Sunday, February 9, 2014

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: POST ABOUT BEING A TOURIST IN YOUR OWN CITY

The lovely Nicole of Treasure Tromp let me share my thoughts about being a tourist in your own city last week on her blog.  I wanted to also share the post here in case you missed it.
 
If you're like me, then your world has succumbed to the polar vortex.  I wish I could throw off my parka and head to the nearest island to sip on tropical cocktails and lounge around in the sand.  Alas, a trip is not in the cards for me right now.  I have the next best thing for you to beat cabin fever and get out and about, though--becoming a tourist in your own town. 

I don't know about you, but my husband and I have our routines that we rarely stray from.  Our weekends consist of eating at the same restaurants and visiting the same stores.  I'm a creature of habit, so I love it, but sometimes you just need to change your perspective a little and open your eyes around you to see what amazing things the city you live in already offers.  Below I've listed some ways I've attempted to be a tourist in my own city and beat these winter blues. 


#1: Check out your city's tourist website--The first thing I usually do when I want to find a new place to visit in my hometown of Kansas City is Google "Kansas City + Visit".  The city's tourism site will pop up with a list of all the museums, historical spots, and events around town that I may have missed.  If you've lived here a while, then chances are that you will have already visited some of these places, but this is also a good way for you to find out what you've been missing.  Wade and I used to live literally down the street from the Nelson Atkins museum (one of the biggest museums in the city), but hadn't visited in 10+ years.  It was like I had forgotten all about this place, but once I saw it pop up it proved to be a great way to spend a day.


#2: Google your favorite things and see what pops up--When I really want to get off the beaten path, I just start Googling my favorite things and see what pops up.  Making sure you're well versed in all your town's historical sites is nice, but sometimes I want to go to those places that only the locals know about.  To find these places, you'll need to do a little bit more research, because they're probably not as publicized.  You do feel like you're on a treasure hunt, though, which is always fun.

I'm a sucker for a good vintage/antique store but had felt I had seen the majority of places around the city.  I also love candy, so when I typed in "candy store", Bitterman's Eye Candy store popped up.  A candy store and a vintage market?!  How had I never heard of this place before? 

#3: Get up close and personal to those places you pass by everyday from a distance-- Is there a shop or restaurant you pass by all the time and wonder what it would be like inside?  Seize the day and go check it out!  Whenever we go downtown, I see this statue in the distance.  It's called The Scout and is a fairly well known statue, but even though I've lived here all my life I've never actually gone to see it up close.  After visiting the candy/antique store, we drove around until we found the statue.  It was more amazing up close than I had imagined, and the views of the city were unbeatable.  It's one of those items to check off my list and one that I would suggest to anyone else visiting Kansas City. 

Even though these tips and tricks were pretty self-explanatory, I hope they inspired you to see where that street leads or visit that little shop that always has the cutest window displays.  Just driving around new neighborhoods can seem like you're visiting a completely new city.  I know we had fun treating today like we were in a new city scouting out new shops and landmarks.  Happy exploring!



17 comments:

  1. A great post, I love to explore places I partly know already. I've spent hours and hours wandering round the nearby city of Bath, which is a World Heritage Site, as well as my home city of Bristol.

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    1. Someday I would love for you to show me around those places:) That's the next best thing to actually living in a place--getting someone who lives there to help you explore. Hope you're having a great start to your week!

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  2. How exciting to see Kansas City represented! I, too, am a Kansas City native and recently visited The Scout statue for the first time setting up a proposal for a friend of mine. Such amazing views of the city! How have I never heard of this candy store?! My daughter would love that. Thank you for sharing! My daughter and I are off to explore!

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    1. It's so great to meet another Kansas City native! I'm glad we finally went to visit The Scout. I can't believe I had never been before. You guys would love that candy store! It is so cute inside with all the candy and vintage stuff, and the upstairs has booths set up with sellers. I couldn't believe I had never heard of it either. Let me know how you like it if you go:)

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  3. Love this! I definitely need to go and be a tourist in my own city!

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  4. I've definitely gone to the tourism websites for the cities around us a couple times, searching for something new and interesting. I love the strategy of just parking somewhere and walking around, because it allows you to see so much more than you otherwise might have missed. However. When it's so crazy cold out for so long...I am disappointed that we haven't been able to do anything, and yet, there's only so long you can actually be outside when it's 10 degrees out! Where we live is much nicer in the summer!

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    1. I agree that it's definitely easier to explore in the summer! I love the idea of just parking somewhere and walking around. I want to do that more this summer:)

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  5. I really should do something like this. I know our city has this tourist passport thing that they do in the summers where you can go pick up a "passport" from the information office and get it stamped at various museums and attractions around town. I wanted to do it last summer, but we didn't. Maybe this year, though!

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    1. That sounds really cool and a great way to get around to everything!

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  6. What a great post! Super fun! I am so guilty of NOT doing this but I really need to and see more of my new city! Before I leave would be nice. lol

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    1. Thanks so much, Jane! Once the weather gets nicer I'm sure it will be more fun to get out and about:)

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  7. It's pretty easy to be a tourist in your own town when that town is London. ;o) But we actually did this when we returned to our hometown for Christmas. I'd lived in Memphis for 20 years, but never took the time to see some of it's most famous sights, so we spent a couple days of the week checking out Graceland and Sun Studio. It gave me a totally new perspective of where I grew up!

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  8. So basically, you're my personal tour guide. Thanks! :) I would love to go to that candy store! Your nails were a perfect fit for that store, and Wade always makes me laugh. Great post!

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  9. So I have been pretty absent from blogging for many months but I have to tell you something. I live in the KC area now. We live in Independence actually. We have only been into the city once since we moved here but I am really excited to go exploring. :)

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  10. I absolutely love this and am going to have to "tour" Columbus before leaving for Australia!

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  11. I found your blog through The Daily Tay and I live in Kansas City too! My boyfriend and I recently made a list of all the places we want to visit in KC. I have lived here almost 9 years and I have never been to the Nelson-Atkins!

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