It’s GIVEAWAY time! Each day I’ll be giving away something that helps support a small business! Check back daily and enter for your chance to win this quarantine!

Y’all, this quarantine is frustrating and stressful, but can you imagine what it would have been like 10 years ago? Twenty years ago? One hundred years ago? During the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918, many cities instated mandatory quarantines. Talk about lonely. Most households didn’t even have a telephone yet, much less a computer in the palm of their hands or the capability to video chat.

We are so fortunate these days because we don’t have to be alone in isolation. We can have food delivered right to our door. We can take tours from all over the world! Here are some of the best of the best! Take a look, take a tour, and stick around for today’s giveaway at the end of the post!

The Great Outdoors

While it’s true going outside your own home for a walk or a hike is not forbidden, sometimes you need a change of scenery! Maybe you want a walk through a garden; perhaps a swim at the Great Barrier Reef is right up your alley; or maybe you want to check Yosemite National Park off your “to go list!” If you want a little outside time from inside your home, check out these virtual outdoor tours.

Claude Monet’s Garden, Giverny, France

Whether you’re an art enthisuast, master gardener, or just someone who likes flowers, a guided tour of Monet’s gardens in Giverny is just the thing for you! You’ll see where Monet was inspired to paint some of his most famous works. He spent many of the last years of his life here.

Ellis Island, New York, USA

This is one every American can get into! You can take a flyover tour of the facility, explore the hospital, and see historic photographs on this virtual tour. One of the most interesting parts of this tour is changing the season view, so you can see what the island looks like any time of year!

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know my husband and I loved our trip to the Galapagos Islands for my 30th birthday! It’s definitely one of my most memorable trips because the unique wildlife here has just fascinated me for so long. On this tour, you can see several of the islands, both above and below the water!

Great Barrier Reef, Cairns, Australia

Another of my most favorite trips was to the Great Barrier Reef on my first ever trip to Australia. The entire continent has closed its borders due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but you can still see this natural wonder from the comfort of your couch! You can spin the camera to get a full 360-degree view under the sea!

Great Wall of China, China

I have always wanted to visit the Great Wall of China, but of course that’s not possible at the moment! Unless, of course, you take the virtual tour. The definition is incredible, so you won’t miss any details. You can get views from inside and outside of the Wall!

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens, Big Island Hawaii, USA

Hawaii’s governor has declared a state of vacation for the islands… a vacation from tourism! But that doesn’t mean your dreams of tropical plants and beauty have to wait! Just take the virtual tour of this botanical garden on the Big Island!

Keukenhof Gardens, Holland, The Netherlands

Think you’ve missed the most iconic spring flowers this season? Think again! You can tour Amsterdam’s famous Keukenhof Gardens and see the tulips at their peak bloom. It’s the next best thing to being there.

National Parks, USA

Our Nation’s National Parks are some of the best in the world, and you can tour many of them from home! Check out Joshua Tree National Park, US Virgin Islands National Park, Canyonlands, Arches, Denali, Sequoia, Yellowstone, Zion, and even Dry Totugas National Park—the least visited U.S. national park!

National Zoo, D.C., USA

The National Zoo’s webcams are amazing! You can see the naked mole rats, lions, pandas, and elephants whenever you want! They are some of the sweetest things you will ever see in this very trying time!

Plimouth Plantation, Massachusetts, USA

Got an American History lover in your quarantine village? Check out Plimouth Plantation! Find out how they survived and how the Native Americans helped them on their virtual tours. You can even learn all about the first Thanksgiving!

Pompeii, Italy

Y’all! This is absolutely fascinating. You can see so much of Pompeii all online. I’ve always wanted to visit in person, but I haven’t made the trip yet. And since no one’s going into or out of Italy any time soon, this is as close as we’ll get! Tour homes, temples, baths, forums, and more, all from the comfortable place that is under your heating blanket.

Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew, Richmond, England

If you love an English garden, this is the tour for you! You’ll also see several architectural features on the tour ranging from Chinese to English. They have some of the largest water lillies in the world, and they have saved the smallest waterlilly in the world from extinction!

Museums

Museums have made great strides in beefing up their technology in the last decade, from interactive touch-screens to audio tours and more. And that’s great, except now we really shouldn’t be touching things and putting audio guides on our faces! Thankfully, advances in technology have come right into our homes as well, making virtual reality and actual reality! Here are some of the best museum tours you can take from home!

British Museum, London, England

This is one of the world’s most famous, most successful, most extensive museums in the world, and you can visit for free wherever you are in the world! You can visit every continent (except Antarctica) and move forward or backward through time to learn about world history and admire their many artifacts! It’s very easy to navigate, and you could spend hours just exploring this museum!

Guggenheim, New York, USA

The Guggenheim’s virtual tour involves both audio about the museum itself and its exhibits, as well as up-close and personal views of their exhibits! If you’re an art lover wishing you could explore this NYC museum, you can! This is social distancing at its best, friends.

The Louvre, Paris, France

Ever wanted to visit Paris? The Louvre is probably on your list! You can visit many exhibits online, including the Mona Lisa! This is one of the better virtual reality museum experiences out there because it is so thorough. Be prepared to spend an hour or two looking around… since you have the time!

Monterey Bay Aquarium, California, USA

Okay, so, the virtual tour of this museum includes exactly two exhibits, so skip it. However, there are TEN live cams! You can tune into these live cams any time, day or night: Aviary, Coral Reef, Jellyfish, Kelp Forest, Monterey Bay, Moon Jellyfish, Open Sea, Penguin (!!!!), Sea Otter, and… SHARK! Definitely worth a look. Which one will mesmerize you?

National Museum of the United States Air Force, Ohio, USA

Travelers, future pilots, current aviators, military types, history lovers: this is for you! This is one cool tour. You’ll see airplanes from all eras, space stuff, and missiles! Learn a little about military history, aviation, and more at this museum in Ohio!

The Vatican Museums, Vatican

No one’s going to Italy anytime soon, so you might as well see the beautiful museums of the Vatican from your comfy chair! The virtual tour includes seven different parts, such as the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms, and the New Wing. The detail you can see is amazing, from the tilework to the murals to the woodwork!

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, D.C., USA

The Natural History Museum is one of the most visited museums in D.C., and you know why? They have incredible exhibits! You can tour permanent exhibits, past exhibits, and current limited-time exhibits in their virtual tour, and that includes the dinos!

National Gallery of Art, D.C., USA

The National Gallery of Art in D.C. has literally thousands of items… online! They are all there for you to see in your bunny slippers. Everything from Vermeer and painting to historical fashion and textiles. It’s one of the best museums both in D.C. and online!

Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

This was definitely a fun find! You’ll be able to explore art from all over the world, including Brazil. Their art ranges from paintings to textile to sculptures and more!

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands

This is one of the most impressive museums I’ve visited, and they’ve done a great job of getting it online for all to see! You’ll see Van Gogh’s book exhibit, his love life exhibit, and over 500 works of art in their collection!

House Tours

I’m a sucker for a house tour! I just love them. I love seeing how people used to live, where they used to live, and learning about their lives. And now I love that I can see them from home now!

Palace of Versailles, Paris, France

Everyone loves a palace! You’ll see the beautiful palace grounds and gardens, but the best part of this virtual reality? The weather is perfect! You’ll get the best angles for every viewpoint, and you’ll be developing some serious jealousy of Marie Antoinette!

Anne Frank House, Amsterdam, Netherlands

People are complaining about having to stay in their homes, even though they can go outside and walk around like free people. The Franks did not have that luxury. For two years, they hid from the Nazis in a small room with little to no light and very little food. Not to make you feel bad for complaining. We’re all irritated by this. Just saying!

Buckingham Palace and Gardens, London, England

Want to see how actual, current royalty live? You can tour Buckingham Palace! How cool is that? You can explore the throne room, grand staircase, and the White Drawing Room all online!

Cardiff Castle, Cardiff, Wales

Need more castles in your life? Don’t we all! And this is an amazing one to tour both in person and online! You can tour the Castle Keep, Castle Walls, the Apartments, grounds, banquet hall, and more! Get up-close and personal or get a bird’s eye view. You choose!

Highclere Castle, Newbury, England

This virtual tour is narrated by none other than Jim Carter, who plays Mr. Carson the Butler on Downton Abbey! The actual tour was great, except they do not allow photos inside. It’s a bummer, but that makes this virtual tour more appealing! You’ll be able to see it all in high definition and from all the right angles!

I’olani Palace, Hawaii, USA

Governor Ige says Hawaii is “on vacation” from tourism, but you can still get a glimpse of this secluded island paradise! I’olani Palace is open for tours online, and it’s one of the things I always recommend to people who want to visit Hawaii. Take a look and imagine what it was like to be Hawaiian royalty!

Schoenbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

Speaking of beautiful palaces, this one might just take the cake. It’s absolutely stunning, and it’s available online for your viewing pleasure! You can view dozens of rooms and plenty of artifacts. You could spend hours getting lost here!

Mark Twain House, Connecticut, USA

Samuel Clemens may have written about life on the Mississippi River, but he lived in Connecticut! You can tour his house in person when this is all over, but you can also tour it now online! See the floorplan, choose the rooms you want to explore, and enjoy!

Mount Vernon Estate, Virginia, USA

I never get tired of visiting Mount Vernon! It’s one of those essential things you must do in your life. But if you can’t make it there in person–like during this COVID-19 pandemic!–you can visit virtually!

Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, Virginia, USA

Thomas Jefferson was an actual genius. He invented tons of things we use every day, and his home is about as close to a fun house as you can get in a Presidents’ home! The virtual tour will allow you to explore each room and the coolest things inside them. Perfect for a virtual field trip or just a fun way to spend an hour in quarantine!

Bonus: Disney World!

Take a Ride at Disney World, Florida, USA

It’s true! You can still “go” to Disney World! Rides from Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and more are all available for you! The 360 tours allow you to experience the rides from all angles, and it’s the next best thing to being there! Kind of!

Today’s Giveaway!

Today’s giveaway is YOUR PICK! Think about your favorite small business, the small business your friend is starting up, the small business that you really want to see come through this quarantine like a winner, and enter the contest so you can both win!

• SHARE this post on Facebook or SHARE my latest Instagram post on your Instastories.
• TAG both Quick Whit Travel and your favorite local small business–or businesses!–in the post. This can be a shop, boutique, restaurant, bakery, coffee shop, etc. Tag as many as you like!

I will choose a winner at 9:00am Monday, March 23, to receive a $25 gift card (or item worth up to $25 if the business does not offer gift cards) from their favorite small business! Everyone wins!

Want more positive information and things to do during the Great COVID-19 Quarantine? Check out my Health and Wellness Page!

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