Fun Virtual Tours to See the World From Home

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It takes a lock-down to make you appreciate the act of walking around a museum, taking part in a fun outdoor activity, or even going to a theater. Unfortunately we likely aren’t going to be able to travel for a while, and I’m sure many of you are getting antsy about being indoors. But it doesn’t have to be all Netflix and binge eating trashy food. How about a little culture via some virtual tours?

You can get a glimpse of around the world from right in your very own living room. That’s right, there are a number of places you can visit virtually, even more so since this whole COVID-19 thing happened. Read on for some of the most amazing virtual tours the internet has to offer. And the good news is you don’t even have to get dressed up to take these tours. Heck, you don’t even need to put on pants if you don’t want.

Virtual Tours of Museums

If you’re like me when I visit museums I always need to sit down as I end up getting tired of walking miles through endless rooms. Great thing about taking a virtual tour is that you can sit down the whole time. Here are some of the best museums in the world you can visit from home.

The Louvre, Paris

When you first see the Louvre in Paris you don’t realize how big it really is. A few outer buildings and a couple of glass pyramids. But the amount of cultural treasure this museum holds is incredible. And honestly the price is pretty reasonable for the amount of stuff you can see. But you know what’s even better? FREE. Yes, you can tour some of one of the world’s most famous museums for free, at home with their virtual tours. While it would be insane to be able to see the entire museum, there is still enough to see online that can only fuel your desire to see it in real life when you next visit Paris. Flash player is required for most viewing.

Musee d’Orsay, Paris

Despite how crazy everyone goes for the Louvre, my favorite Paris museum is actually the Musee d’Orsay. It’s smaller and less busy, but has just as interesting artwork. Van Gogh, Toulouse Lautrec, Monet and dozens of other big names are available to see here. So it’s awesome that Arts and Culture Google have put together a walk through of the museum that you can do from your living room.

The Vatican, Rome

From Paris, we’re off to Rome. The Eternal City. The home of the Pope and the Catholic Church, you can tour The Vatican without flying to Rome. If you want to make it a little more authentic you can order a Dominos pizza and stuff your face while on your tour (don’t worry, I know Dominos is not indicative of real Italian food). See the museums of the Vatican and the chapels including the Sistine Chapel. I went there in person and was herded through with lots of other people. So being able to look at it in detail from home with not another sole around was amazing.

Natural History Museum, London

What do you get when you cross a building full of treasures with England’s national treasure? A virtual tour of London’s Natural History Museum narrated by David Attenborough of course. I kid you not. Does it get any better? Sir Attenborough narrates on of the virtual tours offered online through the museum, but there are also other virtual tours, audio tours and photos/archive collections to browse. This is my favorite museum in London, and now I can go anytime I want. The good news is it’s free in real life too. Read more about London’s free museums here.

Dali Theatre-Museum, Spain

This is one of the weirdest and most wonderful museums I think I’ve ever visited. I love Salvador Dali. His art is so incredibly eccentric. So when I visited Spain I took a day trip from Barcelona to his hometown of Figueres and visited the Dali Theatre-Museum he created. Read more about my visit here. But as it turns out you don’t have to go all the way to Spain to visit the museum anymore, you can even see it online. Click around the 3D map and navigate your way through the building. Click on the information bubbles for more stories about the art work.

The Anne Frank House, Amsterdam

The book that made the biggest impression on me growing up was the Diary of Anne Frank. Perhaps because I started reading it around the age she was when she wrote it. I could relate to a lot of her feelings and thoughts. Of course my life was nothing like hers but even as a 10 year old I realized that it was only because I’d been fortunate enough to have been born in a different time, a different place. I really want to visit Amsterdam, mostly for the reason of seeing this museum. But for now, this virtual tour is a great way to explore. Roam the Secret Annex with excerpts of Anne’s diary to lead the way.

Virtual Tours Including Animals

While I love being at home with my pets, it would be nice to see a little more wildlife while being cooped up at home. While there aren’t really any virtual tours involving animals, there are a number of animal attractions or places where you can see animals through permanent web cams. I’ve spent many a quiet day with this on in the background. Here are some of cute animals you can see from home.

San Diego Zoo, California

Arguably one of the world’s best zoos, the zoo is a fun day out if you’re in Southern California’s vibrant city San Diego. But what if you’re at home in Australia, Europe or Vancouver, like me? Great news! The San Diego Zoo has a series of webcams set up in the animal enclosures. So you can keep an eye on your favorite fuzzy friend while doing the dishes at home, or chilling on your couch. With a dozen live cams and pre-recorded camera moments, you can have your own virtual tours of their enclosures without going anywhere.

Vancouver Aquarium, Canada

One word: Otters! That’s right, the Vancouver Aquarium has a number of the most adorable rescued sea otters in their care. And you can sit at home and watch them via the aquarium’s web cams. Prepare for cuteness overload as they splash around and eat their weight in seafood. There’s a jellyfish cam and a penguin cam, but let’s face it, you’ll visit for the otters like the rest of us. To read more about the Vancouver Aquarium and other activities read this post about things to do in Stanley Park, Vancouver.

Serengeti, Africa

Like your animals a little more wild? Take a trip to Africa and watch the animals of the Serengeti with a number of live cams set up around watering holes. I sat and watched a hippo the other day, right in front of the camera. As day turns to night you can see all sorts of animals appear on the screen. There are a lot of live feeds and recorded highlights that will make you want to book a safari. Or go all Lion King with your cat at the very least!

Virtual Tours of World Wonders

Take a trip to some of the most celebrated sights of the world without the walking, heat or other extremes that usually come with taking a trip there. From man-made to natural wonders, it’s amazing what you can see from your own home.

Niagara Falls, Canada

Arguably one of the most famous waterfalls in the world, but imagine taking virtual tours of Niagara Falls from your sofa. Well now you can. Maybe your family member can periodically squirt water at you while you do so you can feel like you’re really there. These VR tours will take you on a cruise to see the falls, in a helicopter for views from above and behind the falls themselves. Read more about visiting Niagara Falls here.

Pyramids, Egypt

Who hasn’t always wanted to go to Egypt? Let your inner Indiana Jones out and take a tour of the Pyramids of Giza, Cairo. This tour is a little more centered towards kids but it still has some up close photos and good historical information if the voice isn’t just a little too robotic.

The Great Barrier Reef, Australia

David Attenborough is back, but this time on an amazing interactive journey of the Great Barrier Reef. As virtual tours go, this one is really something quite different. A series of high quality videos reminiscent of Sir Attenborough’s documentary series these are fantastic and so lifelike, feeling more like a 3D experience. There is a map you can click around to learn about the reef, the research vessels and more. There are different activities you can take part in such as listening to the sounds of the reef up close, time lapse videos you control and even a way to change your view so you can see how some of these interesting underwater creatures see.

The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China was definitely one of the most incredible man made structures I have seen in real life up close. It’s huge. While some parts have been rebuilt throughout the years, there is still a lot of history here. This travel agency has created virtual tours of the wall at different sections. Use the arrows to navigate your way around the Wall, and start dreaming about your next trip to China. As someone who spent two years there I can guarantee you won’t go anywhere like it, and it’s such an amazing place.

Virtual Tours with the Performing Arts

I love getting dressed up to go to the theater. The ballet, the symphony orchestra or a play. These virtual tours allow you to skip that part and just see what you came for. Experience some of the arts around the world that you know you’ll want to buy a ticket for when you can travel again.

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Canada

I like a bit of culture once in a while. And while classical music isn’t for everybody, I actually really enjoy it. I started to plat the violin when I was 7 so I’ve grown up appreciating classical music. So have my parents, at least once I started to sound less like a dying cat. Honestly the violin is not fun for others to listen to if that person doesn’t know what they’re doing. I digress…point is, I often take my Mum to the ballet or like last year when she visited me in Vancouver, the VSO. They recently recorded a concert which is now available online. Perfect for those who want to see if they actually like the orchestra or not for free at home.

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, London

Sure you might not know what it all means but if you pick a good play that is widely known, you kind of get the gist. You don’t have to know what every word means in Romeo & Juliet to realize that these kids did not have a foolproof plan. Vancouver has a Bard on the Beach festival each year which I like to go to, and when I visited London I went to Shakespeare’s Globe Theater. It’s the theater who are putting on this series of Shakespeare inspired movies through their Youtube channel for the next few months in 2020. The first one starts April 6 and is available for 2 weeks. Each fortnight a new movie will be put up. Watch them here.

The Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow

I did say I loved the ballet. And I think anyone who knows anything about classical dance will tell you that Russia knows what it’s doing. The Bolshoi Theater in Moscow is the top dog of ballet. While they don’t have any ballet performances online, they do offer virtual tours of the theater as well as costumes and vintage photography. All done through Arts & Culture Google this is mostly storybook style with interactive photos that you can move around for amazing views.

Virtual Walking Tours

I’m a bit of city person. I love a weekend break in a new city, exploring the shops, the restaurants, the culture. But I also love getting outdoors and stretching the legs of my camera’s tripod. These unique virtual tours of cities and outdoor areas around the world are incredible. They make you want to really just pack up and leave right away. So here is travel inspiration by the boat-load for you.

Street art around the world

This fantastically put together Google Art Project shows pieces of street art from around the world. Simply zoom in on the map of the world to the area you want to see. Then click on individual pictures which show you real life pieces of street art. Street art is one of my favorite free activities when I travel. I create my own tour by walking up and down little streets and alleys to find some truly remarkable pieces. Some of the best cities I’ve seen with street art so far are Montmartre-Paris, Camden-London and my own city of Vancouver.

Walking Tour of Vienna, Austria

A city I have wanted to visit for a long time is Vienna. Great news, now I can get a feel for the city without leaving Canada. Virtual tours like this one allow you to move around 360 Degree photos, videos and images of the city. What a great way to see if you would actually like to visit somewhere.

The Lake District UK

I’m from the county of Cumbria in England, and one of the great things about where I grew up is the accessibility of nature. I live right next to (in my opinion) the best National Park in the country. It’s beautiful. There’s no better Sunday activity than taking a drive to a remote spot for some truly incredible views. My Dad does just that all the time, he loves taking photos. So I put together a collection of his phenomenal photos to show everyone why they need to visit the Lake District at some point in their life. While not really the same as virtual tours, these photos are so nice I’m classing them as a tour of the lakes themselves and hope you enjoy.

The Best Virtual Tours

These tours are perfect if you have some free time and you want to go exploring this amazing world we live in. Get yourself a drink and a snack and take off and an adventure of a lifetime for the ultimate budget travel. You won’t get any passport stamps but the good news is there’s no travel time. If you’re interested in visiting a place I would suggest checking out what virtual tours they have available online. Think of some of the most popular attractions, places and experiences you want to do. Then relax and enjoy as you travel without even leaving home. And at the end of it, you might just have your next top vacation destination.

If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Which of these places have you experienced in real life? And which ones make you want to book a plane ticket right now?