What do seeing humpback whales under the Golden Gate Bridge, learning about the mysteries of the universe in the middle of the woods, watching a dozen guys streak across Stanford University at 1 AM, standing in the freezing cold ocean, and eating the best seafood ever caught all have in common? They're all things that I got to experience on Monday and they all happen to exist within 50 miles of my day-to-day life.
With one of my high school best friends visiting for the weekend, I had the perfect excuse to try to cram as many tourist activities as we could into one day while still leaving room for the spontaneity necessary for any good vacation. We packed a change of shoes and dressed in layers ranging from tank-tops and shorts to thick jackets before hitting the road. And, honestly, I could not be happier with how many awesome things we got to do. Not only did our day remind me of how important it is to relax and take breaks, but it also taught me a lot about why we should continue to be tourists, even after we've claimed a city as our own. Here are 6 reasons why you should pack up the car, gather your friends, and do tacky things once in a while. After all, they're iconic for a reason.
1. You will learn things you didn't know before
Did you know that there's a spot in the Santa Cruz mountains run entirely by alien offspring (theoretically)? Neither did I. Turns out it's not only otherworldly but it's relatively cheap and completely worth a day trip.
2. You get to show off your expertise
When you live somewhere you know more about the secret gems, tips & tricks, and things to avoid, which means that your out-of-town friends need to put their trust in you to show them a great time and get them home alive. (This is especially applicable when you're doing some crazy San Francisco driving and parking).
3. You can discover new places
Showing someone around gave me the excuse I needed to discover my own hidden gems that I'd never experienced before. While we did the traditional tourist trap adventures, we also checked out new places, including a gorgeous beach that we had pretty much all to ourselves.
4. Seeing a place through new eyes is refreshing
Once you've been going somewhere forever, it's easy to take everything for granted and think that "that's just how it is" but seeing a place through someone's fresh new perspective can be eye-opening.
5. It's a ton of fun
Tourist traps get a lot of hate for being tacky and overrated but, let's be honest, they're famous for a reason. With more than 10 million people visiting every year, they can't all be wrong. These iconic places are a ton of fun, even if you have to sacrifice your reputation for a few minutes. And who knows, you might see something super cool, (like a pod of whales underneath the most famous bridge in the world)!
6. There's no better excuse to go on vacation
No security, plane rides, or hotel stays necessary. Local destinations can be just as fun and much more realistic than going somewhere far away and they're easy to do for a super short period of time (like a day, rather than a week).
Pack the car, grab your friends, and hit the road!
