17 Terrific Ways on How to Cure Wanderlust Without Travelling

How do you manage your wanderlust when you’re stuck at home, dreaming of adventure somewhere else?

Whether you’re housebound due to illness, lack of funds, no annual leave left or something else – there are plenty of ways to still get your fix without venturing far from home or breaking the bank.

If you are wondering how to cure wanderlust? Here are 17 terrific ways that can help you cure your wanderlust in your own city – or even at home in your own kitchen, lounge, or backyard.

1. Enjoy the Outdoors
2. Get in Your Kitchen
3. Go on A Virtual Tour of One of The World’s Famous Museums
4. Watch A Performance at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
5. Enrol in A Free Online Course
6. Get Green-Fingered
7. Have A Group Skype Or Zoom Meet-Up with Friends from Your Travels
8. Embrace A New Hobby
9. Go Hiking
10. Meet Your Inner Yogi
11. Sunrise and Sunset
12. Immerse Yourself in A Great Book
13. Plan Your Next Adventure
14. Enjoy A Day of Pampering
15. Embrace A New Culture at Home
16. Invent A Cocktail Night
17. Learn A Language

Keep on scrolling down, to get the full scoop on any and each of these ideas!

1# Enjoy The Outdoors

You don’t have to venture far to get your wanderlust. No matter where you live there will be an outside area that you can make the most of and even make it an adventure.

As someone that lives in London, here are some of the ideas that come to mind!

The Capital Ring allows you to see and experience just how diverse this great city really is. It is 78 miles long though, so it’s divided into 15 sections – you won’t be able to do it all at once!

Hampstead Heath is definitely a place to wander and forget that you’re actually in London. With thick parts of the forest to walk through, swimming ponds, plenty of wildlife, and Kenwood House to visit, it’s a big slice of English countryside within an enormous city.

Walk up to the top of Parliament Hill – the highest point of the Heath – for a spectacular free view of the city. It’s a great spot to watch the sunset, with a slice of pizza and a bottle of wine. Perfetto!

Even just stepping out your front door and taking a different route than you usually would, might take you to a part of town you never knew existed. So jump on your bike, strap on your rollerblades, or simply tie up your shoelaces and hit the road!

2# Get In Your Kitchen

One of the best things about travelling is trying new foods and experiencing the local cuisine. You can still go on a gastronomic journey in your own kitchen. Browse recipes online and take yourself around the world with your cooking.

I personally love to cook a lot of Japanese, Indian, Italian and Thai. Having a collection of cookbooks or YouTube channels really helps to get the inspiration juices flowing.

The great thing about YouTube is that there are plenty of videos online where you can watch locals whipping up something in their own kitchens. You’ll receive authentic tuition in a variety of cuisines without having to leave your own home.

Some of my favourites are Peaceful Cuisine (plant-based Japanese), chef Gaz Oakley, the Vegan Italian Kitchen, Mary Lin’s Test Kitchen and Vegan Richa.

3# Go On A Virtual Tour Of One Of The World’s Famous Museums

Just because the museums are closed or you can’t get to them, doesn’t mean that you can’t “visit” them.

Many of the world’s top museums have online collections – some even have virtual tours.

Here’s a list of my top thirteen recommendations – click on the museum of your choice to be redirected!

• British Museum, London
• Metropolitan Museum, New York
• Louvre, Paris
• Prado, Madrid
• Vatican Museums, Rome
• National Gallery, London
• National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
• National Archaeological Museum, Athens
• National Portrait Gallery, London (also available: virtual tour of self portraits by women artists)
• Hermitage, St Petersburg
• Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan
• The Uffizi, Florence
• Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, Washington D.C. (worth mentioning that at least 12 of the Smithsonian’s 20 museums offer virtual tours, this is just one of my favourites!)

4# Watch A Performance At Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

London’s famous Globe Theatre and the adjoining traditional candlelit theatre, the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, may both be currently closed – but you can still watch performances from the comfort of your own home.

Globe Player has a whole catalogue of performances from the famous stage, featuring some of the most critically acclaimed and memorable adaptations from the past decade.

For the cost of a Groundling ticket (cheapest in the house!), you can rent a private performance in your very own home.

Probably a heck of a lot more comfortable than standing in the Groundling Pit, too – not to mention safer weather-wise, especially at the moment!

If you’re particularly fond of the Bard, bundles of nine Globe seasons are also available to purchase. There is also a limited amount of free content on Globe Player for you to enjoy.

5# Enrol In A Free Online Course

There’s a ton of free courses that you can do online, including many from some of the world’s leading universities and institutions.

The majority are highly interactive, with the option for you to not only ask questions of course leaders, educators, and experts in a given field – but also provide the opportunity to “meet” and engage with fellow students in the same course from all around the world. You may even make some great friends that you can meet up with on future travels!

Future Learn has a good selection of short online courses from a variety of top universities and specialist organisations.

Or why not enrol in a photography course, and master your skill ahead of capturing some amazing images on your next trip?

6# Get Green-Fingered

Get back in touch with nature by giving your garden some TLC. If you don’t have one, it might be time to invest in some house plants. They’re great for oxygenating your home, as well as bringing a bit of peace and tranquillity.

Many exotic species also thrive outside their place of origin – so head to the garden centre and seek out any plants that differ from what you’re used to, reminding you of places you’ve visited, or hope to visit. Another way to cure wanderlust!

7# Have A Group Skype Or Zoom Meet-Up With Friends From Your Travels

Missing some of the amazing people you’ve met on your travels? Arrange a catch-up!

Free apps like Skype and Zoom enable you to “meet” with friends via video conference (it’s even possible on Facebook Messenger, depending on the number of people).

Grab a few drinks, chat, and play some games. Zoom actually has a whiteboard feature which would allow you to play Pictionary and other games (you can get a free Pictionary word generator here). Or why not put together a pub quiz? Play some of your favourite holiday games from the trip, or find something new and challenging.

This is even something you could do with your local tribe if you’re housebound or strapped for cash.

8# Embrace A New Hobby

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve said: “I wish I had the time to start painting again”, “I’d love to write a book”, or “knitting looks really cool” (no lie)!

Being stuck at home is the perfect time to start that new thing you’ve always wished you could do. If it’s a new skill, you’ll find loads of free videos and tutorials online.

Painting is a great way to get your creative juices flowing, and there’s no limit to what you can paint – or where! You could paint some favourite scenery from memorable places you’ve visited – or where you’d like to go next?

Another fantastic idea is scrapbooking – print off your holiday snaps and turn them into a special memento.

9# Go Hiking

See if there are any hiking trails near to you – you might be surprised! But even if you’re housebound, you can still explore some of the world’s greatest trails via YouTube.

Loads of videos have been uploaded that enable you to “hike” the Great Divide in Colorado, the Appalachian Trail, the great National Parks – and more. Might even inspire your next trip!

If you live in England or plan on travelling here at some point, here are 15 Spectacular Forest And Woodland Walks In England that are perfect to add to your list!

10# Meet Your Inner Yogi

Yoga is a great way to bring some inner peace as well as strengthen your body. If you’re not able to get to a yoga class, the great news is that there are many now online – and the majority are free.

A number of yoga teachers are now also live streaming their classes – so see if there is one that you can join in real time.

If you can’t get outside for your daily yoga fix, don’t worry – you’ll still benefit greatly from daily yoga practice in your lounge.

I love Yoga with Adriene – she has free classes for all levels on her YouTube channel.

11# Sunrise and Sunset

Enjoy the peacefulness of rising early to greet the sun. If you’ve ever done it, you’ll know there’s something special about it.

Also take a moment to enjoy sunsets from your own window or backyard.

So often, sunsets are a memorable experience when travelling – but we rarely make the effort to appreciate them where we are right now.

12# Immerse Yourself In A Great Book

It’s actually incredibly easy to experience a new place right where we are – simply by immersing ourselves in a good book. Many of us have a stack of novels that we’ve never opened, but if you don’t, there’s no shortage of stories that can be downloaded to your phone or tablet.

Go on an adventure in a foreign land, explore the great outdoors, have a summer romance, or solve a crime…

Some of my favourite reads recently are:

• The Peacock Room by Merryn Corcoran.
• Spiritual nourishment, The Buddha in Your Mirror
• Simone van Kan’s The Serious Road Trip
• The Word for Woman is Wilderness
• The Prisoners of Geography
• What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding

13# Plan Your Next Adventure

Even if you can’t travel at the moment for whatever reason, there is nothing to stop you planning your next trip. Make a bucket list to brainstorm some ideas about where you might like to go next.

Sign up to airline, rail, and tour company mailing lists so that you’re the first to see the good deals as they become available. Do some accommodation hunting for your dream location – small and unusual options can often book out quickly, so it’s good to keep an eye on things.

Get tips from locals on some of the online travel forums – maybe even make a new friend to meet up with once you are there.

Think about what museums are a must to visit, which walking tours look good, and which restaurants you’ll want to eat at. A lot of the stress will be taken out of your next trip if you plan it (and start saving for it!) well in advance.

18# Enjoy A Day of Pampering

Rebalance your well-being with some pampering at home. Treat yourself to a facemask session, rope someone into giving you a massage ?, take a luxurious bath or just relax.

One of the least expensive things you can do for your skin is a sheet mask. Sheet masks originated from Japan and South Korea and are a great gateway into their beauty routines. They are also widely known all over Asia so you will find them in a lot of beauty stores.

The best time to use a sheet mask is during the night or in the morning before you apply your make-up.

The creamer and richer mask should be used at night so all the goodness can sink into your skin while you are sleeping. Wake up feeling radiant and glowing.

19# Embrace a New Culture at Home

The great thing about travelling the world is adopting other cultures into your lifestyle. One that became popular in 2017 was Hygge.

Hygge is a part of Danish and Norwegian culture which is all about the atmosphere and experiences than about things. It’s meant to invoke a sense of cosiness and comfortability.

Some of the things it’s been called ‘the art of creating intimacy’, ‘cosiness of the soul’, ‘cosy togetherness’ and ‘cocoa by candlelight’.

Some of the words that the locals associate hygge with are:

• Hot drinks
• Candles
• Fireplaces
• Christmas
• Board games
• Holiday
• Music
• Sweets and cake
• Cooking
• Books
• Sundays
• And much more.

Nothing sounds better than lighting some candles or cosying up to a warm fireplace with hot cocoa and really embracing ‘cocoa by candlelight’.

20# Invent A Cocktail Night

Cocktails are always the best treat on a holiday and a little splurge. Whether you have a virgin or alcoholic cocktail, it’s a cool and refreshing way to lift the spirits!

The most popular holidays cocktails that come to mind are strawberry margarita, a daiquiri, a mojito or a pina colada.

No matter what your choice of cocktail is, invent a cocktail night to escape back to those holiday memories.

Just imagine drinking a pina colada pretending you’re on a beach and singing:

“If you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain

If you’re not into yoga, if you have half a brain

If you like making love at midnight, in the dunes of the cape

I’m the love that you’ve looked for, write to me, and escape”

Rupert Holmes – Escape (The Piña Colada Song)

I’ll leave you with that thought!

21# Learn A Language

Learning a language is a really great way to connect with locals and really embrace the culture when you get to travel again.

I’ve been saying for ages that I should learn a language and I’ve recently joined Rosetta Stone for 12 months to learn Spanish. Hopefully, I will be a semi-pro by the end of it ?.

If you are looking to save money, then Duolingo is a great free app that has quite a few languages on offer.

You can also look at Meet-up to get together with other people learning languages or reach out on Facebook groups to find like-minded people. 

With all the options available it’s hard to keep putting it off!

In conclusion…

As you can see, not being able to go anywhere doesn’t mean that you can’t still have some great adventures, experience art and culture, enjoy sunsets, savour exotic culinary delights, or appreciate the great outdoors.

Cure your wanderlust by focussing on some of the best that travel has to offer: great food, fine art, exploring somewhere different, learning something new, and connecting with awesome people and great conversation.

All of this can, in fact, be done within the confines of where you are right now. Using the tools that you have, enjoy this wonderful life!