This is your permission slip for traveling.

Your golden ticket. Your nudge to live full and make the most of every moment.

Do it!

If you’re one of the lucky ones with time, some money laid aside, and a passport to go, go.

Have fun! See the sights. Eat the good food. Try to fully dive in while you’re there.

Guess what? While you’re at it, you’re gonna look like a tourist.

It’s a good thing! A great thing, actually!

You might have visions of 90’s windbreakers, fanny packs, maps, and cameras hanging around your neck.

Good! My word of wisdom is to channel that, and stick with me!

I’ve had the indescribable gift of seeing many parts of this big, amazing earth. Many continents, many countries, and many states here in my home nation. I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything!

They have made me more mindful of how small I am, how many other people are experiencing life alongside me and do it with different languages and cultures and worldviews, and how blessed I am to live where I do.

I’ve also gained a deep love and respect for fully embracing being a tourist somewhere, whether that’s nearby in the next town over, or somewhere over an ocean.

One of my pet peeves is when I hear people talk about an exciting upcoming trip and proclaim, with a certain turning-up-of-the-nose air, that they want to live like a local because they don’t want to look like a tourist.

I get it!

Actually, one of my favorite modes of travel is when I can walk to the closest coffee spot, hang out for a bit reading a book or journaling, and shop around local stores. Nothing crazy — just a relaxing day doing what I like to do in a new place.

But I think there’s lots of room to embrace full-on tourist mode. After all, that IS what you are, and that IS why you’re traveling! You want to experience the place you’re going to — the sites, the people, the food, and the local culture!

And believe me, even the most snobbish of locals are grateful for the tourism trade that pours into their economy and provides many jobs!

You should fully enjoy the place you’ve paid, in both money and time, to go to!

Be both the obvious tourist and low-key, people-think-I’m-a-local tourist.

Here’s why:

Both pour money into the local economy, and a good mix of both provides the most sustainable pace so you don’t tucker out too quickly and miss being fully present each precious day you’re away.

A good mix of both provides the most well-rounded experience!

You probably wouldn’t travel to Paris and decide to not see the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, or Notre Dame because that’s what tourists do. No way! Those experiences are iconic to a Parisian adventure!

Consider this:

Those very touristy days are usually fast-paced, and involve a decent amount of planning (think public transportation, purchasing site tickets in advance, understanding wait times and how to plan our your meals.)

You likely only have the time and the money to be in a place briefly, and maybe just that one time in your life. Therefore, you might want to see multiple sites in one day. In that case, you’d need to wear comfortable shoes while you walk around/use the local public transportation. You’d want a practical bag to keep your important things close and accessible.

Put that all together and you’re probably looking touristy. That is GREAT!

That’s why you’re there!

It is 100% worth looking like a tourist to actually have those amazing experiences!

I love culturally immersive tourism.

The idea here is to not only see the big sites and do the thing, but to also consider what life is like for the people who live there all the time. What does the typical Parisian, for example, do for a day of rest or fun?

You could stay at an Airbnb hosted by a local, and there might be a cafe down the street. You could spend a morning walking to get the quintessential croissant and coffee breakfast, a very local thing to do, and stick around to read while you sip. Or you could go to the local Farmers’ Market and pick out a baguette, cheese, and fruit, and have a snack by the river.

Find the locally owned book store. Ask someone who lives there (like your Airbnb host or local market cashier) where their favorite place to eat is and go there!

The pace of an immersive experience is by nature slower. It may take a little more creative research beforehand to pick a good neighborhood to stay in that has your vibe, or to find out what locals actually like doing. It takes a little more work to find out about Farmers’ Markets and flea markets, seasonal fairs, good hiking trails or parks, and other local events.

Having some obvious tourist days and immersive tourist days provide the best rhythm for really enjoying a new place.

You’ll have days you really go-go-go, and days to catch your breath and relax.

There’s totally a way to be a tourist, look like a tourist, and still be (and look like) yourself.

Choose your out-and-about travel essentials for comfort, function, and personal style
Appropriate shoes, a functional bag, a water bottle, and weather-appropriate gear are a must to really enjoy yourself while you’re out seeing the sites or just living like a local. Choose gear that marries a bit of your normal style with function and comfort. It is worth the extra cost before your trip to gear up well! Nothing is worse than a painful blister midday or dashing to find a store for a plastic poncho if you get caught in the rain!! And those things scream tourist!
In my experience, I choose shoes with socks (no blisters, thank you!), a small crossbody bag or stylish book bag (just big enough to carry a small journal - Field Notes is my favorite), and a sleek water bottle that won’t leak.
I’d personally choose this fanny pack by Herschel worn as a crossbody as is the fashion (I mean look at that delicious green color!), some white high-top Vans (as to be able to wear socks AND they can be worn with dresses, skirts, pants, or shorts), and a casual-cool baseball cap like this.
Prepare an itinerary ahead of time
That way you won’t be wasting time looking at your phone (looking like an out-of-towner) for directions, public transportation details, reviews, etc. You can plan the places you want to see, visit, and eat, in a pattern that makes the most sense based on location and timeline.
It doesn’t have to be a rigorous itinerary, for those of us that prefer a bit of spontaneity on their vacation! You could choose one main activity per day, and based on that location, you can have an idea of well-reviewed restaurants, parks, and shops nearby and choose day-of based on how you’re feeling.
Use your tech to your highest benefit
Save your itinerary to your notes on your phone, or use the Google Maps lists to save all the fun places you find during your research, so you can pull them up at a glance. If you’re traveling to a different country, make sure you understand how to purchase a local SIM card to access data while you’re there.
If using your phone for pics and vids, make sure you’ve cleared out plenty of space on your phone storage ahead of time! Nothing is worse than getting the iPhone Storage Full alert and frantically finding old stuff to delete so you don’t miss a chance to capture the current moments.
Sunscreen up and hydrate well before you go out
It does look rather touristy to be slathering on sunscreen or guzzling plastic water bottles while you’re out in the market square or waiting for a table at the restaurant. Take the morning at your hotel or Airbnb to do a detailed sunscreen application and choose face products that have sunscreen in them (if you wear make-up, many foundations/tinted moisturizers also have SPF! (Ilia is my absolute favorite and has SPF 40!)
Guzzle guzzle guzzle water before you leave in the morning, too! It will make every part of your vacay better. You’ll feel better, have better, erm, digestion (very important while traveling), and your skin will thank you a million times over.
Purchase travel-sized sunscreen (Sun Bum has a great travel-sized pack!) and a sleek water bottle (love this one by memobottle) before your trip for those long tourist days.

Here’s how to Make it your dream vacation

If you’re like me, you may get a little locked up when taking the idea of a vacation and making it a reality. Here’s how I prep from the very start to ensure I make the most of my moments and get the trip I want.

Check out the websites of the town, state, site, or area you are going to. These aren’t usually the coolest looking, but they will provide a great starting point for recommendations of things to do and places to eat, according to the local tourism association.

Watch pro travel guide videos like those from Rick Steves and Samantha Brown, Just look them up on YouTube!

Then, I absolutely recommend searching for travel blogs, more hip/small-scale city guides, and travel vlogs on YouTube. Check social media hashtags, too! This will provide more up-to-date ideas using real-life people’s own experiences.

Turn to Pinterest (here’s my travel board). I’m serious, the visual for me is so helpful to capture the vibe of the experience I want to have. Do I want to have an adventure and jump off a cliff into a swimming hole? Do I want to make sure to eat pizza at a street side cafe? Start saving pictures to a board to help you hone in on what excites you. (P.S. this is great for outfit ideas, too!)

So go ahead, look like a tourist and be yourself, totally having fun and making the most of each precious moment!

If you’re one of the lucky ones, just go all in, my friend.

So my question to you is, where to next?

All my love,

Sam

P.S. Want more travel tips for near or far? Try How to Have a Great Staycation and my Raleigh City Guide!

Permission to Be The Tourist