079 How to Be the Best Local Tourist

It’s easy to get in a rut and not explore where we live but let’s change that! Today I’m sharing 10 easy ways to discover new places, people, and food right in your own backyard. These are quick and practical tips that you can apply today and will help you get out and explore close to home. You may think that you have already done everything nearby but I’m guessing that you can discover new things to do when you apply the ideas on my list.

Ready to explore close to home? Listen and learn how you can easily discover new things to do with your family without needing to go far.

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“When looking for things to do in your hometown, you have a huge network of people you know in the area. Send them a text asking for their favorite thing to do with kids in town.”

— Lisa Andrews

How to Discover New Places Close to Home

Local Friends. Since you know people who live around you, send them a text asking for their favorite place to do, things to do, restaurants to enjoy in your area. They will help you discover new things you want to do.
Use the All Trails Site. Search for a new hike in your area that you’ve never done before. All Trails is a great resource with many reviews and descriptions of hikes so you know what you will be committing to doing.
Instagram Hashtags. Do a search for your town in IG. Tap the “tags” option after typing in your city. You will see all of the pictures that people have tagged in your town. You’ll see what they are eating and the places they are visiting. Pick one that looks interesting and go check it out.
Discover a new restaurant. Use Yelp to find a new place to eat dinner tonight. Food is always a fun part of travel for us but when we are home we tend to eat out at the same five restaurants. Encourage yourself to try something new and let Yelp help you find just the right place.
Web Search. Type “Top 10 things to do in _______” in your browser and see that comes up. You will have probably heard of most of the places but pick one you haven’t been to in a long time or something that you haven’t done yet. I’m sure there will be something on the list that sounds interesting.
Stay at a local resort. Just getting away for a night can breathe some fresh air into your desire to get away. Look for local deals. You can be flexible on dates since you live right in town. Enjoy the pools and amenities and then drive 20 minutes back to your home.
Take a tour. When we are in other cities, we love taking bike tours but I’ve never considering taking one here in Phoenix until now. Think about the tours you like to do when you are out of town and look for something similar in your hometown. Maybe it’s a food tour or you will hop on a Segway. Just do something that you might normally overlook.
Use public transportation. If you are like me, you drive your own car everywhere. Make a day of exploring your town by only using public transportation. Your kids will love it and I’m sure you will discover some cool, new places along the way.
Head to a new area of town. We live in Phoenix which is a huge area made up of many different cities. I’m thinking we need to drive an hour away and explore the downtown of another Phoenix suburb. If you don’t live in a big metro area, consider driving to the next town over and exploring it for the day.
Visit a tourist attraction. It’s easy to overlook things that many people travel to your town to see. Think like a tourist and head to the places they would go.

As you can see, there are so many great ways to discover new places right in your own backyard. Challenge yourself to branch out and discover something new close to you. You’ll love the results for making plans and making memories with your family.

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