National Virtual Vacation Day Date in the current year: March 30, 2024

In recent years, the concept of virtual vacations has gained significant traction for a couple of reasons: the rise of the AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) technologies, and the COVID-19 pandemic with its lockdowns and travel restrictions. Of course, the pandemic is now over, but a lot of people have embraced the opportunity to explore the world without leaving their homes.

A virtual vacation is a type of staycation that gives you the chance to explore your dream destinations even if you don’t have enough time and/or money to travel there, or just don’t want to bother with planning, packing, and flights. It’s also a great to use during vacation planning because virtual tours can help you narrow down your destination options, pick the museums you’d like to visit, etc.

Of course, a virtual vacation isn’t quite the same as the real thing; on the other hand, a virtual vacation is better than no vacation at all. It is a decent way to recharge and rejuvenate because even virtual exploration of exciting destinations makes our bodies release hormones that help us cope with stress. Virtual vacations are also a great option for parents whose kids are too young to travel long distances: they don’t need to worry about forgetting their kid’s favorite teddy bear while packing, their toddler getting cranky during an eight-hour flight, or messed up sleeping patterns due to jet lag.

There is a common misconception that you need a VR set to take a virtual vacation. While the VR technology is indeed often used for virtual vacations because it provides an immersive experience, you can do without it if you don’t want to invest in virtual reality gear (which is still cheaper than an overseas vacation, by the way). There are many other virtual vacation options such as visiting a virtual tour website, watching a 360° video tour (Google Earth has some amazing options), and exploring the world’s museums with Google Arts and Culture.

To make your virtual vacation experience even more interactive and immersive, add some local cuisine to it. You can look up recipes and cook something yourself, or order takeout from a place that specializes in the cuisine of your chosen destination – whatever works for you. If you’re taking a virtual vacation with your kids, don’t forget to add some fun games and creative activities!

National Virtual Vacation Day was created in 2016 by Terrance Talks Travel, a travel blog founded by writer and photographer Terrance Zepke. Two years later, Zepke’s initiative was supported by National Day Calendar.

The main goal of National Virtual Vacation Day is to share the amazing potential of virtual vacations with the public and encourage people to take a break and explore the places they’d like to visit one day. So choose your dream destination and take a virtual vacation to decompress! And don’t forget to post about your virtual vacation on social media with the hashtags #NationalVirtualVacationDay and #VirtualVacationDay to spread the word.