Visiting a brand new city can be incredibly exciting yet a little bit intimidating. One wrong turn and you might end up lost, so you might be a little afraid to thoroughly explore your chosen destination once you arrive.
However, you shouldn’t limit yourself to one area because you are too afraid to venture off the beaten path. Fall head over heels in love with a destination by finding out how to explore a new city in five simple steps.
1. Make a List of Notable Landmarks
If you want to easily navigate your way across the city while ensuring you don’t miss one must-see attraction, you must make a list of all notable landmarks on a map. By doing so, you’ll know exactly where you need to go in every neighbourhood you visit. As the sights will also be popular with other tourists, you can trust there will be great transport links to help you find your way back to your hotel.
2. Hop On and Off a City Sightseeing Tour
Almost every big city will provide a sightseeing tour, which will transport you to the most popular attractions at your destination. You’ll also be free to get on or off the buses at any point in the day so that you can explore a landmark at your leisure. However, this isn’t only applicable to big cities. You can also take advantage of tours in smaller towns are cities, like Airlie Beach tours that will take care of the travel and organisation for you.
For example, if you’re visiting New York, a hop-on hop-off bus tour will take you to the likes of Times Square, Greenwich Village, Soho, the Financial District, plus more. Find a sightseeing tour for your upcoming city break at ticketsales.com.
3. Create and Follow a Strict Itinerary
If you want to ensure you are never lost and tick every attraction off your bucket list, you should create and follow a strict itinerary. Write down where and when you want to go, how you are going to get there, and how much money you will need to do so.
4. Wear Comfortable Clothing to Explore a City with Ease
The clothing you choose could make or break your adventure. For example, if you plan to spend the whole day on your feet, you will need to wear comfortable footwear. If you don’t, you might spend the rest of your day sitting in a coffee shop until your feet stop hurting. You should also take layers with you, so you can carry on exploring a city if the weather takes a sudden turn for the worst.
5. Talk to the Locals to Find Hidden Gems
If you want to safely venture off the beaten path to find many hidden gems, you would be wise to talk to the locals. They will have insider knowledge on the best things to do and see in the city, besides the popular landmarks. They will also know the easiest and cheapest ways to get there. So, it is worth making small talk with locals at a bar or restaurant to learn more about a city or neighbourhood.