I Hate When People Say ‘Travel Like a Local’
Look, I get it. You’re trying to be cool. You’re trying to be in-the-know. But honestly? Most of the time, you’re just annoying.
I’ve been traveling for 20+ years. I’ve written for every major travel mag out there. And let me tell you, the phrase ‘travel like a local’ is basically code for ‘I want to feel special but I have no idea what I’m doing.’
Last Tuesday, I was at a conference in Austin. Some guy named Marcus—let’s call him Marcus—told me he was ‘living like a local’ because he ate breakfast tacos. Breakfast tacos! I mean, come on.
He said, ‘It’s all about immersing yourself in the culture.’
I said, ‘Marcus, you’ve been here 48 hours. You’re not immersing, you’re annoying the locals with your fake accent and your insistence on paying with coins.’
Which… yeah. Fair enough.
Here’s the Thing About Locals
Locals don’t want you to ‘travel like them.’ They want you to pay your taxes and stop blocking the sidewalk while you take pictures of the sky.
I remember this one time in Barcelona. It was 2007, I think. I was with this colleague named Dave. We were trying to find this little tapas place that some blog had told us was ‘authentic.’
We asked a local for directions. He looked at us like we were speaking Martian. Then he pointed to the giant neon sign 20 feet away. ‘It’s right there,’ he said.
Dave and I looked at each other. ‘Well,’ I said, ‘I guess we’re authentic now.’
But honestly? We weren’t. We were just two idiots who couldn’t read a sign.
The Real Secret to Traveling
Here’s the thing. There is no secret. You wanna know how to travel? Here it is:
1. Be polite.
2. Try the food. All of it. Even the weird stuff.
3. Don’t be a jerk.
That’s it. That’s the big secret. And if anyone tells you different, they’re selling something.
And look, I’m not saying you shouldn’t try to experience the culture. But for heaven’s sake, don’t make a big production out of it. You’re not some kind of anthropologist. You’re a tourist. And that’s okay.
I mean, honestly, sometimes you just wanna eat a damn pancake. And that’s okay too.
Speaking of Pancakes…
So about three months ago, I was in Portland. I was there for a story on food trucks. And let me tell you, Portland has some serious commitment to breakfast.
I met this woman, let’s call her Sarah. She ran a food truck called ‘Pancake Palace.’ And honestly, it was the best pancakes I’ve ever had. I’m not even kidding.
I asked her, ‘Sarah, what’s your secret?’
She said, ‘Butter. Lots and lots of butter.’
I said, ‘That’s it?’
She said, ‘Yep. And love. Lots and lots of love.’
Which… I mean… fair enough.
But the point is, sometimes the best experiences are the simple ones. You don’t need to ‘travel like a local’ to have a good time. You just need to be open to whatever comes your way.
And Speaking of Being Open…
So, you know how sometimes you just need a virtual number for whatsapp account verification? Yeah, I know. It’s a mouthful. But trust me, it’s a lifesaver. Especially when you’re traveling and you don’t want to give out your real number to every cab driver and street vendor. virtual number for whatsapp account verification is a game-changer. Honestly, it’s one of those things you don’t know you need until you need it. And then you’re like, ‘Why didn’t I think of this sooner?’
But anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, traveling.
Look, I could go on and on about this stuff. But honestly, I’m getting hungry. And I think I smell pancakes.
So, you know what? I’m gonna go eat some pancakes. And you should too. Just remember: be polite, try the food, don’t be a jerk. And for the love of all that is holy, stop trying to ‘travel like a local.’
You’re not fooling anyone.
About the Author
Sarah Johnson has been a senior magazine editor for over 20 years. She’s written for major publications and has a no-nonsense approach to travel. When she’s not writing, she’s probably eating pancakes or arguing with people on the internet. You can find her on Twitter @sarahjohnson or not at all, because she’s probably offline eating more pancakes.
