When planning a trip to a new city or country, there are two ways to go about it. One is to visit all the tourist spots that the place is famous for. The other, is to hang out where the locals do.
There is nothing wrong with going with the first option. After all, imagine going to Venice and not riding in a gondola or not ascending Table Mountain when in Cape Town! There is a reason that such spots are as popular as they are. Yet, it is by following the second route that one has the opportunity to truly learn about a place…
So, how do you discover where the locals are hanging out?
Talk to Strangers
Your mother probably told you to never talk to strangers, but that is the best thing to do in a foreign place. While it is important to be cautious and follow your instincts if something feels off, most people are friendly and will happily give you suggestions for places to go. Be polite and you may even make some new friends.
It’s Called Social Media for a Reason
With people documenting just about everything these days, all you need to do is some social media stalking. Reddit is an excellent resource for traveling, as are Facebook groups. Thousands of Instagram and TikTok are also dedicated to specific cities—just be careful about falling down the rabbit hole!
Use Your Interests to Find Your Tribe
If you’re looking for like-minded locals, MeetUp is a wonderful tool. As the world’s largest network of local groups, it allows users to find people with the same interests and even find events to go to in a particular location.