Many travel plans have been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

If you’re itching to hop on a plane and discover a new, amazing destination somewhere around the world, or you’re simply looking for a mental vacation, try one of these tips:

Discovering new foods in the place you’re traveling to is one of the most exciting things about traveling to begin with! The world is full of so many different cultures who boast delicious and unique cuisines. Satisfy your craving to travel and taste the different flavors of the world by testing out a worldly recipe in your own kitchen. Search online for recipes from a specific country or region.

Have you ever traveled to a new place only to realize that the language barrier makes for less-than-ideal communication? Speaking the language of the place you’re traveling to can make getting around, exploring the area, and talking with locals much easier. Plus, it can help you connect more closely with the culture and people around you. If you’re stuck at home waiting for travel to become more widely accessible, consider learning a new language while you wait!

Sometimes the best way to satisfy your travel bug is to look back on old memories of past trips! Fill some of your free time with a scrapbooking session to compile all of your favorite photographs, tickets, and other travel mementos together into one commemorative book. If arts and crafts isn’t quite up your alley, you can also simply purchase and fill a classic photo album or have some of your favorite memories framed and hung up throughout your home to remind you of past travels. 

If you’re unable to travel by plane, train, or automobile these days, then why not pick up a book off your shelf and travel by page? Reading can open you up to new places you may never have considered traveling to previously or allow you to reminisce on some of your favorite places you’ve been.

Who says travel has to require a passport stamp or long hours in a train or car? If you’re hoping to quench your urge to travel by getting out of the house, try taking in a local site that you’ve never seen before! A quick search can reveal a number of different places right in your backyard that you’ve never heard of, and you can make a day of it by grabbing some tasty takeout from a restaurant nearby. By doing so, you can learn more about your own area and support the local community in the process! Check out News 12's Road Trip: Close to Home shows for some spots.