Travel Tips: How to Live Like a Local

By Ivana Jarmon

Most travelers spend their time ticking off every bar and restaurant, going on tours, and going to the best clubs; there’s nothing wrong with that! But, there is another way. We hear it all the time in the travel advice: live like a local. It’s great advice, but if it’s your first time traveling or you’re in an unfamiliar city, it’s easier said than done. Acting like a local in a new city means behaving like you would if you were at home. If you want to make your trip unforgettable, you’ll need to think like a local.

Here are a few travel tips to live like a local:

1. Ditch the travel guide: Travel guide are wonderful, but they don’t tell you about all of the hidden gems within a city. Change it up and go to a random restaurant you walk by, or take the train and get off at a random stop and see where it leads you.

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2. Forget the hotel: Locals don’t sleep in hotels, so why should you? Try renting a home from services such as AirBNB, or try out a hostel.

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3. Learn the lingo: Communication is always key. Interacting with the local people in an unknown country relies on one thing and that’s you. If you are proactive traveler and ignore your linguistic failings, you will always meet a variety of interesting people. Also, the more time you spend time with the locals, the more fluent you become in their language.

4. Embrace every offer and talk to everyone: Traveling you meet people keen to show you their city. (However, be cautions.) Such invitations often lead to the most wonderful travelling experiences. Deviating from the usual tourist hub may lead you to interesting local joints. Remember to chat to everyone, because it’s a great way of practicing the language and a way to help them learn English.

5. Just enjoy yourself: Don’t try to hard just focus on enjoying yourself. There are definitely urges to try and blend in and experience the less touristy parts of the city. But it’s ok to fall into the occasional tourist trap. Find what works for you, stay on the beaten path or get off. It’s up to you, you are a tourist after all. Mix up your trip. Live like a local and a tourist. If you’re in Paris for the first time, don’t ignore the Eiffel tower because you’re too focused on living like a local.

What are some your travel tips to live like a local? Comment below.