If “authentic” and “experiential” have been the foremost buzzwords in travel for the past several years, the latest trend, by necessity, is virtual travel as organizations and destinations scramble to maintain a presence with travellers stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Like news about the crisis, it’s hard to keep up with the almost hourly entries arriving, ranging from cooking and music lessons and other creative interactive activities presented online, to reading, listening or watching films, or simply engaging in virtual tours designed to educate, distract, or simply whet the appetite for future visits when the world returns to normal.
Here is a sampling of just a few of the latest options available for armchair travellers, in this case with a focus on US destinations and product*. This segment covers the American West; in future issues, parts 2-4 will explore the north, south and east regions of the country.
* Refer to corresponding organization web sites when not provided for links and more information
California
• Tomorrow (Sat., April 25), global citizens are being invited to join residents of San Francisco to raise their voices simultaneously in song by singing “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” Participants are encouraged to live-stream and record their performances of the Tony Bennett classic at noon (Pacific Time) via their online social media assets of choice (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube) with the hashtag #SingOutSF.
• Los Angeles and San Francisco tourism officials have co-launched #ThroughMyWindow on Instagram featuring images from people “sharing their homes and neighbourhoods with others.” Also, each Friday, the destinations will also highlight a wealth of virtual content from their respective museums, chefs, fitness studios and more.
• Meanwhile L.A. is also inviting people to a virtual “Magic Hour” presenting interactive experiences with artists, musicians, chefs, mixologists, photographers and other “magic makers,” as well as features like live stream sunsets from Venice Beach. Upcoming episodes include magic lessons on April 27, interactive colouring on April 29, plus movie trivia, winemaking discussion and more to be announced weekly. To take part go to Discover Los Angeles web site and/or social channels.
• Webcams at seemontery.com (including Big Sur and Carmel) and the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s website are the next best thing to being in the California destination. The aquarium also hosts MeditOcean, featuring guided meditation on Facebook and YouTube.
• Download the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway app to get a peek inside the engine room and explore the ins and outs of tramway mechanics while taking a virtual ride 5 km up the mountain.
• Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley is known for its plush redwood forests, cool morning fog and warm afternoon sun, and its renowned Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. La Crema Winery is offering virtual tours.
• Round Pond Estate in Napa Valley will offer a host of virtual classes to turn you not only into a master chef, but a sommelier too. Examples of virtual classes include private one-on-one sessions with the sommelier; a virtual group tasting; and virtual cooking classes with winery chefs that utilize the Round Ponds estate gourmet products.
• Users can engage with the Visit Newport Beach VR 360 Video on YouTube, but don’t really need to, as the fast-moving aerial video whisks viewers through the sunny seaside SoCal town and along the nearby coast.
• Straddling three distinct regions – Gold Country, Yosemite and High Sierra – Tuolumne County is an outdoor haven with much to explored, from mountain ranges to gold rush rivers. Visit Tuolumne County offers a virtual look via its website.
Utah
Utah in 360 on YouTube offers a series a of short interactive videos covering the state from Bryce Canyon to Goblin State Park. Also, particularly inspiring on YouTube are Moab’s Amazing Dark Skies and “Visit Utah” visual storytelling on Vimeo. Meanwhile, visit the Visit Salt Lake City site for a host of virtual opportunities highlight the city.
Colorado
Created by Visit Denver, Virtually Denver offers an ever-growing list of online/virtual activities from the city’s cultural and performing arts scene, as well as an array of online film and literary options with a local flavour – for example, live recorded music concerts from the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and a virtual safari at the Denver Zoo. Available online, there is also a family friendly section featuring children’s activities and learning tools, among other options. The new “Virtual & Online” section on the Denver365 events calendar provides an even deeper list of options.
Nevada
• Lake Tahoe in Depth on Vimeo offers an audio and visual geologic history of North America’s largest alpine lake and the stunning red sandstone formations of the high desert.
• With help from Google Trekker, Travel Nevada’s Roam From Home program invites visitors to the tourist board web site to wander through slot canyons, hot springs, state parks and beyond, all from the comfort of their own device. Featured are “hundreds of mountain ranges, endless rambling roads, meandering backcountry trails… (and) jaw-dropping scenic wonder.”
Oregon
Oregon is a destination that takes its nature-based wellness seriously, so during this time when outdoor activity has been curbed for the world’s health and safety, Travel Oregon is sharing its favourite “Moments of Zen” and other virtual tours, on YouTube in hopes of offering some mindfulness. The series of nine 20-minute videos are designed to offer a break from working at, “or the world as a whole,” and take viewers to all seven regions around the state.
Arizona
• Go inside Montezuma Castle National Monument, built and used by the Sinagua people, a pre-Colombian culture closely related to the Hohokam and other indigenous peoples of the southwestern United States, between approximately 1100 and 1425 AD.
• Explore the Musical Instrument Museum, the largest museum of its type in the world. The collection of over 15,000 musical instruments and associated objects includes examples from nearly 200 countries and territories, representing every inhabited continent.
• Take a Digital Safari, including animal cams for elephants, giraffes and lions at Reid Park Zoo.