10 tips for exploring your own city

Traveling is a gift. 
Traveling somewhere new is a beautiful gift that you can give to the soul. 
But... traveling and exploring your own hometown or city that you live in (or one nearby) is a gift that can change your life. 

If you have been around this blog for even a little bit of time then you know that I love to travel and be adventurous, but I also learned throughout the last ten years (especially during the fight for my health and life) in new ways to be content in seasons of life where travel and adventure are lived closer to home. This was a lesson that I found incredibly priceless as people seem to be able to go off to all different parts of the world and I was bedbound for years. That beautiful lesson has directly affected my thoughts of living life with adventure and also looking "closer to home" for new things to explore that now I have implemented into my daily life in so many different ways. I can't encourage you enough to embrace adventure wherever you are...mostly with your life. You do not need to travel somewhere else to get refreshed, recharged, or whatever else you read. Travel can be done right in your own city.

With summer in the northeast reaching the halfway point and dreams of fall road trips looming, I thought it would be a perfect time to share tips for exploring your own city and finding the joy and adventure that can be found in your own backyard. 

I have been trying on the weekends to go to a new place that I have never seen in our area and it has been so much fun. This adventure heart of mine has loved exploring and it has been practically free (with the exception of gas money).

Maybe you don't have a ton of money to travel to far away places but you can explore the culture that is found in your beautiful area of the world. Maybe your health doesn't allow you to travel as much as you would like, but you can take a short car ride to see the beauty around you. Maybe you can't leave your job to travel far but you can spend a weekend traveling around your town. Whatever your reasons are for wanting to develop your wanderlust, I hope that this post will inspire you to explore right where you are! 

Here are 10 tips for exploring your own city... 

1. Ask your Friends, Co-workers, Neighbors on where to go

Whenever I have moved to a new place I always make it a point to ask people what their favorite thing is to do in the area.  It is always so much fun to hear what people consider the best things to do are and it will give you a list to jump off of as you consider your own adventures. You may have returned to a city that you have lived in before after being away for a while or you may have lived in the same place your whole life. Either way take the time to ask your friends, co-workers, and neighbors for ideas on what to see and do in your own city. You may be surprised with the answers that you discover!

Also- write down or keep track of people's suggestions. It can be so easy in the hustle and bustle of life to remember something new to try when the weekend or a day off comes around. Writing the ideas down, tearing ideas out of local newspapers, etc. can be a fun way to keep track of new things to do. I add these ideas to my travel book of my city/state (#3) and it is a fun way to keep track of everything! I also decided a while ago to start keeping a key chain junk journal (click HERE) of my own living area. It has been so fun to see so many things and places! 

2. Eat at Someplace New

This suggestion probably seems a little funny at first, but it is so easy to get into a "rut" of eating at the same place week after week or day after day. When we travel we are often forced to try new places and things to eat so why not do this in your own city? Check out your city and see what the local newspaper says is the best "hole in the wall restaurant"? Instead of eating at your favorite restaurant why not try a dinner cruise in your town? Think outside the box and explore your city by trying to eat something new or different just like you would if you had traveled somewhere new. 

One of the really neat things has been going out with friends to new places in my area that I have never been to before! I have loved the suggestions and the opportunity to explore all different places these past years!

Maybe money is exceptionally tight right now (I definitely understand) so maybe the "restaurant" during the summer is checking out your local ice cream stand or farmers market. Set a limit, have everyone chip in $5 and share your findings in a picnic. It doesn't have to be expensive to enjoy and have fun!

Another suggestion- One thing that some friends and I did when we lived in DC was to try the "top 25 restaurants" that had been listed in the "Washingtonian". It was so fun to explore these restaurants that we may never have discovered otherwise! Check your local paper for new restaurants, their top picks, and "secret" hole in the wall locations! You may be surprised at what you find! Live in a bigger city and can't afford some of the pricier restaurants? Sign up for restaurant week! 

3. Be a "Tourist" in Your Own Town

A simple way to explore your own city is to pretend to be a tourist in your own town. What are the places and things to do that you recommend to others who visit your town? Think about the unique things that you may do with them and find out more about those places that might offer different or unique opportunities. 

Several years ago my chiropractor mentioned the Mother Cabrini Shrine that was in driving distance to us. I had never heard of it before and this place was beautiful and to find it so close by was amazing. 

Also randomly three years ago we were driving to a new town that we had never been to and we came across the Almanzo Wilder Homestead. Y'all- it is so interesting to discover what is really close by! 

Another example of this is "Jazz on the Green" in DC. When I lived in DC so many of my friends and family who visited wanted to go to the National Gallery of Art. As a lady who loves art, the museum (and its gardens) is wonderful and I definitely recommend it, but the museum (like many museums) offers so much more than simply exploring their collections. One of the great things that the National Gallery of Art hosts is "Jazz on the Green" in the summer months (starting at the end of May). The event is free and hosts a ton of different artists throughout the summer. You can purchase food and drinks there and it makes for an enchanting evening in the summer. 

What does your city offer that might be similar to this? Think like a tourist and check things out a little bit more in depth and you may be surprised at what you discover! One simple way that you can pretend to be a tourist is to purchase a travel guide for your city that you live in (or a city that is closest to you)! When I first moved to Georgia years ago I did this and it was so fun to explore and see the city through different eyes.  

Some of my favorite travel books are Lonely Planet books, Rick Steves Books, or Moon Travel guides. Interested in a travel journal of your city to use as a keepsake? Consider looking through the travel journals that are available for purchase in my Etsy shop! 

4. Go see a (different) Sports Event or a local play

Many people have "their teams" that they cheer for and sports teams that they religiously follow. But did you know that there might be a different sport that you may find you like just as much by trying it out? If you love football why not try and see something different in the Winter and Spring months? Be open to trying new things and you may discover a whole new side of your city! 

Another thing to do that is fun is to go see a local play at the high school or local college. Over the years I have been to a lot of different local high school plays and y'all they are so fun and good! And as a former high school teacher- I know how much hard work goes into things behind the scenes to make those plays happen! And seriously- the talent that some of those young adults have is amazing and it was fun to get into the community in this way. 

5. Try Something Different in Your Hometown

Anyone that knows me knows that I loved growing up tubing and skiing on the lake during the summer months. Some people though have heard the humorous story of how wake boarding came to our family. For some reason we never did this growing up and I honestly am not sure why, but years ago I was out in Washington state visiting a friend and his family took us boating on a nearby river. Their big thing was wake-boarding and were surprised that I had never tried it before. It was so much fun and it was fun to "introduce" this to our family. For some reason though this has added a completely new aspect to the lake for us and I really am convinced that it is because it is something new. So my advice and encouragement is to take the time to try something new in your own city that you may only try if you were traveling somewhere else!

6. Try a Different Form of Transportation

It is so easy to use our cars to drive when you live in the city you are wanting to explore, but why not try exploring your city through a different form of transportation? Just like if you traveled abroad why not try using the metro system, riding bikes, or walking through your city? You may be surprised at what you discover simply from trying a different form of transportation. 

Do you like to Hike or Bike in general? Why not make it a goal to try all of the different hiking or biking trails in your area? Or why not join a club that does the same thing? Who knows what your town or city may have to offer that is similar! You may meet new friends and have a great time exploring something completely new in your city! 

7. Participate in the Local "Customs"

Is your city "known" for something? Many times people who live in a city that is known for something (politics, fashion week, military activities, natural wonders, etc.) don't end up attending these things. Whether it is because we live in that place and "are so used to it" or we just don't think of attending, many times the locals actually miss out on local customs. This is such a simple thing to change- simply investigate what your city is known for (or why people come to visit it!) and check out the things to do! 

One of the neatest parts of living in Virginia Beach (near Norfolk) was going to celebrate the return of soldiers after a deployment. It was beautiful, it was moving, and it reminded us of the intense and incredible sacrifice that so many families and soldiers are making for our country. If you have the opportunity to attend a homecoming ceremony do it. It will be amazing.

8. Stay at a Local Hotel, Inn, or Bed & Breakfast

A great way to explore your city and make you feel that you are on vacation is to stay at a local Hotel, Inn, or Bed & Breakfast. Having the opportunity to "get away" for an evening is something that can make you feel that you truly are on a vacation even if you are in your own city. (Don't have the finances to stay someplace? Some friends of mine had a perfect idea for this: swap houses with some other friends! It gives everyone a chance to go someplace new and feel like you are getting away!) 

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to go over and explore Lake Placid in depth for a few days at the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort was a beautiful gift. I hadn't spent time really in Lake Placid (except for some day trips) and it was truly lovely.

Another neat opportunity for me was going to the Wildflower Inn in Vermont. It was only about 3 hours away but it felt that we had entered another land as we had never explored the Northeast Kingdom before. 

What is in driving distance to you that you may find to be an adventure? Also- don't forget to consider going somewhere in the "off season" - you will get to explore and also will find reduced rates!

9. Walk around Downtown. 

Many cities are giving life to their "downtown" areas with unique shops, local eateries, coffee shops, etc. Why not spend a day walking through the downtown and exploring your city? You may be pleasantly surprised by what you discover and learn!

10. Explore the Natural Resources around your City

I shared a couple of years ago about discovering the Hurricane Chapter" in the Adirondack Mountains and what a joy it was! It is amazing that despite the fact that I have spent nearly half of my life in this area of the United States that I was not aware of this beautiful section of mountains. What started out as a simple drive brought such beauty to my world and joy in discovery!

Another amazing thing was joining into a local challenge to see more of the area. For years I have been working on the #ADK50FALLSCHALLENGE and it has been so much fun! You can read about some of the places that I have visited below:

// Rainbow Falls (Ausable Chasm, New York) // 

// Blue Ridge Falls (North Hudson, New York) // 

// Split Rock Falls (New Russia, New York) // 

// Upper LaChute Falls (Ticonderoga, New York) // 

// The Falls of Carillon (Ticonderoga, New York) // 

//Anderson Falls (Keeseville, New York) //

// Rice's Falls (Elizabethtown, New York) // 

// Jay Falls (Jay, New York) // 

What land or natural beauty is around your city? Look on a map and see what natural resources surround your area! You may be surprised to discover areas that you have never explored or driven to! (Don't see anything new? Look up national parks, gardens, waterfalls, oceans, lakes, rivers, etc. that are around your city! You are guaranteed to find something!!)

What are tips you have for exploring your own city? 

I just want to drop this extra encouragement one more time. Friends, never feel that this is second to exploring other areas of the world! Remember sweet friends, your beautiful life is the adventure and no matter how near or far you can physically go, you can make life full of adventure and joy right where you are at! 

Looking for additional tips on exploring your city? Check out this post HERE!

Want to find more travel tips and travel experiences here on the blog? Click HERE! 

Want to read more on my thoughts on being adventurers? Check out this post HERE! 

Have a beautiful day fellow adventure lovers!