There’s a certain magic that happens when you stop visiting a place and start living in it – even if only for a few days. Experiencing a destination like a local isn’t about ticking landmarks off a list or finding the most Instagrammable café. It’s about slowing down, observing, and allowing the rhythm of everyday life to guide you.
Whether you’re travelling for work, rest or curiosity, here’s how to step beyond the tourist bubble and experience a place the way locals do.
1. Slow the pace (Locals rarely rush)
Tourists rush. Locals linger.
Instead of cramming your itinerary with back-to-back activities, build in space to simply be. Sit with your morning coffee longer than planned. Walk without a destination. Notice how people move through their day. When you slow down, you create room for spontaneous moments – the kind that often become the most memorable.
Ask yourself: What does a normal Tuesday look like here? Then try to live it.
2. Choose neighbourhoods over hotspots
Landmarks are beautiful, but neighbourhoods tell the real story.
Stay in residential areas rather than hotel-heavy zones. Wander streets where people are walking dogs, heading to work, buying bread. This is where you’ll find the corner cafés, family-run grocery stores and quiet parks that locals return to daily.
Even just observing what’s in people’s shopping baskets or how they dress can offer subtle insight into the culture.
3. Eat where the locals eat (and when they eat)
One of the fastest ways to connect with a place is through food but timing matters as much as location.
Avoid restaurants with multilingual menus and door-side promoters. Instead, look for places filled with locals, especially during off-peak hours. Pay attention to when people eat, not just what they eat. Lunch at 2pm? Late dinners? Mid-morning pastries? Follow their lead.
Pro tip: Ask shop owners or café staff where they eat after work. Their answers are often gold.
4. Learn a few words (Effort matters more than fluency)
You don’t need to be fluent, but a few well-intended phrases go a long way.
Simple greetings, thank yous, and polite questions show respect and curiosity. Locals appreciate effort, even when pronunciation isn’t perfect. It often opens doors to warmer interactions, recommendations and conversations you wouldn’t otherwise have.
And sometimes, those brief exchanges become your most human travel moments.
5. Embrace ordinary rituals
Experiencing a place like a local means embracing the everyday.
Visit a local gym, market or bookstore. Take public transport. Do your laundry. Buy fruit and eat it in the park. Watch how people spend their evenings – do they gather outdoors, stroll after dinner, meet friends midweek?
These small rituals offer a deeper sense of place than any guided tour ever could.
6. Dress to blend in
Style is a language – and every city speaks it differently.
Observe how locals dress for different occasions: mornings, evenings, weekends. You don’t need to abandon your personal style, but adjusting silhouettes, colours or accessories can help you feel more connected and less conspicuous.
Blending in isn’t about hiding – it’s about belonging, even temporarily.
7. Put the phone away (More often than you think)
Constant documenting keeps you at a distance.
Of course, capture memories – but don’t let your screen mediate every experience. Notice smells, sounds, textures. Listen to conversations around you. Let moments exist without needing to be shared.
When you’re fully present, you’re more likely to stumble upon unplanned experiences – the heart of local living.
8. Accept that you’re a guest
Experiencing a place like a local doesn’t mean pretending you’re not a visitor.
It means approaching with humility, respect and curiosity. Being mindful of customs, noise levels, sustainability and community spaces matters. Locals aren’t attractions – they’re people living their lives.
When you honour that, the experience becomes richer for everyone.
To experience a place like a local is to soften your expectations and stay open. It’s about trading urgency for awareness, performance for presence. The goal isn’t to see everything – it’s to feel something real.
Because long after the photos fade, what stays with you is the rhythm you stepped into, even briefly and the version of yourself that felt at home there.
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Featured Image: DupePhoto
