How to Research Like a Local Before Visiting Any Destination
Travelling is not just about sleeping in a new place. It’s about how you experience a place. Rewarding moments come from seeing unfamiliar places from the inside, not just as a tourist, doing all of the overhyped, surface-level activities.
From this idea comes the concept of slow travel. Instead of going for the typical “10 things to do in X,” slow travel is all about taking your time and going to places that are part of the rhythm and routine of the people who actually live there.
Searching for Authenticity
Searching for Authenticity An authentic travel experience often means different things to different people. Some may consider going to a museum a tourist activity, but some locals hold yearly museum passes and visit whenever the exhibition changes. Some touristy spots are designed to make money or to influence travellers to visit, while others are popular because of their historical value or natural beauty.
How do you decide if an experience is authentic or not? A lot of times, it comes down to particular tastes. What do you like and appreciate? Other times, it’s about determining what locals would be doing without catering to visitors or travellers.
Looking for Restaurants
Research is the key to any good trip. Unless you have a friend, acquaintance, or family member in your destination city, you’re going to have to do some research and planning to decide where to eat, where to stay, and what to do. While some people live by the “let’s see” or “let’s take a walk and see what we find,” for others, this type of thinking isn’t practical. When you’re hungry, tired, and unfamiliar with a place, the overpriced tourist traps suddenly become appealing because it’s easy. Avoid that by searching ahead of time for a few good options.
When looking for restaurant ideas, try searching in the local language or use a VPN to get more accurate recommendations, including reviews from people who are not tourists. You’d be surprised at the content you may find when searching from a different IP address. Check blogs, foodie groups, and reviews specifically from Google Maps (which locals often use to rate a place as much as foreigners).
Finding Events, Concerts, and Cultural Gems
While Facebook is definitely phasing out in some places, in other places, Facebook communities are still thriving. With your VPN switched on and with your IP reflecting the city you are preparing to travel to, use the “Events Near Me” function on Facebook to see if there are any meetups or festivals happening that interest you. You could also try using Meetup.com or CouchSurfing to events. While many of these events are hosted by internationals, locals often join as well (especially if they are interested in travelling), and they can give you some better ideas of their real favourite places.
Search for a variety of activities, ideally in the local language, including art exhibits, open mic nights, lectures, and retail pop-ups. Even if some of those types of activities don’t interest you, the search may help you find similar events that are more in your wheelhouse.
Accessing Clubs and Bars
Sorry to say it, but the bars and clubs that usually pop up on influencer posts and stories are usually not the places that locals visit more than once, if at all. They may be great places to party if you want to be around other tourists and visitors, but if you’re looking for a more realistic idea of how locals party, it’s better to find places where they actually hang out.
Try to find nightlife guides written by expats, especially in cities that have an active underground scene. When thanking your bartender or hotel receptionist, ask them for recommendations of where they like to go when they have free time, not the places they recommend to guests.
Places to Check for the Best Insider Information
Once you’ve conceptualized the best way to organize your slow travel trip, it’s time to sit down and do the research. A VPN location changer is an essential part of the process because changing the IP location to reflect the target destination is always going to be the best way to get relevant, non-tourist-oriented information. Once you have access to the part of the internet locals actually use and see, review the following resources to find the best spots:
- Local newspapers and magazines
- Event-based media (some still publish weekly roundups!)
- TikTok posts about food, music, or sports (a good VPN can also be used on mobile)
- Instagram geotags
- YouTube videos by local influencers about daily tasks like grocery shopping or thrifting
- Online forums like Reddit
- Local websites for buying movie or concert tickets
- WhatsApp and Telegram Groups (usually found via Facebook groups)
- Books and documentaries (best for accessing historically or culturally important landmarks)
Travelling in Style Means Travelling Respectfully
Luxurious travel and the intention not to act like a tourist do not give you free rein to act however you want. Through your research, you should also come to understand how to respect the local culture and contribute to the well-being of the city or region, even if just in small ways.
Always learn basic phrases like hello, please, and thank you, and do not assume that everyone speaks English. Prepare yourself to understand local tipping customs ahead of time, and even if your home country has different standards, adapt as needed. And perhaps most importantly? Listen, feel, and enjoy. Travel shouldn’t be a checklist of activities and experiences. It’s always best as a lived experience.
