Traveling is wonderful. Living like a local as you travel is even more wonderful. Go out and see the world with your whole self fully immersed in the places you see and the cultures that surround you.
Get on a bike – it is one of the best ways to see a city. Many places have started bikeshare programs that make it super easy to grab some wheels and go. Check before you leave home to see if there is bikeshare in your next destination city. If not, ask your hotel to have a rental bike delivered to the hotel for you.
- Biking Tip 1: take your helmet, a small bungee cord (to strap stuff onto the bike), and some easily removable bike lights with you. I like the Knog Beetle LED silicon stretchy ones because they can mount on your bike and/or your helmet, they are bright, and are good in any weather.
- Biking Tip 2: download a city map and or a city biking map onto your phone before you go and set your routes
- Biking Tip 3: before you select your bike share bike, check the tires, the lights, the ease of changing the gears, the feel of the brake, and the bell. You may not be able to operate them all but make sure that they are there. Some cities use bungee cords to hold your stuff in the ‘basket’. Make sure it is in good shape.
- Biking Tip 4: after you select your bike but before you go riding, familiarize yourself with how to change gears, operate the bell and how to apply the brakes.
Live like a local.
- Local Tip 1: check out the local grocery and pharmacy. It is amazing what you learn about a place and it’s culture by finding out what the locals eat, the soaps they use, and the stuff they buy for their houses. I find it enchanting to look and smell my way around a store. I also love the puzzle of
trying to figure out what the heck the stuff is – especially when I don’t know the language. - Local Tip 2: stop and sit on park benches and in coffee shops and watch the world go by.
- Local Tip 3: orient yourself by taking the cheesy double-decker city bus tours. Go around for the whole tour and then venture off on foot. Then delve deep by taking some walking tours of neighborhoods. I like Context and Urban Adventures because of their small group focus.
- Local Tip 4: ask a native for restaurant recommendations and don’t be afraid to eat at the same place more than once. Also check out the local farmers markets for great picnic fodder and eat out in a plaza while watching the world go by.
Pack light. That way you have more room to pack the stuff you purchase and you won’t throw out your back or shoulder trying to get your bag in the overhead storage bin.
- Packing Tip 1: lay out on the bed all the clothes you think you’ll need for the trip. Then organize them by day and then put half back in the drawer. Keep that ‘by the day’ arrangement as you pack your bag and all of your outfits will be ready at a moments notice.
- Packing Tip 2: pack a few packets of hand washing powder so that during the time away you can wash some things in the sink and hang them to dry on the shower curtain bar.
- Packing Tip 3: get yourself a lightweight, good looking backpack to use for day tripping. I like the
Eastpak Padded Pak’r in Black Denim. It doesn’t show 
dirt and everyone comments on how great it looks. - Packing Tip 4: carry a reusable water bottle. Most airports have great filling stations for reusable bottles that tell you how many bottles have been eliminated. Easy, cheap, fun and informative.
When traveling by train the scenery may be the most important 
part of the trip.
- Train Tip 1: check out route before you go and figure out which side will have best views. Sit on th
at side. - Train Tip 2: talk to strangers.
- Train Tip 3: get snacks before you go to make sure you are eating healthy.
- Train Tip 4: walk to your destination. Well not really but do get up and walk the train to see who is where and to get the circulation moving in your legs.
Traveling by air?
- Airplane Tip 1: in your under seat bag, pack: some cozy socks to wear on the plane, a lightweight flannel blanket to snuggle in, an eye mask in case you want a real nap, a pack of soap leaves (if you don’t have any of these go get some they are like little pieces of paper that turn into soap when they get wet) for taking a quick wash up during the flight and before deplaning, a full water bottle, and some healthy snacks.
- Airplane Tip 2: for airlines that allow it, use E-tickets instead of using paper boarding passes. Check ahead. Some airlines, Delta in particular, don’t allow E-ticketing.
- Airplane Tip 3: take your trash and recycle it rather than leaving it behind for disposal. Some airlines – American in particular – are great at recycling, others, not so much.
- Airplane Tip 4: check into carbon offsets for your trip. Traveling by air is carbon intensive. Some airlines (trains, too) offer carbon offset services or you can set up your own program through carbonfund.org.
Minimize your carbon and water footprint as you travel by saving electricity, reducing waste and saving water;
- Footprint Tip 1: in the restroom, choose the air dryer instead of paper towels to reduce waste.
In the hotel choose to reuse your towels and sheets to reduce the energy and water needed to clean them everyday. - Footprint Tip 2: reduce your electricity demand by turning off your computer, unplugging chargers when complete, reducing air conditioning or heat demand by adjusting the thermostat by a few degrees up or down, and forgoing the hair dryer for a free and easy hairstyle.
- Footprint Tip 3: instead of renting a car, walk or use mass transit, bike or moped to get around town.
- Footprint Tip 4: conserve water by being mindful of running water in the sink and limiting the duration of your shower.
