On The Road, while At Home

Preparing for Future Travels

Travel is on pause. The world is on pause.

During these unprecedented times, it has been deemed safer to stay at home and in many places mandatory for our health and safety. It is important to remain hopeful for the future, and to remember that travel will happen once again… though it will look quite different.

So how does one travel from the safety of their home?

Here are some ideas to continue to fuel your wanderlust until the keys are back in the ignition and you’re heading out for the next road trip.

Work on your adventuremobile. What projects have you wanted to complete? While we are parked its the perfect time for projects and small upgrades. Take the time to thoroughly clean your vehicle and pull out any extra gear or weight you don’t find yourself using. The goal is to be comfortable on the road but its also to travel light. (think about gas mileage)
No rig yet? Spend some time going through all your adventure gear. Make sure everything is cleaned, tuned up and in working order. Now is the time to sell or donate the few things you thought you would use but rarely ever get taken along.
Make your travel wish list. Compile all the adventures you hope to do one day, local excursions and far away plans. Organize it by region or priority list if you already have some plans brewing. This is a great place to also keep track of all the interesting finds on the road you’d like to revisit. This can all be a part of a travel journal you already have otherwise what a perfect excuse to begin one now. Something to bring along with you on every trip. Document the wonder you find along your journey.
Visit the National Parks on Google Earth. Our 103 year old parks system has seen a surge in attendance over the last decade, setting records and at times causing lines for hours to get to solitude. How ironic. Explore the beauty of our parks from your couch and take some time to learn about them. Come up with your game plan for when you get the opportunity to visit the parks again in person. And remember, shoot for off-peak days and times and research the more off the beaten path adventures at these beautiful places of wonder. #FindYourPark
Take some time to research BLM sites for future travels. Order maps or download them online, and cross reference with Google Earth to have a ready to go list of free places to stay along your typical routes or places you’d like to explore some day. Ultimate social distancing for the win if you have the ability to be off the grid.
Work on your photography skills so you can beautifully archive your life of travels.
Catch up on travel podcasts like Women on the Road, Outside Podcast, Wild Ideas Worth Living, She Explores, The Travelers, Nomadtopia Radio, Travel Freedom, Armchair Explorer, Zero to Travel, Indie Travel Podcast, Escape, Budget Minded Traveler, Extra Pack of Peanuts, The World Wanderers

Subscribe to travel magazines. There are some truly inspiring publications to support right now. ROVA, Stay Wild, Another Escape, Outside, Backpacker, National Geographic Travel, Sidetracked, Drift, Get Lost, AFAR, Travel & Leisure, Wanderlust, Life and Thyme
Read books about travel.
Watch movies or TV shows about travel. Some of the best shows to binge on include Departures, The Amazing Race, Rock the Park, Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, Rick Steeves anything, The Kindness Diaries, Somebody Feed Phil, An Idiot Abroad, Road Rules, Bare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi, Samantha Brown’s Places to Love

Put together some road trip music playlists for future use
Spend some time in the kitchen recreating your favorite dishes from the road. Hatch green chili cheeseburgers from New Mexico, Fried Green Tomatoes and Chocolate Chess Pie from the south, Native American fry bread from Arizona, Pasties from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Key Lime Pie from Key West, Spam Musubi from Hawaii, Muffuletta sandwiches and Jambalaya from New Orleans to name a few favorites.
Check out National Geographic’s vast photography library
Explore UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Take a tour of the Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough
Have a live travel experience at home through Airbnb
Hit the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button on Google Earth to learn at random about places around the world.

Remember, we will get to travel again. Patience now will make future experiences that much sweeter.

Hunting Island State Park | St. Helena Island, South Carolina

“At times the world may seen an unfriendly and sinister place, but believe that there is much more good in it than bad. All you have to do is look hard enough. And what might seem to be a series of unfortunate events may in fact be the first steps of a journey.”

Travel Without Going Anywhere

“At times the world may seen an unfriendly and sinister place, but believe that there is much more good in it than bad. All you have to do is look hard enough. And what might seem to be a series of unfortunate events may in fact be the first steps of a journey.”

—Lemony Snicket