If you are stuck at home during this Covid19 pandemic and bored to tears, why not find ways to travel vicariously. Did you know that thanks to the internet almost everyone has the ability to travel vicariously to some of the most popular travel destinations in the world? Everything from Zoos to world-famous museums, National Parks, even Amusement parks that are offering virtual rides!
Below are some of my favorite places.
Yellowstone National Park. Probably my favorite place in the world. This park was established in 1872 by President Ulysses S. Grant. It is a vast wilderness of rugged mountains and valleys encompassing 3500 square miles in the Northwest corner of Wyoming. It is considered a geologic wonder due to the many geothermal features including hot springs, waterfalls, geysers, and mud pots. The land is fertile with hundreds of animal species from bison to wolves to grizzly bears. Hiking trails abound, as do campsites and lodging. You can take a virtual tour of Yellowstone from the privacy of your own home at the following link. Yellowstone
An accessibility guide to visiting Yellowstone can be found here!
Yosemite National Park. Located in the California Sierra Nevada Mountains and consisting of 1200 square miles was established in 1864. It is a vast, magnificent wilderness with towering Sequoia forests, rugged granite mountain peaks, and streams with incredible waterfalls. It is an outdoor enthusiast dream getaway with activities like hiking, camping, fly fishing, rock climbing and guided tours with interpretive talks. There are 400 animal species living within the park including black bears, foxes, and bighorn sheep. A virtual tour of Yosemite National Park can be taken here.
Yosemite’s accessibility information can be found here.
San Diego Zoo. Located in beautiful San Diego, California, this zoo is a must-see for all zoo lovers! The San Diego Zoo has about 3500 animals including 650 different species. They have wildlife webcams set up for some of their most popular animals that can be viewed here.
Accessibility information is available at this link.
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. I’ll admit this is one zoo I have yet to visit but it is definitely on my bucket list. I got turned onto the Columbus Zoo after watching Jack Hanna introduce and interact with many of the animals on television. He is still connected with this zoo and is known to show up several times a year to visit with everyone and interact with the animals. The zoo is 580 acres and they have an excellent history of animal conservation. Besides the animal exhibits, there are 22 rides and attractions not to mention the incredible Aquarium. An educational guide to the animals at the zoo can be found here. Live webcams are available at this link.
Columbus Zoo accessibility information can be found here.
Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California. What child hasn’t dreamed of visiting Disney World? Its properties are massive and the cost can be monumental but thanks to modern technology, visiting virtually can be a great way to experience the magic. A virtual tour of Disney World is available here, and one of Disneyland is available here. Here are some Youtube links that will take you on several famous Disney rides. Frozen ride, Magic Kingdom’s, It’s a small world, Peter Pan’s Flight, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Expedition Everest Roller Coaster, Splash Mountain, Test Track, Avatar Flight of Passage, Alice in Wonderland, A walk through Cinderella’s Castle.
Disney Parks Disability Access Service Card Fact Sheet.
Nasa. If you are fascinated with the Space program or have always wondered what it would be like to be a real live Astronaut, Nasa has a website full of virtual tours and interactions. Even though the Space Centers in Houston and at Kennedy are closed temporarily during this quarantine period, Nasa has you covered! Check out this link to all that Nasa offers for you to do online!
Accessibility Houston Space Center link.
Accessibility Kennedy Space Center link.
Schlitterbahn Water Park. If you love waterparks as I do, you just can’t miss taking a trip to Schlitterbahn. There are multiple locations throughout Texas but to me, personally, the original location in New Braunfels on the Comal River is the best! Here is a Youtube link to a virtual tour of this super cool water park. Although Schlitterbahn is definitely one of the coolest water parks I could find no information on their accessible features so if that is what you are needing you might try driving on down to San Antonio to the new all accessible Splash Park called Morgan’s Inspiration Island.
The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Located in Washington D.C., the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History offers a wealth of interesting historic exhibits. Its multiple floors could take days to see everything on site. Lucky for us they offer some amazing virtual tours that are both educational and mind-boggling. You can see the virtual tours at this link.
Accessibility information here.
Knotts Berry Farm in Southern California was always one of my most favorite places to go when we lived in California. It started in the 1920s as a roadside berry stand and grew into a wonderful family-friendly venue of entertainment, rides and yummy food. Check it out for yourself at this Youtube link. Then consider visiting it in person the next time you are in Southern California.
Wow! That was nine of my favorite places to visit, even if you have to do it at home on the couch! At least we can see what we’re missing during this Corona Quarantine and start planning out what we want to do this summer!
Ya’ll stay safe now ya here!
