We have been in our town of 80,000 for about six years, but it took having an exchange student living with us for us to discover historic home tours, a bus tour downtown we knew nothing about, annual festivals and the hours of the farmer’s market. We’ve ridden a trolley and a train. We’ve visited a couple of museums and an old-time soda shop that is part of a drug store where I feel like I have been transported back to an episode of Bonanza or Gunsmoke.
If all these treasures were underfoot in my small midwest town, what might be in your own back yard that you know nothing about?
Resources to Uncover the Hidden Gems in Your Hometown
- Look in the phone book for the “attractions” page.
- Find the Visitor and Convention Bureau for your city and pay them a visit. We discovered a neat bed-and-breakfast where we spent our Anniversary within a few miles of home so the gas and travel time didn’t eat up our joy. This is also a great place to find details on all the museums and other attractions, including hours, prices and offerings in one stop.
- Your local Chamber of Commerce ialso has helpful people with ideas of things to see and do. We discovered from them a great pick-your-own blueberry and strawberry farm as well as the old-time soda fountain where a double-dip ice cream cone became a welcome treat.
- Ask at the library. These folks are always in the know about community events and interesting things to see and do.
- If you know any home schoolers (perhaps at church or in your neighborhood), ask these ladies for ideas. They are used to taking field trips to all the local hot spots (and not-so-hot spots). They can tell you about the park where you can feed the ducks or walk a labyrinth or do the exercise stations as well as places with historical significance or of unusual interest from the “turtle house” or amazing gardens in someone’s backyard.
Benefits of Vacationing in Your Own City
By vacationing in our own city, we can gain a new appreciation of where we live—of the history, the people, and what made the area what it is both in the past and today.
Your kids find it a great time of discovery and you have the added bonus of not having to hear the usual lament of “are we there yet” for hours of driving time.
And, in this day of ever increasing gas prices, the idea of a “stay-cation” is a bonus to the budget as well.
