Travel

Why You Should Be a Tourist in Your Own City

A huge travel misconception debuffed.

One of the biggest misconceptions about travel is that you must go far to actually be traveling.

Now, some people might disagree, but to me, travel means exploration. And there is absolutely no reason you can’t explore exactly where you are.

Plus, there are so many reasons why you should.

You Never Know What You’ll Find

By wandering around my city, I have found some of my favorite restaurants, stores, and parks.

I am lucky enough to live in a fairly large city (300,000 people), where there is an endless stream of new places popping up all the time.

However, I grew up in a town of under 3,000 people, so I know how it feels to think that you’ve explored every nook and cranny that a place has to offer.

That being said, I am very confident that there are dozens of stores and restaurants that I have never stepped foot in (the same cannot be said for parks since there are only five, but you get my point).

People Visit Your Town for a Reason

Think about it. There are always out-of-town visitors, and they must be there for a reason.

Sure, some are there to visit family, or for business, but there are also at least a few who decided they wanted to get away and chose your city.

Take a second to Google your city. Odds are you’ll find at least a few places or activities that you had no idea existed.

Go visit them. Pretend to be a tourist. I promise it’s a blast.

Final Thoughts

Even in the (unlikely) case that you don’t find anything to interest you, pretending to be a tourist in your city is a super fun way to spend a day.

Grab some friends, or your dog, or even go by yourself, and just explore.

You’ll learn really quickly that you aren’t as familiar with your city as you thought you were.

Not a Medium member? Support me and other writers by becoming a member for only $5/month!

Enjoy this story? Here’s another one you may like: