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The threat of the COVID-19 means international travel is mostly off the table for the foreseeable future, especially for us Americans.  But, if you miss the feeling of genuine discovery that comes with international and adventure travel, now might be a great time to get a pair of Virtual Reality (VR) goggles.

I'm an avid traveler, and one of the saddest things for me about this pandemic was knowing it will be a long time before I travel internationally again. Recently, and somewhat begrudgingly, my husband and I purchased a pair of Oculus Quest VR goggles for my teen daughter who's been begging for a pair.  We figured it might be a good escape for her during quarantine.  As it turns out, they're great fun for all of us!

While my daughter is using them to ride incredibly “ Epic ” roller coasters or play Beat Saber , I've been having a blast traveling to places like Mt. Everest, Angel Falls, and Petra.  The immersive, 360° experience provides me nearly the same feeling of wonder as I feel when I travel.  In fact, the experience is so good that my husband and I agreed not to travel virtually to places on our bucket list because it's too good a preview of the real thing.

Virtual Reality Basics

VR goggles run the gamut from inexpensive headsets that use your phone as the screen all the way up to high-end computers that you wear on your face , but no matter your budget or needs, there will be opportunities for you to virtually explore the world.

At the most basic level, companies that specialize in VR content have created videos you can watch on the integrated YouTube app in the headset.  In fact, you can preview these videos on your computer before you even put on your headset.  Search “360 VR travel” in YouTube , and you’ll find thousands of 360 videos from all around the world.  Many of these short videos fly you over famous travel destinations such as Petra or the Matterhorn by using circular, drone-based, video cameras to capture experiences you’d never get by just being there.

Just a word of caution:  if you have a fear of heights, don’t look down!

Best VR Travel Apps for Oculus Quest

We decided the Oculus Quest (which has been hard to find since the pandemic began) was the best option at the best price point for our family. It can be used as a wireless, standalone headset, or optionally connected to a PC for more intense gaming experiences. Since I have the most experience with Quest, here are my recommendations for the best travel apps on that system.

Wander uses Google Street View to allow you to go anywhere around the globe.  You can teleport using the integrated map, or let the app choose a random destination for you.  While looking around on the map was fun, I was a bit overwhelmed by being able to go literally anywhere, and the random destination was sometimes just a bit too random. Luckily, Wander has a feature called “Collections” where you can choose interesting starting points in various destinations. I tried using Collections for Singapore since I’ve never been. I was able to visit some of its famous temples, look up at the amazing skyscrapers, and walk under the Supertree Grove .‌‌

National Geographic Explore VR

National Geographic has created an immersive travel game for two destinations, Machu Picchu and Antarctica .  The game starts you out at a National Geographic base-camp where you’re given a photography assignment. Once you choose your destination, the virtual guide helps you navigate the location as well as interact with objects and historical re-enactments.  I found myself in awe at how steep the cliffs were at Machu Picchu and at how high above me the glaciers were in Antarctica.  There were limited “walking” opportunities, however, so unlike Wander, I couldn’t go wherever I wanted within the destination. For instance at Machu Picchu, I wanted to explore more of the citadel, but the app made me stay in only a few locations of programmed interactions.‌‌

Best VR 360 Videos for any VR Headset

With more and more 360° VR videos being produced every day, the options to travel the world are endless. To find any of these videos, simply access the YouTube app on your headset (or on your smartphone in the case of phone-based VR headsets ), and search for wherever you want to go. The videos are shot using circular cameras on drones or carried by the photographer with a camera pole.  Personally, I like to watch these on a swivel chair so I can look at the view in all directions.‌‌

LIFE VR, Sports Illustrated - “Capturing Everest”

LIFE VR and Sports Illustrated teamed up to create a collection of short minute videos that follow climbers as they climb Mt. Everest.  While I have climbed some tall mountains such as Mt. Kilimanjaro, I’ve never quite had the courage to attempt Mt. Everest.  But this made it easy!  Crossing a treacherous Khumbu Icefall crevasse on a bendy aluminum ladder?  No problem in VR.   Sleeping at Camp 4 in a tent that barely clings to the snowy slopes knowing you’ll have to wake at 10pm for your all-night summit bid?  Way more restful in VR.   When I stood at the top of Everest and looked out at the endless views in every direction, I was genuinely relieved I didn’t have to go back down.  So while I know I’ll never climb Everest, these videos made me feel like I actually did!  ‌‌

AirPano VR 360

Russia-based AirPano 360 makes short, 360° drone tours of awe-inspiring places around the world.  The videos are accompanied by robotic sounding voice-overs and subtitles, but the information provided gives you a good overview of what you’re seeing.  One of the most impressive videos was the Angel Falls experience that takes you from the bottom of the highest falls in the world in Venezuela (3000') all the way to the top of the plateau where the waters make their perilous dive off the cliffs. You can spin around to look either at the falls, or out at the incredible view of the valley below.  I don’t know how many times I exclaimed, “Wow,” as did the rest of my family when I made them watch this video.  Seeing as how a regular trip to Angel Falls requires a plane trip from Caracas, a day-long riverboat ride, and then a hike up to the falls, this VR experience might actually be better than the real thing!  ‌‌

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Screen Rant

10 virtual travel apps for oculus/meta quest 2.

VR gives people the chance to travel the world from the comfort of their own house, and these ten apps are the best for the Oculus/Meta Quest 2.

Travel is a major goal for many people, but it can be inaccessible even in the best of times because of financial and mobility-related barriers. As unfortunate as it is, some people may never have the chance to visit all the places they want to. But VR allows its users to not only explore virtual worlds but also get a better understanding of their own.

Between 360-degree breakdowns of the world, guided tour videos, and documentaries, VR allows people to get closer to the places of their dreams than was previously possible. Many travel apps even include interactive features, so the users can feel like they're actually able to connect with different cultures and topography. As systems like the Oculus/ Meta Quest 2 become more widely available, and as programmers and cinematographers put more effort into advancing the technologies, travel will truly be possible without having to leave home.

Traveling While Black

Traveling While Black is an Emmy-nominated VR experience that talks about the process of traveling, specifically focusing on the barriers that have been put in place for Black populations, in history and in the present. The experience takes advantage of every benefit VR offers, which helps its message connect with the audience.

While this is not a documentary that focuses on the freedom of VR, it does try to get its users to think outside their own bodies and life experiences to see how other people can be limited in their own freedom. It tells an incredibly important story, which deserves to be heard by those who have now gained a deeper level of freedom through the digital realm.

For those looking for a way to walk around the world, Wander is the app to download. The app's primary function is to allow users to navigate the world similarly to Google Maps' StreetView, allowing them to enter an address and be transported to that spot. This can be a great way to explore new areas or look back on places you used to live.

In addition to immersive imagery, users can use the historical jumping feature to see what different areas looked like over the years. Many famous landmarks even have the ability to be explored from the inside, giving users the feeling that they're really there.

BRINK Traveler

BRINK Traveler gives users the ability to see some of the most amazing places on Earth from the comfort of their own homes. While there are currently only 17 locations for users to visit, the additional features make each one a true travel experience that may push them to travel in real life as well .

Virtual guides can explain the features and history of each spot, and an in-app camera allows users to take all the pictures they would want if they were to visit in person. Another great feature is the ability to travel in multiplayer mode, which lets users meet up with friends from anywhere while getting a remarkable view at the same time.

OtherSight is one of the most interactive travel apps out there because it specifically focused on including usable objects in every location. Currently, users only have the option of going to four different locations, but there's a lot that they can do at each one.

Users can visit churches, streets, and museums and really get a sense of how it feels to be there. The scale, texture, and movement qualities of interactive features are especially well done. While this is a fairly limited app at the moment, the developers are working on new locations, which can provide future explorations.

The Ocean might not be the first place people think of when they try to imagine their travel plans, but it is one of the great untapped resources on Earth. There is far more to be seen and discovered in the Ocean than there is on land, and Ocean Rift gives users the chance to explore that realm.

There are 14 different habitats to explore, which can be used as an educational program or one for relaxation, depending on the settings. The sea creatures are extremely detailed, and users can actually interact with many of them, giving the perspective of a true underwater safari. However, those with a fear of the ocean and its creatures may find some modes a little too realistic for their comfort level.

Blueplanet VR Explore

Blueplanet VR Explore is one of the most expensive travel apps, but that's in part because it is so extensive. The app allows its users to travel to 40 different cultural sites, with some offering the ability to interact with the landscape or even hang glide over it.

One of the best qualities of this app is the spacial breakdown, where users can truly explore the location. It is a physically navigable terrain, which creates a greater level of immersion than standard point-and-click systems. The one downside to the app, beyond its price, is that it takes up a lot of space, requiring a lot of memory and a strong internet signal while downloading.

Alcove is not technically a travel app, but it does offer a number of virtual tour experiences for free. The app itself is a virtual home, where users can download different in-app features depending on their interests. The travel features do include a number of tours on the ground, under the sea, and even in the sky, narrated by some of the most thorough guides available in VR.

The limitation of the app is that each experience is entirely pre-determined. There are no interactive features that would make it more immersive. However, given that it is free and has such incredible visual quality, that might be a sacrifice worth making.

National Geographic Explore VR

National Geographic Explore VR is a highly-interactive app that allows users to take on the role of a National Geographic photographer. They have the ability to travel to Machu Pichu or Antarctica, where they can navigate the landscape and take pictures of the many sights to see.

Users feel the strain of rowing boats and climbing cliffs, which makes for a more immersive experience . However, the quest is fairly pre-programmed, which means that individual decision-making is only possible in the pictures a user takes rather than in the experience as a whole. Coupled with another, more interactive app, this could be a great way to feel the travel in a way that images themselves cannot achieve.

Nature Treks VR

Nature Treks VR isn't overly concerned with realism, instead focusing on making a relaxing experience. Users have the ability to go on a walk on a variety of virtual paths, with exotic animals meandering by and control of the weather allowing the user to fit the experience to their preferences.

Because it isn't definitively located in any real-world locations , users have the ability to mold the world as they see fit, interacting with the trees to summon animals and controlling the sound levels to be more immersive or more relaxing. The detail work and spontaneity make it an engaging experience, though users should be aware that it is not intended to be a completely realistic one.

ecosphere is a photo-realistic breakdown of the Earth's most beautiful locations and the people that are working to protect them. Intended as a way to help the average person connect with the environmental crises of our time , these immersive documentaries show the importance of caring for the Earth before the damage is irreversible.

This is distinct from other user-directed travel apps but also provides a sense of depth and significance far beyond what other apps can offer. There are only a handful of experiences, but they go beyond visuals to explain what really matters about the different locations they portray. As an added bonus, the app is free, making these videos some of the most accessible ways for Oculus users to travel in VR.

NEXT: The 10 Coolest Games To Play On Oculus Quest 2

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Bold gold digger’s mile-high quest for love goes viral on TikTok

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Gold digger and social media content creator Karolina Geits announces her search for a rich husband in front of the plane. Photo / Supplied

Tinder is out. Advertising yourself to find a rich husband using a plane intercom is in.

In a daring move that redefines the search for love, a proud gold digger took to the skies to find herself a wealthy soulmate. Karolina Geits made waves with a video on TikTok, showcasing her unconventional approach to dating on her flight from Miami to New York.

In the viral clip, Karolina stands at the front of the plane, addressing her fellow passengers and crew members about her quest for a rich husband. Like a scene from a rom-com, she confidently announces, “Hi, guys, I’m Karolina Geits. I’m looking for a rich husband. My seat is 2A. Please join me if you’re rich.”

@karolinageits “Looking for a Rich Husband” ♬ original sound - Karolina Geits

Karolina explained that the idea struck her when she noticed the empty seat beside her and decided to see if love could be found at 30,000 feet. She sought permission from the cabin crew before doing so and was generally supported by both the crew and her fellow passengers.

“The reaction on the plane was amazing,” Karolina told Jam Press. “The airplane staff were incredibly supportive of my idea. To my surprise, they were not only happy to help but even called the captain, who was also on board with the idea. He even commented that it was a brilliant concept.”

Read more: The perks and pitfalls of being a sugar baby

In addition to her proclamation of love, Karolina added a sign that read, “Looking for a rich husband — DM me,” and shared her social media QR code, hoping to connect with potential suitors.

Despite her grand gesture, Karolina has yet to find her Mr. Right. The content creator has shared that she is not a fan of dating sites and meeting people online. She prefers meeting the love of her life in person, creating genuine connections that can last a lifetime. After her viral cabin speech, she remains optimistic and excited, viewing the experience as a confidence booster.

Karolina’s unconventional approach to finding love has sparked both admiration and amusement on social media. While some applaud her courage and creativity, others see it as a bold gimmick in the digital age of dating.

But despite what people say online, Karolina stands firm with her taste, “I won’t deny that a rich husband is something I desire. It’s not because I’m materialistic or shallow. I know what I want, and I’m unapologetic about pursuing it.”

Regardless of the outcome, Karolina’s bold quest for love serves as a reminder that sometimes, the most extraordinary journeys begin with a single step. Or mid-flight tannoy announcement.

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Shhh, I’m on vacation. Travelers are on a quest for the quiet

This photo provided by Black Tomato shows an Icelandic glacier on a hiking trek. Black Tomato, the avant-garde travel company offers a trip they call Get Lost. You fill out an extensive questionnaire on what you’re expecting from your escape, but you’ll have no idea where you’re going till they get you there. Environment options are Polar, Desert, Coastal, Jungle or Mountain. (Black Tomato via AP)

This photo provided by Black Tomato shows the Redwood National Park in California. From serene nature retreats to silent walking, or just the soothing soundtracks of nature on your headphones while commuting, the quest for quietude has become one of modern travel’s new trends. (Black Tomato via AP)

This photo shows the White Sands National Park in New Mexico. “Transformative travel’s a trend we’re tracking for growth,” says Alex Hawkins, editor at the foresight consultancy The Future Laboratory. “It taps into consumers’ desire for self-reflective tourism experiences.”. (Black Tomato via AP).

This photo provided by Black Tomato shows a tranquil scene in the Canadian wilderness. Black Tomato’s co-founder Tom Marchant says wilderness travel provides the challenge of managing the environment, but “it’s also a time to truly disconnect from daily life in an entirely new way.” (Black Tomato via AP)

This photo provided by Black Tomato shows a rugged coastline near Cape Peron, Australia. It’s not just about escaping the cacophony of everyday life while on holiday. For many, it’s a shift toward introspection; a deeper connection with ourselves, and where we are both literally and figuratively. (Black Tomato via AP).

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At home in the New York City suburbs, Oscar Sandoval has lots of friends and an active social life. But when it’s time for vacation, he prefers to keep it quiet. Like, literally.

Sandoval began practicing Zen Buddhism a few years back, and has been on silent retreats to Buddhist monasteries around San Francisco and elsewhere. He’d stroll, sit, do some gardening and generally contemplate life for a week. More recently, he’s done solo backpacking trips across Spain.

“The internal experience varies from times of very little thinking to periods of many thoughts or songs playing in my head,” he says. “The utter peace and stillness is impossible to put into words.”

Travel journalist Chloe Berge bemoaned the buzzing interruption of a drone while she was hiking the Faroe Islands’ remote coastline during the pandemic. “The world is getting louder, and it’s increasingly harder to escape the noise, even in nature.”

But it’s worth a try, say the travelers who are seeking relief in silence. Or as close as they can get to it.

From serene nature retreats to silent walking, the quest for quietude has become one of modern travel’s latest trends. Conde Nast Traveler said last month it was “the travel trend we’re most obsessed with this year.”

For many, quiet travel goes beyond escaping the cacophony of everyday life while on vacation. It can be a shift toward introspection; a deeper connection with where we are both literally and figuratively.

You might even feel healthier .

In a study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry in late 2022, for instance, mindfulness meditation worked as well as a standard drug for treating anxiety.

“Transformative travel’s a trend we’re tracking for growth,” says Alex Hawkins, editor at the trend forecaster and consultancy The Future Laboratory. “It taps into consumers’ desire for self-reflective tourism experiences.”

The “wellness tourism industry,” he says, includes “demand for hyper-personal holidays and health-driven stays.”

PEACEFUL PAMPERING

The company Dark Retreats Oregon offers a five-day “Dark Retreat” in Tidewater, Oregon, as “a great space for self-care” through darkness, digital detox and a healthy diet. Participants can keep the lights off as much as they want during their stay, and can also decide how much they talk to others.

BookRetreats, which urges clients to “Unplug. De-stress. Recharge,” offers silent meditation retreats in Bali, Portugal, Mexico and the Netherlands, and closer to home in North Carolina, Quebec and California.

Finland’s Utula Nature offers a silent stay amidst the pines on Lake Saimaa, about five hours from Helsinki.

SERENE STROLLING

Ditching the phone, zipping your lip, and putting on your comfy hikers; that’s the silent walking trend that’s found thousands of friends on TikTok.

Gordon Hempton is an acoustic ecologist in Washington State also known as The Sound Tracker. He’s spent several decades roaming rainforests, coastlines and deserts looking for interesting and often rare nature sounds — sounds you can’t easily hear when there’s a lot of human-made noise. “I care very deeply about quiet,” he says.

He’s a co-founder of Quiet Parks International, a non-profit created to raise awareness of the benefits for both people and wildlife of less noise. Ecuador’s Zabalo River park was the first to receive quiet park designation – it’s not technically “quiet,” of course: Howler monkeys, birds, insects and the thrum of the river provide a natural soundtrack. But the nearest concentration of human activity is a village of roughly 200 people, about 10 miles away.

There are even a couple of urban areas designated as quiet parks – one just outside the bustling metropolis of Taipei, Taiwan’s capital. Another is in Hampstead Heath, about 30 miles from central London. The grassy, 800-acre park inspired C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia.”

Quiet Parks International offers experiences like forest bathing , where you open your senses to the meditative and relaxing elements of a walk in the woods.

For those who can’t get out to nature, the Quiet Parks website has recordings of wildlife and weather in the rainforest; morning in the West Texas desert; and sounds of day and nightfall in northern Alaska.

LOW-KEY LOST

Black Tomato’s got an interesting proposition for you. The avant-garde travel company offers a trip they call Get Lost. You fill out an extensive questionnaire on what you’re expecting from your escape, but you’ll have no idea where you’re going till they get you there. Environment options are Polar, Desert, Coastal, Jungle or Mountain.

You’re given pre-trip prep advice and navigation instruction, and then, at trip time, all the transfers, gear and mapped-out checkpoints you’ll need. Your progress is monitored by a specialist in the chosen environment and by a local guiding support team. You can bail out at any time.

“We’ve sent clients to Iceland and Alaska,” says Black Tomato’s co-founder Tom Marchant. “We sent one solo traveler to Mongolia.” A woman trekked on her own across Morocco’s Atlas Mountains.

Marchant says there’s the challenge of managing the environment, but “it’s also a time to truly disconnect from daily life in an entirely new way.”

Why you should adopt a personal travel quest

I believe that travel quests are one of the best ways to inspire more travel. In fact, the original name of this blog was originally going to be VisitEveryPark.com—an ode to the quest that inspired so much of my own travel. That’s how powerful I think quests can be to getting out and adventuring more.

Virtually everyone I know that travels frequently for pleasure is pursuing at least one personal travel quest. But that doesn’t mean that their travel is always focused on those quests. Quests just tend to inspire you get out and adventure more.

So if you want to travel more, try adopting a travel quest of your own. Here’s everything you need to know to get started.

The two types of quests

Personal quests are divided into two main types: ones that “count down” and ones that “count up.” Some quests work better for counting down while others are better for counting up.

Quests that count down

Quests that count down usually take the form of “Visit all of the ________.” As in,  visit all 50 states,   visit every National Park unit , or  visit every craft brewery in the state . There are a finite number of stops baked into the goal, and you’re usually trying to visit all of them . So you’re counting down how many you have left. Now, that doesn’t mean that the quest number stays static—it may not. For instance, when I started my National Parks quest, there were 379 units, whereas today, there are 417. But while the number may change, my personal goal really does stay the same: to visit all of the National Park units (however many that may be right now).

These types of quests are my favorite, but they’re a bit harder, as you don’t have any flexibility of which places are included. That’s a big part of the challenge, and often requires a little strategy and foreplanning to pull off so that you don’t “orphan” something off by itself that would require an additional trip.

Quests that count up

Quests that count up (e.g., “visit 100 countries before I turn 50”) are still focused on a goal, but usually involve just a subset of the available destinations. For instance, visiting 100 countries is a big task, but it’s quite a bit easier than visiting every country. These quests usually have a more specific deadline than “visit them all” style quests, often related to one’s age. In addition, this type of quest is regularly expanded once the initial goal is reached. To continue the example, if you successfully visit 100 countries, you might extend the goal to 150 countries—or possibly even shift to a “counting down” quest and try for all the countries.

What about bucket lists?

I don’t consider bucket lists, at least as they’re traditionally defined, to be travel quests. Bucket lists are usually a rather random collection of destinations to visit, activities to complete, experiences to have, and accomplishments to achieve. They’re a personal list of things to do before you die, where the items have no direct relationship to one another. Bungee-jumping, visiting the Taj Mahal, and earning a master’s degree are too different of things to be considered a quest. Don’t get me wrong, I think a bucket list is a worthwhile goal to pursue. It’s just something different than a travel quest, so I won’t cover them in this post.

Do challenges count?

Similarly, I usually don’t consider personal challenges—like the popular 52 Hike Challenge —as quests, mostly because they tend not to be tied to specific destinations. Depending on the details of the challenge, however, they might be closely related and therefore share some of the traits I mention below. I’ll address these personal challenges in a future post.

Travel quests help you travel more

Several qualities of travel quests help inspire travel. Here are some of the ways that quests have helped to inspire me to travel or adventure more often.

Quests ensure that you experience new places

It’s easy to go back to the same ol’ places when you travel. You know what to expect. You know how to get there. You know, generally, how the trip will go. It’s comfortable and easy. It doesn’t need as much planning, or require new gear purchases, or create any anxiety or angst. It’s safe and familiar.

But it also doesn’t expand your horizons, or teach you anything new, or provide you with an exciting new experience. In some ways, you lose out on quite a few of the inherent benefits of travel. Quests, on the other hand, help inspire you to visit different places, attempt new activities, adopt new perspectives, and expand both your skills and your comfort zone. That, in turn, helps expand your confidence to travel to even more places. The more you travel, the easier it gets.

Quests force you to go to places you might not otherwise go

A related benefit of quests is that they force you to go to places you might not otherwise visit. Not everyone would see that as a benefit, but you might be pleasantly surprised with places you had no intention of visiting. For instance, I had zero interest in visiting Topeka, Kansas— zero —but had to visit Brown vs Board of Education National Historic Site for my national parks quest. As a white male, I had never really understood what racism felt like, nor had I really sought out any experiences to learn. However, that visitor center had an amazing video display in a hallway that made you feel like you were one of the Little Rock Nine . It was one of the most enlightening experiences of my life. That’s just one of several examples I could point to.

Quests impose some structure to your travels

Another benefit of quests is that you always have something on your “To Visit” list. It’s easier to plan trips because you always have something on the agenda. Some people end up not traveling as often as they’d like simply because it’s hard to narrow down the glut of available options—a sort of paradox of choice . Quests, however, can help impose some sidebars to your travels. You know that you want to make progress on your quest, so you’ve already limited available destination options to a more manageable number.

Quests serve as a goal

Quests provide an inherent incentive to travel more—a motivation to complete the quest by the deadline. As a result, you’re more likely to pursue travel when opportunities arise. Let’s face it, there are always plenty of barriers to travel; staying home is far easier than planning and completing a trip. Having a running goal helps ensure that there’s a bit more impetus for making that trip idea come to fruition.

In a similar fashion, quests tend to inspire you to add more to your trip itinerary. “Hmm, what else could I mark off while I’m in the area?” is a common thought to someone with a quest. When you develop that attitude, you tend to bypass the barriers to travel that keep others at home.

Quests often contain some social pressure

Once you start to make some progress on your quest, especially if you do so publicly on a blog or on social media, you begin to generate a bit of public pressure to continue. This social reinforcement helps keep you on track and making progress. The more “public” your quest, the more reinforcement you get. Once friends and acquaintances learn of your quest, you’ll likely get future inquiries on your recent progress—which helps to motivate you to keep marking off destinations.

Quests make unfun travel “worth it”

If you’ve done any amount of travel, you know that it’s not all fun. Sometimes, it can be an absolute slog. The weather doesn’t cooperate, you get stuck in traffic during your drive, you have to endure extended flight delays, and so forth. These delays and annoyances are a bit more tolerable if your trip involves making progress on a quest; after all, you’re still completing something important to you.

Conversely, having a subpar experience while marking off a quest objective also makes you better appreciate the places that were great experiences.

Quests inspire more quests

Just as travel tends to inspire more travel, adopting travel quests tends to lead to even more quests. It’s an interesting phenomenon—the more success you have completing your own personal quest, the more interested you get in adopting new quests or expanding your current quests. Travel inspires travel. The more places you check off your list, the more you add back onto it.

Quests make you feel accomplished

Completing one’s goals usually leads to feelings of personal satisfaction. And finishing a big travel quest? Well, “feeling accomplished” might be an understatement. Now, it’s a great feeling to finally complete a quest, even if it’s not the most challenging one on your list. But it’s absolutely true that the harder the quest, the greater the satisfaction. Either way, you’ll routinely smile with pride whenever you recount the accomplishment in the future.

In addition, I tend to get regular praise from both friends and acquaintances, who often introduce me to others as “the guy I told you about that’s trying to visit all the national parks.” Sure, some people will occasionally be jealous, but most come away impressed and supportive. As an excellent side bonus, those that hear your goals will be encouraged to travel more. Truth be told, it’s one of the main things that drives me to publish this site—I love the feeling of inspiring others to just get out more!

How to choose a travel quest

What’s your hobby.

Do you love old cathedrals? Maybe you should go see a bunch of them. Maybe you feel most alive when you’ve conquered a tall mountain peak? Sounds like you need to do some peak bagging. Do you enjoy eating at windowless Chinese restaurants located in sketchy Phoenix neighborhoods? Ehh, on second thought, maybe you should skip that one—that would be a ridiculous quest, right? Anyway, the point here is to choose whatever sounds like it could be fun for you.

Or you can simply be open to the idea when you accidentally stumbled onto something interesting, as I often have. Sure, my early national park road trips quickly evolved into a broader quest to visit them all, and I’ve purposefully selected other quests for a specific reason. But my High Points of Otherwise Flat States quest arose from a friend’s simple tongue-in-cheek comment that I should climb Mount Sunflower while I was driving through Kansas. I thought to myself, “Sure, why not?” and proceeded to have a good chuckle when I made it to the so-called summit. And a quest was born.

Similarly, I thought it’d be funny to visit the World’s Largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City, Kansas on that same trip. I had a blast, and even ended up going to door-to-door in the town to find some twine so I could add to the ball. When I learned that two other twine balls also considered themselves to be the “World’s Largest?” Well, I obviously had to go and judge for myself. Bam! Another quest.

Sharing a quest with someone

Sharing a travel quest with a close friend or significant other is an excellent bonding experience. It’s fun to travel with people you enjoy spending time with, especially when you’re chasing the same goal. Sharing expenses, driving duties, and trip planning often makes it all a bit easier, too. But, just like sharing a popular tv show like Game of Thrones with someone, it’s also fraught with some potential downsides. Two people means that there can be twice as many barriers to travel, for instance—be it schedule conflicts, money woes, or a lack of motivation. It can be frustrating when you’re excited to mark off the next items on your quest only to have your friend bail due to last minute work demands. Are you even allowed to mark off a destination without the other person? And if your quest was a “special thing” in your relationship that just ended in heartbreaking fashion, well…do you keep pursuing it? Spending a few minutes thinking these things over before you commit to a joint quest is probably a good idea.

Can you have more than one quest?

Of course! I have quite a few quests I’m currently working on . Some of them are long-term and difficult to complete, such as visiting 50 countries before I’m 50, or visiting all 419 National Parks units . Others, like visiting all of Arizona’s State Parks, are far easier and can be accomplished on the weekends over the course of a year. I even have some “back burner” quests that I’ve adopted but aren’t actively pursuing at the moment (primarily because of other, higher priority quests).

Micro-adventuring using mini quests

Not all quests need to be difficult or require substantial travel to complete. Some can be local and easy to accomplish, like picnicking in every public park in your town. These type of mini quests can help lead to small, everyday adventures that can be surprisingly fun.

For instance, my friend Wayne and I actually did complete that local quest to visit every sketchy Chinese restaurant in downtown Phoenix, complete with our own hybrid rating system. It wasn’t hard to schedule several lunch visits over the course of a few months, but we had an absolute blast doing it. We even ran across a couple of legitimate gems…though the majority were definitely places to avoid. Our friends found the whole thing hilarious, so they’d often send us tips on possible restaurants to add to our quest list or check in to see when our next lunch was. The point here is that, no matter where you live, there are quests to be pursued.

Setting some rules

Exactly what is included in the list.

The first thing you’ll need to decide is what exactly is on the list you’re trying to complete. On the surface, this sounds rather elementary, but it can be more complicated than you might think. Let’s use the example of a quest to visit every brewery in your state. First, which breweries count ? Is it only locally-owned craft breweries, or are chain breweries included too? What about places that white label their brews, or ones that brew off-site? And keep in mind that these numbers might change as new breweries open and others close. Do you lose your “completed” status if another one opens the week after you finish them all? Or is your quest only focusing on the breweries that were in existence when you started the quest? A bit of thought will help sort this all out before you get started.

Exactly what counts as a visit?

Another important rule you’ll need to decide on is “what counts as a visit.” For instance, does a country visit count if you simply pass through its borders on a train and never deboard? Does it count if you drive across town to visit a craft brewery but they’ve inexplicably run out of their own beer? Are you allowed to count visits that occurred before you started the quest? These questions are best decided before you begin your quest—and trust me, they’re bound to come up along the way.

Here’s an important thing to remember: it’s entirely up to you to decide what rules you follow. If you want to count airport layovers as visiting a particular state, then by all means go right ahead. Your quest = your rules . Quests are for you, after all, not for anyone else.

Starting a tradition

I think traditions are particularly important components of quests. Some people dance , while others collect passport stamps , or repeat the same selfie in front of an entrance sign. Some bring a trinket or figurine that they photograph at each destination. It doesn’t matter exactly what you decide to do, but I’d recommend adopting at least one tradition for your quest. I tend to have several traditions for each quest I undertake. Some demonstrate my quest progress, such as holding up a sign of what park number I’m on. Others, like a selfie of me in front of the park sign, will be part of a fun slideshow when I’m finally done. Whatever you decide to do, the earlier you start these traditions the better.

Generating some evidence

Most travelers end up with some form of evidence of their various quest visits. For some, it’s a photograph of themselves at a famous landmark, or it might be a passport cancellation, or a national park passport stamp. Whatever tradition(s) you adopt, make sure that at least one of them produces some tangible evidence of your visit. While quests are for your own benefit—not for others—you’ll still appreciate this evidence by the time you approach your quest goal. Just trust me on this.

Keeping track of your progress

Bust out the spreadsheet.

You’ll definitely want to keep track of your quest progress, and spreadsheets tend to be the easiest way to do that. If you don’t own a copy of Excel or Numbers, there are free online versions such as Google Sheets or Excel Online . Spreadsheets are great for keeping track of more than just which destinations you’ve visited and which ones you have remaining. You can also keep track of a wide variety of other useful information, such as the date of your visit, links to any photos or videos you posted from the visit, or other details that’ll inform a future visit. Believe me, it’s a whole lot easier to create and use a system to keep track of your progress than having to go back and researching it each time.

Note: if you’re adopted a quest to visit all of the national parks, I’ve made a spreadsheet counting tool available at rscottjones.com/countparks . Download a copy or add it your Google Drive to edit it.

Know your number

You’ll always want to know what your current “number” is, meaning how far along your quest you are. When someone asks you for an update, you should be able to easily answer (“I’ve been to 88 countries, just 12 more to complete my quest!”). And when you mention your quest to someone, expect their first question to be how close you are to finishing. Also, by keeping track of where you stand on your quest, you’ll help stay motivated to continue increasing that number.

Establish and celebrate milestones

If you’ve adopted a long quest that’ll take a number of years (or even decades) to complete, then it’s worthwhile to add some intervening milestones to shoot for. I like attaching some deadline goals for some of these to help ensure that you remain on track for completing the larger quest. Be sure to celebrate completing each of these milestones, too—you deserve it.

Visualizing your progress

Visualizing your progress is an especially fun part of quests. If you’ve adopted a common quest, like visiting all of the national parks, visiting all 50 states, or marking off countries, you’ll have quite a few options at your disposal. There are a variety of products, from cork-backed wall maps to scratch off wall maps, and cork globes to image-generating apps—and quite a few other options, too. You can personalize your own paper map by taking a highlighter to the places you’ve been, or photoshopping a digital map, or by simply hanging postcards on the wall.

No matter which approach you choose, I recommend doing something to show the progress you’ve made. Not only is it a great reminder and motivator to keep at it, but it’s also a celebration of your efforts to date.

Documenting your journey

Depending on how you go about doing it, documenting your quest travels can seem nearly as time consuming as actually doing it. But that’s a big part of the experience, too. Most everyone takes photos and/or videos of their travels, and you should too. However, don’t rely solely on capturing everything via social media—and especially not in nondurable formats that disappear after 24 hours. These are memories you want to keep, after all.

I also strongly recommend blogging or journaling about your quest, too. Don’t worry if you’re not especially disciplined in doing it, or if you end up with big gaps. Something is better than nothing. Just the act of reflecting on your trip can make it more meaningful and tease out some unexpected insights. You may also come to appreciate the time you took to record a bit about your trips in subsequent years. Failing to do a better job of that and relying on memory recall alone is a common regret among longtime travelers.

Examples of popular quests

Probably the most popular quest of Americans is to visit all 50 states. Quite a few are also counting countries or national parks. Others are trying to catch a game in every MLB ballpark or NFL stadium. There really are a countless number of quests that you could adopt. I’ve included some sample ideas in the sections below to get your imagination primed.

• State/Regional

Local quests are excellent ways to explore beyond your own neighborhood. Many of these amount to “mini quests” that are easily accomplished over the course of a few weeks or months. Obviously, these quests vary substantially depending on where you live. If you live on Maui, then a quest might be to snorkel off every beach on the island; whereas if you live in Kansas City, it might be to eat at every BBQ restaurant.

Here are some ideas to get you thinking:

• Picnic in every city park
• Hike every official trail
• See a movie in every theater
• Play every golf course
• Swim in every public pool
• Enjoy a staycation at every resort
• Eat at every sketchy Chinese or Mexican restaurant *
• Sip coffee at every coffeeshop

* Not recommended.

Quests that cover your own state or province are probably the best ones to start with. They offer a bit more of a challenge than local quests, and there tend to be a sufficient number of destinations—such as counties or state parks—to make the quest both challenging yet accomplishable.

• visit every county
• enjoy a pint at every brewery or a glass at every winery
• tour each history or historical society museum
• hike in every designated Wilderness Area
• play a round at every golf course
• visit every state or provincial park
• cruise every scenic drive or backcountry byway
• explore every accessible  National Natural Landmark
• summit every county high point
• stay in each historical hotel
• enjoy every zoo
• conquer all the Colorado 14ers
• climb each of the New England 4000 footers
• summit the closest 50 peaks  to your house

Quests start to get quite a bit more challenging when they span the entire country. For many, this is the sweet spot for lifetime quests. You’ll end up doing a lot of domestic travel, but much of it can be done by car and you don’t have to worry about visas, currencies, or foreign languages.

• visit every state or province
• hell, visit every territory, too
• tour every National Park
• catch a game in each stadium or arena of your favorite sports league
• mark off every county
• drive every interstate highway segment
• tour every State Capitol building
• recreate in each National Forest
• visit all the sites associated with the Manhattan Project
• swim in all 5 Great Lakes
• take a selfie on every State High Point
• section hike a long distance trail
• marvel at all three World’s Largest Balls of Twine
• summit 500 total peaks
• Presidential birthplaces , gravesites, or libraries

Obviously, these quests tend to be the most difficult, as they require the most travel to complete. But, wow, what adventures you’d have!

• stay overnight in 100 countries (or all of them)
• snap a selfie in each of the Seven Wonders of the World
• pay your respects at the holy site of every major religion
• step foot on all 7 continents
• stand in line at every Disney theme park
• visit 100 UNESCO world heritage sites
• complete the Seven Summits
• call your mom from every country in Europe
• sail on every ocean
• visit a town in every timezone

Have you adopted a quest?

If so, let me know what you quest is in the comments below—and be sure to tell me how far along you are.

5 thoughts on “Why you should adopt a personal travel quest”

Very cool, read, Scott. My last blog post was on this very idea–travel goals. I’ve realized the more I’ve considered or started working at any of them, I end up “setting” more of them. I’m not even sure how many I really intend to complete, but absolutely agree with your social pressure notion–with baseball, I went from about all 20 to all 30 because folks were cheering me on. My goals were/are seeing the 50 states (only need AK for a second completion of that), touching the 5 Great Lakes and oceans (1 for 2 there), seeing every MLB ballpark (need Atlanta’s new one), NFL stadium (3 teams and about 5 new stadiums to go), Canadian Province (have all 10, but need the three Territories), attend a sporting event in each state (35ish), visit a brewery in every state (33), and visit every place mentioned in “I’ve Been Everywhere Man” (43 of 91, I think). Then there are the National Parks and Minor League parks–right now, I’m using them in tandem to build itineraries, a few days in NPs and then some evenings in ballparks.Not sure if all 59/417 (now at 35/136) is in my future for the parks or 160 (39 now) for the Minor League parks. But, yes, getting to halfway there, or getting to 100 of them, or all of the ones in the Continental Lower 48 or something might be more achievable. Likewise, picking a single league of a dozen teams is certainly more likely than all of them at this point. But, as you complete the subsets of the total, or cross the halfway point, and you start seeing the finish line, well, yeah it can then become a more practical (and pressured) target. Totally get that. Then for skiing, I have a number of ‘goals’ there, with some resorts I want to visit, and maybe hit a certain number (I crossed over 50 this past winter). tt

Sounds like you’ve got some fun quests there, Thomas! I especially like the I’ve Been Everywhere one; I looked up my total a few years back and had most of them but didn’t keep track of my total. I think I need to go back and do that.

Great post. You mention count up and count down quests but what do you think about distance quests? I am thinking about hiking the AT or one quest that I am interested in (but too afraid right now) kayak the entire Mississippi

I’d personal consider those “challenges” as opposed to “quests,” but no matter what word you use, both sound like they’d be a blast! I followed someone on their journey to kayak the length of the Missouri River, and it was quite an endeavor and definitely a logistical challenge.

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Student, 24, who died after inhaling nitrous oxide ordered huge bottles of drug up to three times a day, inquest told

• Holly Christodoulou
• Daniel Hammond
• Published : 11:21, 10 Apr 2024
• Updated : 11:54, 10 Apr 2024

A STUDENT who died from inhaling nitrous oxide ordered huge bottles of the gas up to three times a day, an inquest heard.

Ellen Mercer, 24, told her boyfriend not to call an ambulance as it "kills her buzz" when she began suffering leg and back pain.

Paramedics raced to the business student's home to find Ellen with a freeze burn on her leg where a canister had fallen when she collapsed.

Her boyfriend revealed she ordered 600g bottles of nitrous oxide - known as hippy crack - two to three times a day.

Paramedic Michaela Kirtley told the inquest: “He told me that Ellen uses nitrous oxide, big canisters, I had never seen such big ones, 600 gram bottles.

"She inhales them. Her eyes roll back, she falls back, hits her head and passes out.”

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When Ellen’s boyfriend was asked why he didn't call an ambulance when she passed out before, he reportedly said she "shouted at him" as she wanted to continue her high.

Ellen was rushed to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough but tragically died two days later.

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Berkshire Coroner Heidi Connor confirmed Ellen's death was related to "nitrous oxide use".

A post mortem found she died from deep vein thrombosis with an underlying cause of death given as "long term complications due to nitrous oxide abuse".

Ellen had required urgent medical care several times in the month leading to her death after complaining of leg and back pain.

At the time of the tragedy, nitrous oxide — often inhaled through balloons — was not illegal.

It was reclassified in November last year as a Class C drug, with dealers facing up to 14 years in prison .

Ellen, from Gerrards Cross,  Bucks , was previously described by her family as a “truly beautiful and gentle soul” who was “missed by everyone lucky enough to have met her”.

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More From Forbes

Adani-backed indian airport retailer rebrands to ospree in quest for global shopping empire.

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MTRPL will be rebranding its seven airport duty-free locations in India with the Ospree logo.

The CEO of India’s Mumbai Travel Retail Pvt Ltd (MTRPL) expects to take to the global stage now that it has a new corporate branding: Ospree. The move pulls together the company’s disparate duty-free operations at seven airports in India and will make it easier to bid for contracts globally.

The rebrand integrates all of MTRPL’s airport duty-free businesses led by Mumbai, the company’s flagship location with a growing reputation for whisky retailing; as well as Ahmedabad; Amritsar; Jaipur; Lucknow; Mangalore; and Thiruvananthapuram.

The new name, Ospree, is also easier for potential concession partners to understand in terms of both storytelling and for MTRPL to define its strategy in the global duty-free shopping arena. The name is derived from two words: the migratory osprey bird of prey that has adapted to living in all continents (except Antarctica); and spree, which describes a big shopping expedition.

MTRPL’s expansion ambitions are backed by big financial muscle. The company is owned, through joint venture, by one of India’s biggest listed conglomerates, infrastructure group Adani (with a majority share), controlled by billionaire Gautam Adani ; and Flemingo Travel Retail, a duty-free company operating in 137 locations in 26 countries through airport stores, diplomatic stores, and UN Commissary services, among others.

In the just-published Forbes 2024 Billionaires List , Gautam Adani is ranked 17 th with $84 billion, second behind Mukesh Ambani among India’s now 200-strong billionaires.

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Adani’s airport unit—Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL)—also became the biggest airport operator in India in mid-2021 when it took a majority stake in Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International. This has helped MTRPL’s expansion in the Indian travel retail sector; apart from Amritsar, where operations started in January 2024, the rest of the retailer’s airport locations are owned by AAHL and all seven will be rebranded Ospree in due course.

First European entry

The retailer has now won its first concession outside India with a deal to run the duty-free business at Eurotunnel’s French terminal in Coquelles near Calais in France. Eurotunnel is the operator (until 2086) of the Channel Tunnel infrastructure through which LeShuttle freight and passenger services (on cars and coaches) run between Folkestone in the U.K., and Calais. Eurotunnel was awarded its concession by the British and French governments on March 14, 1986.

The duty-free store at the Coquelles terminal in Calais, France will be handed over to MTRPL at the ... [+] end of April. (Photo by Gérald MORAND-GRAHAME/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

Eurotunnel gave the contract to Le Marché Duty-Free, a subsidiary of MTRPL, in mid-March following an open tender process that started in September 2023. The award was made before Ospree was established so it is unlikely the name will be used when the business is handed over from the incumbent Avolta at the end of this month.

Avishek Bambii Das, CEO of MTRPL told me: “Avolta has been very helpful in every aspect of this handover and we are excited by the prospect of our first store in Europe.” It was, in fact, the Eurotunnel tender process that convinced Das that MTRPL needed a global consumer-facing brand. “We realized that the Le Marché name is great for a French project but might not work in other geographies. We needed an overall rebranding which we started in January,” said Das.

Avishek Bambii Das: “Any opportunity in an overseas location where we find the airport to be ... [+] attractive, we will be going for those bids.”

Deborah Merrens, Eurotunnel’s chief commercial officer, commented: “The reintroduction of duty-free services for passengers traveling to the U.K. has created a substantial opportunity to redesign engagement with passengers and drive sales.”

The store will cover around 800 square meters of duty-free space within the passenger terminal building, as well as around 75 square meters in the freight terminal serving the duty-free needs of lorry drivers for the first time. The concession does not include the terminal at Folkestone on the British side of the tunnel.

Other targets

So which other targets does MTRPL have in its sights? “There are bids coming up very soon but they are not yet officially announced. So it’s a little too early to talk about that. Essentially, any opportunity in an overseas location where we find the airport to be attractive, we will be going for those bids,” said Das.

MTRPL is also finalizing strategic partnerships in order to develop weightier bids for some of these retail concessions. “These strategic partnerships will help us get into more geographies than we could if we were to do it alone,” Das added.

In India, where the airport business and privatizations are expanding fast , MTRPL is looking to extract more from existing locations and move into sectors like seaports where, by early May, the company will have six retail businesses in place. They will all be at Adani-run ports where the main customers will largely be staff working on commercial freight liners.

MTRPL’s growth, according to Das, has been much faster than passenger growth in the past year at close to 50%. “That’s massive and it also means that our spend per passenger (SPP) has been the highest ever,” said Das. This gives Ospree a solid platform from which to take flight.

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Dinosaurs invading Roanoke in interactive ‘Jurassic Quest’ at Berglund Center

R OANOKE, Va. ( WFXR )– Dinosaurs are ready to invade Roanoke with an interactive experience, ‘Jurassic Quest,’ coming to the Berglund Center from April 12 to 14.

In this experience, guests will be able to walk through 165 million years of the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods to learn about the creatures that ruled the search. Along with life-like animatronic dinosaurs, Jurrasic Quest’s classic experiences include some of the largest rideable dinosaurs in North America, live dinosaur shows, interactive science activities like fossil digging, bounce houses and inflatable attractions, and so much more for the whole family to enjoy.

New to this year, Jurrasic Quest has expanded its hands-on activities, including a new Excavation Station and more Jurassic-themed rides and inflatables. Kids will now also be able to face off with the notoriously fast Jurassic Quest Utahraptors for ‘Raptor Run’ races and ‘Rope-a-Raptor,’ where they will be able to help lasso stray dinos to get them back into their pens.

Jurassic Quest will be at the Berglund Center over the weekend of April 12. Here is a schedule of when the attraction is open:

• Friday, April 12: Noon- 8 p.m.
• Saturday, April 13: 9 a.m.- 8 p.m.
• Sunday, April 14: 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Tickets are available online and at the Berglund Center’s box office. General admission tickets include access to the dinosaur exhibits, arts and crafts activities, and dinosaur shows. Activity tickets for special rides and activities will be available on-site, including the Kids Unlimited ticket which gives unlimited access to stationery and walking dinosaur rides, fossil digs, and dinosaur-themed inflatable attractions.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Jurrasic Quest website .

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.

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Moscow Travel Guide: Best Things to Do + More [2023]

· everything to know about visiting moscow, including the best things to do and how to get around. ·.

Moscow is Russia’s vibrant capital city, and it also happens to be the largest city in all of Europe. The city’s long and infamous history makes it one of the most unique places we have ever visited.

The architecture ranges from centuries-old palaces to uniform, gray concrete buildings. The people range from cold and private to warm and welcoming. Moscow is a city is strong juxtapositions, and we learned a lot during our time there.

This post will break down all you need to know about visiting Moscow, including the best things to do, how to get there, how to get around, and more.

The Best Things to Do in Moscow

1. explore the red square.

The Red Square is the heart of Moscow. Most of the city’s top attractions can be found here, including just about everything on this list. The Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral, and Lenin’s Mausoleum are all located here, and the State Historical Museum and GUM are not far from here, either.

The Red Square is a common home for parades, protests, and seasonal celebrations. There are massive Christmas celebrations here, with food vendors and carnival rides set up in numbers.

2. Check Out the Ziferblat

The Ziferblat is a café in Moscow that is unlike any café we have ever been to. While most cafes charge you for your drinks and food, the Ziferblat charges you for your time.

Upon arrival, you are given a clock. When you leave, the barista calculates how much time you spent in the café and charges you accordingly. This concept was created to help visitors to be more intentional with their time, and the cafe itself is incredibly charming.

For a detailed look at everything you need to know before you visit, make sure you read my post about visiting the Ziferblat Cafe in Moscow .

3. Marvel at St. Basil’s Cathedral

St. Basil’s Cathedral is one of the most iconic churches in the world, and it was the single thing we were most excited to see while in Moscow. Built almost 500 years ago, St. Basil’s Cathedral is recognized by its colorful domes and whimsical style. The church is of the Russian Orthodox faith, and the inside is just as wondrous as the outside.

St. Basil’s Cathedral is located on the edge of the Red Square, making it incredibly convenient to visit. Entrance for non-worshippers costs 800 rubles, and tickets can be bought at the church

4. Explore the Kremlin

The Kremlin is the largest active fortress in Europe, and it is the site of most of Russia’s government affairs. In addition to government buildings, the Kremlin Complex is filled with courtyards, towers, and museums that are open to the public. If you have the time, you could spend a couple of days fully exploring all that there is to see in the Kremlin.

5. Walk Through Lenin’s Mausoleum

Vladimir Lenin is one of the most important figures in Russian history, and his body is located perfectly embalmed in a mausoleum in the Red Square. The Mausoleum is open to the public to visit, and as long as you are willing to go through a few security checks, it is easily one of the best things to do in Moscow. Its convenient location in the Red Square makes it a can’t miss attraction.

There is absolutely no photography allowed inside the Mausoleum. Do not test this rule.

6. Wander Along Arbat Street

The Arbat is a very popular street in Moscow that is lined with stores, cafes, and other touristy attractions. It is one of the oldest streets in the city, dating back to the 1400s. This street is both quaint and trendy, and there are many walking tours that introduce tourists to the neighborhood’s wonders and highlights.

7. Catch a Show at the Bolshoi Theatre

As a lover of the arts, it is hard to think of Moscow and not think of ballet. Russia has always been a top dog in the world of fine arts, and Bolshoi Theater is one of the best places to catch a performance. We were lucky enough to attend an Opera here, and it is a venue that you don’t want to miss out on if you enjoy opera, ballet, or orchestral performances.

8. Visit the State Historical Museum

The State Historical Museum is one of the most respected museums in Moscow. Despite its name, it is not really focused on the history of Russia as a nation. Rather, it contains a collection of artifacts from all throughout Russia’s history.

The museum’s collection is very broad in nature. It houses some items from indigenous tribes that used to occupy the region, pieces collected by the Romanov family, and more.

9. Wander Around GUM

GUM is an absolutely massive mall within walking distance of the Red Square. It isn’t just the size that draws visitors here; it’s the sense of luxury. The mall is so beautiful inside, much like the metro stations.

While visiting a mall might not sound like it belongs on a bucket list, this mall does. You will not want to miss out on visiting GUM while in Moscow.

10. Admire the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

While St. Basil’s Cathedral is the most iconic church in Moscow, it isn’t the only one. The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is absolutely stunning, with massive golden domes. It is the tallest Orthodox church in the world, and it is the seat of the Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow.

It is located just about a mile from the Red Square, just south of the Kremlin Complex. You can walk to it from the Red Square in about 20 minutes.

How to Get to Moscow

Flying to moscow.

Moscow has three major international airports: Sheremetyevo (SVO) , Domodedovo (DMO) , and Vnukovo (VKO) . All three of them are directly connected to downtown Moscow by the Aeroexpress trains, which leave every 30 minutes throughout the day. By Aeroexpress train, you can expect to get to the city center in 25-45 minutes depending on the airport that you fly into.

Sheremetyevo is the biggest and busiest of the three airports, and it is the one you are most likely to fly into – especially if you are coming from outside of Europe or the Caucus region. We flew into Sheremetyevo on a direct flight from New York City.

I usually provide backup airport options, because flying right into the city isn’t always the cheapest way to get where you’re going. Unfortunately, when it comes to Moscow, don’t really have a choice other than to fly right into Moscow. It is a very remote city, and it is usually the cheapest place to fly into in Russia as a whole.

Since Sheremetyevo is so busy, you will probably find a great flight option anyway. I wrote in  my post about finding cheap flights  that using hub airports will lead to more affordable airfare, and the same logic applies here. Even though Russia’s national airline, Aeroflot, is no longer a member of the SkyTeam Alliance, Moscow is still a major hub connecting passengers from all over the world.

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Train or Bus to Moscow

Trains and buses are one of the most popular ways to get around Europe. However, they’re of very little use when you’re trying to get to Moscow.

Moscow is hundreds of miles from the nearest major cities. The only major European city that can even be reached within 8 hours on the ground is St. Petersburg, and even the Baltic capitals of Riga, Vilnius, and Tallinn are over 12 hours away.

If you want to get to Moscow, the best option is almost always to fly. While the train routes to Moscow are scenic, they simply take forever.

How to Get Around Moscow

METRO | TROLLEYS | TRAMS | BUSES

Moscow has one of the most memorable metro systems in the world. Its metro lines are very deep underground, and the stations are absolutely stunning. Each station has its own unique style, but all of them contain escalators that seem to go on forever.

The system was built in an effort to showcase the power of the Soviet Union and its bright future. The plans were a form of propaganda, but they resulted in what is still one of the most visually appealing subway systems on earth.

Moscow’s metro system isn’t just pretty. It is also very useful and accessible. The system has 17 lines that connect the city and its surrounding area.

But wait; there’s more!

The Moscow metro system is also incredibly affordable, with each ride costing less than a dollar. The metro is by far the best way to get around Moscow, as it is almost impossible to beat the connection times and the low cost to ride.

Tickets can be bought at electronic, English-speaking kiosks in stations, or directly from ticket counters at certain larger stations. There are also day passes available, which are a very solid option if you plan on riding the metro several times per day.

The metro is by far the best way to get around Moscow.

In addition to the metro system, Moscow also has a network of buses, trams, and trolleys. This system is nowhere near as convenient or well-connected as the metro, though, and is likely of little use to you during your trip. There is no Uber in Moscow, but a similar app named Yandex is available if you need a ride in a pinch.

How Many Days Do You Need in Moscow?

Moscow is the biggest city in all of Europe, and it is absolutely loaded with things to do. You could spend weeks in Moscow and still find new things to do. Of course, most travelers don’t have that kind of time to spend in one place!

I recommend spending no less than three full days in Moscow, and ideally closer to five or seven.

Moscow is very spread out, and it can take some time to get from one major point to another. There are also so many places that are nice to just sit back and relax, which is hard to do when you’re in a hurry trying to cram activities into just a few days.

If you only have a week to visit Russia, I’d advise spending all of the time in one city. If you decide to split your time between Moscow and St. Petersburg, I recommend not trying to squeeze in any day trips beyond those two cities.

When Is the Best Time of the Year to Visit Moscow?

There are two different ways to approach this question. Personally, I think the best time to visit Moscow is around Christmas and New Year’s Day. While the weather will be absolutely freezing, Moscow is a surreal winter wonderland in December and January.

We were in Moscow right before Christmas. While it was very cold, you can always bundle up. Exploring the Christmas markets and pop-up ice skating rinks throughout Moscow is one of my favorite memories from anywhere I’ve traveled, and I dream of going back to do it again.

If you aren’t fond of the cold, Moscow is beautiful in the summer. It tends to get pretty cold in the shoulder seasons, so if you want warm weather, you should plan to visit in the summer. Moscow actually gets pretty warm in July and August, and there are a bunch of fantastic places to soak up the sun within the city.

The best time to visit Moscow is either around Christmas or from late May to August.

Is Moscow Safe to Visit?

While Moscow is a truly wonderful city, there’s no denying that visiting Russia comes with risks. As the country is run by an infamous communist dictator, concerns about visiting are valid. While we didn’t experience any sort of threat or negative treatment during our time in Moscow, we visited in a peaceful time.

In our experience, Russia doesn’t seem to detain normal Americans or Westerners to use as pawns. As a regular person, as long as you don’t commit any crimes, there is a slim chance you will run into any issues. However, Russia will not hesitate to enforce its laws against foreigners, and illegal behaviors will likely land you in a very compromising position.

Russia will not hesitate to enforce its laws against foreigners, and illegal behaviors will likely land you in a very compromising position.

To make matters worse, Russia has a bad reputation for gang violence. While the Russian mafia has very little interest in normal Western tourists, they won’t hesitate to pick a fight with anyone who ventures into their sphere of influence. If you seek out illegal substances or activities, you could be a target of the mafia.

If you seek out illegal substances or activities, you could be a target of the mafia.

Finally, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, things are all very different. Russia is currently at war, and there are battles raging within 8 hours of Moscow. While it is still relatively safe to visit, that could change at any time as the war with Ukraine continues.

Is Moscow Worth Visiting?

Without a doubt, Moscow is worth visiting. It is one of the most unique major cities we have ever visited, and we hope to make it back one day. The Russian Orthodox churches are stunning, the city’s history is unlike any other, and the food is to die for.

While many visitors prefer St. Petersburg to Moscow, I think Moscow deserves a lot of hype of its own. Moscow is the beating heart of Russian culture and history, and it’s a place I highly recommend checking out if you have the chance.

That’s all we have for you about Moscow! I hope this post was helpful as you plan your trip to Russia’s capital.

Have you been to Moscow? Or is this your first time visiting? Comment below if you have anything to add to our travel guide!

Hi, I'm Greg. I'm an avid traveler who has traveled to over 50 countries all around the world with my wife and kids. I've lived in Italy, Mexico, China, and the United States, and I dream of moving abroad again in the future. With this blog, I provide my audience with detailed destination guides to my favorite places and pro-tips to make travel as stress-free as possible.

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