12 Tips on How to Travel like a Local

A hip hop jazz jam session on a boat on the Danube. A brand new craft beer pub hidden in the passages of Novi Sad. A restaurant you can only enter by giving the secret password and downing a vodka shot with the sentry. As much as I appreciate the Eiffel Tower and UNESCO churches, some of my favorite memories have been when I’m able to slip away from the masses and travel like a local.

“How do you find this stuff?” my mom asked one day after obsessively liking all my Instagram photos from Budapest. “I didn’t know about this cake when I was there!”

There’s a learning curve, for sure, but after nine months of constant travel I’ve finally developed the skills to travel like a local. It requires a little bit of research, a certain amount of moxie, but I’m having some of the best travel experiences of my life now. So this is for you, Mom, so you too can find the most delicious cake in Budapest one day.

1. Read expat travel blogs. If you want a glimpse into the nooks and crannies of a place, look to the people who actually live there. I’m headed to Paris in July and I’ll be researching hidden gems at Expat Edna’s site. Carly of Austrian Adaptation just published an insider’s guide to Vienna. If I were going to Hong Kong I’d look up Oneika the Traveler. These are the people who, when they publish a “12 Microbreweries You NEED to Try in X” post, I actually believe a little because they’ve had the time to do the research. Bloggers who breeze through a destination in a few days will definitely have useful information – it’s just going to be from a different perspective than someone who has immersed themselves in a city and grown roots.

2. Couchsurf. I tried Couchsurfing for the first time in Budapest, and it completely changed the way I experienced the city. At the beginning of the week I was wandering around the main sites by myself. At the end of the week, I was hanging out in the park with friends and hopping around trying to find wifi so I could firm up dinner plans. With the people I met Couchsurfing, I built a friend base that could show me secrets of the city and gave me a group that I could go out with (because ruin bars are always more fun with Italians).

Even if you don’t use Couchsurfing for accommodation, you can meet some friends through it. I met a girl in Novi Sad that became a good friend. I’ve also heard good things about accommodation site BeWelcome, though I haven’t used it myself. Renting a room through Airbnb is another way to get to know a local. When we stayed in a renovated school bus in Austin (Austin weird, right?), our host gave us a great recommendation for a restuarant down the street that had an awesome beer list and killer grilled cheese.

3. Research Spotted by Locals. This is one of my favorite resources to use when planning a trip. Spotted by Locals is written by residents of the city. Spotted by Locals is how I found a speakeasy in a movie theatre in Kiev, epicly rich hot chocolate in Tallinn, and a dumplings-only restaurant in Saint Petersburg. There are other websites that aggregate local knowledge, but Spotted by Locals is always my first go-to.

4. Get into the guidebook before you go. This might seem like strange advice for someone who wants to travel like a local. To be honest, I didn’t use guidebooks until recently. Turns out they’re pretty great – kinda like expat blogs printed out. I’ve found guidebooks are especially useful with restaurant suggestions. Dinner decisions are crucial and it’s easy to slip up and accidentally end up at a generic tourist restaurant. Guidebooks have clearly put a lot of research into their dining chapters.

5. Make friends and use them. In the nicest way. Don’t be afraid of a conversation. I know sometimes solo female travelers get anxious when striking up conversations, but be brave and smart! I’ve gotten great travel suggestions through the Couchsurfing website, connecting with friends of friends, going out alone, and even by using Tinder.

6. Eat experimentally. It took me a while to learn to the benefits of spending money on food while traveling, but once I did it completely changed my travel style. Local food (and drink) is a top priority for me now, but it can be intimidating to break away from welcoming tourist restaurants with English menus. But it’s so worth it! In Mexico I did my best to stay away from tourist restaurants. Instead, I kept my eyes open for any restaurant or food cart that was packed with locals. Even if I was the only traveler there, even if I couldn’t communicate very well, everyone can understand the point and smile method of ordering food. And I had the best meals! I still dream about a taco I ate sitting a plastic stool at a busy intersection in Mexico City.

For a crazy fun and unique dining experience, check out EatWith, where a local chef invites you into their home for dinner party. I went to an EatWith dinner in New York City and absolutely loved it. The food was exceptional, the hosts were friendly, and there was a wonderful mix of local New Yorkers and visitors.

7. Take a walking tour. Many cities have free walking tours which are a great thing to do at the start of your trip. They give a good overview of the history and culture, help orient yourself, and give you an insight into the people of the city. Cozy up to your guide to get their personal recommendations.

8. Use Facebook. I’m part of several travel-focused Facebook groups, including Girls LOVE Travel, Travelettes, and Girls vs Globe. They are excellent resources for planning trips. Beyond that, look up some of the businesses and restaurants at your destination on Facebook. See if they reference any other places worth checking out. I liked a café’s Facebook page in Novi Sad and saw they had announced the opening of a friend’s bar. That pub ended up being my local bar and a great place to meet people.

9. Learn how to drive a motorbike. The freedom and feeling of being present that comes with a motorbike is indescribable. One of my favorite memories of Bali was whizzing past the rice paddies on the back of a motorbike and trying not to giggle about how ridiculously cool my life was. There was also exploring volcanos and hot springs and waterfalls in Costa Rica, the winding cliff roads on our way to a Santorini sunset, and the red dirt roads of Laos.

10. Join in on festivals. My friend and I accidentally planned our trip to Siem Reap in the middle of an annual water festival. Every night the town came alive with music, dancing, shopping, and merry-making. You could send lanterns down the river or buy dollar beers and chill at the Angkor tent.

I happened to be on the tiny Isla Holbox for Carnaval and witnessed everything from organized dance troupes, drunken cross-dressing men, and some sort of mythic drama that ended with an effigy burning. Could not have planned that if I had tried.

11. Travel slower. When I was twenty years old and living in England, I went on a whirlwind six-day trip to Copenhagen, Venice, and Prague. And while I had a great time, I remember my 36 hours in Prague as a sort of dazed, disorganized meander. And even if I had been super-organized, I would have only had time for the main tourist sites. Staying in Novi Sad for a whole month allowed me to travel like a local – which did mean workdays and laundry, just like in real life. But also meant that I could go to the annual film festival and visit the university’s experimental vineyard.

12. Be open. Say yes. Get lost. There’s a reason you’re not at home watching Netflix.

How do you travel like a local? What off-the-beaten tourist path experiences have you had?