’re walking on the beach. Create your own happy place.
Catch the Sun in Mexico
Quarantine blues got you down? Nothing is a better cure to the monotony than adding a little spice and salsa in your life. Head down “south of the border” and get lost in the flavors and sounds of Mexico!
*Learn to make authentic salsa and tacos! And not the kind that you can buy at those Tex-Mex restaurants. I’m talking roasting the chilis and tomatoes, salsa. Try a few different recipes using tomatillos, jalapeños, serranos, habaneros, different spices and vinegars. Taste test some cotija cheese, roast some corn, try those pickled carrots. Give your taste buds a vacation.
*Watch Nacho Libre and embrace the brightly-colored stretchy pants. Enjoy the light-hearted humor of a monk who moonlights as a Luchador (Mexican wrestler).
*Mariachi is music for the soul. Mariachi music is a genre that dates back to at least the 18th century, and has been used to celebrate the joys, struggles, and the triumphs of the Mexican people. Mariachi music includes strings and trumpets with a lively beat, perfect to listen to as you’re making salsa and tacos!
*Drink fruity drinks at the beach. Okay, maybe not the beach, but if you find a bucket and some sand, you can find a beach scene on YouTube and sit listening to the waves, sipping on a fruity drink of your choice. My personal favorite is a (virgin) piña colada!
DIY Adventure at Home
If you want to add a little more variety in your adventure at home, there are literally infinite possibilities. All you need is a little creativity and imagination. Here are some more ideas to jump-start your DIY adventure at home.
#1 – Determine Your Timeframe
Let’s be honest – this pandemic has thrown most of our schedules out of whack. A lot of us have no idea what day of the week we’re on most of the time, without having to check our emails and phones.
Some people still have to work full-time from home. Others suddenly found themselves full-time teachers. And a lot of people have discovered that they have hours of down-time that needs to be filled.
Whatever your situation looks like, determine ahead of time how long you need your adventure at home to be. Maybe you’ll just need a few hours. Some might want a whole day to create a “field trip” for their family.
Decide how much time you want to dedicate and set that time aside.
#2 – Pick a Theme
If you’re not interested in visiting an exotic destination from home, that’s okay! Not everyone likes to travel. There are endless themes you can choose from to have a great adventure at home, based on your preference.
Here are some ideas that might interest you:
*Cook around the world. Pick a country who’s food interests you. Google recipes. Scour Pinterest. Watch YouTube videos. Teach yourself how to make dishes from that country. You can create your own little series: every Friday is Italian Day. Where appropriate, check out local specialty markets for country-specific ingredients. Or, choose a different country each week and learn about their national or most-popular dish. And keep a record of what you like and dislike. Some of these recipes just might make it into your repertoire.
*Visit museums in famous galleries. Did you know that many of the famous museums around the world offer virtual tours? I had a roommate that loved spending hours and hours in museums, going from exhibit to exhibit, lost in a world of art and romance. Now you can do that from the comfort of your home. Interested in a specific museum? You can Google “the museum + virtual tour” and delve into the world of culture and history. Don’t know where to start? The British Museum of London, the Getty of Los Angeles, and The National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City are a great place to start!
*Have a Disney Day. I love all things Disney, so this would be at the top of my list for an adventure at home day. Disney has been releasing their highly-coveted theme park treat recipes, such as their churros and Dole whip. Give them a try! Put on a Disney playlist and blast it through your home. Watch some old-school Disney movies. You know, the ones you saw back when you were a child on VHS, but never gave them a second thought? My favorites are Robin Hood, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and Peter Pan. On Disneyland’s Facebook page and on YouTube, you can watch parades and “go on” rides to your heart’s content.
Did you know I used to work for Disney? Check out my top memories as a Disney Cast Member!
#3 – Prepare For Your Adventure at Home
Once you have your theme and timeframe ready, it’s time to take care of the logistics. Make a shopping list, create an outline, get all of your work, chores, schooling out of the way so you can have a good chunk of time to enjoy.
Does your adventure require you to dress up or create an ensemble? Give yourself time to properly prepare to make the most of your adventure.
#4 – Enjoy Your Adventure at Home
You’ve made the plans, blocked the time, and dedicated yourself to having an adventure at home. Now is the time to allow yourself to enjoy all of your hard work. Discover how good (or bad) of a baker you are. Give into the cheesiness of the videos, songs, and costumes.
Remember, NOBODY can see you. And you don’t HAVE TO post anything to social media. You can keep it to yourself, or you can #stayathome and tag @adventureisneverfaraway to share the adventure!
#5 – Record Your Adventure
Whenever people travel, they take tons of pictures, buy souvenirs, write blog posts and articles, and share posts on social media about their adventures. Just because you’re having an adventure at home, it doesn’t mean that you can’t find your own way to record your adventure.
Set up photo shoots for yourself wearing outfits you created. Take pictures of food you cooked. Write down your thoughts about new things you experienced, even if it’s just in your own journal.
There are many ways to preserve travel memories, which can help you remember what you did and give you stories to tell. It’s a great way to round off any adventure.
Whatever theme or adventure you decide to have, however much effort and time you want to dedicate to your adventure, remember that you can make it your own. The sky is literally the limit. Have fun, be cheesy, and have a great adventure at home!
What adventures at home have you already had? Need help creating one? Let me know!
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