When traveling, it can be difficult to venture off the beaten path.
Between guidebooks, online research and concierge recommendations…sometimes it seems like you can’t escape the touristy sights.
But when you can, the experience is oh-so-rewarding.
Not only are there less crowds, but you can have a more authentic trip…one in which you get to experience your destination more like a local. Plus, you can hit some undiscovered spots that will make your vacation truly unique.
So how do you get some of those local spots on your radar? And get away from all the tourist traps?
These 21 travel experts and addicts share their best tips for traveling off the beaten path.
Juliana Dever: Professional Travel Blogger + Actor
“Talk to locals! Always always always.
Sometimes I put out feelers on social media, and I find friends of friends who are willing to meet with me once I get to a new country.
Once I’m in a new city or town, I ask everyone – taxi drivers, hotel clerks, Airbnb hosts, etc., what their favorite things to see, do or eat are. I go to the corner pub or cafe, chill and talk to the bartenders and servers and ply them with questions on the inside scoop.
Finally, I find walking tours in English wherever I can. You typically get some history, a great lay of the land, and you find little lanes and streets you might not otherwise know about and get the opportunity to ask the tour guide (who is usually a local), for all of their favorite spots.”
On Juliana’s bucket list: Iran
A special note from Juliana: “I’m a professional actor AND a professional travel blogger who finds unusual experiences in both popular and unexpected destinations. So far: 49 countries, 100,000+ air miles a year. Phew! Oh, and I hate flying. Actually, I’m afraid of flying.”
Follow Juliana on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for quirky tales from a curator of cultural experiences.
“I go to the corner pub or cafe, chill and talk to the bartenders and servers and ply them with questions on the inside scoop.” – Juliana Dever
Kristin Luna: Journalist, Travel Blogger + Entrepreneurial Spirit
“I curate a well-edited list of recommendations from locals prior to any trip.
I compile this via Yelp reviews (because who knows the culinary fabric of a city better than its wannabe food critics?), blog posts I bookmark via Pinterest and soliciting advice from locals on social media. This has proven to be a winning combination when it comes to venturing beyond the tourist mainstays when I travel.
I’m always seeking out cool coffee shops and hip bars and generally steer away from places I read about in magazines (even though my background is as a magazine journalist—with lead times what they are, often a year or two, by the time an issue hits newsstands, those recommendations are old news!).
Plus, locals always want to show off the best bits of their hometown—and even if you only have a handful of Twitter or Instagram followers, don’t be hesitant to seek out the voices of the city you’re visiting and approach them via social; I guarantee the majority will be humbled that you thought to ask them!”
On Kristin’s bucket list: “I lived in Denmark a little more than a decade ago, and the Faroe Islands have been popping up on my radar a lot lately. From what I’ve seen, they remind me of what I adored about Danish architecture mixed in with Icelandic-like scenery and a dash of Norway’s rugged charm. What’s not to love about that?”
Follow Kristin on Instagram for travel writing and photography at its best, all through the eyes of an adventurous Southern belle.
Karin-Marijke: Nomad, Writer, Book Reader + Hiker
Coen: Nomad, Photographer, Driver + Runner
“1. Look around you. Do you see a narrow side road, or a mountain top, or a quiet spot with a view, that seems to call out to you? Go! Whatever plan you had, you can return and do it later. A lot of this has to do with following your intuition; does something feel good even though it’s not in your guidebook or any ‘best of list’? Go and check it out.
2. Don’t plan too much so you’ll have time and a free mind for #1.
3. I find inspiration in museums that have photos of places or sites. I go through great length to find out where they are and check them out.”
On Karin-Marijke and Coen’s bucket list: Mongolia (which they hope to hit by summer of 2018)
Follow Karin-Marijke and Coen on Facebook and Instagram to live vicariously through all their adventures in their antique Landcruiser.
“Look around you. Do you see a narrow side road, or a mountain top, or a quiet spot with a view, that seems to call out to you? Go! Whatever plan you had, you can return and do it later. “ – Karin-Marijke + Coen
Alex + Sebastiaan: Travel Bloggers
“Don’t follow the guidebooks.
The time when guidebooks such as Lonely Planet wrote for backpackers is long over. They completely switched their focus to mass tourism, and it shows in their recommendations. If you follow their itineraries, you’ll never leave the beaten path.
Instead, use a map, Google, and the recommendations of locals and travelers. It might take a bit more preparation, but it’s rewarding in the end.
Most people do follow guidebook recommendations, so the moment you forgo those, you’re basically guaranteed to leave the beaten path.”
On Alex and Sebastiaan’s bucket list: “Does space count? We’d love to be the first travel bloggers to visit space, now that’s off the beaten path. If not that, Iraq is very high on the list, and so are the remote islands of Indonesia.”
A special note from Alex and Sebastiaan: “We’re pros at being masterfully inactive, full-time travelers, and semi-pro travel bloggers. Mostly, though, we’re just people doing what we like: traveling.”
Follow Alex and Sebastiaan on Facebook and Instagram for truly off-the-beaten-track countries and destinations.
Thomas Wood: Filmmaker
“Americans in particular seem to like to see seven places in seven days. Don’t. See one place for seven days. Pick a city and stick to it. It takes all the pressure off seeing all the sites and lets you experience what travel is really all about, which is experiencing life like the locals. Find a cafe and let it be your favorite. Stop by every day and chat in the local language with the owner as best you can. Don’t worry about being bad at it. The strange feeling of being bad at something new, and persisting, is daunting at first, then silly, then exhilarating, and, finally, liberating. This strange feeling is learning. The freshness of that feeling should remind you how long it’s been since you’ve learned what it’s like to be something new.
Staying in one place means you’ve got time to make a friend or two, and have them show you around. It means you’re more likely to find the club that isn’t on the map, the beach you can’t get to by car and, let’s be frank here, it means you’ve got enough time for a second and third date with that alluring, foreign stranger, and aren’t third dates where the real magic is?
Along the same lines, travel alone or in a group between 3-5 people. The goal is to strip away the protective bubble of your old friends, your old language and, ultimately, your old self. Traveling in a pair means going off on your own leaves someone by themselves, and that can be tricky. So 3-5 people means you can get away on your own and, when you are with folks, there’s a little less chance of getting bogged down by groupthink. Whatever the number, leave the group behind, be your own person and interact with locals. That idea that ‘the locals are so friendly’ is a myth. It wasn’t them. It was you being open to new experiences and a new you.
Finally, yes, of course you will leave wishing you had seen those six other cities, but that’s the point of travel, going back. Better to miss something everyone has seen than miss out on the life you never knew was possible.”
On Thomas’ bucket list: Iceland and Burma
A special note from Thomas: “I’m a filmmaker, which means I’m an entrepreneur. My product is myself, as a director, so there’s a lot of day-to-day hustle and long-term projects. It means I make my own schedule but also that absolutely no progress is made but when I’m pushing on the gas. Travel for me is about tapping into my curiosity and always about challenging who I am. When I travel, particularly alone (highly recommend) I can be anyone. It’s important to test assumptions about yourself and, maybe more than anything, travel gives me a new set of problems for my brain to work on. It’s a way to ‘refill the tank’ before I get back to work in front of a computer to make that money.”
Follow Thomas on Twitter and Instagram to check out some of the incredible films he’s creating.
“See one place for seven days. Pick a city and stick to it. It takes all the pressure off seeing all the sites and lets you experience what travel is really all about, which is experiencing life like the locals.” – Thomas Wood
Luci Petlack: Women’s Lifestyle Blogger
“It’s in my nature when traveling to want to see the local culture rather than all the touristy hotspots. Farmers markets, grocery stores, and wandering around for coffee shops all lend themselves to more local experiences. And try to avoid eating in your hotel! Get out and see what’s happening! ”
On Luci’s bucket list: “I still haven’t been to Australia or New Zealand even though it’s been on the top of my bucket list for at least 20 years. I want to drive along the coasts of each and take in the scenery. And check out Sydney’s cold brew scene, of course!! Someday!! ”
For fashion-forward travel inspiration, follow Luci on Instagram here.
Will Cebron: Entrepreneur + Explorer
“The best way to have authentic travel experiences is to find a local and pick their brain.
Whenever I’m planning a trip, I’ll try to search Instagram for local photographers and message them directly. Usually, they’re willing to share a few favorite adventures and if I’m lucky, they’ll meet up for a hike or beer.
The other thing I do when traveling is to explore outside the normal tourist hours. That usually means waking up before sunrise, napping in the middle of the day and staying out past sunset.
Whether I’m off backpacking in the mountains or exploring a new city, my favorite moments are always when the tourist hordes are asleep and you’re experiencing a new place on your own terms. I’m lucky in that most of my travel involves camping, backpacking and hiking which naturally thins the crowd and exposes you to some authentic adventures.”
On Will’s bucket list: It’s more of a pipe dream but there’s a tiny lodge situated in a remote part of Alaska. It’s called Ultima Thule Lodge and they specialize in bush plane adventures into the wilderness. It’s insanely expensive but it’s at the top of my theoretical bucket list. Just need to save up for the next 5-10 years!
For stunning shots of outdoor adventures, check out Will on Instagram.
“Whenever I’m planning a trip, I’ll try to search Instagram for local photographers and message them directly. Usually, they’re willing to share a few favorite adventures and if I’m lucky, they’ll meet up for a hike or beer.” – Will Cebron
Meredith Blackwell: World Traveler + Ex-Googler
“Whenever possible, I try to find a local person to give me recommendations or even better, hang out with me while I’m there. I’ll ask anyone in my social network if they have friends in the place I’m visiting and often times locals are eager and excited to take travelers out.
I was recently in Cairo and an Egyptian colleague of mine put me in touch with his friends back home. They took me out to a super local restaurant and fed me the best Egyptian dishes. I got to learn a lot about life in Egypt and what it was like during and after the 2011 Revolution from young people who were living it.
If I don’t know any connections to a local, the next best thing is staying in a shared Airbnb so you can meet the host and they usually are super helpful with giving tips on what locals like to do in the area.”
On Meredith’s bucket list: Bhutan
A special note from Meredith: “I quit my job to take sabbatical and travel for a year with my boyfriend. We’re 5 months in and still loving it! Follow our journey on Instagram here.”
Editor’s note: Ummm, sign us all up for similar sabbaticals!
Marian Bacol-Uba: Social Entrepreneur, Speaker, Writer, Traveler + People Connector
“My #1 travel tip is to talk to locals. Ask them where locals like to hang out, their recommendations, any local gatherings and events, etc.
These days most people want to go to the most reviewed or highest rated places but those are typically reviewed by other tourists, not really by locals. Ask the locals for the hidden gems.
Everywhere I travel, I try to start conversations with locals. When I was studying abroad in Singapore years ago, I was waiting in line at a nightclub restroom and complimented another woman on her outfit. We started talking and exchanged numbers. She ended up being a great friend and tour guide, taking me to all the cool local spots and introducing me to her friends. We’ve kept in touch through social media all these years and she even visited me when I was living in LA. ☺”
On Marian’s bucket list: The Maldives and Bali
Follow Marian on Twitter and Instagram for stories about entrepreneurship and personal development.
Benna Wise: Googler, Doggysitter + Travel Blogger
“My travel destination decisions are often opportunistic: I bought a flight to Houston to see the Rodeo after a few drinks out with a Texan friend, flew to Alaska with a friend because her friend has a cabin deep in the Alaskan bush, and most recently flew to Vietnam with my boyfriend because our friends wanted to do a motorcycle road trip.
Friends, flexibility, and an eagerness for adventure bring me where I want to be, but I’m a planner, too.
My first stop is harassing friends who have been, then I dig online (I often start with Google images), and I always leave room for recommendations from locals along the way.”
On Benna’s bucket list: “Antarctica. I’m intrigued by anything that doesn’t look like it belongs on this planet.”
Sagar Gondalia: Professional Dog Napper
“I think traveling alone can help. It forces you to meet new people (hopefully locals) and leads to unexpected adventures in unexpected places.”
On Sagar’s bucket list: Japan
Casey Mecklenburg-Blumenthal: Teacher + Photographer
“One of my favorite ways to prep for a trip is to spend a lot of time on Instagram searching images with hashtags that are related to my travels. I have found the best restaurants, markets, and even hotels this way.
Ironically enough, however, I have also found some of my most favorite places while traveling when I’ve let go of trying to plan and control the entire itinerary.
I’ll never forget one night in Seoul when we happened across a restaurant that was on the second floor of a small building. I looked up and I saw two Korean businessmen drinking beers and laughing. We walked up the small staircase and into a restaurant no bigger than a studio apartment. A husband and wife were in the kitchen cooking for the three occupied tables. We took a seat at a table by the window next to the businessmen with the “Asian Glow” and asked them what to order. No one spoke English, but they were most accommodating helping us to order and the duo in kitchen began bringing out dishes and two Cass beers. It was one of the best meals I’ve had to date, and had I planned that dinner that night, I would have missed it.”
Destination on Casey’s bucket list: “A month in South Africa renting a VW camper van to cruise the Garden Route while stopping to taste crisp Sauvignon and Chenin Blanc’s and playing with the South African Penguins on the beach.”
“I have also found some of my most favorite places while traveling when I’ve let go of trying to plan and control the entire itinerary.” – Casey Mecklenburg-Blumenthal
Sara Blaylock: Travel Addict Who Works In The Travel Industry
“Meet locals. I find that some of the best spots to visit are the one’s that the locals recommend and go themselves. You might end up in a hole in the wall restaurant in the middle of nowhere but it could be the best meal of your life.
Also, don’t be afraid to travel alone. You may find that you are more open to interacting with locals when you are alone which could lead to some incredible adventures or friendships. One of my favorite travel memories is when I was in Cappadocia, Turkey by myself. This was my first trip alone and I was terrified. I thought I would spend half the time holed up in my hotel room when I wasn’t sightseeing. However, I started chatting with the hotel employees and one night found myself playing backgammon on the hotel terrace with the receptionist while drinking his friend’s home-made wine. It is such a special memory that I will always look back on with a smile.”
On Sara’s bucket list: “Fernando de Noronha which is an island off the coast of Brazil. It is designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a protected national marine park and environmental sanctuary. They only allow a certain number of tourists per day and charge an environmental tax to protect the island.”
A special note from Sara: “I can’t get enough of Brazil, it’s one of my favorite countries in the world. The beautiful beaches, warm and inviting people and delicious food and drinks really make you feel like you found paradise.”
Follow Sara on Facebook and Instagram for shots from her travels.
Liz LaBrocca: Creative Entrepreneur + Social Media Coordinator
“First of all, I want to say that I love tourist spots, so no shame in visiting them as part of your travels! But I also love to find eclectic, funky, unusual, and outdoorsy things to do and I always want to eat the best food I can find (think small local spots with hand-written menus where no one’s speaking English) and those places can be harder to find good information about. I think my number one tip to get off the beaten path and to find new experiences is actually two-fold: 1) read widely and 2) get to know people.
I always research a spot really well and I follow a number of travel publications and blogs. If I know I’m heading to a particular spot in a year or two, I’ll start making a list of places to look into more as we start planning our itinerary. Reading widely in general also opens you up to places and experiences you wouldn’t know about if you hadn’t picked up that book in the first place. I’m really interested in visiting northern Japan as a result of reading a lot of Murakami. Also travel forums! They have helped me purchase train tickets in India and figure out public transportation to a trailhead on the Amalfi Coast.
Get to know people, everywhere you go, at home and abroad! You never know who has been where or who they can introduce you to. I love talking to people when I’m traveling because locals always know the best spots. Ask them where to eat lunch or where their favorite bar is. We recently took a day trip with a hired driver in Italy and he recommended a bunch of excellent pastry shops and tucked away little spots to visit around Rome that we wouldn’t have known about without speaking with him.
I also love asking for recommendations on Facebook. I’ve been connected with friends of friends who either intimately know or live in a place I’m visiting and they’re able to speak frankly about the place and give great recommendations on must-sees and things to avoid.
We’re going to Hawaii for our honeymoon in September and a friend of a friend gave me the low-down on luaus, helicopter rides, and traffic on the islands, so I feel much more able to make decisions now.”
On Liz’s bucket list: Hiking the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim and a tour of Spain.
Nicole Vitale: Higher Education Professional
“1. Research. I know that doesn’t sound as cool but if you do the right research to find out where locals go, you will usually stumble on other really cools things when you are there. Here are some tips on how to do research:
2. Pick your favorite thing to do – eat, drink, shop, etc. and then google “local {what you like to do} in {place}. That will usually get you started.
3. Ignore anything that says “top 10 things to do in…” Not that those aren’t things you shouldn’t do but those are usually the touristy things.
4. Find local magazines, newspapers or publications. For example, Time Out has publications for many European cities and is a great magazine to find some local stuff to do.”
On Nicole’s bucket list: Tibet & New Zealand
Kinzie Kramer: Young Professional In A Corporate World
“I work at a really large global company, so in addition to hitting up my friends for recommendations, I also usually reach out to the local office in whatever country to see what recommendations they have. This widens the recommendations to outside of my friends network, but is still more controlled than a TripAdvisor or Facebook post. Plus it seems to be a universal truth that people want visitors to love their home too. ☺ ”
On Kinzie’s bucket list: Hiking Patagonia
A special note from Kinzie: “I’m attempting to make work work for me by going on as many work trips as possible.”
“It seems to be a universal truth that people (locals) want visitors to love their home too.” — Kinzie Kramer
Emily Ann Peterson: Singer-Songwriter, Marketing Consultant + Podcast Host
“Be respectfully curious about a local’s life and interests. Approach them like they are your teacher and they will most likely respond in kind! There are warm welcome hospitable people all over the world. If you are warm, welcoming, and curious – you will find each other!”
On Emily’s bucket list: Bali, Italy and Slovenia
Caroline Kraus: Professional Travel Consultant + Wine Traveler
“My #1 tip is to rent a car and travel to smaller towns in the countryside. Smaller towns give you a more authentic feel for a country’s culture. A great way to do this is by visiting wine regions, especially lesser known ones.
For example, last year on our way from Madrid to the world famous Rioja wine region my husband and I stopped at a wine festival in a tiny town called Covarrubias. The town is located in the Arlanza wine region of Spain and has a population of less than 600 people. We were the only non-Spaniards there and no one spoke English. We spent hours drinking wine and chatting with the many wine owners about their wines, families, and the history of the area. It is one of my favorite travel memories!”
On Caroline’s bucket list: “New Zealand – specifically the Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay wine regions”
Follow Caroline on Instagram to fuel your wanderlust.
“My #1 tip is to rent a car and travel to smaller towns in the countryside. Smaller towns give you a more authentic feel for a country’s culture.” – Caroline Kraus
Andrea Caprio: Transformational Nutrition Coach, Permanent Nomad + Citizen Of This World
“Travel with Airbnb! I meet so many amazing people, and it is far more fun and personal than a hotel (and cheaper too).
I also just walk around and often ask questions in Facebook groups or forums.”
On Andrea’s bucket list: Lisbon, Portugal
There’s so many great tips shared by these contributors! Pick one or two to try on your next trip and see how it works out for you.
Have some advice on how you travel off the beaten path? Share it in the comments below.
