Travel the World From Your Couch...Literally

Head to Italy for a cooking class or Napa for a wine tasting all without changing out of your sweatpants.

We’ve been inside for about eight weeks now. And if you’re like me, you’ve watched all the Netflix you can possibly muster at this time. Since the weekend is upon us, why not plan a fun activity for you, your friends, your significant other and your mother (it’s Mother’s Day!), and take a trip around the world. While the future of travel is uncertain, there is no need to wait. Take that cooking class you’ve always wanted to try, visit a museum you’ve always been dreaming of, sip some nice California wine and relax. In short, have an experience you will never forget.

Cooking Class With Nonna Nerina ($100 on sale for $60): Head to Italy and take a cooking class with the cutest grandmother of all time. During your two-hour live session you will get to meet Nonna and her granddaughter Chiara, and visit a small village outside of Rome called Palombara Sabina. A week before the class you will receive a list of ingredients and some Amazon links for any tools you may need (you most likely already have most of these in your kitchen already). The day or so before the course you will be sent instructions on how to virtually join and some wine pairings for the meal (my type of class). Each recipe has been in their family for generations so you can be sure it will be delicious! I am signing myself up for this class immediately. Buon Appetito!

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Take a Virtual Tour of Buckingham Palace (FREE): If you are as obsessed with Netflix’s The Crown as I am you will love this tour. You can traipse through Buckingham Palace as if you were Queen Elizabeth herself, corgis in tow. I was lucky enough to do this tour in person a few years ago and the history behind the art in the palace, the secret corridors, the famous visitors who have walked those halls are all so fascinating. While you can’t go in person at the moment, pour yourself a cup of tea and take a tour of one of the most famous homes on Earth.

Photo courtesy of Buckingham Palace

Tour a Hawaiian National Park (FREE): Need a tropical getaway? Head to Hawaii. Many national parks are offering virtual tours but I’ve chosen Hawaii because we could all use some time to pretend we are far away in a tropical paradise. On this tour you will explore the Nahuku Lava Tube and the incredible volcanic cliffs and rainforests that surround it, all without getting on a flight.

Photo courtesy of Go Hawaii

Explore a Parisian Museum (FREE): “We’ll always have Paris” is something I’ve muttered to myself every single day since we’ve been in quarantine. My love for Paris is known. I go every chance I get thanks to miles and cheap flights. While we cannot sit on the Rue de Seine at La Palette and enjoy a nice cafe au lait, we can explore the museums in this incredible city. Check out one of my favorites, the Musee d’Orsay. You can view their incredible collection of impressionist paintings and walk the halls as if you were there. Not into Paris? Head to London for the British Museum, New York for the Guggenheim or Berlin for the Pergamom.

Photo courtesy of Musee d'Orsay

Visit a Napa Valley Vineyard (prices vary): Transport yourself to a vineyard in Napa Valley with just the click of a button. Once you sign up for the tasting of your choosing, most wineries will ship you a tasting pack. Coordinate with your friends on the order and schedule a private Zoom tasting to spice up your Friday night. On the more expensive end of the spectrum, six-time James Beard Award finalist Matthiasson will ship you six bottles of wine for $285, and on the more affordable side, Passalacqua will ship you tasting servings for $30 if you do not want to commit to full bottles of wine.

Photo courtesy of Matthiason Vineyard