How to live like a tourist in your own city

Honestly, most cities keep plenty of secrets away from the people who actually live in them. It’s funny—tourists show up, wandering around with their maps, and, seemingly overnight, they stumble onto corners you’ve probably never noticed. Locals, on the other hand—and, honestly, I’m guilty of this—tend to move along the same blocks, same coffee stops. The Gomes Guide suggests picking up a “tourist mindset,” which might help boost your curiosity and, maybe, make daily life less predictable.

This kind of thinking—even has its own buzzword, apparently: “urban micro-travel.” The idea? Start treating your neighborhood like someplace you’d bother to explore; every now and then, maybe even play tourist games like pokeronline with travel friends. When you look at old streets as if they’re new, suddenly there’s that restaurant you walked past forever, or a local story you missed. Strange how easy it is to forget that adventure doesn’t always need a suitcase or a ticket—sometimes you just have to look up.

Planning weekends like city breaks

Weekends tend to disappear into errands, chores, or leftover work, at least for most people I know. Tourists, meanwhile, seem to chase moments—trying out stuff that locals often ignore. Attempting to treat Saturday like a getaway might sound odd, but what if you started booking yourself, say, a museum or a performance in the same way you’d do on holiday? Wander-Lush claims there was a 28% bump in museum visitors in London in 2023, partly thanks to people skipping travel in favor of “staycations.”

It might help to write down a list of local places or activities and try checking a couple off whenever you feel stuck in routine. If you don’t over-schedule, there’s sometimes space for random discoveries—a pop-up market you didn’t know about, or somebody playing jazz in the park. Weekends, if you let them, might begin to feel almost like a different city each time, minus the crowds at baggage claim.

Recreating travel experiences at home

Travel is almost always linked with the thrill of something new, but, honestly, most cities are crammed with stuff you haven’t tasted or tried. Maybe try cooking cuisine you usually eat on holidays—Mexican, French, Thai—using whatever you find at the market down the block. Have you ever looked into local historical tours? Even for places you thought you knew inside out, they sometimes uncover details you’ve never heard of; apparently, The Gomes Guide points out that guides know plenty of hidden routes and odd facts.

Some residents now join online poker tournaments themed around world cities, mixing local friends and faraway connections. Or, I don’t know, borrow a dog-eared guidebook from the library and spend an afternoon following an itinerary that was never meant for you. Sometimes all you need is a listing for traveling art exhibits or pop-up food stalls to get that feeling of unfamiliar excitement—honestly, it’s all the anticipation without the jet lag.

Seeing familiar places through new eyes

Walking down the same street every day, you barely notice anything, until maybe you grab your camera. The Urban Photography Collective’s 2022 survey found that people were stumbling onto places they’d never seen—just by wandering and snapping a few photos. Start small: take a photo, stop and look at a mural you’d ignored, maybe even ask somebody nearby what’s behind it.

Most small cafes or stores stack up local stories but rarely post them online; if you chat to the person at the counter, chances are they’ll suggest something, or someone, you’ve never considered. Try walking instead of driving, or riding a bus along a route that isn’t your usual one. The shift in how you move through the city—sometimes that’s all it takes to spot something you overlooked for years.

Embracing classic and hidden experiences

Landmarks and “touristy” attractions sometimes get a bad rap from locals, but if you’re willing to revisit them, apparently there’s a link to increased city pride—Wander-Lush reports the number is up by about 17%. Instead of writing off big sites as “just for visitors,” maybe there’s value in joining a guided tour or exploring a major festival downtown. Don’t be afraid to try out an itinerary from a travel blogger, even if it feels laughable to follow their “must-see” path. Sometimes it’s easier to see novelty if you borrow someone else’s perspective. Mixing up your routines and getting recommendations outside your usual circles (friends-of-friends, distant relatives, people you run into at a street fair), well, that’s often when new corners of your city finally show up for you.

Responsible enjoyment and self-care

Trying to see your city through fresher eyes is, in theory, meant to be fun. But it’s also wise to draw a few lines for yourself. If you indulge in activities like poker or spend extra on outings, set clear limits and stick to them. It might help to keep your outings balanced—don’t pack your calendar just for the sake of it, or you might find yourself exhausted instead of inspired.

Curiosity is best when it doesn’t tip over into fatigue. Sometimes, the best moments come from slowing down, appreciating what’s one block away, and just noticing what you skipped before. Discovery, when it isn’t forced, tends to be the most rewarding. That said, your city could have more to offer than you assume—just take your time with it.