An Appeal to Vacation in a Small, Non-Touristy Town
I recently visited Cleveland , a city that I can honestly say, I never even thought it was a place to travel, and there is a reason for that: it is not. I had a great time and it made me realize that small, non-touristy cities are actually great for travel.
Popular cities are filled with tourists for a reason: there is usually something to see and do here. After all, Cleveland is not quite Tokyo. However, just because the city isn’t featured on your favorite travel show doesn’t mean it’s not worth visiting. Here are some reasons to visit the city, even if it is not known for its tourism.
You can have a great time on a budget
In general, non-tourist cities are more accessible. There is less demand for travel, which is why airfares tend to be cheaper. In addition, non-tourist towns are usually small towns where the cost of living is lower. For example, coming from a big city, I was pleasantly surprised when I ordered a drink from the trendy Hilton Downtown Cleveland rooftop bar and my drink was half the price I usually pay in LA.
But it’s not just about food and drink. It is usually easier to find flight deals, of course depending on where you live. You can use Google Flights or Kayak’s Explore tool to view the prices of cheap flights around the world , depending on when you want to travel. You choose a month or a specific date, the tool shows how much it costs to fly to different cities around that time, and you choose a location that suits your budget.
Budget Travel lists several mid-sized cities in Europe where great deals can usually be found, while Travel + Leisure has its own list for the US. The point is, if you’re looking for a new place to explore and you don’t have one. With a specific attraction in mind, such as the Eiffel Tower or Stonehenge, non-tourist cities are an economical option.
You can see more in a limited time
However, there is something else to fall in love with besides the price. First, it is much easier to navigate in a small city with fewer tourists (and people in general).
You don’t have to fight the crowd or queue for an hour to see the city’s sights. This gives you time to get more things done on your itinerary. A smaller city means a smaller crowd, which gives you more time and opportunity to do the coolest things on your itinerary without wading through oceans of people and paying too much for tickets.
Better yet, don’t even worry about the route. This is what I love the most about non-touristy cities: you don’t have to plan every hour of your day . In Cleveland, I just walked out of my hotel room after finishing some work, then wandered into the city when it was convenient for me and commented on a few things. It is much more difficult in tourist cities. You never know how crowded a seat will be, whether you need tickets or reservations, and you can spend an hour trying to get there. If it’s too far from where you should be during the day, forget about it.
Don’t get me wrong, I love visiting big cities and exploring everything they have to offer, but you have to strategize your day , choose a hotel in the center, and essentially plan your entire trip within a limited time frame . In smaller towns, you have a lot more flexibility. Of course, it is still useful to have a hotel in the center (and I did stay at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown which made it very easy to get to things). But the point is, since crowds do not exist and the demand is low, you can do something at your leisure, which is much more enjoyable if your vacation goal is to relax .
It’s also easier to get to know a non-touristy city. You can visit some cities several times, without even touching on all that they have to offer. Hell, I’ve been living in Los Angeles for six years and still can’t keep up with it and don’t quite understand. In a small city, you can squeeze in more activities and attractions, and you don’t just rush into them, you have time to explore, making it much easier to appreciate and understand the culture of the city.
No need to fight the tourist culture
For me, travel is about exploring new places and gaining new experiences. Non-tourist destinations offer a different experience from popular tourist destinations.
First, you don’t need to worry about tourist traps . For example, if you are dining too close to the Colosseum, chances are you will pay too much for lousy Italian food. You must follow the beaten track. Sure, you can shout in some places, but you rely on a lot of other travel recommendations, so it’s lucky anyway. When you’re in a non-touristy city, you’re already off the beaten path! This does not mean that you will enjoy delicious food, but at least you will not have to deal with overpriced food for tourists.
There are also many novelties in tourist cities. It’s hard to say which sights are overrated and which ones are worthwhile , and much of this is subjective. In non-tourist cities, you don’t have to worry about this. Sure, you will still find an overpriced gift shop wherever you roam, you don’t need one, but you will also find loads of locals who simply consider their town’s appeal rather than some kind of tourist novelty.
Many travelers spend a lot of time avoiding tourism altogether. We don’t want to see overrated attractions that every other visitor sees; we want to dig deeper and feel the heart of the city and live like the locals. Lesser known destinations are perfect for this. You don’t have to worry about fighting tourism because you are not initially in a tourist destination. Of course, there are many reasons to visit these beautiful and popular cities that are on everyone’s wish list. However, non-tourist destinations offer a completely different kind of travel that is definitely worth it.
Illustration by Sam Woolley