How to Be a Tourist in Your Own Town

Let’s face it – as much as we all love to travel, long journeys require a lot of time, energy, and money. Traveling in the year 2020 also poses unique health risks that we all need to consider. Fortunately, there’s a healthier, budget-friendlier way to satisfy your wanderlust right in your own backyard.

Becoming a tourist in your own town is a richly rewarding experience. Not only is it safer and often compliant with local health regulations, but it’s also cheaper, closer, and incredibly fun! When you know all there is to know about your local area, you’ll be the best possible tour guide for friends and family who come to visit. You’ll also uncover the deep, intriguing secrets of your town’s history while getting exercise and helping support struggling local businesses. 

Are you ready to learn the four best ways to be a tourist in your own town?

Find Your Local Visitors’ Center

Do you know where your local visitors’ center is? If not, it’ll be worth your while to search the internet, get some help from your friendly Davis Community caretakers, or contact your local library.

The visitor information center is a fantastic resource to help you locate local landmarks. The employees there often provide printed guides for specific attractions and overall maps of the town. These will be helpful in determining what places you’d like to explore. Using those guides, you can plan custom day trips based on your interests.

For example, to plan an art day, look for local fountains and statues, art museums, or local artists’ studios. To prepare an outdoor trip, find as many parks, botanical gardens, and walking trails as possible. If you want to take a science tour, learn if there are science museums, arboretums, or planetariums nearby.

If you’d prefer to take a less structured approach to your travels, ask a visitors’ center employee if any special seasonal events are coming up. Often, they can provide you with a schedule of summer or holiday events around town. Then, you can pick and choose which events to attend at your leisure.

Finally, you don’t want to miss out on any quirky local landmarks or specialized museums. Be sure to ask the staff at the visitor’s center for information!

Go Downtown

Each town or city has a unique downtown scene, ranging in size and feeling from a quaint, historic district to a sprawling, urban landscape. No matter what kind of downtown is closest to you, it’s nearly impossible to visit without encountering something interesting.

Consider taking a walk to look at the most exciting fountains, sculptures, and plants in your town. Art installations and flower arrangements are typical in cities, but few people take the time to admire them. Many places also feature historical plaques to read as you walk, which can teach you fascinating facts from the past to share with others. 

Lastly, be sure to stop and smell the metaphorical roses. You never know what you’ll encounter as you simply sit and observe the passersby. In fact, one city in North Carolina is home to these downtown regulars:

• A street performer painted silver who dances like a robot
• A poet who will type custom verses on the spot for just a few dollars
• A man who often rides a bicycle dressed in a nun’s habit
• A ten-person bike with a full bar attached for thrill-seeking beer enthusiasts

The lesson here is never to underestimate the value of a day in your own town. It can be every bit as exciting as a far-flung travel destination.

Tour Historic Sights

Chances are, you already know about a few buildings in your town that are full of local flavor and history. But do you know how to find the rest? Follow these two simple steps:

1. Search Google using the name of your town, your state, and the phrase historic sites. 
2. When the results of your search appear, click on whatever website catches your eye first! 

For example, to find historic sites in Wrightsville Beach, NC, type the words “Wrightsville Beach NC historic sites” into Google. In the list of results, you’ll find this interesting list on TripAdvisor that includes the Johnnie Mercers Fishing Pier, Crystal Pier, and the Stanback Coastal Education Center. After that, click on the picture of the Johnnie Mercers Fishing Pier to see reviews others have written about the attraction, an overview summarizing key features, and basic information like its address and hours.

Explore New Destinations

There’s nothing more thrilling than exploring unknown destinations right in your own backyard! Here’s some inspiration for your next day out as a tourist:

• Find a local lookout point and observe your town from a whole new perspective.
• Search Yelp or TripAdvisor to find the best takeout and curbside dining locations.
• Join a walking tour or bus tour of the city, and read any information you see along the way.

If you’re already a tourist in your own town but need some new ideas to shake up your travel routine, try these suggestions to look at your city through someone else’s eyes:

• Walk a route you usually drive.
• Write your own city guide for out-of-town tourists.
• Take along a camera or phone and create a photo scrapbook of your travels.

No matter what kind of day trip you plan, a day of adventure is guaranteed to lift your spirits and teach you something new.

Contact the Davis Community’s Assisted Living and SNF in Wilmington NC

If you or a loved one are in need of help living a safe, active, and independent lifestyle, call the Davis Community today at 910.686.7195 or simply complete and submit our online information request form. We provide exceptional assisted living and skilled nursing services in Wilmington, NC.  We offer a strong and supportive environment where your loved one will feel welcomed and part of an active community. Davis Community is pleased to offer customized concierge home care services, including meal preparation and nutritional guidance, to independent seniors living in Landfall, Cambridge Village, Wrightsville Beach, and Porter’s Neck, NC. Get to know the difference today!