Have you ever stopped to wonder how your hometown looks to tourists? Do they find it exotic? Do they think you are lucky to live in such a beautiful place? When we stop and put on our tourist glasses, we realize that it’s not always necessary to travel to faraway places to have a good time and see interesting things. We can find beauty right here in our own backyards. Visiting local attractions and supporting local businesses is a good thing to do, especially now, don’t you think?
I often point out to my husband that if we were traveling, we would stop to take a closer look and a photo of a statue in a park or whatever else caught our attention. But we rarely do. You know what I mean, don’t you? Why is it that we only do this while traveling and not when we’re at home?
We both grew up in Montreal and lived there for most of our lives. But yet, it seems that we’ve visited more places in Montreal since we’ve moved to the US then when we lived there! How crazy is that? It’s as if we took for granted that these things would always be there for us. But then we moved!
Montreal is a wonderful city with lots to do and for years we missed out… so now when we go visit our families we also try to go out and do something tourists would do. We love Old Montreal and the Old Port area and the spectacular view from the Mount Royal lookout.
If you live or find yourself in Montreal, please have a look at our post: Things to See and Do in Montreal, Canada
When we later move to Austin, we also missed out on opportunities to visit many of the local attractions. At least, we did play tourist when we had out-of-town guests and took them to popular places around Austin and San Antonio. We also went boating regularly on Lake Travis and Lake Austin for an afternoon of fun.
For ideas about what to do in Austin, please see our post: Things to Do and Places to Go in Austin, Texas
Now that we live in Miami, we kicked it up a notch and make it a point to venture out and visit local attractions. Not only when we have guests, but on a regular basis. There’s a lot more to Miami than the beach.
We have explored local parks, kayaked through the mangroves, and visited the Everglades National Park more than once. It’s always a different experience. We also did some really touristy things like taking a boat ride to see Millionaire’s Row and visiting local museums and historic estates. Did you know that it’s possible to visit a Japanese garden in South Florida? How about a genuine transplanted ancient Spanish monastery?
If you live in or visit the Miami- Fort Lauderdale area, please have a look at our List of Things to Do in South Florida
We are very happy (and grateful) to live in such a beautiful place and to have the chance to go scuba diving right here in our own backyard.
See our articles: Reef Diving in South Florida and South Florida Dive Sites
When we take the time to look around us, we discover that there are a lot of fun things to do right here where we live. And we realize that when we open our eyes to the possibilities, we inevitably see the beauty of the world around us.
Travel blogs and websites, guidebooks and social media travel groups are all good sources of information about what to see and do in your hometown. Someone has been there and written about it. You can also ask your friends for recommendations about their favorite places to visit.
International travel looks very unlikely for this summer due to all the travel restrictions in place. So, until the world reopens it looks like we will stay close to home and take a staycation. Don’t get me wrong we love to travel, and we will travel again when the conditions are right. But for now, we will play tourist in our hometown. How about you?
Think of the silver lining! No luggage to pack, no visas required, and no jet lag! And, we get to spend more time with our cat. She loves the idea!
Happy and safe staycation!