• Home
  • Start Here
    • Meet Lia & Jeremy
    • Our Year-Long Honeymoon
    • Read These Posts
      • Year in Review Posts
      • Travel Stories (& Travel Fails)
    • About Practical Wanderlust
      • Our Mission Statement
      • Meet The Team
    • Lia’s Book
    • Podcast
    • Contact Us & FAQ
  • Destinations
    • Browse All
    • Asia Travel
      • Indonesia
      • Nepal
    • Europe
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • France
      • Germany
      • Italy
      • Norway
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
    • North America Travel
      • Canada
      • Mexico
      • United States
    • Central America
      • Costa Rica
      • Mexico
      • Panama
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
      • What to Pack for South America
      • 30 Things No One Tells You About Backpacking in South America
    • United States
      • Browse All USA
      • California
      • National Parks
      • Disney
    • Virtual Travel
  • Travel Tips
    • How to be a Responsible Tourist
    • How to Plan a Trip
    • Travel Safety Tips
    • Travel Insurance Guide
    • Long Term Travel
  • Packing Guides
    • General Packing Guides
    • Packing Lists by Destination
    • Product & Gear Reviews
    • Our Travel Essentials
    • Browse All Packing Lists
    • Gift Guides
  • Lia’s Book
  • Blogging Tips
  • Podcast
  • Work with Us
    • Partner With Us
    • Press & Media
    • Write for Us
    • Coaching & Mentoring
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Practical Wanderlust

Responsible Travel on a Budget

  • Home
  • Start
    • Meet Lia & Jeremy
    • Read These Posts
      • Our Year-Long Honeymoon
      • Browse All Personal Posts
      • Travel Stories & Fails
      • Year in Review Posts
      • 30 Things Nobody Tells You About Quitting Your Job to Travel
      • 32 Things Nobody Tells You About Long Term Travel as a Couple
      • More Things Nobody Tells You…
    • About the Blog
      • Our Mission Statement
      • Meet The Team
    • Podcast
    • Book
    • Blogging
      • Income Reports
      • Pinterest Tips
      • Digital Nomad Tips
      • Write for Us
    • Contact Us & FAQ
  • Destinations
    • Browse All
    • Asia Travel
      • Indonesia
      • Nepal
    • Europe
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • France
      • Germany
      • Italy
      • Norway
      • Spain
    • North America Travel
      • Canada
      • Mexico
      • United States
    • Central America
      • Costa Rica
      • Mexico
      • Panama
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
      • What to Pack for South America
      • 30 Things No One Tells You About Backpacking in South America
    • United States
      • Browse All USA
      • California
      • National Parks
      • Disney
    • Virtual Travel
  • Travel Tips
    • Packing Guides
      • General Packing Guides
      • Destination Packing Lists
      • Product & Gear Reviews
      • Travel Essentials We Bring on Every Trip
      • Browse All
    • Responsible Tourism Guide
    • How to Plan a Trip
    • Travel Safety Tips
    • Travel Insurance Guide
    • Long Term Travel
      • 30 Things Nobody Tells You About Quitting Your Job to Travel
      • Our Year-Long Honeymon
      • Digital Nomad Tips
      • What Not to Pack for Long Term Travel
      • How to Quit Your Job & Travel Book
      • Browse All Long Term Travel
      • Gift Guides
        • 50 Perfect Travel Gifts
        • Eco-Friendly Travel Gifts
        • Gifts for Hikers Under $25
        • Travel Gifts for Coffee Lovers
        • Funny Travel Gifts
    • Lia’s Book
  • Work with Us
    • Partnerships
    • Press & Media
    • Write for us
    • Coaching
Home » Virtual Vacation to the Beach: Take a Tropical (Virtual) Trip from Home

Virtual Vacation to the Beach: Take a Tropical (Virtual) Trip from Home

By Lia Garcia | Updated on: April 12, 2022

Please double check what's open before your trip and follow all local mask guidelines to keep yourself and others safe! Also, ads are how we pay our bills and keep our blog free for you to enjoy. We also use affiliate links; if you make a purchase through them, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you.
3.5K shares

Salty air. Waves lapping rhythmically against the shore. Birds playing in the surf. You know, like this. Ahhh … heaven. Don’t you wish you were there right now?

Well today, while you’re not able to go searching for things to do in Long Beach, you’re going to get as close as possible! We’re taking a virtual vacation to the beach. And unlike the real thing, airfare is free, there’s no sand to get in your mouth or shake out of your shoes, you’ll never get a sunburn, and no seagulls will sneak off with your food!

On your virtual trip to the beach, we’ll be guiding you through a visit to some of the best beach destinations in the world. You’ll explore tucked-away islands, swim with whale sharks, and even try cliff diving (because virtual adventures are completely risk-free!)

We’ve also included tips to make your virtual vacation as immersive as possible, starting with that track we linked in the first paragraph – turn it on now if you haven’t yet!

If you watch all of the videos we included in this post, your beach vacation will take the better part of a nice, long, relaxing day.

  • Technical Note: some of the videos don’t have a title image and will show up as a black square or a weird gray cassette tape, but they should all work just fine when you click play!

Have fun!

2023 Travel Tip: These days things can change quickly, so as soon as you buy your tickets, make sure to buy travel insurance in case you need to unexpectedly delay, cancel, or extend your trip. We recommend SafetyWing. For more details, head to our travel insurance guide!

Table of Contents

  • Tips for your Virtual Vacation
  • Virtual Vacation to Hawaii
  • Virtual Vacation to Bali, Indonesia
  • Virtual Vacation to Riviera Maya, Mexico
  • Virtual Vacation to San Blas, Panama

We also have a Podcast episode all about Bali! Monkey thieves, temples, Jeremy crashing a motorbike into a tree, and coffee made from … er, poop. Lia and Jeremy are talking about the breathtaking island of Bali, including all of the must-dos and please-do-nots.

Listen above or just click here to launch your Podcast app! Oh, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes.

Psst: Looking for more beachy posts, or planning a trip to a real beach? Check out some of our other posts!

  • What to Pack for a Beach Vacation
  • The Perfect 3-day Itinerary for Maui, Hawaii
  • The Best 2-Week Itinerary for Bali, Indonesia
READ THIS POST
33 Quirky Things To Do In Key West, Florida (& Massive Travel Guide)
Beautiful beach in Panama on a virtual vacation.
One of the beautiful beaches in Panama that you’ll be visiting on your virtual trip!

Tips for your Virtual Vacation

When you’re craving an escape, just looking at photos isn’t enough. So we’ve also included musical cues and videos to help trigger the parts of your brain that produce realistic memory and serotonin in response to sensory input. Basically: we’re sciencing you to the beach.

To help your brain get on board, we have a few more tips to make your virtual trip more realistic:

Add a smell trigger

We’ve got sound and sight taken care of, but a smell trigger will really help your virtual vacation feel immersive and realistic.

If you have an ocean or beach scented candle, light that now. You can also use incense for spiritual Bali, or just something coconut-scented for a tropical vibe.

Or, just go grab a tube of your favorite sunscreen (the one you always pack in your beach bag) and slather it on – the scent will produce strong feelings of beachy nostalgia!

Isla Mujeres Shrimp Cocktail and Iguana Mexico (1)
Shrimp cocktail transports me right to the beach, and is easy find at most grocery stores! Top with fresh lime, avocado and cilantro for that ~Mexican vibe.

Pack a lunch (for the beach)

What do you usually eat at the beach? Eating your favorite vacation-only foods will bring you right back to your favorite beach vacations (it’s science!), so pack yourself a lunch with your favorite beach vacation snacks. Even frying up some fish can trigger that scent-activated memory!

For me, a ham and cheese sandwich with mayo and mustard brings me back to childhood trips to the beach; shrimp cocktail with saltine crackers and salted green mango takes me to our honeymoon in Cartagena; ice cream sandwiches conjure up summer days by the pool; and a fish taco sends my husband back home to California’s Central Coast, where he grew up.

Drinking watermelon juice in a swing in Nusa Lembongan, Bali.
How to make watermelon juice like they do in Bali: just blend watermelon + sugar. Top with a fancy carved watermelon heart if you’re feeling extra. Enjoy!

Don’t forget the drinks

What’s a beach vacation without a cold drink? Stock up on whatever you like to drink on vacation to hydrate yourself into beachy bliss. Sidenote: is it just us, or does Coke always tastes better on the beach?

Also, if you need enabling: YES, this is the PERFECT time to bust out your blender and whip up some margs – or at least one of these classic tropical cocktails. 2pm on a Sunday? You’re on vacation, baby! It’s 5 o’clock on island time! Also: legal recreational …enhancements are appropriate and helpful, too.

Ahem: not quite ready for all that? How about a tropical smoothie made with coconut milk, pineapple, and mango instead? Honestly, literally anything blended with banana, pineapple, coconut, and – if you can find it – guava, apricot nectar, or passion fruit will taste like you’re on an island somewhere.

You can also blend milk and your favorite ice cream or sherbert to whip up a quick milkshake at home.

READ THIS POST
Virtual Nepal Trip: Guided Virtual Vacation to Nepal

Set the scene

We recommend pulling this post up on the biggest screen possible – say, your living room TV – and setting the scene around you.

Put a couple of towels down on the ground and scatter that decorative bowl of seashells around you. Grab your tropical houseplants and arrange them nearby (monsteras are excellent for this purpose).

Have some souvenirs from your favorite beach vacations? Use those, too! But out sombrero you picked up in Mexico, that sarong you bought in Hawaii, and that woven purse you snagged in Bali.

Maui Hawaii Swimsuit Cover Up and Dress
On the beach in Maui, Hawaii.

Dress for the part

It’s hard to feel beachy if your house is freezing and you’re bundled up in your PJs, so crank the heat up (you’re on vacation, it’s ok!) and throw on your favorite cozy beach cover-up or bathing suit and your favorite sandals.

Mist yourself with sea salt

It might sound wacky, but we recommend spraying yourself with a sea salt spray! You can use a spray like this on your hair, or just mix sea salt and water to spray yourself down.

The feeling of salt on your hair and skin – as if you were just out of the ocean – and the smell of the salty spray will trigger sensory cues in your brain and make your virtual vacation feel more real.

Now that you’ve primed your brain to transport you to the beach, let’s take a trip! You hop on a short sunset flight to the first destination of your virtual beach vacation!

READ THIS POST
Universal Studios Virtual Tour: The Perfect Theme Park Virtual Vacation
Beach and palm trees on Maui, Hawaii.
Welcome to Hawaii, the first stop on your virtual vacation!

Virtual Vacation to Hawaii

You’ve arrived in Hawaii! Which island? Doesn’t matter! You’re going to all of them, because in a virtual vacation, geography doesn’t apply and air travel is free and totally sustainable. Shaka brah!

But in case you’re wondering, you’re starting in Maui.

When you touch down in Maui, Hawaii, you’re greeted with beautiful traditional Hawaiian music.

First things first: you head to your favorite cafe in Laheina for a creamy iced coffee. And a pineapple, because there’s a stack of them right outside and when in Maui, you can’t NOT get a pineapple.

READ THIS POST
Two Weeks in Costa Rica: The Ultimate Costa Rica 2 Week Itinerary
Iced coffee from Cafe Laheina in Maui, Hawaii.
Maui Gold Pineapple in Maui, Hawaii, one of the best things to eat in Maui.

You’re feeling amped up from that coffee, so you decide to walk it off with a nice long stroll down the Wailea Beach Path.

You’ve still got caffeine buzzing through you when you walk past a sign: “Cliff-jumping adventure! Risk-free or your money back!”

It seems perfectly legit, and hey, you’re on vacation, right?? So you swallow down your anxiety, throw up the shaka, hop in the back of some guy’s pickup truck, and find yourself staring down an 80-foot drop into the water below…

Whew, what a rush! You’re ready for something a little less high-adrenaline.

Your new cliff-jumping friends offer to give you a ride to Oahu in their helicopter. Isn’t that nice? So you hop into a helicopter and take off to soar over the palm trees and lush mountains of Kaui.

They drop you off back at your resort. It’s finally time to hit the beach! You head down the shore on the Kaanapali Beach walk.

Ahhh, you made it to the beach!

Beach view in Maui, Hawaii.
Beach view in Maui, Hawaii.

You take a nice long walk down the beach. So long, in fact, that you end up strolling along the coast in Oahu. Remember: virtual vacation geography doesn’t exist!

You sit and relax, watching the waves roll in and maybe doing some yoga or stretching, because beach you is very zen!

After a nice long break at the beach, you head to the Feast at Lele to enjoy a sunset luau.

The Feast at Lele, one of the best luaus in Maui, Hawaii.
The Feast at Lele, a luau in Maui, Hawaii.
The Feast at Lele, one of the best Luaus in Maui!

You wish goodnight to Maui. Then, you hop right on a plane to your next destination …because on this virtual vacation, you don’t need sleep! Sleep is for reality.

Bali, Indonesia at sunrise
Good morning, Bali! Good morning, Mount Agung, the giant active volcano in Bali!

Virtual Vacation to Bali, Indonesia

You hop off the plane in Bali and hear beautiful traditional Balinese Gamelan music playing.

The wafting smells of incense and Canang Sari fills the air as scooters fly past you.

Bali Canang Sari Offerings
The wafting smells of Canang Sari offerings and incense fill the air.

Speaking of scooters, they’re the best way to travel in Bali! You pick one up at a rental shop near the airport and hop on for a self-guided scooter tour of Bali.

Lucky for you, riding a scooter is just as easy as riding a bike. So you definitely don’t crash it into a tree, like we did the first time we rented a scooter in Bali.

On your scooter, you drive all over Bali, taking in the sights. You visit temples and rice fields and markets.

… and then you do another virtual Bali tour, because the first one was so good!

You stop in Ubud to eat at a local warung, and order a fresh coconut and a plate of Nasi Campur.

As you’re eating, a family of monkeys calmly relaxes in a corner. Unlike most of the monkeys in Ubud, these monkeys are friendly – they don’t try to attack you, steal all of your belongings, and run away with your food. In Virtual Bali – unlike real Bali – you don’t have be afraid of all those adorable monkeys!

Nasi Campur meal in Ubud, Bali
Delicious Nasi Campur at a cute warung in Ubud, Bali!

Since you’re in Ubud, the cultural center of Bali, you visit the Royal Palace to watch one of their daily traditional dance performances.

You didn’t understand most of it, but it was beautiful!

But listen: enough eating and enjoying local culture. You came to Bali for one reason, and one reason only: beaches! And monkeys. And food. And temples. OK, you came to Bali for a few reasons.

But mostly beaches!

So you hop back on your scooter and high-tail it straight to the coast.

Ahh, you’ve arrived! The eastern coast of Bali is the jumping-off point to several of Indonesia’s beautiful islands, namely the Gili Islands and the Nusa Islands.

The coast in Bali, Indonesia.
Ahhh, beachy Bali bliss.

You hop on a boat and head to Nusa Penida. Nusa Penida is a lush island filled with private coves and pockets that are difficult to get to.

Luckily for you, your scooter also has a flight mode. So you take off on a flying scooter ride of Nusa Penida, leaving realism behind!

Wheee, flying scooters are the best way to fly! You take another lap around the Nusa Islands (ahem: yes, we know, “Nusa” actually means islands, but it sounds weird to be like “the Nusas” so … anyway, oh look, a flying scooter!).

Finally, you head back to your villa to relax in your infinity pool, which is also on the beach because Bali is amazing (both virtual Bali and real Bali).

Three Brothers Bungalows in Amed, Bali with infinity pool, ocean views, and palm trees.
Why yes, that IS an infinity pool on the ocean.

You’re not sure whether this villa is worthy of your virtual vacation vibes, because you are a QUEEN and you have NEEDS. So you check out a neighboring villa – just in case.

This is a pretty sweet villa, but it occurs to you that you don’t actually need a villa, since on your virtual vacation, you have no need for sleep.

So you say goodbye to your villa – infinity pool, gardens, and all – and hop on the private jet that just magically appeared outside ready to take you to your next virtual vacation destination ….

READ THIS POST
8 Quintessential Places to Visit on California's Central Coast
Playa Norte in Isla Mujeres, Mexico.
Beautiful Playa Norte in Isla Mujeres, Mexico.

Virtual Vacation to Riviera Maya, Mexico

Bienvenido a Mexico! You step off the plane in the Cancun airport to the cheerful sounds of this song, and absolutely nobody hassles you to get into a taxi. Instead, everyone waits calmly for you to approach them.

You drive straight to the coast, enjoying the views of Cancun and that bright blue Caribbean water.

But Cancun isn’t exactly your scene – you feel like relaxing, not partying! So you hop on a boat and head 15 minutes away to tiny Isla Mujeres.

Entrance to Garrafon de Castilla beach club in Isla Mujeres, Mexico.
Palm trees and bright blue water in Isla Mujeres, Mexico.

What a beautiful little island! You take a nice long stroll around the central part of the island, past markets, shops, and restaurants.

One of the best things to do in the Riviera Maya, especially on Isla Mujeres, is to go swimming with the largest fish in the world, the confusingly named Whale Sharks!

You take a snorkeling trip with these giant, majestic, polka-dotted beasts. It is perfectly safe and, unlike our last trip to Isla Mujeres, your tour does not get canceled for high winds!

Isla Mujeres is wonderful, but you want to see more! So you hop on a nearby sailboat, which also flies, and take off on an impromptu tour of the Riviera Maya.

You can’t leave the Riviera Maya without swimming in a cenote! Don’t worry, the water has absolutely no chance of making you sick and ruining your virtual vacation.

You’re not quite ready to say goodbye to Mexico, so you grab a couple of street tacos to go and take one last trip around the Riviera Maya.

As the sun sets over the Caribbean sea, you say goodbye to Mexico.

Sunset over Isla Holbox in the Riviera Maya, Mexico.
Sunset over Isla Holbox in the Riviera Maya, Mexico.

Luckily, your next destination isn’t too far away, and the water is just as vibrantly blue….

READ THIS POST
The Ultimate Virtual Disney World Tour: Virtual Vacation to the Happiest Place on Earth
Palm trees and a boat on the Caribbean Sea in the San Blas Islands, Panama.
Welcome to the San Blas Islands, Panama!

Virtual Vacation to San Blas, Panama

On the Caribbean Coast of Panama, the San Blas Islands – actually named Kuna Yala – are a chain of teeny tiny islands owned all and inhabited by the Indigenous Guna people.

You’ll be visiting the islands sustainably with an Indigenous-owned and run tour provider. In real life, your tourism dollars would help to preserve the culture and way of life of the local Indigenous people, but since this is a Virtual Vacation, you’ll be supporting the locals via the less tangible benefits of education and awareness instead. Yay, ethical virtual tourism!

The Gunas are your hands-off hosts, and they’ve provided plenty of activities for you to enjoy and experience their beautiful home.

The activities are as follows: swimming, snorkeling, relaxing. Oh, and eating freshly caught fish.

Beach in the San Blas Islands aka Guna Yala, Panama.
Welcome to paradise in the San Blas Islands/Guna Yala, Panama!

You find a hammock, lay back, and relax. Now THIS is a beach vacation!

During your stay in Guna Yala, you are staying in a tiny, rugged beach hut. No villas here – this is remote beach isolation at its finest! Your hut has only a bed with a mosquito net, and a little private balcony just steps away from the ocean.

When you sleep, you can hear the waves lapping the shore, so close it sounds like they’re directly underneath you.

Beach huts in the San Blas Islands, Guna Yala, Panama.
Everyone on your island stays in one of these a rugged beach huts.

The island shares showers, bathrooms and one single strip of power outlets. There is only electricity for a couple of hours a day.

For the first day or two you charge your phone, but as time goes on, you don’t bother. Instead, you read, recharge, and relax.

You feel completely isolated from the world, and it is wonderful.

Beach path in the San Blas Islands aka Guna Yala, Panama
Seashell in the San Blas Islands aka Guna Yala, Panama

Each morning, you hop in a boat and visit a new island. Each island is exactly as beautiful and remote as the last one.

In the afternoon, you explore your home island and discover a dock on the other side of the beach, next to a volleyball net.

Boat and volleyball net on the beach in the San Blas Islands aka Guna Yala, Panama.
Girl sitting on dock looking at tiny island in the San Blas Islands aka Guna Yala, Panama.
Excuse me miss, can you move!? You’re blocking my view of that other tiny island.

You also find a small shop selling traditional Mola textile art handmade by the Gunas.

Mola textile art for sale in the San Blas Islands, aka Guna Yala, Panama.

Each morning you wake up, take long relaxing walks on the beach, swim, relaxing in a hammock, snorkel, and feast on fresh fish prepared by your gracious hosts in the communal cafeteria hut.

Fresh fish in the San Blas Islands, Guna Yala, Panama.
Cafeteria hut in the San Blas Islands, Guna Yala, Panama.

And so you spend many happy days.

Happy days turn into happy nights and long sunset walks on the beach.

San Blas Islands Panama Boat at Sunset

Very, very long sunset walks.

Eventually, your virtual trip comes to an end, as all things do.

As you board a boat back to Panama City to catch your flight back home, you feel sad that the journey is over, but grateful that you have such vivid memories to slip back into when you need to. And you can always come back when you most need an escape. The waves will be here, waiting for you!

Your plane takes off from Panama City and carries back towards home, relaxed and rejuvenated from your virtual vacation.

READ THIS POST
12 Charming Things to Do in Cayucos, California

Did you enjoy your virtual vacation to the beach? Which destination did you like best: Hawaii, Bali, Mexico, or Panama?

Psst: Looking for more beachy posts, or planning a trip to a real beach? Check out some of our other posts!

  • What to Pack for a Beach Vacation
  • Isla Mujeres, Mexico Travel Guide
  • 25 Things Nobody Tells You About Bali, Indonesia
xo Lia & Jeremy signature graphic
FOLLOW US!

Did you enjoy your virtual trip? Save it to revisit later on Pinterest!

Take a virtual trip to some of the best tropical destinations in the world. You'll explore tucked-away islands, swim with whale sharks, and even try cliff diving! We've also included tips to make your virtual vacation as immersive as possible - no special equipment needed. Virtual travel is one of the best ways to travel from home!
Take a virtual trip to some of the best tropical destinations in the world. You'll explore tucked-away islands, swim with whale sharks, and even try cliff diving! We've also included tips to make your virtual vacation as immersive as possible - no special equipment needed. Virtual travel is one of the best ways to travel from home!
Take a virtual trip to some of the best tropical destinations in the world. You'll explore tucked-away islands, swim with whale sharks, and even try cliff diving! We've also included tips to make your virtual vacation as immersive as possible - no special equipment needed. Virtual travel is one of the best ways to travel from home!
3.5K shares

Our Top Travel Tips & Resources

Here are our favorite travel tips & resources for saving money and planning travel logistics! For more tips, check out our travel tips resource page or our guide to planning a trip.
  • Booking Flights: To score flight deals, search on Google Flights or Kayak. Money-saving tips: fly mid-week or on the weekend; fly carry-on only on a budget airline; and take red-eyes or early morning flights.
  • Accommodations: We usually stay in budget-friendly vacation rentals, boutique hotels or private rooms in hostels. We use Booking.com to book hotels (we love their flexible cancellation policy) and Hostelworld to book hostels (low deposit, easy change/cancellation, and excellent reviews). For vacation rentals, we prefer to book using VRBO because they've got lower fees and better support than Airbnb, and we're not fans of Airbnb's unethical track record. You can also book vacation rentals on Expedia and Hotels.com. We also use TrustedHousesitters as both hosts (for our home and our fur-child) and travelers!
  • Travel Insurance: We always, always, ALWAYS buy travel insurance for international trips, and we STRONGLY suggest it - visit our Travel Insurance Guide to find out why. We recommend either World Nomads or SafetyWing for international travel insurance. SafetyWing is one of the few policies that covers Covid-19, and they have excellent monthly policies that are perfect for Digital Nomads and long term travelers!
  • Travel Credit Card: We book all of our trips on our favorite travel credit card. Not only do we earn cash back that we can spend on more travel, but the card offers fantastic travel perks like travel insurance, trip delay and cancellation coverage, lost baggage reimbursement, and rental car coverage, which helps protect us on our travels. Learn more here.
  • Vaccines & Meds: We use the travel guides on the CDC website to research recommended medications and vaccines for international trips. We always recommend getting every vaccine recommended by the CDC! You can get them at your primary care doctor's office or a walk-in pharmacy.
  • Tours: We love booking guided tours, especially food tours and walking tours, to get a local's perspective and a history lesson while sight-seeing! We book our tours using Viator and GetYourGuide.
  • Transportation: We use Rome2Rio to figure out how to get from place to place, and book local transportation online using Bookaway wherever we can. When we book a rental car, we use Kayak to compare rental companies and find the best deal.
  • Luggage Storage: Whenever we're checking out early or taking advantage of a long layover, we use LuggageHero to safely store our luggage while we're running around. Use the code PRACTICALW for 2 hours of free luggage storage on us.
  • VPN Service: A VPN keeps your digital information (like website login details, bank info, etc) safe, even when you're connected to an unsecured network while traveling. Plus, it lets you use Netflix & other streaming sites abroad! We use NordVPN. Use the code WANDERLUSTPROMO when you sign up!
  • What to Pack: Here are the travel essentials that we bring on every trip. We also have packing lists for hot weather, cold weather, and many more. Take a look at all of our packing guides!

Beaches Islands Warm Destinations

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. John Smith says

    April 21, 2020 at 2:19 am

    Wow, this is incredible! I got the impression that I visited Hawaii, Panama, Bali when I read your blog! Super virtual trip! Thanks!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Travel bloggers Lia and Jeremy in front of a colorful background with welcoming text.

In 2016 we quit our jobs, put our stuff in storage, and took off on a (disastrous) year-long honeymoon. Today, we share down-to-earth travel tips from our many (mis)adventures on our blog and podcast!

low-key stalk us here

Get a FREE Travel Planning Guide!

Need some help planning your next adventure? Sign up and we'll send you all of our travel tips, hacks, printable packing lists, and more!

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

You'll also be subscribing to our monthly newsletter. Unsubscribe anytime.







Latest Posts

Sally Lightfoot crabs on black volcanic rock by the sea in the Galapagos Islands.

Santa Cruz Galapagos Island Guide: What to Do, Where to Eat, & Where to Stay on Santa Cruz

Powdery snow. Blue skies. The feel of the wind on your face. That one little kid who is infinitely better than you. Ahhh, ski vacations: where Jeremy snowboards and I practice my professional hot-tubbing. From the ski vacation essentials that find their way into our suitcases year after year to the things you'll never find us packing (like ... an actual snowboard. Rentals exist for a reason!), here's all the tips you need to pack for your next ski vacation, whether it's your first or you're a ski bunny regular!

Ski Trip Packing List: 32 Essentials to Pack for the Snow

Traveling with curly hair: all the low-maintenance tips you need to look fabulous abroad.

Traveling with curly hair: the low maintenance guide to amazing curls abroad

Where to Stay in Barcelona (& Where NOT to)

Lia and Jeremy are the married couple behind the Practical Wanderlust travel blog!

Meet Lia & Jeremy

3 years ago we quit our jobs, put our stuff in storage, and took off on a (disastrous) year-long honeymoon. Today, we share down-to-earth travel tips from our many (mis)adventures on our blog and podcast! Low key stalk us here and on social media.

FOLLOW US!
Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter Podcast YouTube

Footer

About Us...
  • Meet Lia & Jeremy
  • Browse Destinations
  • Travel Tips
  • Packing Tips
  • Contact Us & FAQ
  • Work with Us
  • Mission Statement
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
@practicalwanderlust

Get the Free Travel Planning Guide!

Need some help planning your next adventure? Subscribe and we’ll send you our FREE 22-page Travel Planning Guide. The guide includes everything from the hacks we use to save money on travel to printable packing lists. We’ll also send our favorite travel tips straight to your inbox!

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Copyright ©2023, Practical Wanderlust. Site by Pixel Me Designs
As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases
Back To Top