Whether you’re down to your laundry-at-Mom’s-house budget or your boss is just being bizarrely intolerant of your need to be constantly on the road, sometimes you’re just stuck at home. When that travel bug starts biting though it’s hard to just sit around and dream with no action. Even if just for one day, you need a break from reality, you’re restless and you can’t behave unless you experience something new. These desperate moments are the perfect time to try out traveling to your own hometown. Well, at least pretending you’re traveling. Viewing your hometown from the perspective of a visitor can not only help ease your wanderlust when you just can’t take a trip right now, but also give you a new appreciation for where you come from and remind you why in fact you still live there. Here are 10 ways to feel like a traveler in your hometown.
Take a local cooking class.
Food is a travel highlight for most of us no matter where we go. Take this opportunity to try the dishes your home is most known for, and if you’re already a loving fan then use this as a chance to perfect your recipe so you can show off when visitors come.
Browse TripAdvisor for restaurants, shops or events visitors enjoyed most.
Unless you’re from a really small town you probably haven’t patronized every business. Your favorite restaurant could have been just on the other side of town this whole time and you never knew. You two have so much lost time to catch up on.
Take some pictures.
Head out on a walk with your camera and see how your town looks through a lens. Approach places you think you know by heart from a different angle and you might be surprised.
Host an out-of-town guest.
Showing someone else around while they’re on vacation will make you feel like you’re on the trip with them, because you’re part of it.
Brush up on your local history.
Hit the books and learn how your town became your town. You could find some unique stories that make you proud to be sticking around instead of packing your suitcase.
Alter your routine.
Whether it’s taking a different route to work or swapping your Thursday night happy hour with your Saturday night Thai takeout, you might find some new scenery or a new crowd.
Find a great view.
The same sun sets no matter where in the world you are, so find a spot to watch and the feeling you got watching it over that amazing holiday last summer will return for sure.
Turn off your phone.
Not only will the brief break from your townie buds make you feel a little distance, but you’ll also be paying more attention to your surroundings than usual.
Go shopping.
Okay I’m not saying you have to buy some nonsense souvenir that you don’t actually want on your wall, but it’ll be interesting and possibly humorous to check out the shops and see what travelers are bringing home to remember their stay in your town.
Take a guided tour.
What a way to really find out what the outside perspective of your home is- learn what they’re learning.
