One of the most fun aspects of traveling is starting and following a tradition whenever you go someplace new. It could involve visiting a particular tourist attraction or a chain restaurant. A sightseer on a recent online travel thread describes how their ritual is to try the pizza in every country they visit. Other responses were equally fascinating and fun.
1. Local Grocers and Markets
Numerous people describe visiting local grocery stores and farmer’s markets as their must-do travel ritual. Going to the local grocer allows them to get a feel for the local cuisine and see what types of food are available there that isn’t sold at home. One traveler says, “I also love visiting local grocery stores and buying local snacks.”
2. Pub Crawls
For several beer enthusiasts, there’s no better way to simultaneously shake off travel fatigue and get to know the culture of the place you’re visiting than going on a pub crawl.
3. Food Tours
Many travelers on the thread described going on food tours when they try a specific type of food in whatever country they visit. Users describe buying ice cream, walking around to sightsee, and visiting McDonald’s restaurants outside of the United States “to see what different items they have on their menus.”
4. Country Drives
Few things are as relaxing as a leisurely drive through the countryside. Driving in a new country as a traveler adds an element of adventure. One admits, “Every country I visit, I make it a point to go out into the countryside and do a drive around. I love experiencing different road cultures and comparing rural lifestyles with those back home.”
5. Go Your Own Way
Instead of seeing the run-of-the-mill tourist traps, some opt to take the road less traveled by shopping at local places where tourists usually do not go. Someone describes how they “take inexpensive local buses. Local buses are a great way to get a feel for a place.” Others take solo walking tours around the locale.
6. Find Unique Attractions
Have you ever heard of the Mütter Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which displays medical oddities? How about the Sulabh Museum of Toilets in Delhi, India? Several travelers say they intentionally seek unique attractions such as these as a compelling alternative to well-known museums and attractions.
7. Souvenir Shopping
Buying souvenirs to remember where you have traveled is a familiar ritual. One user on the travel thread has a particular type of keepsake they purchase from the places they visit: a charm for their bracelet, which is a neat way to carry those memories with you daily.
8. Bookstores
One vacationer says they like going to bookstores during their travels because they like to see places that are “less touristy and more everyday human.” Bookstores are great places to explore the local culture and meet people.
9. Take a History Lesson
If you’re bored by tourist traps and are looking for something more educational, visit someplace of historical significance. A user on the thread offers the following suggestion: “Get somewhat of an educational experience along the way. To be done while taking in every other brilliance of the trip.
My parents started me with that when I was two, and now I’m in my 30s, still doing it with my family. Always find something to learn you didn’t know before.”
10. Try Public Transit
Instead of renting a car or riding in an organized tour bus to get around, several people urge their fellow travelers to take public transportation when it’s safe. One user extols the benefits of public transit: “I think it does help the understanding of a new place and the culture when you travel like the locals.”
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Demi Michele is a seasoned traveler, turned freelance writer. Having explored most states and ventured internationally, her love for outdoor cafes, new cuisines, and cultural immersion shines through her wide range of articles. Based in Texas with her family and two Scottish Terriers, Demi turns her adventures into captivating travel narratives to share with readers.