Travel from home

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While travel remains tough these days. There exists some good news! The current situation has caused virtual events never offered before! Numerous famous museums from all over the world are offering FREE virtual tours such as the Metropolitan in New York, the Louver in Paris & the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. So, places you may not have been able to visit before due to distance or cost can now be viewed from your computer or phone. 

For book lovers, several wonderful lectures are being offered virtually either for free or for a very minimal amount this year. Most authors have web pages with calendars that will show any lectures or events they may be attending. Libraries across the country are now hosting lectures on a wide range of interests. If you are a history enthusiast consider joining a library mailing list or even a historical society that often offers events throughout the year as well. 

There is plenty of other fantastic opportunities to be found online these days such as cooking events or painting classes. These are wonderful opportunities to do with friends and family that you cannot be with due to current restrictions! I recently attended a cooking event hosted by the Poe Museum of Baltimore. The event was hosted by author Victoria Price, actor Vincent Price’s daughter, along with Executive Chef Elizabeth Dinice. This event was called a “watch party” guests from all over the country attended a cooking class followed by a showing of House of Ushers starring Vincent Price. There was a trivia game throughout the movie after that gifts for the winners were mailed after the event. Eventbrite is a terrific app to find classes or events going all over the country. 

If you are planning to travel this year for vacation, it is important to be sure to do your research before heading out! Websites are not always up to date on procedures out of the ordinary. Plenty of places such as museums and theatres may either be closed or very limited on the capacity of guests. Even campgrounds have been closed over the past year. Be sure to research what is available before visiting destinations along with what is required to be a guest. Numerous places have changed their hours of operations as well as requiring reservation times for tours as an alternative to walk-in situations. When booking any travel or tickets be sure to add travel insurance in case there are unexpected cancellations. Be wary of any events that do not offer refunds. This was a massive problem last year when venues were canceled leaving people with no way to get their money back or tied up in legal battles for long periods.

Over the coming months, I hope to share with you the best places to travel and how to do so safely. 

Background: I have lived in eight states, visited most major cities in the US as well as several foreign countries. I have a background in tourism and museum studies. I am originally from the Pampa-Amarillo area. Currently, I reside in the DC area, but will be moving overseas later in the year to Japan! Where I hope to bring you more travel tips for traveling aboard and how to do so safely!