When it comes to holidaying, basking in some cultural experiences can make or break your time away. Often we’re happy enough to bathe in sunlight on the beach or shop in the local boutique districts, but a lot of the time we can feel like we aren’t going deep enough.
Preparing for Time Away
Before you go away, if you’re heading to a country where the culture is different from yours, do a little research into it first. This will help you to understand certain traditions if you see them take place, and will also make sure you don’t accidentally offend anyone with your own normal behaviour. Knowing what to look for will also help you find the local experience you want. Having souvenirs of mini Eiffel Towers or Palazzos looks cute and is fun to have hanging off your keys, but it can feel a little superficial. Have a good scout around online for recommendations from others who’ve been to and done the same things.
Visit the Local Nightlife
It can feel a little risky even whilst you’re at home to stay out until the early hours. Yet if you want an in depth experience of local habits, music, and food, spending time in places such as a rooftop bar is a good way to integrate yourself by having more of a chance to make friends whilst dining and dancing amongst like minded people. This is especially good in places such as the US, where nightlife often makes up entire towns such as Las Vegas and New York City. If a whole city can be branded on one activity, not taking part in it is missing a trick. Depending on the type of person you are, going to quainter and quieter places offers a more down to earth view of where you are. On the other hand, spending a bit more cash to access higher up venues is more likely to bring you into contact with an experience worth the time and money, giving you more of a feel of that stereotypical American dream we constantly see in movies.
Try to Avoid Tourist Traps
Often you can’t avoid tourist traps due to their hand in a country’s gross domestic product. However, you can take steps to find areas less trap-like. Ask around for activities to do that don’t come on many flyers as this indicates their unpopularity amongst tourists. This sounds bad, but it actually will bring you into contact with more local people and their own voices instead of a corporation’s. If you’re staying in a popular hotel or densely populated area with many people around who look just like you, take some time to travel away from that kind of centre to find better dining options as well as local pubs and drinks. This can range in distance from a short walk to a long drive, but it’s well worth the time.
Going abroad is fantastic, but make sure to bring away something that enriches your memories.
