Even though there is something liberating about abandoning independent thought, about putting your faith in organized fun and tour operators, about letting guidebooks dictate your itinerary, it can get tiresome to be in the hands of someone else, knowing you’re having the same ‘touristy’ experience that thousands before you have had. No, far more liberating is to throw the itinerary completely out of the window (after first checking local littering laws, of course) and trust our instincts. Going native, dancing to the rhythm of a place, following its cultural patterns and traditions as the locals do, is to us, the perfect holiday.
If you’re a savvy, inquisitive traveler – as we like to think we are – you’re probably keen to soak up the atmosphere the way the locals do, rather than sticking to a list of must-visits and sights that every other tourist has seen, done, and written about. So, to help you get an authentic experience the next time you venture somewhere, here are 6 IDEAL ways to get an, authentic visitor experience.
Use Instagram
Want to know where the locals go? Tap into the community of local Instagram users by following popular bloggers from that city. If it’s the best restaurants you’re after, follow the accounts of local chefs. Follow official city accounts and get to know the preferred hashtags for the place you’re visiting. With a little bit of detective work via Instagram you’ll soon discover the favourite haunts of residents that most out-of-towners will not have even heard off.
Get a Handle on the Local Lingo
In a country where English isn’t the first language, getting to grips with a few essential phrases will be much appreciated by locals and will yield much greater integration into the local scene. If English is the mother tongue, a few local phrases and colloquialisms still won’t go amiss, and an attempt at the correct application will be charming and endearing.
Take in the City on Foot
If you want to see different aspects of the city, and move to the natural beat of a place, there’s no better way to do this than walking. As you walk at a steady pace you get to observe all the goings on of the city, stopping off as and when you want to rather than when the tour guide sees fit. If you do happen to run out of steam, try to avoid resorting to a taxi. Using a city’s public transport is not only cheaper but that you’ll also travel along the same routes that the expensive tour bus companies do. Plus, there’s no better feeling than mastering the local transport service in a foreign country, rubbing shoulders with the locals and observing the hustle and bustle of the city first hand.
Speak to the Locals
When it comes to discovering the local area, those living there are your without doubt the best source of knowledge. From finding the nearest ATM to getting a recommendation for lunch, these are your go-to guys, and making friends with the locals is rewarding and also respectful to the culture. Those staying at, or possibly renting you, your accommodation are the ones who you’ll have easiest access to, so start conversations there. Some will have a standard list of recommendations that they give to everyone, while others may be more willing to give you some of their personal favorites that are tucked away from tourist hotspots if you’re charming and show an interest. Whilst this advice essentially boils down to ‘be friendly’, it’s still worth bearing in mind.
To get specific, if visiting the city of Brotherly Love for instance, someone at the Marriott Philadelphia Downtown may be able to point you in the direction of an up-and-coming restaurant that hasn’t made the guidebooks yet, whereas an out of date guidebook won’t be so in tune with recent developments in the city. You’ll probably find they can offer you more exciting routes than the standard guided tours a lot of tourist information offices will provide you with.
Mix Things Up
As you move around the city and start to get familiar with who is who and what is where, try choosing a different path as you head from A to B. Your endeavours will be rewarded with an every vaster knowledge of shortcuts and secrets. You might be surprised what you discover as you stroll, whether it’s a functioning ATM, gorgeous viewpoint, quiet park, groovy bar or, best of all, a delicious restaurant. Hidden gems don’t find themselves, so get looking! A lot of the coolest places you’ll discover on your travels are because you’ve deviated from the standard route, even if it’s slightly.
Get Lost
And that brings us to our final tip – get lost. As you weave in and out of the wide boulevards and narrow side streets, dive down another road, or take a different turn to the one you should. Seems counter intuitive right? Wrong. In doing this you’ll end up discovering more intriguing lanes and hidden gems which you wouldn’t otherwise have known existed. However, it’s worth arming yourself with some maps and apps to make sure you don’t lose yourself completely or end up somewhere you shouldn’t!
Being confident in your travelling abilities and daring to do something different can genuinely help you make the most out of your next trip to an unfamiliar, or even familiar, destination. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and explore!
