Spend some time on the sand watching these beach web cams

If life is looking a bit drab without travel, add some color into your life by setting off on a street art tour around the world—virtually. Google makes it easy to revisit some of your favorite murals that you’ve come across during your travels or to encounter outdoor public artwork you’ve always wanted to see. Use the human icon to take in the murals from the street level. Enjoy a private viewing of the art displays from the safety of your couch and let these street artists transport you to destinations near and far with this virtual street art tour. Miami, Florida The largest collection of street art in the U.S can be enjoyed at the Wynwood Arts District in Miami with over 200 murals spanning 50 blocks. Shepard Fairey of Obey Giant painted one of the most well-known pieces in the Wynwood Walls open-air museum of street art. His mural features motifs about climate change, war, and more political issues. The mural faces 2nd Avenue and is visible from the street and the museum’s main entrance. Check out more of the artwork in the area on the Wynwood Walls Virtual Gallery Tour featuring murals by internationally renowned artists like Futura, Os Gemeos, Swoon, and Miss Van. Austin, Texas Spotting murals between chowing down at taco stands is a quintessential Austin experience. Order some tacos from a Mexican taqueria and browse through the city's greatest murals including the iconic mural of world-famous Texan Willie Nelson created by local muralist Wiley Ross who later added a portrait of Janis Joplin alongside Nelson. No Austin street art tour would be complete without the uber-popular “I love you so much” mural by local visual artists Amy Cook and the landmark 'Greetings from Austin' postcard mural by Todd Sanders.©Christian Mueller/Shutterstoc New York, New York New York City is home to public art displays created by some of the most famous graffiti artists on the planet. Eduardo Kobra brought his “Colors of Liberty” project to NYC with a series of gigantic murals of iconic cultural figures in vibrant hues including a Frida Khalo painting and Fight for Street Art featuring Michael Halsband’s image of Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, both in Brooklyn. Banksy slyly left a painting, ‘Hammer Boy’, on the Upper West Side. The boy is meant to represent the mischievousness of children. Keith Haring left a mark in Harlem with the anti-drug ‘Crack is Wack’ mural to warn against crack cocaine use which was rampant in the 80s when he made the painting. Puerto Rico Los Muros Hablan, meaning the walls speak, is an artist-led project to rescue the abandoned spaces of the city using art. The multicultural urban art initiative includes work from local and international artists. Look for colorful works of people and creatures from Spanish artist Aryz, Chinese artist DALeast, Mexican artist Sego, and more. ©LordRunar/Getty Images Berlin, Germany The East Side Gallery is the longest remaining piece of the Berlin Wall and has been covered in street art. You can scope out the legendary street art that spans across nearly a mile from your living room courtesy of Google. Don’t miss Russian artist Dmitri Vrubel’s ‘My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love’ depicting a kiss between Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and East German President Erich Honecker. Other powerful motifs include Birgit Kinder’s painting of a car breaking through the Berlin Wall. Folkestone, United Kingdom Folkestone Artworks is the largest outdoor exhibition of contemporary art in the United Kingdom. UK’s largest urban outdoor exhibition of contemporary art comprises of 74 art installations across the town including several street art murals such as Michael Craig Martin’s 'Folkestone Lightbulb' which captures the essence of energy and inspiration created by the outdoor gallery. Valparaíso, Chile The bohemian Chilean city is a cultural center for art with an epic mural art scene. Virtually follow the Street Art Route to skip the lines and view some of the most beloved street art in town. Galvez Alley is a narrow alley decked out in an explosion of color with many murals. Valpo’s Granma by Ella & Pitr is one of Valparaíso’s most famous paintings which depicts a grandmother watching over the city.Scott Beale / Laughing SquidNashville, Tennessee Nashville is known as an arts and culture hub of the United States, and the street art is no different. Art by famous local and international artists can be found on the sides of buildings all across the city. Take a Google Earth tour of the best Nashville has to offer. Next time you find yourself in Nashville, take a photo in front of the famous angel wings, painted by Kelsey Montague, in the Gulch, or the "I Believe in Nashville" murals that can be found all around the city.

Travel makes the world a better place. When humans are exposed to other cultures and ways of living, we open up and grow as individuals. With the freedom of travel currently on pause because of the COVID crisis, there are other ways to connect with the global community and make the world a better place. While staying isolated (or at least 6 feet away) can help us all locally, there are more ways that we can help globally, other than by donating money to a charity. With the current travel bans in place, here are a few ways global travellers, wanderers and sun-seekers can connect and give back on an international scale, all from the comfort of your own home. 1. Find an International Pen Pal Remember grade school days when you wrote to a pen pal in another country? How fun it was to check the mail waiting to receive a letter back from a friend you had never met before. This is the perfect time to reach out and connect with someone globally, someone who may be going through a tough time being isolated and needs a pal. Fast-forward to modern day, there are so many ways to find a new friend around the world with sites like PenPal World and International Pen Friends. There is even a student letter exchange for younger writers called, Students of the World. With all of these websites, you can decide if you prefer contact through email, video calls or snail mail, but I have to say there is something whimsical about getting a physical letter in the mail these days. 2. Write an Online Business Review With time on our side, make a list of your favorite businesses that you’ve supported while traveling and give them a positive online review. These can be any kind of small businesses like souvenir shops and restaurants, to tour guides and concierge services. Enjoyed that Eiffel Tower tour guide in Paris or that delicious pasta making class in Tuscany? Write a review! Take some time to write about these businesses on Yelp or Google or on tour operators sites such as, GetYourGuide or The Tour Guy. Businesses that are fueled by tourism will be among the businesses that are hit the hardest by the current travel restrictions. Your review will create positivity during an unclear time and support their business when travel restrictions are lifted. 3. Donate Your Time If you have a valuable skill set that others can benefit from, why not donate your time to projects around the world that could use your help? Consider donating your time to support a global charity (via Skype or email) if you have the ability to do so. For example, if you’re an architect, consider drawing up plans for a far-off project or as a writer, consider drafting a newsletter about the charity of your choice to get more exposure. Whatever your skill set is, you get the idea! Don’t know where to start? There are many ways to find an international charity to assist, or maybe you already have a non-profit in mind and can contact them directly. However, there are also sites like, The Taproot Foundation that helps to connect nonprofits with skilled volunteers that would like to share their expertise pro bono. You could contribute invaluable knowledge to a charitable project in a developing country without even leaving your home. 4. Shop & Share Global Artisans Artisans around the world are another group of people that will be hit hard by the current travel restrictions. These are the people that make most of their living by selling their work to tourists, like beautiful baskets or handmade jewelry. Some of these small businesses also sell their goods online, where people around the world can either shop to support them or simply share their website with others that may be able to support them. If you can’t afford to shop at this time, you can simply share their website on any social media platform or by email to give them exposure to a new set of potential supporters. 5. Donate Supplies Product donations are a great way to support those in need around the world. Whether you have extra supplies hanging around, you are crafty and can make certain supplies or if you simply want to purchase items to donate. Any and all donations are welcome to charities in need. In the current state of affairs, many people are sewing facemasks to donate around the world. But nonprofits accept other types of supplies too – from pharmaceuticals and basic hygiene products to clothing and education supplies. World Vision is an example of an organization that helps facilitate product donations around the world. This is a simple way to support others without breaking the bank.

Pilots have been using their aircraft to spell out requests and share uplifting messages on radar tracking maps during the COVID-19 outbreak. Governments and health officials have been promoting the "stay home" message to save lives during the COVID-19 outbreak in the weeks and months to come. Earlier this month, a pilot used his plane to drive that message home by spelling out "stay home" in the sky over Austria. The pilot, whose identity is unknown, was flying a private DA40 aircraft at the time. The flight departed from an airport in Wiener Neustadt, about 50 miles south of Vienna, and returned 24 minutes later after spelling out the social distancing message to the world. ⛑👍 A Magnus Fusion 212 pilot took to the sky over Hungary today to show their appreciation for healthcare professionals. See playback at https://t.co/nO3dzQtlQ9 pic.twitter.com/EpyMloIxMW— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) March 27, 2020 And on Wednesday, a pilot at the helm of a Magnus Fusion 212 showed their appreciation for healthcare workers by drawing a thumbs up, alongside a medical cross in the sky over Hungary. The message comes as people across the world have been taken part in mass rounds of applause from their windows, balconies and doorsteps in support of healthcare workers and frontline responders battling the coronavirus pandemic. Both messages were recorded by Flightradar24, the global flight tracker that provides real-time information about air traffic around the world. This piece originally ran on our sister site, Lonely Planet.

These are trying times for travelers. Being home-bound is a most unnatural state for globetrotters. We will be able to travel again. But for now, we must stay at home to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. As we all do our part to flatten the curve we can transport ourselves to faraway locales thanks to these virtual experiences that will help you get away from the safety of your own home. 1. Learn a new language Should you feel motivated to learn a new skill while you're grounded, opt to study a language you’ve always wanted to learn. Being bilingual can help you achieve greater mental clarity and improve cultural understanding. Perhaps you want to focus on a language that is spoken in many countries such as Spanish, French, or Portuguese. Or, select a language from a country you’re eager to visit. Either way, improving your linguistic skills will help you communicate once you are able to visit and help pass the time at home. Language app Babbel was created by a team of more than 150 linguists and teachers. 2. Take virtual tours of museums Keep your sense of wanderlust alive by bringing the world to you by taking virtual tours of museums in your hometown and far off locations. Google Arts & Culture can transport you to over 1,200 museums from 80 countries. If you love art, transport yourself to some of the best art museums on the planet with virtual tours from Google Arts & Culture of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles or the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk. You can even hold a private audience with Botticelli’s Birth of Venus at the Uffizi Galleries. Go overseas by taking a tour of the Israel Museum. Develop a new artistic obsession by touring niche galleries such as the Corning Museum of Glass. 3. Lose yourself in music Music heals and in these uncertain times, artists around the globe are offering their gifts. The Metropolitan Opera in New York City is offering a free stream of its most celebrated shows. The Philharmonie Berlin opened its digital library of performances of over 600 shows to enjoy by using the code BERLINPHIL by March 31 for a 30-day access. OperaVision is showing free recorded performances from all over the world including the Royal Swedish Opera and the Polish National Opera. YouTube is a free resource to find free music from all over the world such as Calypso from the Caribbean, Flamenco from Spain, and Candombe from Uruguay. 4. Be mesmerized by wildlife Ethical animal encounters are a major motivator for travel. These nine wildlife webcams offer access to your favorite animals. You can watch giant pandas at the China Conservation & Research Center or go on a virtual safari at Tembe Elephant Park in South Africa. Watch rescued bears at the Arosa Bear Sanctuary on the bear-cam. If you don’t want to try your chances and wait to see if wildlife comes into view in the lens, watch wildlife documentaries from the countries you hope to visit in the future. Virunga will teach you about the gorillas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Untamed Romania will introduce you to the bears of the region, and Pacificum takes you into Peru’s oceans. For pure sweetness check out the 24/7 Farmer John baby goat cam. 5. Have virtual bucket-list experiences Virtual reality can help you reach destinations you’ve always dreamed of seeing. You can reach the summit of Matterhorn Mountain in the Swiss Alps and fly over the Duomo in Florence through Google Earth's virtual reality offerings. Surround yourself with nature through the live stream of the first National Park in the U.S., Yellowstone and the live feed of the Upper Yosemite Falls. Hike the Great Wall of China from the Jinshanling to Simatai sections without breaking a sweat. Take a virtual tour via webcams of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and watch Kīlauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes. 6. Travel through your taste buds Many cooking classes are being offered digitally from the homes of chefs around the world and through food tours. In Florence, Italy, Il Salviatino’s Executive Chef, Silvia Grossi, is leading cooking lessons on Instagram from her home kitchen with easy recipes using ingredients you likely already have at home. Iberostar’s Honest Food how-to recipe videos offer healthy multicultural fare that you can whip up at home to travel the world through flavors including Yucca and Chicken Tamales and Vegan Tiramisu. Find inspiration by watching My World Kitchen where children show you how to make traditional dishes from their countries or binge-watch Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown (Netflix) and Emeril's Eat the World (Amazon Prime). 7. Have a video date with a foreigner There’s no time like the present to give love a chance. Fairytrail is a dating app for travelers and focuses on video chats. Connect with someone who interests you and learn about their culture and customs through their own experience, and share yours. If love sparks you’ll have a romantic trip to look forward to after society has healed from COVID-19 8. Unwind with a travel movie It’s no secret that movies are the best distraction. Find titles from countries you want to visit or re-watch old favorites and be transported to your dream destinations. Check out our reader-recommended list of travel movies. If you like rom-coms, watch Under the Tuscan Sun (Hulu) or Mamma Mia (Netflix). For drama and vistas of European mountains watch The Grand Budapest Hotel (Amazon Prime). If you’re craving the beautiful beaches of Southeast Asia watch The Beach (Amazon Prime). Or catch up on travel documentaries for a bit more of a realistic take on the destinations you’re dreaming of such as Encounters at the End of the World (Amazon Prime) filmed in Antarctica and Under An Arctic Sky (Amazon Prime) to see people surf under the Northern Lights. 9. Pick up a travel-centric book From true-adventure non-fiction travel novels to travel guides about the destination you're yearning to visit, now is a great time dive into some travel literature. Read guide books from our sister site, Lonely Planet. For inspiration, check out our list of 10 books every traveler should read. We won’t judge you if you want to re-read Eat, Pray, Love in these uncertain times and get swept away by intoxicating destinations, food, and passion. 10. Plan your dream trip There’s so much uncertainty around the world right now but one thing we’re confident about is that travel will make a comeback. After being cooped on for what seems like the indefinite future, we will once again explore the globe. COVID-19 has stalled travel plans but that doesn’t mean you can’t seek inspiration for your future adventures. Prepare for when future dream travels are made possible again by browsing Lonely Planet's destination guides for ideas when creating your itinerary. Read about the history of the destination, research which sites you want to visit, where you want to have your morning coffee, and locate boutiques for finding the perfect keepsake. Lola Méndez is an Uruguayan-American freelance journalist. She writes about sustainability, travel, culture, and wellness for many print and digital publications in addition to her responsible travel blog, MissFilatelista.com. She's a full-time globetrotter who travels to develop her own worldview and has explored over 60 countries. Passionate about sustainable travel, she seeks out ethical experiences that benefit local communities. You can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.