Summer is the season that many people build their year around. Everyone waits all year long to plan a holiday, get away and enjoy some much needed leisure time with their friends and family. In fact, many of you would have probably planned your summer trip this year months in advance.

Unfortunately, considering the current circumstances following the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus, we can’t expect our summer plans to look the same as we might have imagined.

As we all know, it’s incredibly important right now to protect ourselves and the people around us from getting contaminated to help flatten the curve of Coronavirus cases. Considering this, it doesn’t seem a good idea to still plan a summer vacation.

But, hey we are not here to disappoint you with more bad news! Below are some fun ideas through which you can have holiday enjoyment without having to leave the comfort of your own home. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity!

Family Film Nights

You might be excitedly craving for a decent holiday with your friends or family, however the real enjoyment doesn’t come from the place, rather the people. Everything is better, happier and more vibrant when you are with your best friends or have your family members by your side.

Though it’s still not safe to leave your province, you can enjoy the free time you currently have with your loved ones without the need to travel anywhere. Grab some popcorn, settle in with a movie or TV series and pass the time with your favourite people in the world.

Anticipate a Trip

Going away on holiday this year is not the wisest option. But that doesn’t mean you can’t plan for the future while you can. Planning a holiday is actually a lot of fun. You have plenty of time to research all the details about those bucket list destinations you have and start figuring out exactly what you want to do when you get there.

This means that when the world does start returning back to normal, you’ll already know what you want and be able to sniff out the best deal available. While you might not be able to travel right now, planning for when you can is fun and a surefire way to make you feel better as you’re stuck indoors.

Relive Experiences

Take a trip down memory lane and celebrate the experiences of the past holidays you’ve built up over the years. Watch videos from previous trips, sort your pictures and albums you have of an unforgettable trip and reminisce about the moments that truly meant something to you while you were on holiday.

Make a video call to those who were with you on that trip and relive all the special moments with them. Memories never fade away. They got forever stuck in our hearts and it’s an important step to recharge mentally and boost the mood of ours and others.

Travel Virtually

With technology, you can now visit your favourite holiday destination without ever leaving your bedroom. Now, we have the potential to take a world tour, see the wonders of the world and visit those far flung destinations virtually without having to worry about flights, baggage or bad weather.

You are just one Google search away from taking one of the many virtual tours or enjoying apps such as Google Arts & Culture. These gadgets and VR Headsets allow you to visit beautiful sights through your computer or mobile screens, without the public health risk that currently comes with travelling both to yourself and to others.

Cook Popular Local Dishes

Pick a place that you are craving to visit anytime soon and explore the local cuisine and famous dishes that the area is renowned for. There are hundreds of easy recipes you can find on Youtube or trusted food blogs that will teach you how to make local delicacies in your home kitchen. While you may not be able to travel, you can definitely eat your way around the world with a different cuisine every night!

Moreover, cooking healthy, global food with your family is a great activity to involve kids in as it helps them understand what’s good for them, what’s healthy and they can learn about other cultures all at the same time!

Indulge in Fun Activities

There are so many fun activities that you can do at home with your family for free. Involve all the members of your home and trust me, it will become one of the most memorable days you’ll have had in months.

The possibilities for what you can do are endless. Host a dance competition, do karaoke, play board games, hide & seek, paint together, the list goes on and on as far as your imagination can take it. Such activities are true boredom busters and, given the current state of the world, a great way to ensure enjoyment for the whole family.

Plan Indoor Picnic

Staying in is the new normal. The indoor picnic will be a nice option to improve your mood and spend quality time with your loved ones. Find a perfect spot in your balcony, garden, or rooftop and you’re all set to have the perfect socially distanced picnic!

Also, since every picnic is incomplete without good food, here are some of the parts you’ll need to plan the perfect picnic that you can cherish for a lifetime.

• Healthy snacks like fruits, fresh juices, popcorn, nuts, chickpeas, or yogurt, salads.
• Use natural sugar as a healthy alternative for flavorings
• Do not have junk food, chips, biscuits or any flavored drink
• As it’s summertime, pick any cold and healthy drink to cool off like chemical-free juices, lassi, coconut water, or lemon water
• Use immunity-boosting green vegetables like spinach and broccoli to include in your dishes

Final thoughts

The current rules and regulations can change anytime soon, but you need to shift your travel plans or simply cancel them altogether to support everyone as we all come together to fight against this deadly disease.

There’s a lot of pleasure in life’s little things like simply being with our loved ones or even virtually connecting with them. Instead of complaining about the things that we can’t do this summer, let’s cherish and be grateful for what we have during this difficult time – family, food & shelter.

Look at the positive side of this global pandemic and try to always stay optimistic.