Make Your Travel Hit Differently: How Hobbies Turn Visitors into Locals
Because the real magic of travel happens when you join in, not just look on
At its best, travel isn’t just about seeing new places; it’s about finding ways to connect. Landmarks and famous sites are easy. But the real challenge, and the real reward, lies in moving beyond being just a tourist and becoming part of a community, even if only for a couple of days.
One of the simplest ways I’ve found to do this? Hobbies. Whatever you’re passionate about at home, there’s almost certainly a way to carry it into your travels. And when you do, you’re not just observing a culture from the outside, you’re stepping inside it.
For me, two hobbies stand out: running and craft beer. The last few years, and now in dozens of countries, I’ve put on my shoes and joined local running clubs for fun runs. No matter how slow I was feeling there were always others running the same pace; other times I was just grateful for the conversation at an easy pace. But every run brought me into contact with people I would never have met otherwise. People who weren’t tour guides or fellow travelers, but locals willing to share their city on their own terms.
And then there’s craft beer. I’ve lost track of the number of conversations I’ve had sitting on a comfy couch in a small brewery, asking about the story behind how the brewery came to be…and how the people running it (and patronizing it) ended up there. Those places don’t attract many tourists; they attract people who love what they do and are eager to talk about it…and that’s how you vibe with a city.
But it certainly doesn’t have to be running or beer. Birders, for example, will tell you that their passion is the ultimate travel hobby. You’ll end up in places far from tourist maps, quietly watching the undergrowth for signs of life. Just don’t be like me and be the person who stumbles onto the kiwi the group has spent all day searching for…and only you found…you won’t be very popular. 😂
Or maybe hiking is your thing. You don’t need to scale a mountain; even a local park can reveal landscapes and communities you’d otherwise miss. Something as simple as a 15 minute hike in a local neighborhood park is sure to be an opportunity to meet local people out to get some exercise and share stories with you.
City people? There’s something for you too. Many cities around the world offer free walking tours, often led by university students or passionate locals. These tours don’t just point out buildings, they tell you how people live, what they worry about, what they celebrate. Many times, you’ll end at a local bar or restaurant where trading stories (travel and local) is inevitable.
And then there are the niche hobbies that open doors to small, passionate communities. Take aviation fans aka “AvGeeks,” who will happily go out of their way to fly an unusual aircraft or route. I’ve met some of the most interesting people while chasing rare flights to far-off destinations…and often end up with ideas for many more trips.
The beauty of weaving your hobbies into travel is that they meet you where you are. Whether you’re in your 20s and chasing adrenaline, or well into retirement and looking for something gentler, there’s a way to connect. Cooking classes, volunteering, language exchanges, photography groups, chess clubs, choir rehearsals, you name it. They all transform travel from something you consume into something you share.
Because in the end, hobbies make travel better not because they fill your itinerary, but because they fill your connections.
Your turn: What hobbies have you taken on the road that made your travels richer? Did they connect you with locals, or give you a perspective you’d never have found otherwise?