10 Ways to Be a Tourist in Your Town and Why That's Healthy

Many individuals and families will take “staycation” days this summer and spend their downtime close to home. Slowing your pace and making time for self-care is important for mental and physical health—even when it entails catching up on sleep or binge-watching a favorite streaming show. 

But staycations don’t have to be home-based or sedentary to be beneficial. This year, consider a twist on your usual activities and try becoming a tourist in your own town. It’s a refreshing way to vacation, with rewards that go way beyond saving money on travel.

Change Can Be Positive

Life has evolved significantly in recent years, and we’ve adapted by finding alternate ways to work, learn and interact. There is an upside to change. Embracing new activities and adventures brings joy, improves resiliency and strengthens the synapses in your brain, which is good for cognitive health. Stepping outside your routine also helps build confidence—a bonus in times of uncertainty. Adopting a vacation mentality at home, as a couple or family, can be a bonding experience and create lasting memories. 

A Tourist’s Perspective

How do you become a tourist in your own city? By taking a visitor’s approach and putting yourself in the mindset of someone unfamiliar with your town. If you had a friend traveling to see you from another part of the country, where would you take them? Are there attractions, restaurants and venues you pass regularly but never think about visiting? Start there. Viewing your hometown through a different lens can give you a renewed appreciation for your life and what’s available in your own backyard.

A Healthy Way to Vacation

Many tourist activities involve walking or other physical movement, which is a great way to keep fit and enable children to burn off excess energy. There are countless outdoor options, from hiking trails to parks to ball fields, allowing a healthy balance between socializing and distancing, as we continue to navigate Covid-19.     

Here are some ideas for exploring your own city through the eyes of a tourist:

• Start with the obvious—Visit tourism websites for your city or pick up brochures from a hotel lobby welcome center. Consider bus tours, historical sites, and large tourist draws, like Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Take advantage of discounts offered online or through your company’s Human Resources department. 
• Become a food tourist—What local dish is your town best known for, and who made it famous? Put together a tasting itinerary at different area restaurants or create your own competition to find the best shoo-fly pie or stroopie in your town.
• Mix it up—If you normally drive everywhere, take public transportation or explore on foot or by bike.
• Change your view—Head to a rooftop restaurant or lounge, hike to your town’s highest point, ride in a hot air balloon or helicopter, or tour the highest building for a fresh perspective.
• Check out the next town over—Explore boutiques, cafés, bookstores and other charming places hidden in plain sight.
• Get physical—Sign up for a walking tour, hike or guided bike ride. Rent a canoe or Segway. Search for fun and offbeat fitness classes offered in your city, like hula hooping, trampoline workouts, aerial yoga, or belly dancing.
• Get away, close to home—Book a short stay in a local Airbnb, inn or hotel, or check out local campgrounds in a tent or RV. If you prefer not to stay overnight, enjoy date night at a local hotel bar or restaurant, or treat yourself to a spa day or afternoon tea.
• Involve the kids—Ask each child to come up with a wish list or build your itinerary around their interests. Lean into teenagers’ smart phone habits and encourage them to take cheesy photos at tourist sites and share their adventures on social media or in a family Google Drive folder.
• Embrace history—Introduce your grandchildren to old-fashioned train rides or take your kids to see the neighborhood you grew up in decades earlier. Is there a bakery still open from generations prior? A school or playground from your childhood? Use these visits as an opening to bring stories to life in a more tangible way.
• Make it a competition—Challenge a friend, family member or partner to come up with one surprising activity or place to visit together within a 10-mile radius. See who can discover the most unexpected and delightful find.