Traveling to a new city can be quite exciting, but it can also quickly feel like your experience has been mass produced in a factory. Maybe you get that feeling when you’re standing in an hours-long line just to see a landmark you saw on a TikTok video, or when you’re sitting in a restaurant that’s packed with tourists like you.

Recently, an increasing number of tourists have decided they no longer want to visit the same places that everyone finds browsing through Tripadvisor. Instead of checklist-style vacations, they yearn for a far deeper and authentic experience.

Some of the most memorable traveling experiences happen in independent local stores, family-run businesses and small cafes. These are places that can offer a heartfelt and genuine connection to the destination you’re visiting, but they typically are only known by the people who live there.

So, how can you experience a new city like you’re a true resident?

Andrew Dongwook Lee, who’s a Seoul-based guide for the Find A Local project says the secret lies in your mindset.

“The best local experiences are rarely advertised by social media,” he says. “They happen when you have time, curiosity and the willingness to look slightly ridiculous while figuring things out.”

The Find A Local project is an innovative platform helping travellers discover real local guides, while allowing residents to share what they love about their culture, city and everyday experiences.

As a key member of the platform, Andrew emphasizes that any traveller’s goal should be to travel not like a tourist but rather a local.

“Do this for even two to three days in a trip, and the city will feel completely different,” he says. “You’ll come home with stories, not just photos.”

Ready to stop going to overcrowded observation decks and get a genuine cultural experience? Here’s how to put that philosophy into practice for your next journey.

Slow Down and Ditch the Itinerary

The first step to experiencing a city like a local is to give yourself permission to do nothing. Don’t schedule every hour of the day for museum tickets and restaurants, as that leaves you no time for serendipity.

Living like a local means living however the day takes you. Sit on a park bench in the morning, wander down local alleyways or nurse a coffee at a corner cafe.

Slowing down gives you a chance to discover the natural rhythm of a city.

Embrace the Art of Getting Lost

Andrew points out that if you want to find the hidden gems, you have to be willing to look ridiculous doing so — and this means stepping out of your comfort zone.

If a market doesn’t have a menu in English, don’t be scared to use broken sign language to get your food. There’s nothing to worry about if you ended up in the wrong neighborhood because you took the wrong bus.

Unscripted moments like these are how the best stories are often born. When you stop worrying whether you look like a professional and flawless traveller, you can open the possibilities of what genuine human interaction can bring.

Seek Out Family-Run Businesses

Looking for a place to shop or eat? Don’t look for a lot of lights and marketing; look for signs of life.

Some of the best meals in the world come from quiet and unassuming spots. Look out for a family-run bistro with a handwritten menu, a grocery store tucked away in the neighborhood where the owner knows everyone’s name or the grandmother who’s cooking behind the counter.

Establishments like these serve as a community’s lifeblood. Not only will you get an authentic experience by supporting them, but you’ll be helping to keep the local economy sustainable and vibrant.

Ask a Local

Don’t ask a search engine where the best restaurants in a city are. Ask the people who live there, but make sure you’re changing how you ask.

The taxi driver or hotel concierge will likely point you to a tourist-friendly spot  they think you might want to experience if you ask them to recommend a restaurant. By shifting your phrasing, though, you can get an entirely different tier of recommendations.

Ask questions such as “Where do you take your family to eat on the weekends?” or “What’s your favorite place to stop for coffee when you come into work?”

Connect Through Shared Experiences

Platforms such as Find A Local are the best way to truly bridge the gap between resident and tourist. There, you can connect with passionate residents who are excited and eager to share their everyday lives, allowing you to skip the guesswork.

Whether you want to visit a Paris art studio, learn how to cook a traditional meal in a local family’s home or explore one of Seoul’s hidden night markets, you can gain a window into the soul of destinations around the world that a mainstream guidebook simply can’t replicate.

Traveling like a local requires changing the relationship you have with the destination. Trade superficial desires for Insta-perfect photos for the beautiful, messy and rich reality of everyday life there.

If you bring time, humility and curiosity to your next trip, you can return home with a far more valuable gift than a typical souvenir; you’ll have a genuine understanding of the places you visit.