When you travel, do you sometimes want a more authentic experience that extends beyond the confines of your hotel or condo’s immediate area? It doesn’t matter how long you visit a place; you can become a chameleon and live like a local. Simply follow the advice given by Leslie To in her post called, “Solo Travel — Blending in with the Locals” and you’ll be well on your way.
Heather drinking the popular Berliner Weise (beer with juice) at Prater Garden in Berlin, Germany
To begins by offering simple suggestions like reading the local paper. These offerings can be discovered by doing a quick online search to see what’s available. Even small cities have publications so you’re bound to find something that gives you the scoop. When we arrive in a new anti-vacation destination, Adam subscribes to Google News for the area. He gets the latest stories delivered directly to his Inbox.
You can also scan area-specific message boards and forums on Craigslist, Twitter, and Facebook. All of these sources will give you the 411 on what people are up to. You might even find information about specific events that are unique to your interests but aren’t covered in local publications.
Adam sampling local citrus at Ridge Island Groves in Florida
Another technique that works well is checking out local farmers’ markets. Adam and I did this when we lived in Sarasota, FL and it not only immersed us in the community, but it saved us a ton of cash on veggies. We’d buy groceries every week and most of the time, we’d go to Whole Foods or Publix. Luckily, once we discovered the Saturday market in Downtown, we didn’t need to buy much of anything inside a store. Our landlord, Jason, was a vendor there and he told us where to get the best produce. He also turned us onto the Nokomis Beach drum circle. It’s advertised at 6 p.m. but he told us to wait until closer to 8 p.m. because the tourists are gone and more instrumentalists arrive at that time. It was magical to see all of the musicians and dancers come together every week. With the ocean providing a steady beat, all of the drums, flutes, and string instruments blended beautifully.
Having a local experience is easier than ever before! Most residents will happily answer your questions and make recommendations. You can also download apps to your smartphone that provide city-specific events. We’ve found some amazing restaurants using Yelp and reading reviews on Google.
To read Leslie To’s complete article, click below:
http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/wandertips/solo/solo-travel-blending-in-with-the-locals/
About Heather Stearns
