Log In
Explore.org offers armchair tourists virtual views of the sand and surf at Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii, and other beaches. (Photo by AussieActive on Unsplash)
The COVID-19 crisis is grounding planes and leaving hotel rooms unoccupied, but destinations, venues, and event organizers are finding ways to stay top of mind with potential travelers virtually. Here’s a look at a full day of pseudo-teleporting to new places to see new sights, learn new lessons, and work on new dance moves.
7:10 a.m.
Escape the view from your new at-home office, and soak in sun-drenched Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii via the live webcam by explore.org (video below). Spend another 20 minutes watching and listening to the calming waves roll in.
7:30 a.m.
Channel your inner Zen with a 35-minute vinyasa yoga session with Andrea Bogart, the yoga instructor at the MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa (video below). The Sonoma, California property is closed through May 3, but you can still enjoy the calm of wine country and stay in shape.
9:00 a.m.
You probably have to log in, respond to emails, and manage some of your work duties. You’ll need a good soundtrack to keep you motivated, though. Consider Meet Minneapolis’ Spotify playlist, #WeGotThisMPLS, assembled for at-home listeners under stay-at-home orders and featuring a range of artists from the Twin Cities.
Noon
Tune in for an inspiring conversation with TED. The company’s TED Connects conversations series includes authors, singers, neuroscientists, and plenty of other experts discussing ways to cope with COVID-19 and hopeful ideas to move the world forward after the pandemic.
3:00 p.m.
If you’re working from home with kiddos, you need all the activities you can find. Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California has developed an Online Academy full of educational videos about sharks, penguins, sea lions, and other forms of marine life. The “Draw With Us” course invites online students between pre-kindergarten and second grade to grab their paper and crayons (and give mom and/or dad a break).
4:30 p.m.
Happy hour is around the corner. Rather than stick to your usual beverage of choice, take some tips from the mixology experts at Artesian, the renowned drinking destination at The Langham in London. Tune into the property’s Instagram or Facebook page for a tutorial on making classic cocktails.
5:00 p.m.
Close your computer and put your new skills behind the bar to work. After you’ve made yourself a perfect negroni or daiquiri, you’ll need to fill your stomach, too. Houston-based sommelier June Rodil and cheese connoisseur Shannon McCracken are hosting a virtual cheese and wine tasting on April 9. If you can’t make that date, Houstonia points out plenty of other cooking classes and tasting events are happening to showcase the city’s vibrant culinary scene.
7:00 p.m.
Give yourself an extra dose of cultural inspiration with The Betsy South Beach’s “Zen and the Art of Architecture, Music, Poetry, and Photography” series. On April 13, poet Campbell McGrath — winner of a MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grant — will broadcast from his living room.
9:30 p.m.
It’s been a full day, but you can still turn up the volume during your evening in. Check out Visit Austin’s recommendations of Austin-based live-streams (Jackie Venson is particularly great), and a complete line-up of Nashville-based artists. Nobody can see you dancing in your living room.
Whew. Long day. You should probably stay home tomorrow. Good news: You don’t have to call your boss to ask if that’s okay.
What Events Professionals Need to Know About COVID-19
PCMA has created a COVID-19 resources page to help event professionals find reliable information about the pandemic and to share events industry-related resources to ensure they are prepared now and in the future.