How and Where to Meet Locals While Traveling

Traveling alone? No reason to be sad. Cast aside all doubts and fears, but don’t turn off your common sense. We’ll help you find not just a travel companion, but also a guide. And maybe even a new good friend. The best way to get to know a new country is to meet a local. A local knows all the ins and outs, will take you to the coolest bar, and will kindly tell you where foreigners are not welcome. But where do you find such an enthusiast? You can’t just bother people on the street or in a museum queue, can you?

And this is where the internet comes to the rescue. Arm yourself with a smartphone or laptop to bring your interlocutor out into the open. Well, that is, offline.

Ask a Stranger

Ask a Stranger (available only for iPhone) — the name says it all. Here you can ask a stranger anything. You ask your question, and people answer it; there might even be several helpful individuals. They will gladly recommend various places, things to do, and what to see in their hometown. CouchSurfing This is probably the most famous and popular service today, not just for finding temporary free accommodation (at the same time, by no means consider CouchSurfing only as free lodging). If you’re lucky, you can easily find new friends among locals here. If the host has the time and desire, they will gladly take a walk with you and arrange an excellent excursion.

Not used to dining alone? Arrived on a gastronomic tour and urgently want to share your impressions of local cuisine with someone? Don’t worry, you won’t have to sit down at a neighboring table with unprepared people. Grab your smartphone again and head to specialized websites. EatWith EatWith — it’s something like car-sharing, but instead of sharing a ride with fellow travelers, you share a meal with fellow food enthusiasts in pleasant company. Choose a location, a host, a menu, and place your order. There’s a budget for every wallet; it all depends on your capabilities and preferences. Whatever you choose, such a meal will be cheaper than in a restaurant, and the main goal — finding company — is achieved in a few clicks.

Withlocals

Roughly the same as EatWith, but it only operates in 20 countries. Withlocals connects travelers with locals at the dinner table. Here you can also arrange excursions, master classes, shared lunches, and dinners.

Vayable

The idea is similar to Withlocals — with the help of Vayable, curious travelers can try local food, socialize, and have fun with locals. The project includes 10 European cities, and each offers several options for spending time. Additionally, you have the chance to request a personalized tour — if what you saw didn’t impress you for some reason. Another great way to interact with locals is to come up with a personalized excursion and find a personal guide for yourself. You choose the places you want to go, select a guide, and off you go, according to your personal top wonders of the world.

Showaround

Hundreds of locals worldwide participate in Showaround, and with this tool, you get a personal guide who will show you local attractions wherever you are. Routes are not predetermined; you simply discuss your preferences and vice versa. Roughly speaking, whoever pays is the boss. Note that you can be the boss even without paying anything! Many are willing to give you a tour purely out of enthusiasm. But don’t be stingy; thank them with a kind smile and a cup of coffee. As a bonus: you can also become a guide in your hometown. The terms are entirely up to you.

Meet Up

Meetup — the world’s largest network, consisting of local groups, which will be useful to everyone. Specify your location, and you’re sure to find company among locals and travelers who are similar to you. Practice a language, run a marathon, learn to cook, climb a mountain, or even create a mobile app — all this and much more can be found in the list of activities on Meet Up.