I can’t speak for everyone, but it pains me to get called out as a tourist when I’m in a new city. Now, it’s different if I, myself, call attention to the fact that I’m a tourist, but kill me when someone looks at me and says “How long are you visiting for?” UGH. It’s a pretty petty thing, I know, but these tips also help you navigate the city more comfortably.

1.Topography & Geography. Look at a map and become familiar with the neighborhoods – especially ones you plan to be in frequently. Find landmarks and iconic city structures to remember to help you orient yourself once in the city.

2. Transit. Check out what public transportation is available and what kind of passes you would need. See if there is transit from the airport as airport taxis cost a pretty penny in most cases. Uber/Lyft is a very efficient way to navigate a city – especially if pooling is available on those apps in the city, making it cheaper and easier to connect with actual natives.

3. Weather. Get a good idea of what the “real feel” weather is. I’ve made the mistake of going to San Francisco and seeing that it would be in the 60’s, but freezing from the wind chill.

4. Fashion. This is if you’re really committing. It is easy to go on Instagram and type in the city you are going to combined with fashion in a hashtag; example: #SeattleFashion. You can then check out a mix of what is typical there.

5. Events. There are often tons of events going on in larger cities where you can immerse yourself in the true culture of the city. Often just searching this online is effective or Facebook event searches.

Beer Flights in Nashville

6. Apps. I have had great success using Bumblebff and Meetup. Bumblebff allows you to swipe right or left for friends. Just put in your bio that you are visiting. Even if you don’t meet up with people it’s a good way to connect and ask for recommendations. Meetup group allows you to enter in your interests and get connected to fun events going on – like day hikes, brewery tours, and sports.