How to be a Tourist in Your Hometown

With airports being the nightmare that they are, more and more people have made the decision to avoid them, at least for a little while. For travel addicts and adventure junkies this has been extremely difficult and we have had to find alternative options to satisfy our wanderlust. One of those decisions has to become a tourist in our own hometowns.

Being like a tourist in your hometown is much easier than you think and it’s the perfect way to fill in the gap between international vacations. Exploring your hometown is the perfect way for new solo travellers to get their “feet wet” and become comfortable doing touristy things on their own.

When choosing touristy activities in your hometown, think outside the box. Ask yourself “what would I being doing if I was visiting another city?” There is no reason why you can’t do those same activities as a tourist in your hometown. So Let’s get started.

Just One Tip: To find activities and adventures in your hometown, I recommend searching Get Your Guide or Viator

Benefits of Being a Tourist in Your Hometown

Admittedly, being a tourist in your hometown doesn’t quite compare to being a tourist in an international destination, but it does have some benefits, such as:

• learning the history of where we live
• meet new people close to home
• save money
• discover new shops, restaurants, and activities
• if you are a new solo traveller, being a tourist in your hometown is the perfect way to ease into solo travel
• a solo traveller will feel much safer exploring their hometown
• avoid the stress of the airports!

At this point in time, until the airports get their shit together, exploring my hometown and surrounding areas has become my option of choice. By doing this my wanderlust has been “somewhat” satisfied and I have met some incredible people while exploring.

TEN WAYS TO BE A TOURIST IN YOUR HOMETOWN

Dine Where the Tourists Dine

Dining out is the most difficult part of solo travel but if you want to be a tourist, you have to do what the tourists do. Since you will be dining at a local restaurant, choose a place where you’ve never been, and if you’re adventurous, choose a spot that serves cuisine that you’ve never tried before. Whatever you do, don’t go to a restaurant that you typically dine at. It has to be somewhere new.

Read Next: 2 Day Solo Itinerary in St. Jacobs, Ontario

Shop Where the Tourists Shop

Let’s face it, when most of us are on vacation we aren’t spending our time shopping in a mall. So shopping at the mall is completely out if you’re being a tourist for the day in your hometown. Wonder through the quaint shops that are popular among tourists when visiting your city. Yes….even the souvenir shops, you’ll be surprised what you might find.

Visit Your Hometown’s Touristy Spots

If you’re anything like me, I’m going to guess that you’ve never actually been to the touristy spots in your hometown. It is only natural for us to take these places for granted. When exploring your hometown, it is the perfect opportunity to check them out to see for yourself. Who knows, you might even learn a bit of history of your hometown.

Recreation

Many of us love to lounge on the beach or hike a trail when we’re travelling. There is no reason why we can’t do that at home. If your hometown is close to a beach, pack a picnic, grab a book and spend the day basking in the sun. For the more active traveller, this is the perfect opportunity to check out a new trail.

Take a Walking Tour of Your Hometown

Taking a walking tour is the ultimate way of getting to know the touristy spots and history of your home town. Many places offer guided walking tours. If your hometown doesn’t then contact your city’s tourism board to get a self-guided walking tour map of your hometown.

Take an Adventure Tour

Most of us are much more adventurous and braver when we are travelling abroad, so why not be the same when being a tourist in our hometown. Try ziplining, take a hot air balloon ride, or go horseback riding. These are just a few recommendations of adventures to do, so do a bit of research and choose a new adventure that you wouldn’t normally do.

Read Next: Take a hot air balloon ride in your hometown.

Join a Class Geared to Tourists

This may take a little research, but every hometown will offer different 2 – 3 hour classes. If you have always wanted to try your hand at painting, take a painting class. If you want to learn how to cook something new, then take a cooking class. Your options are endless.

Take Photos Like a Tourist

Spotting a tourist is quite easy, they would be that person taking pictures of everything. When wondering the streets of your hometown, or when visiting the tourist spots, or whatever it is that you choose to do, make sure you take lots of pictures. Let’s face it, you likely won’t be back to these spots again. If you want to go one step further, hire a photographer to follow you for a few hours to capture you being a tourist in your hometown.

Become Your Hometown’s Biggest Cheerleader

For a fun afternoon or evening, join the crowd and cheer on one of the local sports teams of your hometown. This never fails to get the adrenaline flowing and it’s a ton of fun. If this is something that you don’t normally do, I promise you’ll definitely feel like you’re on vacation.

Stay Overnight in Your Hometown

Booking a room at a local hotel or Airbnb for the night is the ultimate way to be a tourist in your hometown. Pour yourself a glass of wine, put your feet up and relax while looking back through all of your pictures. It’s the perfect ending to a perfect day of being a tourist in your hometown.

Just One Tip: Check out Booking.com to find a fun place to spend the night in your hometown

Are You Ready to be a Tourist in Your Hometown?

Have I convinced you that being a tourist in your hometown can be a fun way to spend the day, or even a weekend? Whether you choose to explore only the town that you live in or take a road trip to somewhere close by, I can guarantee that there will be new things to discover and adventures to experience around every corner.

HAVE FUN EXPLORING YOUR HOMETOWN 🙂

SAVE TO BE A TOURIST IN YOUR HOMETOWN