By Sarah Ribeiro
Every town, no matter how small, has special hotspots. Some cities have historic sites that draw crowds or a landmark that’s famous nationally. Others just have beautiful locales in the nooks and crannies of town that only the locals know about. This weekend, you and your sweetheart can see the sights as an insider without having to leave your hometown.
The first step for this touristy date is to find out what’s unique about your hometown. Does it have a factory that specializes in a weird or impressive trade? Is the water there bluer — or browner — than anywhere else in the country? Check a Tourist Directory to see what attractions are in your town or nearby. There may even be something that you and your partner have never visited or even heard of before.
Then, take on the role of the tourist couple. This date requires a bit of acting skill, but it’s worth the fun. Pretend you and your love are new to the area and have never been to any of these sightseeing spots. You can even grab some friends who aren’t familiar with the area to add on to the illusion of being a visitor to your town.
Grab a camera and head to your nearby tourist attraction. If it’s a sightseeing location or a physical landmark, you and your partner can take turns posing in front of the spot and get a few shots of the two of you as a couple. You can also soak up the beautiful scenery. Some great sightseeing sites are lighthouses, rose gardens, rivers, or even weird monuments, like Muffler Men or the Jolly Green Giant statute in Minnesota.
If you’re hitting up a historic site, try and get a guided tour. Places like the Freedom Trail in Boston offer guided tours with a thematic twist — all the tour guides dress up as historical figures or as colonials. It’s worth the money: not only will you learn a lot, but you and your honey won’t have to worry about getting lost as you wander around a historical neighborhood.
The best part about this date is that you don’t have to travel too far. It’s a great way to explore your hometown and learn about where you live while spending an entire day doing something new with your significant other.
Have you ever taken a tourist-style date in your own hometown? Share your comments below.
