Best Travel Board Games to Enjoy Without Actually Traveling

When it comes to board games, the modern industry has made amazing strides in creating innovative gameplay systems that can keep younger and older generations entertained. And many games are based on real locations around the world, making them a great choice for those who love to travel.

Every game listed in this article has a greater level of depth than classic roll-and-move game designs, but their rules are not too complex or intimidating for beginners.

Tokaido

Based on the seaside route from Kyoto to Edo in Japan’s Edo period, this game puts the players in the role of travelers exploring this region. Walking from city to city, the player decides whether to buy souvenirs, visit landscapes, hot springs, and temples, or meet the locals and enjoy delicious food. The traveler in the back has the first move, so a bit of planning is needed to win. It’s currently one of the more popular travel games.

7 Wonders

As its name suggests, this game features the wonders of the ancient world, having the player control a certain region such as Babylon, Rodhos, Alexandria, and many more. By choosing cards in turns for each of the three ages, it’s up to the player to decide whether to focus on developing science, culture, commerce, or wage war with their neighboring players.

Ticket to Ride

Become a railroad baron and work on laying down tracks between cities, creating a complex railway that’s more efficient or extensive than the other players’ railroads. By collecting cards, the player gets city routes to connect before the end of the game to gain points. The original game is played on a map of America, and the expansions showcase different areas of the world.

Other Great Board Games

There is a game out there for everyone who loves traveling. Games such as Carcassonne set in the Galo-Roman period in southern France, or Scotland Yard with detectives looking for Mister X throughout London are among the fun options to explore for avid gamers and beginners!

Avoid These Common Mistakes to Enjoy a Stress-Free Staycation

Staycation is one of the few unique trends brought about by the recent global pandemic. While traveling seems to be the commonly popular option after a long house-arrest of this pandemic, a staycation is a more economically feasible and healthy alternative. Staycations provide the opportunity of hassle-free local exploring in a restorative and affordable way instead of expensive busy typical travel itineraries. But, there are some common mistakes the travel experts always warn you about, while planning and during the ‘travel’ to your own hometown. Here they are.

• Missing Out Local Discounts

In almost every place, some hotels, eateries, spas, and attractions offer special discounted rates only for local travelers. So while booking a local hotel or travel experience, don’t forget to ask about special local rates.

• Last Minute Booking

It’s very wrong to assume that early booking is not needed in case of staycations. With domestic travels picking up gradually, staycations are more popular than ever resulting in a rush booking of hotels and attractions. According to travel experts, it’s best to make your reservation at least a month ahead to avoid the fuss.

• Not Packing Properly

Though sounds irrelevant, proper packing is a useful trick of the trade, while planning a staycation, especially due to some pandemic-driven changes in hospitality practices. For example, almost every hotel now is prioritizing hygiene safety and is no longer providing one-time-use toiletries. So, packing your regular-use things accordingly will save you a ton of hassle later on.

• Skipping Research on the Location

According to travel experts, probably the biggest mistake of any staycation planning is not to bother with researching about the destination like any out-of-station trip. Though relatively closer to your home base, exploring new attractions, trying new things, and discovering hidden gems will undoubtedly perk up your staycation, enabling you to appreciate your known hometown in a new meaningful light.

• Failing to Unplug from Mundane Life

The proximity of staycation from your house or workplace can be a burden during staycation causing trouble in disconnecting from your daily life. Choosing a nearby place to be available on short notice, is a sheer waste of the staycation budget.