Travel the world from your couch

Visit the Grand Canyon, Eiffel Tower and Niagara Falls from your couch

Visit the Eiffel Tower, Niagara Falls and more thanks to webcams.

It’s a gray, rainy afternoon at the Eiffel Tower and a sunny, hazy dawn at the Grand Canyon. Niagara Falls continue to churn, even as many parts of the world go on lockdown.

For passionate explorers and travelers, it may not be possible to physically visit those destinations as long as fears of the coronavirus and advisories against travel persist. But it is possible to satisfy your wanderlust from your couch while virtually globetrotting with webcams from all around the world.

These sights can prove cathartic and provide relief from the news cycle, or they can jog memories of previous trips or inspiration for future travel. Here are some of the worthwhile webcams out there.

Niagara Falls

Though there are only a few stray cars that pass by the Canadian-side visitor center, Horseshoe Falls, North America’s most powerful waterfall, keeps on churning with more than 6 million cubic feet of water cresting the falls every minute. Not even a pandemic can stop this natural wonder, which can be viewed at EarthCam.com.

Meerkats at the zoo

Let me just say: Awwwwwww. In January, Zoo Miami was home to the birth of two baby meerkats, pictured above with their mom, “Yam Yam.” The Meerkat Cam from EarthCam.com allows people from around the world to peer into the small burrowing mammals’ habitat.

Grand Canyon

Although Grand Canyon National Park is closed for business, adventurers can still travel there virtually using

some of the park’s webcams. Though they aren’t live, the cams offer photos that update regularly to show the conditions around the canyon. A live look at the park’s south entrance station shows deserted entrance booths with cones blocking visitors from entering. View the webcams: nps.gov

Manatees

Manatee season at Blue Spring State Park ended March 16, but one abovewater webcam from Save the Manatee Club may occasionally show sea cows lazily floating by. Otherwise, viewers can enjoy a two-hour highlight reel of magical manatee moments captured underwater. Or float on over to Homosassa Springs (virtually) to view more webcams. Find them at savethemanatee.org.

Eiffel Tower

The crowds are sparse at the usually-packed Eiffel Tower as France continues its national lockdown due to COVID-19. But it’s still possible to enjoy a virtual visit to the iconic monument thanks to EarthCam.com. In a vertical video, see how the tower changes from dawn until dusk and then lights up the night skyline.

Baby goats

There’s nothing to ease the mind quite like the splendor of watching baby goats go about their daily business, unaware of anything happening in the external world. A live look provided by Syman Says

Farms in Salem, Connecticut, allows us to be virtually graced by their presence. The homestead’s YouTube channel has it all.

A safari, complete with commentary

Do you want to hear play-by-play speculation about when a group of sleepy lions might wake up? Oh, wait — now we cut over to the giraffes! This is the daily adventure of a WildEarth safari. Live from private game refuges in South Africa, experts provide commentary about wild animal happenings twice daily. Find the livestream and schedule at wildearth.tv.

Beaches of Maui

Is Hawaii on your bucket list? This might not stack up to actually sipping a Mai Tai on the sandy shores of Maui, but you can visit the destination virtually with webcams. One view from behind a Maui condo presents an opportunity ripe for spotting Humpback Whales, depending on the time of day and conditions: mauisands.com. The Hawaii Surf Cam from EarthCam.com shows a popular spot on Kauai where surfers can be seen catching waves.

Grand Tetons

Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park features towering peaks that provide a scenic background for the town of Jackson Hole. On a clear day, witness the magnificent Tetons from the comfort of your own home via EarthCam.com.

Out of this world … literally

This webcam is literally out of this world. Mounted aboard the International Space Station, this NASA camera shows people a far-out look at the blue sphere we call home. The station orbits the Earth once every 90 minutes, which provides viewers a sunrise or sunset every 45 minutes. Find this spacey webcam at EarthCam.com.

EVGENY MOERMAN/DREAMSTIME Grand Canyon National Park may be closed, but people can still view the iconic natural wonder from the comfort of their own homes via webcams in the park.

JAM NORASETT/SHUTTERSTOCK The mighty Niagara Falls straddle the American-Canadian border, and it’s one of the continent’s most-visited and beloved tourist attractions, with more than 8 million annual visitors. Now you can visit the falls virtually on EarthCam.com.

RON MAGILL/ZOO MIAMI The Meerkat Cam from EarthCam.com lets people peek at the meerkats at Zoo Miami.

EARTHCAM A live webcam from the International Space Station shows a look at Earth from space April 6.

SHUTTERSTOCK Views of Grand Teton National Park’s alpine lakes, lush green valleys and abundant wildlife are available virtually via webcam.

THIBAULT CAMUS/AP People walk past the Eiffel Tower on March 18 in Paris. It’s still possible to enjoy a virtual visit to the City of Lights thanks to earthcam.com.

MAUI TOPICAL IMAGES/SHUTTERSTOCK You can take a virtual trip to Maui and other parts of Hawaii with mauisands.com and earthcam.com.