A funny thing happened to me the other day when my car broke down. No the car breaking down was not funny, well actually it was somewhat funny by that's another story for another time. The funny thing was my wife drove me into work the next day and I was able to sit in the passenger seat and just look out the window. I had driven the same route every weekday, and some weekends, for over a year and thought I knew everything there was to know about it; traversing the outer belt, taking the corridor into the city, and then navigating the downtown streets to my destination.
Driving this route had certainly familiarized me with the interstates and highways and streets, but had never allowed me to really travel them. By sitting in that passenger seat and looking out that window I was actually able to see what lay beyond a few lanes of asphalt and overly aggressive other drivers. I noticed, among other things, a massive cemetery a short ways from one highway and what looked like a very old rail bridge over Broad Street near downtown. Being naturally inquisitive, I began to wonder about these and other sites and conducted some research once I was home. Okay, so maybe I conducted just a little bit of that research while at work, but I promise it didn't impact my productivity all that much.
It turns out the cemetery was founded in 1848 and is an example of the "garden cemeteries" prevalent during that time period and found in Paris, Boston, London, and Rochester, New York. Interred there are founders of local communities, WWI flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker, Ohio Governed James Rhodes, philanthropists, and other historical figures. The railroad bridge I had noticed was the Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad Depot built in 1896 and designed by architect Frank Packard. Armed with this information, I soon returned to these places equipped with a camera and what facts I was able to glean from the Internet.
With my car soon repaired, I was no longer able to travel during my daily commute, but the experience left me wondering about other sites in my city. My wife and I had travelled to other countries and famous cities within the United States and enjoyed the tourist experience of discovering new locations and seeing new things. However, we had never turned that tourist's eye to our own home. In retrospect is now seems foolish to have wasted the opportunity to explore our city in the same manner and I soon took steps to rectify that missed chance. To likewise become a tourist in your city, I offer the following advice.
GET OUT OF THE CAR
The world is a very different place at 65 mph cloistered within the air conditioned comforts of your automobile. Chances are you have lived a number of years, or decades, in your own city, but have never ventured beyond a few familiar highways and streets that convey you to familiar places of business and homes of friends and family. Whenever I have the chance and inclination, I park a distance from wherever I am heading and walk the intervening blocks. Doing so has allowed me to stumble across historic schools, homes built in the 1800s, and an 88 acre park and conservatory that I never knew existed. Once found you can either shoot a few pictures on a cellular telephone or mentally mark the place and return later when you have more time.
TALK TO PEOPLE
At many cultural and historic locations you will find a dedicated corps of volunteers who maintain the site. In my experience, these persons are on the of the best sources for detailed information on the location, the best things to see, and an insider's guide to things you may not have been able to find on your own. The same information can also be obtained from those that live in or near historic homes or unique local sites, restaurant workers, and hotel staff. In all fairness, there have been many times where my questions have been met with blank stares, indifference, or outright annoyance, but more times than not, I was able to discover obscure facts and historical anecdotes that truly bring such locations to life. Most persons enjoy talking about what they know and are happy to share their knowledge with you.
OBTAIN GUIDEBOOKS
When most of us travel to a new city or country, one of the first things we do is pick up a guidebook to that destination; there is no reason not to do the same thing when exploring your own city. Online vendors can typically ship you just about any book ever written, including guides on both popular and more obscure cities. As a more fiscal approach, most libraries also stock these books, even if they may be slightly dated. While most of us are relatively conversant on our own homes, it is impossible to know everything about a city and having an outside expert's viewpoint can often be enlightening. Most of these guides will not provide in-depth information on specific locations or sites, but serve as an excellent beginning point for your research.
LOOK ONLINE
With the explosion of the Internet, there are websites on nearly every topic imaginable. While the sheer proliferation of information available online can make searching a broad topic, such as an entire city, problematic, the Internet is ideal for more focused searches once you have identified a specific topic you would like to explore. As most websites are not vetted for accuracy, I always recommend checking multiple sources before coming to a definitive conclusion. I also suggest attempting to find a website maintained or directly affiliated with the location you are researching as these typically have the most accurate and up-to-date information. As with anything you look up online, maintain a critical disposition and do not believe something merely because someone posted it on a website.
TAKE THE PATH LESS TRAVELLED
Most people are creatures of habit; we enjoy the comfort of doing the same tasks in the same manner each time. This offers a certain stability and predictability to life and cuts down on the number of nasty surprises we come across. However, this does limit us in what we experience, particularly when we are driving around our own city. When time permits, I occasionally and purposefully take a different or non-direct path to wherever I am driving. This has allowed me to discover entirely new neighborhoods and attractions that I had never come across before and exposed me to sections of the city previously unknown. While, there have been a few times when I've suddenly found myself in a neighborhood that prompted me to quickly lock the car doors, the experience has almost entirely been a positive one.
TURN OFF THE GPS
Directly related to taking the path less travelled, is our reliance on GPS systems in our cars. It seems that you can no longer buy a vehicle that does not have an electronic device with a comforting voice and detailed knowledge of the topography of the entire world. While these units can be imminently useful in finding the most direct and efficient route to your destination, at times it is necessary to turn them off and just drive. Doing so will help to familiarize yourself with your city and sometimes taking the wrong turn leads to a significant discovery. The worst thing that may happen is becoming hopelessly lost, at which point you can simply turn the GPS back on and let it safely guide you back to more familiar territory.
SUMMARY
The above suggestions are not brilliant or unique or brilliantly unique revelations in the travel industry. Anyone who has travelled to a new city or played the tourist while away from home has probably used most if not all of them. However, they are also easily applied to your own city and will allow you to discover some truly unique local destinations that lay a short distance from your front door. You will also have the satisfaction of becoming a local expert, someone who does not merely live in a city, but one who knows and understands its temperament, character, and personality.
Plus playing tourist in your own city means you'll save a few bucks on airfare and accommodations.