It’s no surprise that many of us have been finding these past few weeks difficult, as we can’t spend time with our friends and family like we used to (at least for the time being). However, thanks to technology, you can now take virtual tours round museums, use platforms to learn a new skill, and even visit holiday resorts and theme parks virtually.
We’ve carried out a thorough search online to create a bucket list of things that you can do for free online, so that you and your family can stay entertained while in lockdown.
Explore Famous Theme Parks
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To visit them all, a couple hours won’t be enough because there’s plenty to see and Epscot, the Magic Kingdom and the Animal Kingdom are just a few. With the help of Google Street View though, you’ll be able to access and take a virtual stroll around the Disney Parks via 360-degree virtual tours. While you explore Disney destinations, make sure you keep your eyes peeled for the Disney characters and note how many you’ve spotted. You can also jump on a few rides. There are plenty of videos on YouTube that will take you on the well-known rides such as Pirates of the Carribean, Frozen Ever After and more.
2.
The virtual tours of Miniland USA and Lego Kingdoms are available as well as VR roller coaster rides and a visit to Lego Movie World.
3. There’s a sea llion show, tree top walks, outdoor splash areas and lots more. Click around and create a list of things you would like to do, as this will save you time when planning your next trip to the resort post-coronavirus.
4. ‘Ride’ the roller coaster Mako and get to know the Discovery Cove.
Dive Into History
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Have you been to any of these gems packed with history? If not, now is a great time to go back in time and discover these iconic historical landmarks.
5. No need to queue or go on a long haul flight, just get yourself comfy on the sofa and click around.
6. Put your headphones on and prepare for an educational virtual audio tour of this ancient city.
7. Once the centre of ancient Greece, now a landmark of historical significance. The Acropolis gathers millions of tourists every year with the Parthenon being the most famous representation of architectural beauty and harmony.
8. Got a free hour? Get your family together, and turn up the quality of this walking tour around the Colosseum to 4K. 3D Binaural audio will make the entire experience even more realistic.
9. Machu Picchu has one of the most breathtaking views in the world and you can ‘walk’ up to the clouds from the comfort of your living room while discovering the history of the place with the help of a voice over.
‘Jet off’ to Somewhere You’ve Never Been Before
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Google's Arts & Culture lets you explore the wonders of the world from home. Whatever your mood is today, there’s plenty of things to discover. There’s also Google Street View that will ‘teleport’ you to wherever you feel like spending your afternoon.
10. Get mesmerised by the beauty of the Taj Mahal and the scale of this architectural masterpiece.
11. Observe the French capital from the top of the Eiffel Tower, and get the most out of the 360-degree panoramic views.
12. Stroll on the waterfront promenade leading to Sydney Opera House.
13. Don’t fancy taking 200 steps? No problem, this virtual tour will take you up to the statue of Christ the Redeemer. ‘Stand’ on the yellow sands of Copacabana beach or visit the Steps of Selaron.
14. Go on a Virtual Holiday Our future holiday plans are full of uncertainty, but don’t let this get you in a bad mood. Popular holiday resorts are streaming their views, so you can tune in and pretend that you’re on holiday:
Another ‘interactive’ holiday can be enjoyed in the form of geo games. GeoGuessr is a platform that will take you all over the world and by completing challenges you can test your knowledge about destinations and learn new things.
Visit the World’s Most Famous Zoos and Aquariums
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15. See giraffes, koalas and butterflies with your own eyes through San Diego Zoo’s live cameras. You can pick a to watch and learn more about your favourite animals. As for activities for kids, try out these .
16. Play games, do colour sheets and go through fact files using Chester Zoo’s learning resources that are perfect for having fun with kids.
17. Watch beluga whales, sea lions and jellyfish living in their natural habitat. The Georgia Aquarium offers several livestreams on their website, so why not ‘teleport’ there with a single click?
18. Playful elephants at Houston Zoo are definitely on our recommended list.
19. Meet the giant pandas that call Edinburgh Zoo their home or jump on a penguin webcam.
20. Paignton Zoo’s webcams allow you to view flamingos, meerkats and sulawesi crested macaques. Meerkats are our favourites, if you spot them on a sunny day, they definitely will be enjoying a good dig.
21. Find Sumatran tigress Daseep through the Tiger webcam. She is a special lady as she is the world’s second most important female in the genetic pool for this rare sub-species of Sumatran tiger. There are fewer than 400 left in the wild.
22. Not only do zoos livestream their animals’ daily lives, but also natural reserves. Mpala Research Centre shares a livestream of African animals in their natural habitat. Watch as animals come to drink and swim, and keep your eyes peeled for vervet monkeys and olive baboons climbing the acadia trees by the riverbank.
Get Access to the Largest Museums
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23. No need to book a ticket to Paris, explore the Eqyptian antiques and the Louvre’s other famous exhibition rooms via online tours.
24. This online collection represents 1,700 artworks from 625 artists. Discover the museum’s core holdings as well as recent acquisitions.
25. This 360-degree room-by-room tour will take you around the museum where you can observe the remains of extinct species.
26. Study the works of one of the most famous painter in history with Google Arts & Culture. The Sunflowers artwork is definitely worth a viewing.
27. The Sistine Chapel and Raphael’s rooms are available to view through the Vatican's virtual tour which has remarkably good quality.
28. Go behind the scenes of music production with Grammy's archives that are now available to the public and you can join interviews, music production sessions and build your skills with their At Home museum.
29. NASA: and Both NASA Research centres offer free virtual tours and you can even try augmented reality experiences by downloading the .
31. Every Sunday this month Rockefeller Centre will go live and present art workshops and puppet theaters, DIY and crafts which you can access from your phone.
Watch Your Favourite Musicals, Concerts and Operas
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34. The platform is offering music fans the opportunity to ‘attend’ concerts of their favourite artists and watch iconic performances while maintaining social distancing. You can start your free trial and tune in for a hip hop party on Saturdays or R&B livestream on Sundays throughout April.
Join a Workout or a Yoga Class
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36. Want to give yoga a try, or you don’t want to miss your usual class? No worries, YouTube has a playlist packed with different yoga classes from 10 to 30 minutes long (and even longer). And guess what? They’re all free so get your mat ready. If you’d rather join in on a live yoga class, has a playlist for that too.
37. Cardio? High intensity? Total body? Barry’s Instagram has all of that and more to offer, so you can pick and choose and enjoy getting your body summer ready.
Learn From Top-class Chefs, Photographers and Take Online Courses From Leading Universities
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38. Borough Market goes live on their Facebook page to cook extremely tasty quarantine-friendly recipes.
39. Every evening at 7pm Massimo live streams his dinner preparation in his kitchen with all the family and you can either just watch and drool or cook along and add Michelin magic to your dinner.
40. Level up your pasta knowledge and learn everything about match sauces with Pasta Grannies on YouTube.
41. If you were looking for comprehensive guitar lessons, Fender offers 3 months for free with a code that you can generate on their website. Try it and who knows, maybe you will become the next Jimi Hendrix.
42. Nikon is streaming events live where you can ‘meet’ professional photographers and up your photography game.
43. Kids will love Mo Willems’ bestselling author and illustrator’s lunch doodles. Get creative and don’t forget to ask questions, Mo will answer them in his next videos.
44. Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, and Yale have made some of their courses free to learn online. Leading professors will teach you everything from data science and coding, to art and design.
44. None of us are sure when the next time will be that we can enjoy a pint at our favourite pub, but you can definitely find your beer in a shop during your weekly run for essentials and join .
45. A good story read by the legendary LeVar Burton is something you’ll definitely enjoy as you unwind and take a deep breath after a long day stuck at home. Follow LeVar’s updates on Twitter and join the fun.
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