Many live their whole lives without really exploring their own town.
Green Shoot Media | Contributed
Out-of-towners happily flock to see key historic places, fun destinations and celebrated
eateries, and hometown folks sometimes over-react by avoiding them all together.
BLAME FAMILIARITY
Staycation fun can sometimes come down to acting like a tourist in your own city. The same attractions that excite new visitors may have become overly familiar to you as a resident — or maybe you’ve always avoided them because you didn’t want to get caught up in the seasonal crush of tourists. Pick your spots if you must, perhaps booking in the offseason, but take an opportunity to break out of old habits. You’ll add some spice to your everyday life, and you might just come away with a better understanding of why others find your hometown so exciting and fun to visit.
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS
You may have avoided some of your town’s biggest draws your whole life. But if you’ve
already taken all of them in, try digging into the smaller, tucked away attractions that
complete the local experience. Look for local galleries, museums and commemorative
displays to learn more about the life, arts, crafts and history around you. Oftentimes, these smaller spaces will focus more intently on narrower, more intriguing moments in time — like
by-gone industries or historical sports triumphs. And the art will be made by people right there in your community.
ENJOY THE LOCAL NIGHTLIFE
It’s important to treat your staycation like an actual vacation, which means avoiding the tendency to hit the sack early. Busy weeks filled with work and family obligations probably keep you far away from venues open into the evening for music, dancing and fun. Now’s the time to take advantage of all that the night has to offer, whether with your partner or a group of like-minded friends.
DOCUMENT IT ALL
Don’t forget to take plenty of pictures — just as you would in some exotic locale. Keep your phone or camera handy, and what you notice about your hometown might give you a whole new perspective. Maybe it’s the urban-core architecture, or a particularly picturesque park setting. Maybe it’s something artier, like the way light play across a city street. Mix in fun candids of yourself, your partner and the people you meet.
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