Looking for a safe escape? Check out 8 creative "virtual staycation" ideas

From online road trips and summer camps to livestreamed Broadway shows and music fests, there's no shortage of totally creative, totally safe ways to virtually vacation this summer. And just like the caller in every '80s slasher flick, these fun online staycation ideas aren't just in the neighborhood — they're inside the house! Safely Escape this Summer Book a Virtual Getaway These days, far-flung destinations in the U.S. and beyond are just a livestream away. With virtual tours, you can book yourself an international road trip, exploring the streets of St. Petersburg, Russia (July 30) in the morning, taking a guided trek of the National Gallery of Art in D.C. (Aug. 13 & 29) in the afternoon and learning the secrets of the Brooklyn Bridge (now through Dec. 30) at night. Explore More Tours Scratch Your Summer Concert Itch Missing the summer concert season? For a fun, safe twist on the outdoor music fest, take your go-to streaming device to your backyard or local park, turn the volume up to 11 and soak up some livestreamed concerts from artists like country superstar Darius Rucker (July 30), feel-good Beatles tribute band The Fab Four (July 31) or wild 'n' out glam metal rockers Steel Panther (Aug. 16). Explore More Concerts Get Your Summer Celebrity Fix Looking for a little star wattage with your virtual staycation? You can catch your favorite "RuPaul's Drag Race" stars totally slay in Werq the World: Pride Castle (now through Sep. 29), watch "Hamilton" star Christopher Jackson (Aug. 15) as he shares show tunes and stories live, see famous Broadway faces in Seth Rudetsky's virtual concert series, and join NYC dancers and a few surprise celebrity guests as they turn up the heat in Broadway Bares: Zoom In (Aug. 1), a Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS fundraiser that helps raise money for a good cause... and looks good doing it. Explore More Summer Fun Hang Out With Friends One of our favorite parts of summer is spending time with friends, and there's plenty of great ideas for virtual group hangs while everyone's staying at home this year. Why not challenge your besties to a trivia contest like The Office! Ultimate Online Trivia Party (Aug. 5-26) or Ultimate Broadway Hangout (July 30-Aug. 13) — or see if you can help solve an over-the-top crime in a virtual whodunnit party game like Murder Under the Big Top (now through Dec. 31)? Explore More Group Activities Lift Your Spirits Great comedians have a knack for tackling tough subjects during tough times, giving you a new perspective while making you LOL. So while comedy clubs are closed, take a virtual comedy road trip to catch comedy legends like Monty Python's John Cleese (Aug. 2) and fan fave impressionist Sarge (Aug. 5-6) — or let out some election season steam with the topical songs and sketches in the political comedy Electile Dysfunction, Hindsight Is 2020 (beginning Aug. 25). Explore More Comedy Events Get Lost in a Great Story Live theater has a way of transporting us through time and space, making it a perfect virtual escape from a sunny season stuck indoors. This summer, head to 19th century Vienna in Hershey Felder: Beethoven (now through Aug. 31), the shoulder-padded '80s of Heathers: The Musical (Aug. 10-27) and the "21st-century love story" of Partners (now through Aug 2). Or pretend you're back at the Globe Theatre for a full-staged virtual performance of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure (July 31-Aug. 1), which comes complete with a Spotify playlist and a perfect-for-summer-staycation drinking game. Explore More Theater Events Keep Your Kids Entertained Looking for something to keep your littlest fellow quarantiners happy, engaged and occupied for an hour or two? Get the whole brood excited about — and even interacting with! — a few furry friends courtesy of Lincoln Park Zoo's popular live virtual meet and greets with penguins and polar bears (Aug. 8 & 22), let them show off their creativity with summer art camp (July 30 – Aug. 7), and get the older kids thinking about art in a new way with Private Museum Tours' live virtual art talks for teens (Aug. 8 & 22). Explore More Family Events Expand Your Horizons A staycation's a great time to get creative and learn something new, so take the creative plunge with an art, cooking or acting class — maybe even one taught by a Hollywood legend (now through July 31)! And you can even finally tame your closets and become an organizational wizard with a live, one-on-one tidying up coaching session (dates through 2021) with a certified KonMari Method consultant. Explore More Classes Need help? Simply reply to this email or reach out to us on Facebook or Twitter. You are receiving emails for events happening in Chicago because pottyplant@gmail.com is subscribed to Goldstar. FAQs • Update Location • Email Preferences • Unsubscribe © 2020 Goldstar Events, Inc. P.O. Box 277 Altadena, CA 91003