Ten Under-the-Radar Ideas to Satisfy Your Desire To Travel

Ten Under-the-Radar Ideas to Satisfy Your Desire To Travel By Betsi Hill

With so much information circulating about the coronavirus (COVID-19), it is hard to discern what is truth and what is not. Schools are closing all around the country. People are working from home. Stockpiling, panic buying, and social distancing are becoming the norm.

Unless you are under quarantine, you'll might find yourself going stir crazy sitting at home glassy-eyed watching 24-hour news coverage of the coronavirus. As long as you are able to move around a bit, here are some ideas to satisfy your travel desires.

Go outside! Grab your family and head out to the great outdoors. Take a scavenger hike. Create a simple list, and as you hike and spend time together as a family, search for the scavenger items.

Walk on the Beach and Search for Treasure If you are lucky to live near the coast, slather on the sunscreen. Grab your hat and towel and head to the beach. You never know what you'll find! You may find treasures like sea creatures or gold and silver pieces on your beach walk.

Go Shelling Another fun activity for those who live near the beach is to head for your nearest beach, slip your shoes off, and walk the shoreline searching for the perfect shell(s). This fun activity can involve the whole family. After shelling, you can create a memorable piece of art with all of your shells.

Get out on the water Grab your camera, bottled water, and sunscreen, and take a trip through the local waterways on a kayak or stand up paddle board (SUP). Your head will be swiveling as you spot fish, waterfowl, flora, and fauna on your journey.

What could be more refreshing than spending the day out in the fresh air, on the water with your family? The bonus is that you are out of the house, and cleansing your body with some good fresh air!

Take a Staycation in Your Hometown Take this opportunity to explore the sights of your hometown. No matter where we live, we don't always see the side of our hometown the way visitors do. Stop in and visit your local tourism office or search them online. Make a list of which sights intrigue you, grab your family, and explore. You'll be surprised by what you'll discover when you are a visitor in your own backyard!

Create a "Dine Around" in Your Hometown As long as restaurants are open, you might consider making a list of the restaurants in your hometown that you have not visited before. Once a week, stop into a new restaurant, brewery, or winery. If these establishments have to close to everything except takeout, take advantage of that service, too. Share your visit on social media, tag the location, and encourage your friends and other locals to visit also. You are creating a win-win for the restaurant and yourself.

Become a Geocacher Geocaching is a global scavenger hunt. You'll hunt for hidden containers using a GPS app. It's the new way to treasure hunt, and you'll learn about your hometown at the same time!

Have a Family Travel-Planning Night Once or twice a year, my husband Jim and I sit down with pens, paper, boating charts, and travel books to plan out our big trips. In the past, we've taken trips to Jamaica, the Bahamas, the Florida Keys, Europe, and a road trip through the Southwest.

Set some rules before the planning begins, including a budget, and then let your imaginations run wild.

Take an International Food Trip at Home Create a menu that will get the whole family involved. While you are all cooking up a storm, you can also talk about the country that you are featuring—their

culture, traditions, history, and art. This will not only intrigue your kids but will help instill in them a curiosity to explore other cultures.

Enjoy an International Wine Night at Home Invite a handful of adult friends over for an international wine night tasting. Each friend contributes their favorite bottle of wine and tasting notes of the wine. The tasting notes should include the name of the wine and a description. As host, provide wine glasses and light appetizers. Set up the wines on a table with copies of the tasting notes in front of each wine.

Hopefully these ten ideas will help fuel your ideas for satisfying the travel itch, spending time with your family, and learning about different cultures and traditions not only in your hometown but around the world.