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How to Travel Like a Local – 25 Secrets

• In the City

What’s the difference between visiting a place and truly experiencing it? These days, it’s common to see travelers ditch tours and embrace more authentic experiences. They’re dropping the “tourist” label, instead opting to “travel like a local”… but what does that really mean?

This is our fifth year of traveling full-time and we’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way. But we’ve also mastered the art of traveling like a local and it’s had a major impact on our lives! Turns out, being a doer passionate about authentic travel experiences can teach you how to be a better local in your hometown, too. That being said, for those of who’d like to adopt the ways of a local, learn to blend in a little more and dig deeper into a destination– you’ve come to the right place!

A big thank you to Kleenex Wet Wipes for sponsoring this post. All opinions are always our own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.

13 Secrets on How to Travel like a local

1. let locals plan your day.

Tours can be great if you don’t have time to plan your trip, if new places make you nervous and you’d rather get your feet wet before diving in, or if you just want everything taken care of for you. However, it’s not the best way to see a city from the eyes of those who live there. So don’t be shy!  Talk to locals and discover their favorite spots. Even if you are a thorough researcher, there are still great gems only the locals know about.

Ask your cab driver or the valet for restaurant recommendations instead of the concierge. Often times, hotels partnerships with local businesses and promote them exclusively. They also don’t want to send guests anywhere that might be off-putting or not as polished. Instead, talk to waiters, shopkeepers or doorman about the places they love–we’ve discovered some of the best Italian food by talking to our taxi driver. If we find particular restaurants we love, we’ve also asked the chef for their favorite eats in the city.

2. Or Even Better, Have a Local Friend Show You Around

When we visit a new destination, we always try to connect with old friends or go to places where a friend already lives. You can also make friends on forums, dating apps, and social media. Lately, we’ve met a lot of people through Instagram and they’ve become real life friends.

Besides the popular dating apps, you can also try these: Bon Appetour , Global Greeter Network , PartyWith , Skout , WithLocals .

3. Explore Neighborhoods vs Attractions

Rather than running all over the city to see different sights, try sticking to one neighborhood to get a feel for what it’s like to live there. It makes the trip way less stressful and more enjoyable too. When we visited NYC in the past, we had a love-hate relationship with it mainly because we were going all over the place. It wasn’t until we moved here and started exploring the neighborhoods that we really fell in love with the city.

4. Take Public Transportation

You should absolutely take public transportation in any city that has a good system, like London , NYC , or Tokyo . Yes, it can be intimidating if you’re not used to it, but it’s a great way to see the city and provides unique opportunities to interact with all sorts of locals. Plus, taking a bus or train is a great cost saver– even short trips can be incredibly expensive in some cities. You can make navigating local transit systems less intimidating by downloading transit maps and apps to your phone ahead of time.

Bonus transit tip: bring Kleenex Wet Wipes on your ride so you can clean yourself and germy surfaces!

5. Ditch Your Room Key

If you’re staying in a hotel, you’re most likely surrounding yourself with other tourists. While our friend was out in NYC for a play, he rented out an apartment on the Lower East Side for an extended time. Every time we visited, we left feeling like we’d visited their home. Staying in the rental let his family become familiar with the neighborhood too.

Note : In NYC, Airbnb’s are a little tricky. They’re technically only legal if you’re staying for a month or if the homeowner is present.

You can also try FlipKey or even smaller boutique hotels that give you more personalized service. In our experience, they gave us better recommendations.

6. Cook for Yourself

Most people eat out the whole time they travel, and we’ll admit that we usually do too. But we love visiting the neighborhood supermarket to pick up local snacks for friends back home. At local farmer’s markets, we love learning about the nearby farms.

7. Do More, Fret Less

When we’re out of town, we always bring along a few key necessities so we’re prepared for anything. Bringing these items with us gives us more time to explore new places, avoiding time consuming trips to the store for supplies or mid-day refreshes back in our room. That list includes sunblock, extra batteries, memory cards, cash, a map and items that serve a duel purpose and Kleenex Wet Wipes – they’re perfect for cleaning your hands and face after a sweaty day of exploration where running water is out of reach. Try them for yourself here .

8. Learn the Lingo

If you’re traveling to a foreign country, it always helps to learn a few basic phrases. Even if you’re nowhere near fluent, locals usually appreciate visitors who try to speak their language.

Even if you’re vacationing in a different state, try to pick up on the local lingo and pronunciation. Here are a few key examples:

• Calling San Francisco “San Fran” will surely annoy the locals.
• Houston St in NYC is pronounced “HOW-ston” instead of like the city in Texas.
• In Portland, Couch St is “COOCH” and Portlander’s like to remind visitors that Wilamette is “Will-AM-it Dammit.”

9. and the Dress Code

I remember when we first moved to NY, we still wore our bright red jackets and we would constantly get asked where we were visiting from. We soon learned that all black was the way to go in this city. Generally speaking, wearing neutral colors in most cities help you blend in. 

10. Volunteer at a Local Organization

Volunteering when you travel is a great way to contribute to the local community while getting to know it. From building an urban garden in South America to conserving wildlife just a few states away, your options are endless. You’ll spend time instead of money doing something meaningful, learning about your new environment in a hands-on way no tour experience could offer. 

We’ve taken trips with the sole purpose of giving back to local communities in the Philippines and Haiti and formed strong, meaningful relationships with locals because of it. Make sure to check the integrity of the organization you’re volunteering for through tools like Charity Navigator .

More recently, we like to volunteer at local animal shelters. If you’re ever in Atlanta and love cats and dogs, connect with FurKids .

11. Be Respectful

I wish this was obvious, but it seems like we always read or hear about another tourist doing something offensive or dumb. Remember to always respect the local culture, whether you’re far off overseas or just in another city. Each city and town has it’s own rhythm and feel, and sometimes all it takes is to pay attention to what’s going around you to figure out what that unspoken culture is.

12. Workout at a Local Gym

We hate working out, but we do like visiting different climbing gyms everywhere we travel. Whatever you’re into, whether it’s crossfit, yoga, or rock climbing , visit the local gym. It’s usually easy to start up conversations with the locals and get some insider tips too.

This was a climbing gym we visited in Tokyo.

13. Extend Your Stay

We still visit the popular and touristy spots when we visit a new destination, but if we can, we try to extend our stay so we can explore more of the city. Try slow travel like us!

We took this tip to heart when we decided to move to a new city every year. If there is a city you visit regularly, make it a point to explore a new spot every time you’re there rather than going to the same places again and again. This way it gives you time to get lost and wander.

If you’re headed to NYC, you can also check out:  21 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting NYC  &  Local Tips for Moving to NYC .

What does traveling like a local mean to you?

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ESTHER + JACOB

Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, which is one of the top 5 travel blogs in the US. They believe that adventure can be found both near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city in depth every year and currently base themselves in NYC.

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Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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The 10 Tastings of Florence

Highlights & hidden gems of lisbon, the 10 tastings of athens, explore the louvre with a local guide, the 10 tastings of venice, the 10 tastings of bologna, highlights & hidden gems of valencia, explore the acropolis & museum with a local guide, highlights & hidden gems of barcelona, the 10 tastings of porto, we have released our 2023 impact report.

Discover the milestones we've achieved in 2022 and 2023. From the number of local hosts we've supported to the economic, social, and environmental effects we've generated. Take a look at the tangible difference we're making in the lives of our hosts, their communities, and the travelers.

Top 5 destinations for foodies

Discover the best way to know the city, by food!

From modern to traditional cuisine. From cocktail bars to centuries-old cafes. Savor the very best. Madrid has it all!

2 . Hong Kong

HK is a foodie paradise, and its cuisine is as flavorful as it is rich in culture and history.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do: discover the beauty of Italian food! From authentic plates of pasta & pizzas to the best gelatos!

4 . Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur's cuisine is rich in many flavors. The melting pot of dishes is sure to tantalize your taste buds!

Thanks to its iconic dishes and cosmopolitan atmosphere, Milan is the perfect place to make your taste buds dance.

Find your own local

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1 . Magical Paris

Paris with kids? Oui! From cool sights to fun playgrounds & yummy food. It's the perfect city to have a blast with the family.

2 . Ancient Rome

The Eternal City is filled with treasures! Ready to discover them with your family? Top it off with yummy pizzas & gelatos!

3 . Creative Barcelona

Whether your kids are into playing at the beach, eating yummy food or running at the park - the sunny city of Barcelona has it all!

4 . Majestic Porto

Porto is perfect for traveling with kids. From cool parks to the seaside and Family Friendly attractions - there's plenty of fun for everyone!

5 . Active Budapest

When in Budapest, your family is in for a treat! Delicious food, cool boat rides, and much more family fun awaits.

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A great 3 hours with a cool local

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"It was one of the best decisions to book Ceren. She took me through Istanbul, we tasted amazing food and coffee. We had such a good time together, nice chats and a lovely walk. Can recommend her 100%!!"

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Discovering Regions through Local Eyes

Discover each region like a local, as we take you off the beaten path for the best places

10 Ways to Find Cool Places Near You (& Plan the Perfect Staycation!)

Last Updated: February 26, 2021

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With global travel still an uncertainty these days, I’ve learned more than ever to embrace local adventures near me…

Which in Christina terms means I’ve become utterly obsessed with researching all the weirdest, most unique places I can visit within a few hours of my apartment.

I’m lucky to live in Munich , a city that is swimming in hidden gems and plenty of mountains, lakes, castles and villages within 2 hours in each direction.

And while I thought I knew the area well already, quarantine has given me a chance to dig deeper and find unique places that make even born-and-bred Bavarians go “wtf?”

Save this guide to finding local hidden gems for later!

You’ll be very glad you did.

So, I would say there is definitely a science to discovering hidden gems, and I’m confident that if you know where to look, you’ll be able to find awesome spots near you too.

To help you out, in this post I will be sharing some of my best tips for finding unique & cool places to explore locally, no matter where you live.

1. We’ll start simple. Use Google… but here’s what to search!

I’m sure by now you already know how to use Google, but there are certain tricks you can use to find cool places to visit nearby…

Beyond just what Page 1 results like TripAdvisor and Culture Trip are recommending.

Here are some tips:

Start with searching “cool places near me” or variations of this.

If you didn’t already know, often Google will localize your search results, which means typing in terms like “cool stuff to do near me” will yield results that are tailored to your current location.

Depending on where you’re located, this will help get you started with some helpful resources, articles and blogs that feature cool places to visit near where you live.

Google “destination + hidden gems” or “destination + secrets”.

This will narrow your search down to more interesting, lesser known places.

Google “destination + local blog”.

Many large cities these days have entire websites dedicated to providing tips to locals.

I myself run one for Munich!

These are the websites you should be looking for if you want to find cool spots to explore nearby, beyond the usual tourist hotspots.

2. Use Google Maps to your advantage

Google Maps has gotten a lot smarter over the years, and these days, the amount of information it gives is honestly mindblowing…. if you know what to search, that is.

One thing I like to do on Google Maps is type in a generic search term like “Landmarks”, which will pull up a list of interesting spots in the area.

Many of them will be ones you’re familiar with, but often you’ll find some lesser known gems too!

For instance, I just did this and found a museum that I had no idea existed only a few blocks away from me. Other good search terms include “Viewpoints”, “Hidden Gems” and “Attractions”.

3. Visit the local tourism board website

I know that as a local, it can feel weird to visit the tourism board website of your own region, BUT these sites are seriously treasure troves of knowledge with comprehensive listings of all the cool things to do in a certain place.

Sure, they’re not often the sleekest or “coolest” websites around, but they’re also often not heavily optimized for search engines, which means much of their content can be missed with a simple Google search.

So, if you want to find more obscure gems from your local area, make sure to visit the tourism board’s website.

I promise you’ll uncover something you never knew existed!

These are usually easy to find as well, just search up “your area + tourism board”.

You should be able to find ones for your local city, state/province, as well as country.

4. Snoop Instagram accounts of local tourism boards and influencers

I’m a visual person, and far prefer SEEING cool places to visit near me vs. reading about them.

While Pinterest can sometimes be handy for this, I get frustrated with the lack of helpful information in Pinterest captions, along with lots of photos which are clearly very very Photoshopped.

Before I ever travelled for myself, I genuinely thought the Isle of Skye in Scotland had purple trees because of Pinterest. I was highly distraught to learn this wasn’t the case.

A great resource for finding new unique spots though is Instagram!

You just have to be strategic about it.

For starters, I highly recommend finding the official Instagram account of your city, state/province, and country tourism boards.

These accounts always feature the best of the best in terms of photos/destinations, and because their job is to specifically promote the heck out of their region, they often showcase lesser known spots too.

I use the “Save” function on Instagram to collect all these spots and sort them into folders as well for ease of browsing later.

I also like to star the locations on Google Maps so I can start to see which spots are close together, and plan a trip around that.

Unsurprisingly, I have a LOT of stars (and hearts!)

5. Find local influencers and photographers to follow

Local travel will definitely be the norm for a little while, so odds are there are a lot of other people in your area who are also seeking local adventures.

One great way to garner inspo then is to follow and snoop the heck out of these fellow adventurers!

Shameless plug note: if you live in Munich or Bavaria, follow me here – I have lots of cool adventures planned!

But now you might be wondering, where do you find these magical local people to snoop on? Here are some tips!

Google “your city/state + blogger”.

The key here is to find bloggers who focus on specific areas or bloggers who are local to that place because they’re more likely to showcase places that are more off the beaten path.

See who is being featured frequently on tourism board/local feature accounts.

The majority of tourism boards source their content from local photographers and influencers anyway, same with generic feature accounts, so find some for your city and then see who is being credited or tagged in the caption.

Look through photography hashtags for your region.

More on this below…

6. Snoop through niche hashtags on Instagram

Clearly, I’m a big fan of using Instagram as a research tool and one very underrated research tool I love is hashtags!

Hashtags are a great way to discover new content, but you need to use them properly.

Here’s how to actually use hashtags to discover unique places near you: the key is to avoid really generic hashtags like #munich or #germany – I’ve found that these are usually flooded with selfies and blurry brunch pics.

Instead, you should be looking through local photography hashtags that only local content creators know about/use.

The best way to find these hashtags is to see what hashtags your favourite creators are already using!

Often accounts will add all their hashtags in the comments as well, so be sure to snoop around and discover niche hashtags to flip through, and potentially find new accounts to follow as well.

In Munich for instance, I’ve found that #SimplyMunich and #MeinMünchen are great hashtags to discover new interesting places.

7. Find unique places to stay near you on Airbnb

Craving a staycation?

Another way to adventure close to home is to find somewhere really unique to stay.

Imagine sleeping in a lighthouse, castle or windmill nearby… that’d be pretty awesome right?

Well, one awesome tool I’ve discovered recently are the search filters on Airbnb, which allow you to find unique accommodations juuuuust like those.

What you’ll want to do is search up the area you’re looking at, then click “More Filters” and navigate down to the “Unique Stays” section.

Here, you can check off boxes for unique kinds of accommodation like treehouses, castles, tiny houses, huts, trains, boats, anything.

You never know what you might find in your area! By doing this I was able to find this LEGO treehouse and a literal survival house built of twigs and leaves . Wild stuff.

8. Buy a Book dedicated to your area

As a blogger who spends 90% of her time online, I tend to forget the huge depth of information out there that exists in print.

I was so surprised to learn one day while doing research that there have been loads of amazing books written about my area, filled with hidden gems and unique spots.

I bought a few right away, including a book that is 100% dedicated to secret locations in Munich…. and one about beer gardens.

Depending on where you’re from, I bet there’s at least one or two books out there that are dedicated to unique places in your area, so be sure to do a quick search.

There’s just something so satisfying about having a physical book to flip through!

9. Get ideas from Atlas Obscura

One of my favourite websites to check whenever I’m planning a trip is Atlas Obscura .

Their focus is wondrous and unique locations that are not necessarily the most typical tourist sights, so imagine things like secret hidden museums, or chapels made out of bones, and other wonderful, mildly morbid things that are quite different to what most guidebooks would recommend.

I’m a huge sucker for quirky, unexpected places so I am addicted to this website and will check it whenever I’m planning a trip.

This would also be a great resource if you are looking for cool places in or near your hometown that you may have never heard of before.

10. Get tips from Spotted by Locals

Last but not least, Spotted by Locals is an interesting site that relies on local know-how to create city guides mainly in Europe and North America.

I like that they employ local writers to share their expertise, which means you won’t be getting any generic tips about the city’s most popular attractions.

Instead, you’re getting insight into local gems and places that would be more interesting to you as a local, or someone from the area.

Any more tips for finding cool things to do near you?

Let me know in the comments if you have any other recommendations! Happy wanders!

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🏨 Booking.com: For searching hotels

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✈️ Google Flights : For finding flight deals

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18 Best Websites & Apps to Find Local Tour Guides

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If you are looking at this page you are probably looking for recommendations on where to find local tour guides . There are many websites and apps where you can book local tour guides and can sometimes be difficult to find. To save you some time, we have curated a list of websites in order to help you find the best local tour guides who will surely give you an enriching experience.

Websites to Find Local Tour Guides – Worldwide

For an even more convenient way to find local tour guides and compare their deals, check out TourScanner !

• Find local tour guides

Don’t hesitate to comment below if you wish to recommend other websites for local tour guides. Wishing you an excellent time and travel safe!! 🙂

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Boston Travel Guide: Awesome Hidden Gems by Real Locals

Everybody knows their way to the Fenway Park and the Boston Museum of Fine Art, but where do Boston locals go? Check our online travel guide & download our app for hidden local gems. No algorithms, no fake reviews, and away from the touristic traps. Try Spotted by Locals! It's like having a bunch of good local friends abroad advising you where to go!

Our Local Spotters in Boston

Our handpicked locals live & love in Boston and speak the local language.

No tourist traps

• HANDPICKED LOCALS who speak the local language
• ONLY LOCAL FAVORITES No tourist highlights
• ALWAYS UP-TO-DATE We check all tips regularly
• FREE NEW TIPS REGULARLY New tips free "for life"

Beats our website

• 100% OFFLINE MAPS & TIPS No internet (data or wifi) needed
• FIND SPOTS NEARBY and navigate there online
• SAVE FAVORITES and show them on the map
• ADD YOUR OWN SPOTS Your hotel? A must-see highlight?

Latest Hidden Gems in Boston

Eat At Jumbo’s – Go vegan, eat burgers

Rick Walker’s – Unexpected cowboy style on Newbury

Christina’s Ice Cream – Save room for dessert

Bobby From Boston – Vintage menswear

Black Ink – Essentials you didn’t know you needed

Boston Athenaeum – A charming independent library

What to do in boston.

Art & culture

Coffee & tea

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How to Find Awesome Local Things to Do In Any Travel Destination

You’ve arrived jetlagged but bursting with excitement in a brand new travel destination… so, what next? How do you actually find local things to do during your trip that are interesting and fun?

You can Google “Top 10 Things to Do in _____” or look in your guidebook… but what if the main tourist attractions don’t interest you? Or what if you cover them all in a day or two and you want to find something a little different? Sometimes the most memorable travel experiences aren’t the ones that you find in the top ten lists, they are the odd places that you discover when you dig a little deeper into your destination.

You could find yourself learning how to make handmade empanadas at a cooking class in Chile , volunteering to walk dogs at an animal shelter in Belize or checking out a museum dedicated to British comic and cartoon art in London.

Each travel destination has a wealth of intriguing attractions, you just have to know where to look to find local things to do. Fortunately, it’s never been easier. There are multiple apps that are designed to help you find cool events and attractions around you and many websites dedicated to hunting out the most awesome local things to do and curating them for your enjoyment.

So, no matter where you are heading it’s worth bookmarking this post so that you can try using all of these tools to scout out great things to do in your destination. Some tools will work better in some destinations and not in others, but you’ll be able to use many of these to find local things to do no matter where you go in the world.

Resources To Help You Find Local Things to Do Anywhere

Meetup is a very cool website that allows you to find events, groups, clubs and other get-togethers related to what you are interested in. You can search for Meetups in your destination and find a huge range of things, from book clubs to language exchanges to running clubs to writing workshops to food tasting get-togethers and much more. No matter what you are interested in, whether it is hiking, chess or watching the football – you’ll find people who share your interests.

Link: Meetup.com

Atlas obscura.

Atlas Obscura is one of my favourite websites in the world. It is a beautifully presented and expertly curated collection of odd and wonderful things to see and do. It’s typically filled with quirky museums, historical buildings with odd pasts, bizarre architecture and one of a kind cultural quirks such as the Witch Market in La Paz, Bolivia .

Oh, and if you start reading the blog you’ll never want to stop. It’s one of my go-to sources for weird and interesting facts that I can come out with randomly during lulls in the conversation. For example, you probably had no idea that the sex lives of penguins were so scandalous or that there were secret hidden apartments in the top floors of New York City’s branch libraries .

Link: Atlas Obscura

Culture trip.

I love Culture Trip. It’s such a great website and it’s become one of my main go-to resources to find local things to do. You can search through it by destination and find all of the articles related to where you will be traveling. The posts are well written and they offer unique and quirky suggestions, not just the same cliche top 10 things to see and do. It’s especially helpful if you are into art, history and food. 

Plus, they also have an app that you can download and use to look for local stuff on your phone. I haven’t tried the app, but it gets good reviews so it seems like it is as good as the website.

Link: Culture Trip

Instagram isn’t just for cute puppies and girls with nice butts. It’s also a way to find local things to do in your travel destination that are unique and interesting.

• Open up Instagram.
• Go to the Search page.
• Type in the name of your travel destination.
• Click “Places” on the top bar underneath the search function.
• Select the place tag for your destination.

Voila! Now you will be seeing all of the top Instagram posts for your destination. This is helpful because people usually take Instagram photos of things that are worth checking out. See an amazing looking chocolate sundae? You can find out which cafe serves it. See a photo of an amazing view? You can see where it was taken and head there yourself. Plus, you can even say hi to other travelers who are currently in your destination, you might even make a friend. 🙂

Link: Instagram

Facebook can be another great tool for finding events in a specific destination. Did you know that you can use it to search by location or category? The app now allows you to browse events and sift through them using different categories such as music, nightlife and sports and fitness.

How do you do it?

• Go on Facebook.
• On the left hand side of the page, click “Events.”
• There will be a “Happening Today” section that will show events in your nearby area that are currently occurring. You can also select a date to see events nearby on that day.
• You can also sort by category, ie. Arts, Causes, Music, Dance, Film, etc.

Take a look through and see what kind of events are happening around you. You just might find something fun and exciting to do!

Link:  Facebook

Hostel bulletin boards.

Most hostels will have a bulletin board near the reception, in the kitchen or in the common room that is filled with posters and flyers for local events and clubs. It is also often used as a message or announcement board, such as when someone is looking for a travel partner or trying to buy or sell something.

The hostel bulletin board can be a great way to find out about interesting events in the area, so if your has one make sure that you take a glance at it every day to spot if anything new has been posted.

Facebook Newcomer Groups

In many locations there will be a Facebook group set up for expats and newcomers who have just moved to that location. There’s no reason why you can’t use these groups to find local things to do as a traveller as well.

They will usually organise meetups, events and tours, which is a great way to meet people and explore the city.

Laundromat Bulletin Boards

It might sound strange, but a local laundromat can also be a great place to go to find local things to do. They will have posters and flyers up for local cultural events, concerts, clubs, workshops and much more. The same goes for community boards at the local university or recreation centre. It’s certainly worth taking a peek!

Coffee Shops

Coffee shops are wonderful. A good coffee shop is usually much more than simply a place that serves coffee and food, it’s a hub for the community. Look for a long-established, independent local coffee shop that hosts events and supports local artists and musicians (ie. not a chain store).

If you can find a place like this, it will usually have a stack of flyers or a bulletin board somewhere filled with local events, shows, concerts and other things to do. Plus, the staff will be passionate locals who will be able to recommend things to do in their city.

Plus, when you find your favourite coffee shop you will have discovered a place where you can sit and relax for a while, sip a delicious beverage and soak up the atmosphere of your destination.

Google Maps

You can also use Google Maps to find out what’s interesting nearby. The “Explore” feature will show you what is around you and help you find local things to do, along with reviews and travel times.

To use this feature, just tap the “Explore” button on the bottom right corner of your map to get a look at what is nearby. You will see different places and activities in each area no matter where you are. You can also sort the results based on travel times, or on the time of day.

Link: Google Maps Explore Feature

The local cultural magazine.

Most major cities where you will travel will have their own locally produced cultural magazine that highlights the cool and interesting events happening around the city. For example, the L Magazine in New York or Londnr Magazine in London.

Some of the bigger and more culturally rich cities will have several magazines, each for a different scene or niche. These magazines can usually be found in coffee shops, local bookstores and art galleries – or just ask a cool local to borrow their copy. They are usually goldmines for finding out about the best cultural events in the local scene, as well as being a really interesting glimpse into what life in that city is like.  

Tripadvisor

Tripadvisor is one of the biggest review websites on the planet and it can also be used to find local things to do near you. The great thing about Tripadvisor is that it is filled with honest reviews from people who have actually tried the restaurant/tour/attraction you are looking at, so you can get a realistic idea of what to expect.

You can use the website to search for things to do in your area, or you can find top-rated attractions nearby when you are on the go with the location-based app.

Link: Tripadvisor website, plus the app for iOS and Android

Bandsintown.

This website is your hub of information when it comes to finding out which live music gigs are happening in your destination. You can download the app on your Android or iOS device and track your favourite artists. You’ll receive a notification if those artists are playing in your area. There is also a social aspect to this app – if you have any friends in the area it will let you know which concerts they want to go to, so you can plan to go together.

Link : BandsinTown

Another app that you can use to find events and concerts in your area is Eventbrite. You can connect it to your Facebook account and it will show you popular events and fun things nearby.

It will also tell you what your friends are attending if they are in your area. There’s a wide range of events and activities on here, including parties, musical events, street food festivals, sports games, club nights and much more.

Link: Eventbrite

Like a local app.

If you had a cool local friend who knew all of the best places to go you wouldn’t need all of these websites and apps. The Like a Local App is sort of like that friend, offering insider tips on what to do in your destination.

The tips are supplied by actual local people – there are 11,712 contributors from 3855 cities. They have lived in the city for years and they really know what they are talking about. The app is location based, so you can open it up and see the interesting places near you wherever you are. You can also download the map so that you can use it in Offline mode.

It’s not available for every city in the world, but it’s available for many cities including Prague, Tallinn, Paris, Riga, New York, Moscow, London, Helsinki, Berlin and many more. . If you are heading for a popular tourist destination there is a good chance that you’ll find your destination on there.

Link : Like a Local website and app

Gravy is a pretty cool app that will offer you suggestions for events and help you find local things to do in the local area based on your mood. For example, you could select a “lively” mood and you’ll get recommendations for dance clubs or live music pubs. If you select the “classy” category you might get recommended a wine tasting or an art gallery opening. The app is location based, so it will recommend events all within walking distance from you anywhere in the world.

Links: Gravy for iOS , Gravy for Android

Foodie forums.

That mention of gravy has made me hungry. One of the best parts of traveling is checking out the local culinary scene. Fortunately, there are people out there who are really serious about food. So serious in fact, that they sign up for online boards and argue for hours about which restaurant serves the most authentic Pho or the fluffiest French toast or the perfect pint of beer. You can tap into these passionate foodie forums and find great recommendations for delicious places to eat and drink. You could even sign up and start a thread asking for recommendations for the type of restaurants you like.

Links: Chowhound , eGullet , Roadfood , Beer Advocate .

Your airbnb host.

The sharing economy has really changed travel in a lot of ways and one of the biggest examples of this is AirBnB. You can rent a home or apartment (or just one room in a shared house) from a local person. It’s much more comfortable than a hotel room and you’ll have access to a kitchen, laundry and other facilities. Also, in addition to this you will have the benefit of meeting your host, who may be able to offer you tips on awesome local things to do in your travel destination.

But what about the situations where your AirBnB host might not actually be present at the rental? No worries, you can always check their AirBnB profile to see if they have created a Guidebook. This is a really cool feature of the website that allows hosts to suggest local spots around the listing such as parks, restaurants, bars, attractions and much more.

Plus, some of the bigger cities on AirBnB will have City Guidebooks, which are compiled lists of recommendations that several hosts from that city have added to their guidebooks.

Link: AirBnB Guidebooks

Couchsurfing.

I’ve written about how wonderful Couchsurfing is and Lee and I have had some fantastic experiences using this service while we traveled across Canada. Couchsurfing, if you haven’t heard of it, is a website where welcoming and generous people from all over the world connect with each other. Local hosts offer up their couches and spare bedrooms so that travelers can come and stay – for free.

It’s completely free and no exchange of money takes place, although etiquette suggests that you should do something to show your appreciation such as perhaps bringing a small gift of thanks or taking your host out to dinner.

The free hospitality exchange is a beautiful thing, but that’s not the only aspect of Couchsurfing. Even if you aren’t staying with a host, you can still take part in the many events and activities that are organised in the destination. There are often Couchsurfing meetups, activities, movie nights, parties and group excursions organised by Couchsurfing groups.

Plus, the Couchsurfing mobile app is a pretty cool way to find local things to do while you travel. It has a “Hangouts” feature that uses your location to display other travelers who are in your area and are looking for someone nearby to hang out with. Just set yourself to “available” and let people know what it is you want to do, whether it is going for a walk, grabbing coffee, etc. You can see who is around you and make a plan!

Link : Couchsurfing website and app

Local people.

Last but not least – ask the local people you meet to recommend things to see and do! They live in your destination, so they are the experts and will know much more about the location than could be included in any guide book.

If you aren’t sure HOW to meet locals, here is a great post with some tips for meeting local people while traveling . Making the effort to talk to the locals will really enrich your travel experience. 

How do you find local things to do in your travel destination?

If you have tried even a few of these, you have probably found more cool and interesting events in your travel destination than you could possibly attend during your trip. So what are you sitting around here for? Go out and do them!

There really are many things to discover in every travel destination, you just have to make the effort to look for them.

If you have a way of finding awesome local things to see and do in a travel destination that I didn’t mention, share it in the comments below!

Kelly Dunning

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11 comments.

• Pingback: Finding Local Stuff - Introducing NeARby | everyworldheritage.site

OMG Kelly! Yours is the most thorough and detailed blog that I have ever read! Seriously! I have read billions over the years. Haha. Really. Even though I have traveled myself a lot and to many different places, I find always it fun to read about travel and tips anyway. It is another way to get even more excited about an upcoming trip. Besides you can always learn something new from someone else! But your tips are truly well researched and your advice so sound. I have never written to a blog before but felt I needed to this time because I was so impressed by your knowledge on so many subjects. Bravo You!

There’s a new app Trapeze that is also great. https://www.trapezemobile.com

Thanks for sharing this useful post. When I visit a new place or new location, I always follow local travel guides such as this Tokyo travel guide https://blog.hoptale.com/top-things-to-do-in-tokyo-first-time-travel-guide/?utm_source=blink_sa will help someone with exploring all the historical places and their Japanese traditional culture. But I like your ways of finding what must do in a new place as a traveler. Thanks again.

Thanks for sharing this useful post. When I visit a new place or new location, I always follow local travel guide which will help someone with exploring all the historical places and their Japanese traditional culture. But I like your ways of finding what must do in a new place as a traveler. Thanks again.

That’s a really informative article, I am very much inspired. Your tutorial helps me as like my mentor, i am looking forward to more informative article form you.

Gosee Place is a Mobile App for people to organize and share as desired their travel experiences and pictures and connect with friends and experts around their interest. Posts by friends-experts help users to plan visits and trips.

https://www.goseeplace.com/

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Touropia Travel

Discover the World

25 Top Tourist Attractions in the USA

By Mike Kaplan · Last updated on April 3, 2024

As one of the largest and most diverse countries in the world, The United States boast an amazing amount of tourist destinations ranging from the skyscrapers of New York and Chicago, the natural wonders of Yellowstone and Alaska to the sunny beaches of California , Florida and Hawaii.

With so many tourist attractions in the USA it’s tempting to list entire cities or even states, but in this top 25 I have tried to focus on specific attractions.

25. Mount Rushmore [SEE MAP]

Perhaps the most unmistakably American landmark is Mount Rushmore, a national memorial located in South Dakota. Constructed in the early 20th century, Mount Rushmore depicts the faces of four former American presidents, each of which is carved and blasted from the side of a rock face.

Visitors can admire the larger-than-life faces of Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. The short Presidential Trail at the base of Mount Rushmore provides better views and an interesting perspective on the landmark.

24. Pike Place Market in Seattle [SEE MAP]

Overlooking the waterfront of Elliott Bay in Seattle, Washington, is the Pike Place Market. Opened in 1907, the market is now a historic, iconic part of the city. Pike Place Market is the ultimate place to shop in Seattle, because it is full of the oldest establishments in the region.

There are markets where fresh fish straight from the Puget Sound gets tossed dramatically, cheesemongers who offer tastings of locally made brie and camembert and then there is the site of the original Starbucks coffee shop.

23. Venice Beach in Los Angeles [SEE MAP]

No visit to Los Angeles is complete without a trip to Venice Beach. Its canals and beaches are spectacular, but the biggest hit is undeniably the Venice Beach Boardwalk. This is a truly entertaining spot where street performers juggle, dance, sculpt and sing for passersby.

Shop for souvenirs, grab a refreshing drink and bring some small bills for a stroll on the boardwalk. After stopping to admire a live performer, many visitors tip a dollar or two to show appreciation.

See also: Where to Stay in Los Angeles

22. Mesa Verde [SEE MAP]

The Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado is home to the preserved homes of the Ancestral Pueblo people. Many of these homes, which are carved right from caves and rock faces, date back to the early 13th century.

Today, it is possible to walk beneath the overhanging cliffs and tour these ancient abodes. The Balcony House is especially well preserved, and it boasts 40 rooms that are accessible exclusively by ladder. The nearby Cliff Palace is even bigger, and it is believed to have housed more than 100 people in its 150 original rooms.

21. Faneuil Hall in Boston [SEE MAP]

One of the most historic destinations in Boston, a city already full of heritage, is Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Also known as the Cradle of Liberty, this early 18th century structure served as a space where early leaders gathered to fight against oppression in the years before and during the American Revolutionary War.

Today, touring Faneuil Hall Marketplace means lots of opportunity to shop for local produce and desserts in the indoor and outdoor marketplace.

20. Kennedy Space Center [SEE MAP]

Cape Canaveral, located on the coast of Florida, boasts a lot of space-related attractions. One of the best is the Kennedy Space Center, which has been the launch site for every US human space flight since 1968 and currently operates as a launch site for unmanned rockets.

Visitors can learn more about the early pioneers into space, and they can also experience the tension and excitement over the rush to the moon. There is even the chance to participate in the Shuttle Launch Experience, which replicates the experience of space travel.

19. Navy Pier in Chicago [SEE MAP]

Extending over the waters of Lake Michigan is Navy Pier, an enormous pier in the heart of Chicago’s coastal Streeterville neighborhood. Within the pier, there are countless attractions suited to the whole family.

Beautifully manicured gardens are the ideal place for a scenic stroll, and lots of souvenir shops are a wonderful way to snag gifts on a vacation to Chicago. The pier is also home to the Chicago Children’s Museum, two theaters and an abundance of excellent restaurants.

18. Great Smoky Mountains National Park [SEE MAP]

Straddling the border between Tennessee and North Carolina is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The park is the most visited in the entire country, thanks in large part to its enormous size and its incredible scenery.

Visitors can hike through old growth forest, spot hundreds of species of birds and check out the two visitor centers. Hikes can also wind through trails that lead to the waterfalls of Laurel Falls and the vistas of Clingman’s Dome.

17. River Walk in San Antonio [SEE MAP]

In the city of San Antonio, Texas , there are few attractions more appealing than the River Walk. Also known as the Paseo del Rio, the River Walk is a network of walkways lining the San Antonio River.

Reserved for pedestrians, the revitalized area is packed with fascinating architecture, lush greenery and water views. The River Walk is a hub for dining and culinary exploration in this Texan city. It is possible to dig into Tex-Mex cuisine, upscale French fare and everything in between in this one easily navigable destination.

16. Carlsbad Caverns [SEE MAP]

As the name suggests, Carlsbad Caverns is a collection of over 115 caves. Located in southern New Mexico, these caverns are carved from limestone, and it is possible for visitors to descend more than 900 feet (275 meters) below the surface of the earth on a guided tour.

The largest single cave chamber in all of North America is found here and is known as the Big Room. Within the room itself, visitors can set off on a 90-minute walk exploring the incredible underground environment.

15. Bryce Canyon National Park [SEE MAP]

Located in Southern Utah, Bryce Canyon National Park is a breathtaking display of rock formations. Technically, Bryce Canyon isn’t a canyon, but a series of natural amphitheaters. Mormon settlers once called the canyon home, but now most visitors come for the awe-inspiring views and the magnificent hiking opportunities.

Sunset Point is one of the most popular vantage points, offering panoramic views of the red, yellow and orange rock formations. Queen’s Garden Trail is another favorite, because it offers green trees among the red rocks for a brilliant juxtaposition.

14. French Quarter in New Orleans [SEE MAP]

New Orleans, Louisiana, is made up of several unique districts, but none is so famous as the French Quarter. Also known as the Vieux Carre, the French Quarter truly explores the rich French colonial influences on the city of New Orleans . Incredible architecture abounds, with the St. Louis Cathedral being the main attraction.

The French Quarter boasts the Moon Walk, a paved walkway next to the Mississippi River, as well as Bourbon Street, the undeniable hub of nightlife, drinking and entertainment in the city.

13. Sedona Red Rock Country [SEE MAP]

A two-hour drive north of Phoenix is Sedona, Arizona. Sedona isn’t a big city, but it is a major tourist attraction in the USA thanks to its gorgeous red rock landscape. Known as Red Rock Country, this region is an outdoor lover’s dream. Countless canyons, creeks and paths encourage outdoor activity, with Cathedral Rock Trail being one of the local favorite hiking spots.

One of the most interesting spots in Sedona combines the new with the old, with the contemporary Chapel of the Holy Cross built right into the side of the red rocks themselves.

12. Walt Disney World in Orlando [SEE MAP]

Orlando, Florida , is a hub of amusement parks, but none is so popular as Walt Disney World. Many travelers don’t realize that Walt Disney World is actually made up of several distinct theme parks, including the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and the Blizzard Beach Water Park.

Visitors will be able to enjoy thrill rides, watch Broadway-quality shows and explore the nightlife, cuisine, shopping and entertainment at Disney Springs.

11. Yosemite National Park [SEE MAP]

In the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, there is Yosemite National Park. This extraordinary destination is known the world over for its amazing scenery. Within this single park, visitors can peer off spectacular granite cliffs, admire clear waterfalls and see sequoia trees that are hundreds of years old.

Yosemite Valley is a top spot to explore in the park, because it boasts the enormous Yosemite Falls as well as the granite monolith called Half Dome.

10. White House in Washington D.C. [SEE MAP]

The White House in Washington DC is the official residence and office of the President of the United States. It was built between 1792 and 1800 and first used by President John Adams.

After the 9/11 attacks it has become more difficult to visit the White House and today tours are available only for groups of 10 or more and must be requested up to six months in advance through your member of Congress or your country’s US Ambassador.

9. Denali National Park [SEE MAP]

The Denali National Park and Preserve is located in Interior Alaska and contains Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in North America. The word “Denali” means “the high one” in the native Athabaskan language and refers to Mount McKinley. In addition, the park protects an incredible wilderness area that contains grizzly bears, caribou, moose, wolves, and numerous other creatures.

8. Las Vegas Strip [SEE MAP]

The gambling mecca of the world, Las Vegas is situated in the midst of the southern Nevada desert landscape. Casinos can be found throughout Las Vegas, but the strip, a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South, contains the most of them.

It features giant mega-casino hotels, decorated with lavish care and attention to detail to create a fantasy-like atmosphere. The casinos often have names and themes that evoke romance, mystery, and far-away destination.

See also: Where to Stay in Las Vegas

7. Florida Keys [SEE MAP]

The Florida Keys are a 120 mile long chain of tropical islands curving around the base of the Florida peninsula, connected to the mainland by a series of bridges.

The most spectacular bridge, the Seven Mile Bridge in the Lower Keys, has been frequently used as a location for films including True Lies and Fast 2 Furious. US Highway 1, the “Overseas Highway” runs from Key Largo , Islamadora, Marathon, Lower Keys and finally to Key West, the most distant and most famous island.

6. Kilauea [SEE MAP]

Kilauea is the most recent of a series of volcanoes that have created the Hawaiian Archipelago. It is a very low, flat shield volcano, vastly different in profile from the high, sharply sloping peaks of stratovolcanoes.

Kilauea is one of the most active volcano on the Earth, an invaluable resource for volcanologists. Thirty-three eruptions have taken place since 1952, not including the current eruption which started on January 3, 1983 and is still ongoing.

5. Niagara Falls [SEE MAP]

Situated between the state of New York and the province of Ontario, Niagara Falls is one of the most spectacular natural wonders on the North American continent. Niagara Falls is actually three different falls, the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and Horseshoe Falls.

Horseshoe Falls is located on the Canadian side while the other are located in New York. With more than 14 million visitors each year it is one of the most visited tourist attraction in the world.

4. Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco [SEE MAP]

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the strait between San Francisco and Marin County to the north.

The Golden Gate Bridge was the longest suspension bridge span in the world when it was completed in 1937, and has become an internationally recognized symbol of San Francisco and California . The famous red-orange color of the bridge was specifically chosen to make the bridge more easily visible through the thick fog that frequently shrouds the bridge.

3. Yellowstone [SEE MAP]

Yellowstone National Park was the world’s first national park, set aside in 1872 to preserve the vast number of geysers, hot springs, and other thermal areas, as well as to protect the incredible wildlife and rugged beauty of the area. Yellowstone lies on top of a gigantic hotspot where light, hot, molten mantle rock rises towards the surface.

Subsequently, the park contains half of all the world’s known geothermal features, with more than 10,000 examples of geysers and hot springs. In addition, black bears, grizzly bears, deer, elk, bison and wolves can all be found within the park borders.

2. Manhattan [SEE MAP]

Manhattan is one of New York’s five boroughs and is what people most often think of when they picture New York City . It’s familiar skyline and sights have been featured a thousand times on screen. Walk in the shadow of the skyscrapers, picture the Statue of Liberty, see a Broadway show , climb the Empire State building, stroll Central Park, window shop on 5th Avenue or stagger around a museum.

1. Grand Canyon [SEE MAP]

The Grand Canyon is located in northern Arizona and is one of the great tourist attractions in the United States. Carved over several million years by the Colorado River, the canyon attains a depth of over 1.6 km (1 mile) and 446 km (277 miles) long.

The Grand Canyon is not the deepest or the longest canyon in the world but the overwhelming size and its intricate and colorful landscape offers visitor spectacular vistas that are unmatched throughout the world.

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Reader interactions.

November 12, 2020 at 8:34 pm

I’ve been to almost all of these. HANDS DOWN Grand Canyon- Bryce-Tetons- Yellowstone-Glacier is the most amazing trip. I’ve been all over the world, and Yellowstone’s wildlife and the view at the Grand Canyon are by far the most epic. I love Washington State as well: Mt. Ranier, Seattle, Olympic and the anitoles- you can see a variety in a small distance.

July 26, 2019 at 10:32 am

You should have included the historic triangle in Virginia. It includes Williamsburg (Colonial Williamsburg) Jamestown (America’s first settlement) & Yorktown (the site of Cornwallis’ surrender, effectively ending the Revolutionary War) it is literally the birth place of this great nation and is a huge tourist destination.

May 24, 2019 at 10:31 pm

Nice article, but may I make one correction regarding Pike Place Market? As a local tour guide, it bugs me when people tell our visitors that the Starbucks at the market is the original. It isn’t, and I try to set this myth straight every chance I get. The original Starbucks was on Western Ave., and burned down in the 70s. The original owner and team moved to the present location at the market, which is how they get away with calling it original, but in reality, it is misleading the public.

October 31, 2018 at 10:15 am

Hello!? Savannah GA is amazing. It’s like stepping back in time.

August 17, 2017 at 7:54 pm

oh my gaawwwd. these photos are amazing and I cant wait to go back to the us so I can visit vegas. I didn’t get to last time so im really looking forward to it!!!

September 1, 2016 at 11:10 am

I am excited to see Niagra falls soon and its my dream to see New York specially Statue of Liberty, Central park and Brooklyn Bridge. I hope that soon i shall be there.

February 9, 2015 at 8:09 am

It makes you dream and want to go there. I’ve learned a lot on the USA thanks to your site and the like. Your publications perfectly reflect the wonderful side of the USA.

January 30, 2015 at 12:36 am

Christina Rusia! You are right America is fabulous and offer amazing sights to see there. I have explored its major attractions and Niagara Falls and Grand Canyon are one of those places which are my ever best spots to enjoy the natural beauty. Recently I went to have some fun with friends in Nagara Falls after my pedestrian streets trip.

October 14, 2014 at 6:04 pm

I think that america is fabulous, The sights and also the view is amazing to see and visit. I am currently in New York.

July 24, 2014 at 11:32 pm

I visited Yellowstone National Park. This is an awesome place in USA.

December 12, 2013 at 4:46 am

I have been very lucky myself to have visited most of these places. One of my main reasons why I love America (USA) is because of the diversity the country has to offer in terms of landscapes e.g. countryside, deserts, mountains ect. Out of the above Yellowstone and Vegas are my favourites. Niagara Falls was an sight I will never forget – waking up each morning and opening my hotel room curtains to see the falls directly below….breathtaking.

November 30, 2013 at 7:03 am

these are great places

September 14, 2013 at 6:17 am

Las Vegas is my final destination …….thankew. informative website

August 20, 2013 at 5:23 pm

I think that Niagara Falls needs to be higher on the list. Who agrees?

March 27, 2013 at 6:44 am

Niagara Falls & Manhattan is my dream….I have no word to express the beauty

February 19, 2013 at 1:03 am

great feed back about us visitor Sp like me who is going to visit USA first time and with family it was quite difficult for me to decide where to go but after visiting this page i am clear about my trip thanks alot

November 14, 2012 at 10:45 pm

I can say that I have been very fortunate to have visited all but one of these tourist attractions. (Alaska being the only one) Visiting Alcatraz and seeing the Golden Gate was interesting, along with watching the Geysers in Yellowstone. I live in NY (15 minutes from Niagara Falls and an easy drive to NYC) so those don’t interest me as much but after driving cross country in my early twenties, I have realized just what a beautiful country we live in. I now have three children and make it a point to travel with them. Each child gets a surprise birthday trip every year and it has proved to be not only memorable but also educational. My 11 year old has been many places, in and out of the U.S. and now is starting to understand the value of travel. Great site! 🙂

September 24, 2012 at 12:34 pm

Manhattan: “… stagger around a museum”… you have you never lied. I recently visited New York, and a friend of mine and I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Our initial plan was to try and see if we could make it through that one and the American Museum of Natural History. After a good 7 hours in the Met, we ended up taking a taxi to Penn Station, and slept our way back on the train to Long Island. I will say, however the exhaustion was worth it.

August 6, 2012 at 8:52 am

A great page, I’ve been to the USA many times – Cities such as New York and San Francisco are really worth a visit – For natural wonder Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon are a must.

August 28, 2011 at 9:18 pm

Very good collection of tourist places. I have bookmarked this page, and i will follow this blog at the time of my usa tour. Thanks.

April 26, 2011 at 3:47 am

Fabulous photos of places to visit in the US. I have been very lucky to visit Vegas, and to have flown over the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon. Over the page you have photos of Alaska and Denali National Park which I plan to visit next year. When I see those photos I can hardly wait. Thanks great post.

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18 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the USA

Written by Lana Law Updated Sep 16, 2022

The United States is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the world and some of the most recognizable icons on the planet . Many of the top attractions in the United States are bucket list destinations, drawing visitors from around the world.

Compiling a list of places to see is step one. But keep in mind, given the size of the United States, most people plan their trips to a specific region, be it the East Coast, the Southwest, the beaches of Florida or California , or outlying regions like Hawaii and Alaska.

You may want to see the city sights, or head out to the top parks and natural areas in the US . In some cases, you can easily combine the two if you plan a day trip or two.

Plenty of options await you, with incredible sights sprinkled across the country. For anyone in the enviable position of having unlimited time and resources, these are the top attractions to include on your US itinerary.

1. Grand Canyon

2. niagara falls, 3. statue of liberty, 4. white house, 5. walt disney world resort, 7. las vegas strip, 8. yosemite national park, 9. golden gate bridge, 10. times square, 11. freedom trail in boston, 12. yellowstone national park, 13. san antonio river walk, 14. kennedy space center, 15. st. louis arch, 16. glacier national park and the going-to-the-sun road, 17. mount rushmore national memorial, 18. sedona's red rock country.

This incredible natural attraction is one of the most visited places in the United States. Carved out by the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon cuts deep into the landscape, creating dramatic cliff walls and ledges. Visitors standing on the rim of the canyon can see down to the canyon floor a mile below, and look out over the ridges and cliffs that run as far as the eye can see.

The South Rim , about 4.5 hours by car from Las Vegas, is the most visited section of Grand Canyon National Park. This is where you'll find a large visitor center, regular bus service along the Rim in the high season, and a walkway that runs along the canyon with numerous viewing points and platforms. Several wonderful hikes , including the Bright Angel Trail, leave from here.

The Skywalk , a glass bridge leading out over the edge of the Grand Canyon is another popular attraction. It is located at Eagle Point, on the West Rim . This area is about a four-hour drive from the South Rim, but usually less than a 2.5-hour drive from Las Vegas. If you are planning a day trip from Las Vegas, this area is a good option

The North Rim, which also has lookout areas, provides a different perspective. This section of the park is less visited and has limited access from November to May due to snow and winter conditions.

Read More: Top Tourist Attractions at the Grand Canyon

Situated along the Canada-US border, Niagara Falls is one of the most famous waterfalls in the world . The water from Lake Erie flows into Lake Ontario over these massive waterfalls, known for the great quantity of water that is constantly tumbling over the vertical drop.

Niagara Falls is actually a set of three falls: It consists of the largest section, known as Horseshoe Falls, with a drop of 187 feet; a second section on the American side of the river, known as the American Falls, with a drop of 89 feet; and a much thinner section located next to the American Falls, known as Bridal Veil Falls, with a drop of 78 feet.

Views are good on both sides of the river, but the Canadian side gives a very different perspective and is worth a visit if you don't mind crossing the border into Canada.

Summer is the most popular time to visit Niagara Falls, when the weather is warm, gardens are in bloom, and wandering around is pleasant. Winter provides a unique opportunity to see the snow-covered shores and ice-covered railings, street signs, and trees. It's truly a winter wonderland.

On clear days, the plume of mist rising from Niagara Falls can be seen from as far away as the CN Tower in downtown Toronto, Canada, on the opposite shore of Lake Ontario.

• Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Niagara Falls, NY
• From New York City to Niagara Falls: Best Ways to Get There

A universal symbol of freedom, the Statue of Liberty is America's most familiar icon and the largest statue in the world . Standing proudly in New York Harbor, visitors can admire the statue from various points around the city, particularly Battery Park, or take a ferry right to the statue.

For people who plan to go out to the statue, options include grounds tickets, pedestal tickets, or crown tickets, which allow different levels of access to the site. One of the best options is to take a sightseeing tour and see both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Official site: http://www.nps.gov/stli/index.htm

Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in New York City

The White House is the official residence of the President of the United States, and should be on the top of your list of things to see in Washington . This historic structure has been the home of every president except George Washington. Lafayette Park is on the north side of the White House; beyond is a pedestrian-only zone, full of interesting characters, and an excellent spot to get a great photo.

It was originally built by James Hoban in 1792 and, after being burned down by British forces in 1814, was rebuilt in 1818. Tours of the White House are free, but reservations must be made a minimum of three weeks in advance. Strict security rules are always in effect.

Official site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/

This mega amusement park in Orlando is the top family attraction in America, and has been catering to both young and old for decades. Opened in 1971, Walt Disney World has managed to maintain its relevance and its allure for children and even many adults throughout the years.

Walt Disney World Resort encompasses not only the various theme parks, it also includes water parks, Downtown Disney with shopping and theaters, and much more, from fine dining to golf. This is a place where you can spend a day or a week.

If you feel the need for a bit of sand and surf, the beaches of Florida's Atlantic coast are only an hour away.

Home to the most popular beach in the Hawaiian Islands and possibly the most famous beach in the Pacific, Waikiki has been a tourist destination for over a century. Today this area is a cross between tropical paradise and modern city.

Relaxing on this beautiful stretch of sand with palm trees blowing in the wind will certainly let you know you are in the tropics, but the high-rise buildings and busy street in behind are a reminder that you are not far from civilization. Shopping, dining, surfing, and sunbathing are all part of what makes this small section of Oahu so popular with tourists of all ages from all parts of the world.

Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions & Things To Do in Waikiki

Walking along the Las Vegas Strip, the main street leading through the city past the mega resorts, is like strolling through an amusement park for adults. Recreations of the New York skyline, the Eiffel Tower, the canals of Venice, and many more foreign sites line this famous street.

Beginning at one end with the Luxor Hotel, designed in a pyramid shape, a walk down the street will reveal an erupting volcano and dancing fountains, while inside the resorts are all kinds of oddities and entertainment. Many of the best things to see and do in Las Vegas are sights that can be seen for free.

One of the main attractions in Las Vegas is the constant lineup of shows. World-famous singers looking to settle down turn to Las Vegas as a home base, where they perform regularly. Unique performing groups from magic to comedy and acrobatics can also be found here nightly.

When you've had enough of the nightlife and city lights, you can still explore the nearby attractions on a day trip from Las Vegas . See nearby Death Valley National Park, Hoover Dam, or Valley of Fire State Park. Explore the desert on hiking trails around Las Vegas , some of which are just minutes from downtown.

One of America's most loved parks, Yosemite National Park is one of the best places to visit in California , particularly for nature lovers. Famous sights, like the incredible granite domes of El Capitan and Half Dome, have to be seen in person to fully appreciate their grandeur. The massive waterfalls that tumble off sheer cliffs from mountain snowfall or sudden summer rainstorms are another of the park's highlights.

Yosemite National Park is full of activity-based things to do that include hiking, climbing, walking, and horseback riding. Hiking trails in Yosemite lead to some of the most scenic areas and are a good way to escape the crowds at lookouts.

For those less inclined to be physically active, the sheer natural beauty of Yosemite can be enjoyed from a picnic table over a leisurely home-packed lunch. You can also see the highlights on a driving tour through the park.

Accommodation is limited in the park to several lodges and a number of very nice campgrounds . Outside the gates, more options are available.

Arching across San Francisco Bay, joining San Francisco and Marin County, the Golden Gate Bridge has been a California icon since it was built in the 1930s. Contrasting with the blue water, the bridge's orangish-red color is an aesthetic accent that brings a unique quality to the city.

It also has a unique presence when it's shrouded in fog with just the peaks of the main towers projecting through the low-lying cloud. The bridge is approximately two miles long and part of Hwy 101 or SR 1. If the day is clear, one of the best viewing spots is on Conzelman Road, located in Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Read More: Top Attractions & Things to Do in San Francisco

Bustling Times Square, famous for its flashing billboards, New Year's Eve count down, and constant throngs of people, lies at the heart of Midtown Manhattan. This intersection, in normal times, is really about the energy one feels when standing on the corner as taxi cabs rush by and lights flash overhead, rather than any individual site on the square.

While it is an interesting place to visit during the day, it is probably best seen at night to experience the full impact.

Boston's Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile walking route that leads past some of the city's most important historical attractions. A line of red bricks, inlaid in the sidewalk marks the route, making it an easy way for tourists to find their way around.

Information on the trail and the sites can be found at the Visitors Center in the Boston Common , which is a good place to start your tour. Sites along the Freedom Trail include the State House, Old State House, the Old Granary Burying Ground, Old City Hall, Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere House, and many more.

Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Boston

Yellowstone National Park is home to a huge ancient volcano, which has resulted in a dramatic landscape and awesome natural phenomena. Geysers and hot springs, along with incredible waterfalls along the Yellowstone River are just some of the attractions drawing in huge numbers of tourists each year.

The park, the oldest national park in the USA, is also home to all kinds of wildlife, with free-roaming bison, bighorn sheep, antelope, black bears, and grizzly bears.

The park is also a wonderful place to camp, with a total of 12 Yellowstone campgrounds containing 2,000 sites.

Read More: Visiting Yellowstone National Park: Attractions, Tips & Tours

San Antonio's River Walk is a beautiful location and a great place to spend some time, whether you are looking for a place to wander, enjoy a meal, or look for souvenirs. Stretching along the San Antonio River in the heart of the city, this pedestrian area is lined with restaurants and outdoor dining areas, with everything from casual to fine cuisine.

Small boats meander along the river and scenic arching bridges complete the tranquil scene. Large old trees drape over the river and walkway providing shade. The River Walk also features a variety of entertainment, with occasional live music and seasonal events.

Official site: http://www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/

Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in San Antonio

For those who have ever dreamed about what it would be like to blast off into space, a trip to the Kennedy Space Center is a must-do. The spacecrafts of NASA along with the history of space exploration make for an entertaining and educational experience. This is a popular attraction with all ages and one of the top things to do in Florida .

You may think that your visit will be a quick one; see a few spaceships and then head on your way. However, many people are surprised when they become fully engrossed in their visit and end up spending most of the day at the center.

Things to see include the rocket garden, the real Space Shuttle Atlantis, the Heroes and Legends exhibit, and the Journey to Mars exposition, along with many others.

Official site: https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/

This famous "Gateway to the West" in St. Louis is both symbolic and eye-catching. Rising above the city, gleaming in the midday sun and illuminated at night, the arch can be seen from miles away on the otherwise flat surroundings.

It was built in the early 1960s and stands in Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Park . Elevators offer easy and scenic transportation to the top of the arch where visitors are treated to great views out over the city and surroundings.

Official site: https://www.gatewayarch.com/

Montana's Glacier National Park offers some of the most beautiful mountain scenery in the United States. Mountains, lakes, glaciers, valleys, and waterfalls combine to form a spectacular alpine landscape.

One of the best ways to truly appreciate the terrain is from the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road. This narrow road, hugging the mountain side as it winds its way up and over the 7,747-foot Logan pass, opened in 1932.

Due to the elevation and climate, the road is only open during the summer months. The sights along this road are superlative, and you'll likely find yourself stopping at handy pullouts to soak it all up.

Glacier National Park also has some unique historic lodges, including the East Lodge, with it's huge timbered interior. The park is also a top hiking destination in the state. Hiking trails lead to wonderful alpine vistas if you're willing to put in a bit of effort.

The park is relatively isolated, so most people plan to visit for a few days. Accommodation is available in the historic lodges and hotels in West Glacier, and if you feel like camping in Glacier National Park , 13 campgrounds are available.

Accommodation: Best Places to Stay near Glacier National Park

Read More: Top Things to Do in Glacier National Park

If you find yourself in South Dakota, don't miss a chance to see Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Towering above the surrounding forest are the faces of four US Presidents: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Theodore Roosevelt.

This incredible achievement was created by one man, John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum, and upon his death, finished off by his son Lincoln. The hard work of carving giant heads out of stone started in 1927 and continued on for many years until its completion in 1941.

The national memorial is a popular attraction, especially in the summer. Try to plan to arrive early in the day to avoid the crowds.

Just a wonderfully scenic two-hour drive from Phoenix, this small city has quickly become one of Arizona's top places to visit .

Its beautiful setting, in among the red rocks, makes it perfect for a day trip from Phoenix , but it makes an even better vacation destination. Plan on spending at least a night or two to enjoy all Sedona has to offer. The town has some fantastic restaurants as well as spas and luxury resorts in and around town.

Sedona has a bit of everything when it comes to keeping busy: fantastic hiking , mountain biking , and camping , all coupled with a quirky vibe that makes a trip here fun for everyone.

Sedona is a year-round destination, but is especially popular in the spring, when the trees burst into bloom and you get the occasional desert rain storm.

Read More: Top-Rate Tourist Attractions & Things to Do in Sedona

More on United States

21 Places to Visit in New York City Locals Love

There are endless places to visit in New York City, the City that most definitely never sleeps. What are the best places to visit in NYC? Since locals know best — and our team is based in New York City — we asked some locals about their favorite spots across the Big Apple for the adventure seeker, the foodie, or the history enthusiast. 

Whether you’re visiting NYC or planning a staycation, work with a local to plan your trip . Our locals in New York will plan a safe trip away from the crowds—full of up-to-date info you might not find online. Learn more .

• Greenwich Village
• The Brooklyn Heights Promenade
• The New York Public Library (Central Branch)
• Williamsburg
• The Lower East Side
• The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
• Trinity Church
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Central Park
• The Brooklyn Bridge
• Coney Island
• Brighton Beach
• Prospect Park
• Flushing, Queens
• The Top of the Rock
• The Cloisters
• The East Village
• The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
• Hudson Yards

BONUS: Adventure to upstate New York

#1: Greenwich Village

“The Village” is a classic NYC neighborhood—a mashup of culture, history, and fun. Centered around Washington Square Park (another locally beloved spot), Greenwich Village was for decades the center of bohemian life in NYC. Retrace the steps of NYC luminaries like Bob Dylan!

With easy proximity to other neighborhoods, Greenwich Village is an excellent place to stay in NYC . And you don't have to break the bank. Finding a hostel through HI USA is a great way to keep your trip under budget—without sacrificing location. 

You'll find the famous Comedy Cellar near Washington Square Park, but don't get stuck in tourist traps —there are tons of other comedy shows nearby, and many of them are free.

#2: The Brooklyn Heights Promenade

Right across the river from downtown Manhattan, the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood isn’t just a collection of historical townhouses and fancy restaurants—it’s also home to one of the greatest views in the world. One of the most iconic viewing areas to see the expansive views of the East River and Manhattan skyline is the rooftop bar and restaurant at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge . The Brooklyn Heights Promenade, a public park running along the riverfront, offers the ideal view of Lower Manhattan’s gargantuan skyscrapers. If you’re looking for your ideal NYC photo-op, this is it.

Head over to the promenade at night. The lit-up skyscrapers are nothing short of magical. Super romantic too if you are in the market for a much-needed date night

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#3: the new york public library (central branch).

Regally perched in Midtown, locals tell us that the main branch of the New York Public Library is 100% worth a visit. Constructed at the beginning of the 20th century, the building’s massive and gorgeous exterior is only overshadowed by the stunning reading rooms within and the endless book options that it houses.

See NYC like the locals do. Our local trip planners in NYC say that NYPL usually offers cool, free exhibits as well. They also suggest taking the time to wander through the nearby Bryant Park. It's a great spot for people-watching! If reading at the library is not your vibe, but you are a bibliophile, check out Strand bookstore in Union Square. This is a landmark shop with one of the largest literary inventories. 

Don't forget to say hello to Patience and Fortitude, the famous lions keeping watch over the library's entrance.

#4: Williamsburg

Williamsburg , in North Brooklyn, is thought of as New York’s hipster capital. Here, you'll find tons of colorful street art, vinyl stores, thrift shops, and many of NYC's coolest breweries. On that note, locals suggest visiting East Williamsburg, where you can find locally beloved breweries like Grimm's and a beautiful view of the Brooklyn Bridge.

If your trip lands on a weekend, check out Smorgasburg , a lively market (open-air in the summer) that offers a diverse selection of international food from 100+ vendors. 

#5: The Lower East Side

The Lower East Side of Manhattan bursts with classic NYC “cool.” Here, locals tell us you'll find off-the-beaten-path gems like the feminist Bluestocking bookstore , as well as NYC institutions like Katz's Deli and the always fascinating Tenament Museum . There are even a few dance clubs if you are in the mood to get your groove on.

Pick up a pastrami sandwich at Katz. Then, walk off those meat calories by exploring the neighborhood or dancing!

#6: The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

Our NYC trip planners tell us that you can't leave the MoMA off a list of must-visit places in NYC. Aside from The Met, it’s probably the most beloved museum in the city. Be sure to check out the rotating exhibitions alongside the museum’s permanent collection—both are worth exploring.

MoMA is $25 to visit but free on Fridays. Also, if you are traveling with children under 16, their admission is free. Don't worry if that’s not within your budget—there are plenty of ways to enjoy New York's vibrant art scene if you're traveling on a budget. You just need to know where to look ! Our trip planners can suggest their favorite art galleries in town, or tip you off on how to enjoy many of New York's museums for free. 

#7: Trinity Church

Wall Street is the site of the most important stock exchange in the world, but locals tell us that there are plenty of things to do even when the finance and investment bankers go home. Check out the spot where Washington was inaugurated in 1789, find the nicks left by the bombing of 1920 , and make sure to visit Trinity Church , where some of our Founding Fathers are buried (including Alexander Hamilton and his wife, Elizabeth Schuyler). Afterward, walk a few blocks down to the southern tip of Manhattan Island, where New York’s original Dutch settlement was located. Don’t forget to check out the Wall Street Bull and the famous statute of the Fearless Girl.

For a fun free activity (and a chance to take a picture of the Statue of Liberty) hop on the nearby Staten Island ferry.

#8: Chelsea

Artsy and colorful, locals tell us that Chelsea is a joy to explore. Spend an afternoon wandering the High Line , an elevated-railroad-turned-park, grab lunch or a mouthwatering snack from the Chelsea Market , and dip into one of the neighborhood's high-end galleries to see work by some of the world's most famous artists. If you’re not hungry, Chelsea Market also has a number of shopping stores so you can bring a souvenir (or two) back home.

#9: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

It can be hard to know where to start in NYC —especially when it comes to the city's incredible museums. Our trip planners suggest prioritizing a visit to The Met . 

The museum has a fantastic collection. You could literally—LITERALLY—spend days exploring it. Masterpieces of art, historical artifacts from all over the world, real ancient Egyptian temples—the Met has it all. 

It is free to visit The Met museum on Tuesdays from 5 pm to close.

#10: Central Park

Visiting Central Park is a lot of fun, especially on a Citibike. Rent a bike with the click of a button to see the highlights: The Great Lawn, Strawberry Fields, The Jackie O. Reservoir, etc. But for a unique perspective , see what locals say about Central Park .

Our local trip planners note that the park is massive— it spans from 59th Street (Midtown) all the way up to 110th (Harlem). And there’s tons of stuff to see right along the borders of the park, like the Upper West Side, The Dakota (where Lennon was killed), and The American Museum of Natural History . Or, you can take a long stroll through one side while nursing an iced coffee.

#11: The Brooklyn Bridge

More than 100 years old, the wooden Brooklyn Bridge is iconic . Locals tell us that, yes, you'll encounter lots of tourists here. But it's worth it! (If you want to avoid the crowds, aim to visit early in the morning.) It's tough to beat the incredible view of Manhattan when you walk over from Brooklyn. Make sure you are wearing comfortable shoes for the long walk.

Enhance your trip with local knowledge . Crossing the bridge is fun in either direction, but our trip planners say if you hang out in Brooklyn you can explore the beautiful Brooklyn Bridge Park . And treat yourself to a slice of Grimaldi’s pizza

If you want to stroll across a bridge but avoid the crowds, cross the Manhattan or Williamsburg bridges instead. They're parallel to the Brooklyn Bridge, so you'll still get an incredible view. There are fewer people—but you'll share the bridge with some noisy subways.

#12: Coney Island

The birthplace of the amusement park, Coney Island is part attraction, part neighborhood, and part history lesson. 

Locals suggest riding The Cyclone (the world’s oldest functioning rollercoaster) and grabbing a hot dog at Nathan’s (the ubiquitous NYC hot dog shop).

You can catch a minor-league baseball game at MCU Park ( go Cyclones! ).

#13: Brighton Beach

Use local knowledge to get off the beaten path . Our trip planners tell us that up the beach from Coney Island is a hidden gem: Little Odessa. 

Centered around the Brighton Beach neighborhood, Little Odessa (also known as Little Moscow) is home to a massive population of Russian and Ukrainian immigrants. Locals suggest grabbing a pirozhki and wandering the streets of Brighton Beach.

#14: Prospect Park

If you're going to explore NYC like a local , then you've got to see Prospect Park. Our trip planners rave about the immense beauty of this Brooklyn gem, which spans over 520 acres. Both Central Park and Prospect Park were designed by the team of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux—but, reportedly, they viewed Prospect Park as their masterpiece . 

You'll find fewer people in Prospect Park, and way more locals than in the more touristy Central Park. Here, you can explore the beautiful Brooklyn Botanical Gardens as well as the park's winding trails, bridges, waterfalls, and peaceful lakes. In the summer, you’ll find groups of friends, families, and lots of adorable dogs enjoying an afternoon in Prospect Park.

Make sure to check out Grand Army Plaza at the northern tip of Prospect Park. The enormous Civil War memorial there is fascinating to see. And if you head over on a Saturday, you'll catch the weekly Greenmarket !

#15: Park Slope

As you explore Brooklyn, use insider tips to see a side of this borough that most miss. Our trip planners suggest pairing a trip to Prospect Park with a stroll around its surrounding neighborhoods.

Park Slope, to the west of the park, is full of traditional brownstones and hip cafes. If you're looking for a free thing to do in NYC , walking the neighborhood on foot is a cool way to rub elbows with locals, enjoy some classic Brooklyn beauty, and get off the beaten path.

Check out the nearby Green-Wood Cemetery . It sounds weird, but this place is gorgeous—and full of the graves of esteemed New Yorkers. Plus it's free to visit!

#16: Flushing, Queens

If you're looking to get off the beaten path and enjoy incredible food, look no further than Flushing, Queens. Our trip planners tell us that Flushing is home to a diverse community—it's a one-stop-shop for delicious cuisine including Indian and Asian food like dumplings and ramen, cool sights, and a visceral look into NYC's epic melting pot. Flushing is also home to the Mets who play at the newly renovated CitiField, so you may even want to catch a baseball game if it’s during their playing season.

Take the 7 train to Main Street, Flushing and spend hours eating dim sum, lo mein, and drinking bubble tea.

#17: The Top of the Rock

Locals say they wouldn't recommend spending too much time in the area around Rockefeller Center, but the view from the top of the building—“The Top of the Rock”—is totally worth it. From there, you can actually *see* the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, 1 World Trade Center, etc. in all their glory.

Looking for a rooftop view on a budget? Hit up a rooftop bar. While the drinks aren't budget-friendly, locals tell us you can usually enter a rooftop bar without paying a cover. If you don’t drink alcohol, enjoy a mocktail or a soda and enjoy a beautiful sunset.

#18: The Cloisters

A total hidden gem, locals note that The Cloisters are unknown even to many New Yorkers. The backstory: almost a century ago, industrialist John D. Rockefeller Jr. purchased four medieval French cloisters and had them moved, brick by brick, to Fort Tryon Park . There, they were reassembled and filled with medieval art from several private collections. Rockefeller even bought the land directly across the river and refused to develop it (to retain the rustic feel). If you can make it up to 190th Street, a walk in this historical park—and a visit to The Cloisters—is a cool way to spend the afternoon.

If you’re nervous about walking around this far uptown, you’ve been watching too much SVU— New York is very safe these days . If you’re still nervous about exploring on your own, though, we’d recommend getting some insider safety tips from a New York local.

#19: The East Village

Manhattan's East Village is chill . Here you'll find free comedy shows in the back of bars, hidden speakeasies, tiny bookstores, and streets filled with colorful graffiti.

Locals suggest checking out St. Mark’s Place (the epicenter of American punk), Tompkins Square Park, and as many dive bars as you can find. 

Since we're all about sustainable travel, we'd recommend staying at a Kind Traveler property . They're the first socially conscious hotel booking and sustainable travel media platform—staying with them empowers travelers to positively impact communities and the environment in the destinations they visit!

#20: The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

You can't miss these two tourist treasures: The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Located on neighboring islands in New York Harbor, these attractions are worth the visit simply for their place in American history. The Statue of Liberty is a beacon of hope. Ellis Island is the harsh reality of the immigrant experience. Both are accessible via the frequent ferries that leave from Battery Park (at the southern tip of Manhattan). Go ahead and look up if your family passed through Ellis Island !

#21: Hudson Yards

Though a newer neighborhood, Hudson Yards is not one you want to miss. Here you can visit the very-Instagrammable Vessel, an open-air, 150-foot-high structure that looks like a honeycomb. Or, you can go shopping in the upscale indoor shopping mall. If shopping isn’t your thing, be sure to visit Van Leeuwen Ice Cream for an authentic pint of NYC-style dessert.

The 7 train is the easiest way to get to Hudson Yards, or you can take the express bus M34-SBS if you want a scenic view.

Part of New York's immense charm is how easy it is to get to nature. And the nature upstate is  spectacular . In June 2020, ViaHero launched in Hudson Valley and the Catskills! Now is the perfect time to plan a weekend getaway from NYC . 

So, how to get there? Renting a car is a great way to have control and privacy during your trip (although Metro-North is a good option as well).

If you have a big group and are eager for an adventure, we recommend a service like Bus.com . They connect travelers with vetted bus partners across North America, which makes it easy to plan large-scale transportation (even with complicated routes or multiple vehicles).

Plus, you'll have choices between buses or vans, and using a driver or driving yourself.  Learn more about Bus.com . 

Whatever you chose,  work with a local who can help plan your visit. They'll provide local insight on best practices for social distancing, hiking trails, and exploring their hometowns. Learn more . 

Looking for more info?

And for more about nyc travel check out our articles on:.

• NYC Travel FAQ 2024
• Prices in New York—A Guide to Spending Money
• Places to Stay in New York City
• New York Budget Travel
• Things to Do in NYC 2024
• The Dos and Don'ts of New York Travel
• Transportation in New York City—A Guide

Passing Thru Travel

15 Creative Ways to Explore Your Own City – A Local’s Adventure Guide

Posted: March 4, 2024 | Last updated: March 4, 2024

Often, the most fascinating discoveries are right under our noses. Exploring your own city can uncover hidden gems and new experiences in familiar surroundings. Whether you’re a long-time resident or have recently moved to a new place, there’s always something new to discover. This guide offers 15 creative ways to explore your local city, encouraging you to see your everyday environment from a fresh perspective and fall in love with it all over again.

Take a Walking Tour

Join a guided walking tour or download a self-guided tour app to learn about the history and hidden stories of your city.

Visit Local Museums and Galleries

Explore the culture and art of your city by visiting museums and galleries, including lesser-known ones.

Try New Restaurants or Cafes

Make it a mission to eat at a new restaurant or café each week to explore different cuisines available in your city.

Attend Local Events and Festivals

Check out local event calendars for festivals, concerts, and fairs that you can attend.

Use Public Transport

Travel by buses, trains, or trams instead of driving to see your city from a different viewpoint.

Volunteer Locally

Volunteering for local organizations or community events can offer new insights into your city and its people.

Have a ‘Tourist Day’

Spend a day visiting popular tourist attractions in your city that locals often overlook.

Explore Local Parks and Gardens

Spend time in city parks and gardens. Each one has its own unique landscape and atmosphere.

Go on a Photo Walk

Take your camera and go on a walk to capture the architecture, street art, and everyday scenes of your city.

Visit Local Markets

Explore local farmers’ markets or flea markets to find unique goods and interact with local vendors.

Attend Workshops or Classes

Join workshops or classes that focus on local crafts, cooking, or other skills unique to your city.

Explore Nearby Neighborhoods

Each neighborhood has its character. Spend a day exploring different neighborhoods in your city.

Join a Local Interest Group or Club

Find groups or clubs that align with your interests to meet like-minded locals and discover new city spots together.

Go on a Themed Adventure

Create a themed adventure, like a scavenger hunt or a historical figures tour, and explore related places around the city.

Be Open to Spontaneity

Sometimes, the best experiences come from unplanned explorations. Wander around without a set plan and see where it takes you.

Exploring your own city is an adventure that often leads to surprising and delightful discoveries. It fosters a deeper connection with your surroundings and community. These 15 tips provide a starting point for rediscovering your city through fresh eyes.

So, grab your walking shoes, a sense of curiosity, and start exploring the hidden treasures that lie within your urban landscape. You might just find your new favorite spot or learn something fascinating about the place you call home.

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The post 15 Creative Ways to Explore Your Own City – A Local’s Adventure Guide republished on Passing Thru with permission from The Green Voyage .

Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / frantic00.

For transparency, this content was partly developed with AI assistance and carefully curated by an experienced editor to be informative and ensure accuracy.

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25 Places In The U.S. That Only Locals Know About

There are those hidden attractions that only the locals know about, that aren’t listed in the best attractions of any city that are worth the visit!

One of the first things many people do when traveling is hit up all the local tourist spots. Think of New York, there is the Statue of Liberty, Time’s Square, and the Empire State Building. Those are very well-known places, and no one needs a local to tell them about it to find it on a map. But there are those hidden attractions that only the locals know about, that aren’t listed in the best attractions of any city that are just as good to take in, if not even better, as there will be fewer crowds and a totally unique experience than the typical, cliché tourist traps.

That’s why when traveling, it’s worth talking to the locals and asking them when should be seen and what can be missed. They might have some inside knowledge on the city that a tourist would love to know. Something out of the way, or a hidden gem just waiting to be discovered. Don’t just get sucked into the same old tourist traps everyone else does. Make a vacation one where it’s all about finding the hidden surprised in major cities, something only a local would be able to point out on a map.

25 The Wave Organ

When you think of San Francisco, you probably think of the streetcars, Golden Gate Bridge and amazing housing, but something the locals know about is the Wave Organ, which was built in 1986. According to the online magazine Atlas Obscura, the Wave Organ is an acoustic sculpture that amplifies the sounds of the waves coming in from the bay. Waves crash against the ends of the pipes, creating a low, subtle ton. Just make sure you are high tide to hear the sound.

24 House Of Eternal Return

George R.R. Martin, the author of the Game of Thrones book series, bought a vacant bowling alley in Santa Fe, New Mexico and leased it to a 135-member group of artists. What did they do? Created an elaborate interactive art installation. According to Atlas Obscura, the 20,000 square foot space is fully explorable as visitor’s piece together a non-linear narrative on their own. It’s not your typical art museum where you just look and enjoy, you are part of the art. A total of 70 distinct interconnected spaces fill the house.

23 Underground Tunnels Of Los Angeles

Anyone heading to Los Angeles is thinking beaches and sun, not dark underground tunnels. But the Underground Tunnels of Los Angeles are full of history from prohibition days, as the party never stopped as the 11 miles of tunnel were what people used to move around without worrying about being caught. To get into the tunnels today, Atlas Obscura says you need to take an elevator down into a passageway, filled with street art and rusted machinery, while iron gates limit you to places that are earthquake safe.

22 Mmuseumm

New York has plenty of amazing museums to visit, but this one is definitely something only the locals know about. That’s because it’s located in a freight elevator. It’s down a long alley that doesn’t look like there is much to it, and if it’s not open, you can look through a small window to look inside to look at artifacts that have been overlooked, dismissed and ignored. According to Atlas Obscura, the shoe that was thrown at George Bush was on display here, so it’s definitely not what you’re expecting from a typical Mmuseumm.

21 The Last Bookstore

Even when on vacation in Los Angeles, there is time for a little light reading on the beach, so find The Last Bookstore, a unique bookshop that is housed inside an abandoned bank. According to Atlas Obscura, the grand atrium of an old bank was turned into this unique bookstore and offers low-cost books and vintage ones as well. Sculptures have been made from overstocked or damaged books, hardbacks arranged by color and every book in the upstairs section is just $1.

20 Thor’s Well

On the edge of the Oregon coast is a massive, bottomless sinkhole known as Thor’s Well. It’s not entirely bottomless, but it is a dangerous sinkhole that takes in a massive amount of seawater from the ocean. You may want to keep your distance, however, as according to Atlas Obscura, during high-tide storms, water creates a large funnel maelstrom that risks pulling anything around it in. The best time to visit is one-hour before high-tide where you can see it without any water and see how the formation gets filled in. It’s a different kind of natural wonder, unlike Old Faithful, that only locals really know about.

19 Hamilton Pool

You probably aren’t thinking of a beach trip when you head to Austin, Texas, but if you head to the Hamilton Pool, you’ll get a chance to see a naturally formed spring in the limestone bedrock. According to Atlas Obscura, the grotto and waterfall are part of a now protected preserve and visitors will be wowed by the overhanging dome that once hid the entire grotto until it collapsed. It’s safe now, but before you go, make reservations, as they are required to swim in this beautiful and refreshing water.

18 Fly Geyser

When we think of geysers, we think of Old Faithful, which isn’t something you need a local to tell you about. But if you’re in Nevada, let a local tell you about Fly Geyser, which is on the edge of Black Rock Desert. According to Atlas Obscura, the geyser is actually man-made by accident, as over 100 years ago a well was dug to try and make the land usable for farming. Boiling water was hit and the geyser was formed. The second geyser beside it was formed much the same when drilling a test well struct the same 200 degrees water pocket. It opened to the public in 2018.

17 Phantasma Gloria

In front of Echo Park, you’ll find this amazing piece of art, the sculptured web of Phantasma Gloria. It is hidden away in the residential community of Echo Park, and is made the artist, Randlett Lawrence, continues to add to it, creating it out of colorful glass bottles, wire, and colored water. According to Atlas Obscura, many different patterns have been sculpted, including dolphins, and the structure is 24 feet tall and 50 feet long. Tours, however, are by appointment only, and only at 10 am and 4 pm when the light hits the glass at the right time.

16 City Hall Station

The City Hall Station in New York City is unlike any subway station you have ever thought of before. It’s simply beautiful from top to bottom, with lavished fine architectural details, including glass tiles and large chandeliers. Today, the station is abandoned, but is open for tours, according to the New York Transit Museum, if you are a member of the museum. It would seem only locals would be members, but for tourists, it’s only $60 to join and get a behind the scenes view of a massive transit system.

15 Secret Tiled Staircase

In the Sunset District of San Francisco, only the locals know about the amazing tiled staircase that runs on 16 th Avenue. According to Atlas Obscura, the staircase is 163 steps and made out of mosaic tiles, which start from sea level and head up. Designed after the Selaron staircase in Rio de Janeiro, the staircase doesn’t get many tourists, despite the fact that if you take a second and turn around, you get an amazing view of the entire city.

14 Mutter Museum

Mutter Museum, located in Philadelphia, is perhaps not a museum that is widely known outside of the city of Brotherly Love, but it’s home to some amazing things from the medical world. According to Atlas Obscura, it’s the home to Einstein’s brain, the skeleton of the world’s tallest known man, amongst many other medical oddities. It’s an easy to miss museum and may need a strong stomach to take it all in, but for some rare oddities in the medical world, this is a can’t miss.

13 The Wave

The Wave is one of the greatest geological formations in the world and according to Atlas Obscura, it was only found in the 1990s in the Coyote Buttes ravine. Massive sandstone structures have been shaped by rain, wind, and ice over millions of years, as these dunes have been calcified vertically and horizontally. It’s not the typical destination when heading to Arizona and they are very hard to see because only 20 visitors are allowed into the ravine to walk through on a daily basis, with permits being issued through lotteries.

12 Eastern State Penitentiary

No one thinks of going to jail while on vacation, but the locals will tell you in Philadelphia to stop in at the Eastern State Penitentiary for a look back at prison history. The inmates are long gone, as the prison was open between 1829 and 1971, housing people like Al Capone, according to Atlas Obscura. It looks like a castle, but the massive building was designed to be a new type of prison where inmates were always alone, and it is known for being cruel to prisoners for keeping them so isolated all the time, even while eating.

11 Griffith Observatory's Tesla Coil

One of the best exhibits at the Griffith Observatory is the high-powered Tesla Coil, which strikes every hour, on the hour. The newly designed alcove allows for great viewing of this power lightning generator, which was donated to the observatory. According to Atlas Obscura, to see the Tesla Coil is free during normal observatory hours, and it’s now one of the feature exhibits that locals will tell you is a must see. It has been on display since 1937 and is an interesting visit for those who want a little science lesson on vacation.

10 Museum Of Neon Art

For an art museum that truly glows in the dark, check out the Museum of Neon Art is Glendale, California. Designed in 1981, it houses some amazing displays using neon lights as the medium, as well as some permanent collections, including signs from the Brown Derby and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. According to Atlas Obscura, there are also bus tours to see historic neon signs in the area, giving tourists a different kind of tour through the city streets with a little more local history to it.

9 Firefly Show In The Smoky Mountains

If you’re someone that likes to see interesting things in nature, then the locals in Gatlinburg, Tennessee will tell you to look towards the Smokey Mountains for an interesting show. According to Atlas Obscura, for two weeks in June, fireflies put on a light show that will beat out most country concerts on any given night. And they are so in tune, that it is a synchronized one as well. A trolley will transport people to the site to take in this once a year show, and only 20,000 people can enter to see it, so it’s all done by lottery.

8 The Witch House Of Salem

You have probably heard of the story of the Salem Witch Trials in 1962, so if you’re in Massachusetts, you can take in this one of a kind house that was the home of one of the judges and is the only structure still standings, according to Atlas Obscura, in Salem with direct ties to the witch trials. Of course, the busiest time of year for the house is around Halloween, and today it is a museum focusing on 17 th century living.

7 Fire Fall

The Horsetail Fall is a seasonal waterfall in Yosemite National Park that drops 1570 feet to steep slabs, before falling another 500 feet to the bottom of the mountain. What makes it really impressive is the two weeks of the year in February when it turns into the ‘Fire Fall’. It isn’t actually fire coming from an active volcano, but rather, according to Atlas Obscura, a reflection of the sun that when it is about to disappear, will hit the falling water and look like a flowing cascade of fluid fire.

If you’re a fan of the classic movie, the Wizard of Oz, you’ll want to check out Oz park in Chicago. The park was designed after the city decided to improve on the run down, Lincoln Park, and used the famous author who lived in the area. It includes every character, from the tinman to the lion, scarecrow, and Dorothy all made from metal. According to Atlas Obscura, locals have loved the park as it has brought plenty of attention back to the area

Protect Your Trip »

The 50 best tourist attractions in the u.s..

See which American landmarks are worthy of your bucket list.

(Getty Images) |

From national parks to iconic symbols of freedom and democracy, these popular and highly regarded U.S. tourist attractions cannot be missed.

U.S. Space & Rocket Center: Huntsville, Alabama

Denali National Park and Preserve: Alaska

Grand Canyon National Park: Arizona

Hot Springs National Park: Arkansas

Golden Gate Bridge: San Francisco, California

Pikes Peak: Cascade, Colorado

(Courtesy of Mystic Aquarium) |

Mystic Aquarium: Mystic, Connecticut

DiscoverSea Shipwreck Museum: Fenwick Island, Delaware

(Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort) |

Walt Disney World Resort: Orlando, Florida

(Courtesy of Coca Cola) |

World of Coca-Cola: Atlanta, Georgia

Road to Hana: Hana, Maui, Hawaii

(Courtesy of Idaho Tourism) |

Kirkham Hot Springs: Lowman, Idaho

Chicago River: Chicago, Illinois

Indianapolis Motor Speedway: Indianapolis, Indiana

The Field of Dreams: Dyersville, Iowa

(Courtesy of Oz Museum) |

Oz Museum: Wamego, Kansas

Kentucky Horse Park: Lexington, Kentucky

French Quarter: New Orleans, Louisiana

Acadia National Park: Bar Harbor, Maine

National Aquarium: Baltimore, Maryland

Freedom Trail: Boston, Massachusetts

Mackinac Island: Michigan

(Courtesy of Mall of America) |

Mall of America: Bloomington, Minnesota

(Courtesy of Elvis Presley Birthplace) |

Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum: Tupelo, Mississippi

Gateway Arch: St. Louis, Missouri

Glacier National Park: West Glacier, Montana

Chimney Rock National Historic Site: Bayard, Nebraska

Las Vegas Strip: Las Vegas, Nevada

Mount Washington Cog Railway: Mount Washington, New Hampshire

Cape May: New Jersey

White Sands National Park: Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico

Statue of Liberty: New York City, New York

Wright Brothers National Memorial: Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina

Theodore Roosevelt National Park: North Dakota

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Cleveland, Ohio

(Courtesy of First Americans Museum) |

First Americans Museum: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Mount Hood: Oregon

Liberty Bell: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Breakers: Newport, Rhode Island

Fort Sumter National Monument: Charleston, South Carolina

Mount Rushmore National Memorial: Keystone, South Dakota

(Courtesy of Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum) |

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum: Nashville, Tennessee

The Alamo: San Antonio, Texas

Zion National Park: Utah

(Courtesy of Smugglers' Notch Resort) |

Smugglers' Notch Resort: Jeffersonville, Vermont

Colonial Williamsburg: Williamsburg, Virginia

Space Needle: Seattle, Washington

White House and the National Mall: Washington, D.C.

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Lambeau Field: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Yellowstone National Park: Wyoming

You might also be interested in:

• The Best National Parks in the U.S.
• The Best Hiking Trail in Every State
• Vacation Ideas for Every Type of Traveler
• The World's Best Tourist Attractions
• The Most Famous Landmarks in the World

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