Posted in Travel Tips
April 16, 2020
8 Ways To Avoid Being The Absolute Worst Tourist Possible
After living in a new place for a while, you’ll realize that it’s pretty easy to spot the difference between a tourist and a local resident. Unfortunately sometimes it’s not hard at all to recognize a tourist in the crowd due to their less-than-desirable behavior. If you happen to be planning a trip to an unfamiliar place, you’re going to want to keep scrolling to check out this list of ways that will help you avoid being the worst tourist possible.
We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
We shouldn't even have to say this, but you'll want to treat any destination that you're visiting like it's your own home.
This applies to both weather and culture. Before you travel to any new place, you'll want to have a full understanding of what's socially appropriate to wear where you're going and what the actual weather is expected to be like. Nobody wants to be the tourist walking through snow in sandals or the embarrassed traveler who's so clearly misunderstood the local climate.
We understand the desire to try and capture as many moments as you possibly can while you're traveling to new places. And while we're sure that the pictures and selfies you're taking are nothing short of Instagram-worthy, you must remember to actually experience the places you're visiting and not just photograph them.
Visiting a new place will often put you outside of your comfort zone. If you decide to travel to places where things like the food and activities are unfamiliar you may feel nervous. Leave your fears at the door and try new dishes and menus you'd normally never look at; you won't regret it!
Instead of creeping through the shadows and observing what's going on, jump in with both feet and surround yourself with all of the fun and adventure! You may be surprised at how welcomed you'll feel by the locals when you show that you're willing to see what their culture is all about.
Everyone has a right to eat whatever they want, but it's always nice to be considerate of what snacks you're bringing on the plane or train with you. Taking out pungent snacks in a confined area while traveling will only get you scathing glares from fellow passengers.
This rule can apply to most situations, but in terms of traveling it's always a nice reminder to be aware of your space and surroundings. When you sit down on a flight don't spread yourself and your belongings out all over, realize that there's limited space and everyone's trying to be as comfortable as possible.
This is probably something that seems like common sense, but we can't ignore that history has shown us sometimes passengers tend to get a bit rowdy. Whether it's due to too much drinking or travel nerves, flight attendants can often get the short end of the stick.
Do you have any advice that you would give when it comes to being a respectful tourist? If you do, be sure to share your tips with us in the comments!
