Culture, cuisine, and even famous landmarks can all be experienced from the comfort of your home.

There are a variety of reasons you may be unable to travel, but the good news is you don’t need to leave home to enjoy what the world has to offer.

Books. Getting lost in a good book is one of the easiest ways to escape your current environment and explore a new one – and the experience can last days on end. For me anyway, when I’ve immersed myself into a book, I find myself looking at life through the lense of the characters even when I’m not reading it. So when I’m in the mood to take on a new destination, I pick a read that is set in that location and dive in.

Here’s my travel reading list.

Travel through film. I’d say movies are the number one way to acquaint myself with places I haven’t yet been, and they also happen to inspire most of my travels. Showing up in a new city and being familiar with the landscape, due to immersing myself in a movie set there, is very exciting.

See my full list of Wanderlust Inducing Films.

Take a Virtual Tour. If you’ve ever wanted to visit Rijksmuseum of Amsterdam, or The Met of New York City, but are unable to travel physically, several galleries and museums across the world allow you to explore them virtually.

So settle in with a cup of tea and a side of scones, and gallery hop your way through the afternoon with these 7 Virtual Tours.

Food. Trying the local cuisine is one of my favorite parts of travel, but sometimes bringing that dish home is even more special. By recreating a dish from past travels, you can hold onto the special memories, while making new ones with those you share it with.

Make your own, or try a few of my favorite recipes from different locations.

Travel Docuseries. Documentaries are a fun way to learn a lot in a short amount of time. Explore the world through chefs and comedians with these travel series — all of which are available to stream now.

Gordon Ramsay Uncharted (Disney Plus)
Restaurants on the Edge (Netflix)
Jack Whitehall Travel with My Father (Netflix)
Travel Man: 48 Hours in… (Hulu)

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