Local Vibes

David and I have traveled our fair share, and as a result, we’ve created some guidelines we adhere to for every trip. For example, we only take a carry-on suitcase and try to come home with at least one day to recover before going back to work. But if there is one rule that is most important to us, it is making sure we are experiencing a new city like a local.

Stay in an Airbnb
Staying in a hotel has its perks, but if you’re looking to experience more of what the city has to offer, an Airbnb (or any other vacation rental) is the best option. When you stay in a neighborhood rather than the touristy areas where hotels are situated, you’ll be surrounded by markets, shops, and restaurants you might have missed otherwise. These rentals also have a kitchen and more space than a hotel would, so it ends up feeling more like home than being on the road. Also, often times, the Airbnb host will provide recommendations, such as local favorites and honest advice on where to visit. From this you’ll have more of an opportunity to have more of an authentic experience.

If it wasn’t for our host in Athens, Greece, we would have missed out on one of the most surreal dining experiences of our lives at 360 Degrees. It’s a restaurant located on a terrace overlooking the town center with the majestic Acropolis and it’s just breathtaking. Imagine eating moussaka and drinking wine with that view!

Learn the language
If you are traveling internationally, try to learn the some of the language so you can interact with the locals. For us, we rather try our best with the few phrases we know than communicate right off the bat with our native tongue. It’s a good way to show respect, and people are more likely to be nicer to you as a foreigner. Speaking a new language also helps you connect to the local culture. It’s not always easy, but that’s part of travel! It wouldn’t be such an adventure if you didn’t have to ask for directions in a different language or try to order a meal in a different language!

Once, David ordered the petite friture du lac in Annecy, France thinking it would be like fish’n’chips. Well, it was fish’n’chips, just a plateful of tiny full boned fish, which was not what we were expecting at all! If we had communicated to the waiter in English and realized what he was really ordering, we might have never tried the local dish. It definitely made for a good laugh and a memory we will never forget!

Do as the locals do
No matter how long of a trip or where you are visiting, always make sure to have one free day with no plans. We take this very seriously on every trip, and quite honestly, it takes so much pressure off of planning because you can just wing it. No touristy itinerary, just a schedule wide open to explore through the eyes of a local. This means venturing off the beaten path, finding that gem of a restaurant that is hidden from travelers or maybe it’s savoring a drink on a terrace and not having anywhere to rush off to.

On our last trip to Paris, David planned a picnic for my birthday. Probably anyone else would have picked the grass in front of the Eiffel Tower, but not my David. He wanted us to have more of a local experience and took us 40 minutes away from central Paris up to Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. Not far from the park, he found the cutest little shop where we picked out our accoutrements needed for a picnic. It was the perfect afternoon far from tourists doing nothing but snacking on cheese and olives under the shade on the grass while sharing a bottle of wine.

Everyone has their own traveling preferences; luckily ours are the same! We love being tourists, but we also love to see a city in a different light. It gets us out our comfort zone in the best way possible and are ultimately rewarded with an unforgettable trip.

xo,
Ashley