If you just need to get away from it all but don't have the funds or vacation time to take a big family vacation, consider a staycation instead.
While everyone’s circumstances are different, skipping vacation … If you are looking for a land that can cover almost any sort of vacation … Shaken out of our usual surroundings and plunged into a different world filled with unfamiliar scents and sights and, sometimes, the sounds of a foreign language — the potential for joy is all around us. Once the noodles are complete, cook them in boiling water for one-and-a-half to two minutes, and dig in! Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.
Yet with travel restricted in many places, a carefree getaway isn’t in the cards for most people.
And when you finally get to take that trip? To give you an eclectic auditory vacation, personal development website Unify Cosmos has created a soundboard with background noise from 50 travel destinations around the globe. When you do get to take your trip, you could — if it’s possible — arrange a studio visit or try to time it to the artist’s next show.
Still other research has shown that regular vacations are more important than money to overall well-being, so much that a regular vacationer making less than $24,000 a year might even be happier than a non-vacationer making more than $120,000 a year. Caribbean music, whether reggae or calypso, salsa or soca, has a similar power to set the tone for a laid back afternoon. We found a playlist of Hawaiian hula music.
You could also search for dance classes or other activities at your local community center, or even try a new exercise app at home. It also features a custom toasting algorithm (yes, that’s apparently a thing) to ensure that pastries, toast, bagels, and English muffins are crisped to perfection every single time.
This eye-catching 16-ounce scented candle from Voluspa features notes of spiced pomander, cardamom, and Japanese hinoki. This indoor hydroponic garden from AeroGarden makes it easy for anyone to grow fresh herbs. They just add the alcohol of their choice, and they’re good to go! The project also reveals the tranquil side of some big cities—gentle rain in London, for example, or a walk through Central Park in New York City. Calling all foodies: Prepare to geek out over this high-tech, touchscreen toaster. Tune into what you’re craving, and see where the food leads you! This is one of my favorite things to do when traveling — scouting out rugs in Morocco, prints at the Paris flea or crafts from a roadside stand. Yet while these ideas may help you have a restorative break, I’m not sure they really capture the joy of getting away. Not only is it incredibly easy to use (just add flour, start the kneading function, and then add liquid), but it also makes up to three servings of pasta in under 10 minutes. While relaxing spa vacations seem to pop up all over the 'gram these days, many local spas have one-day packages that can be much more affordable. If you don't have either where you live, try a different supermarket than you usually frequent for a little change of pace. Your choice doesn’t have to be alcoholic either. Get out the camping gear or borrow a tent if you don't have one, make s'mores (use the microwave if your area prohibits campfires), and tell some spooky stories with a flashlight. If there’s a place that’s calling your name, why not learn some of the basics of the language? Cheese-filled khachapuri in Tbilisi. Since Unify Cosmos sourced everything from YouTube, you can also click the information icon in the top right corner for direct links to each track, many of which have video footage to accompany the audio. You can find adventure in hot dogs if you’re missing the ball park, cotton candy if you wish you were at an amusement park, fish if you’re craving the shore. You'll even get a cool new piece of decor to show for it! The Best Easy Weeknight Meals to Make Tonight, 16 Best Workout Apps for On-the-Go Fitness, 15 Ways to Organize Your Most Important Paperwork.
Head to a sports bar or get seats at a game to cheer on your favorite team and get your adrenaline pumping.
Choose from 13 colors and 10 sizes. This post is part of TED’s “How to Be a Better Human” series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from people in the TED community; browse through all the posts here. “Language is the dwelling place of ideas that do not exist anywhere else,” writes ecologist Robin Wall Kimmerer in the book Braiding Sweetgrass.
It’s an auspicious time to enact such a policy. The musicality of Hawaiian, a language with only eight consonants, has a gentleness that feels like the water you see at every turn. No green thumb, no problem. In my memories of travel, food and adventure go hand in hand. But these digital adventures can provide you with a refreshing and recharging change of pace. Try searching for artists or genres of music from your desired destination and build a playlist to help you set the ambience. Get exclusive deals, product news, reviews, and more with the Mental Floss Smart Shopping newsletter. No, it wasn’t as good as a week in the land of rainbows. And best of all, they'll all fit into a day or even a few hours (think at-home spa days and movie nights), so you can string a few of our ideas together for a longer at-home vacay or take a personal day to spend it on yourself. Visit the museums, local attractions, or historic districts you'd usually only bring visitors to see and rediscover the best parts of your hometown.