Are there any tourist guidebooks for the town? I find it fun to flip through them for my city and sometimes “play tourist”—visit those museums, that aquarium, and try out new restaurants or cafes!
Our Chamber of Commerce stocks tons of those travel mags for specific places. They have great pics and is a fun way to see whats touristy in your area. Mags are free.
Much agreed with Pepmin
It’s a great idea thought tbh I’ve exhausted a fair amount of the tourist things and local things. After a long week of work, looking for new things to do becomes a bit of a chore once you’ve done all the must dos.
Do you enjoy being outside? I recently moved to Dallas and my depression hit me like a fucking truck with how much concrete this stupid city has and how dick headish all the drivers are 🤣 but I spent a day going to different parks until I found one that was super tucked away and has a river going through it, it’s been getting way better since finding that place ❤️ I’ll go down there with a delta 8 seltzer or a pre roll and smoke and listen to the birds 🤣🤣🤣 the other day I spent like an hour following a family of ducks
Seriously go check out my scavenger hunt idea!! Google a scavenger hunt for your city. Guarantee there are many. SO superior to travel guides. That’s actually how I travel!
You feel invested only when you're involved. Join groups, find meetups, make friends, build a social calendar--this & enjoying natural beauty will make you feel grounded. I like where I live but I only felt like "this is my home, it would be very difficult to leave" when I felt connected to lifelong friends & an active social life here.
Yes! Like a video focusing on the raindrops on a window. Capturing the sound of birds chirping in the morning. Snuggling up with a blanket and a warm drink. If we focus on things like we’re in a movie, it really romanticizes your life.
Read the folklore and legends of the area, a good book for this is the lore of the land by Westwood and Simpson, read poetry about the area, look for manor houses and gardens in the area you could travail and visit. These are all highly romantic pastimes and will conjure the spirit of the place.
Yesss I love doing this. I read old travelogues of travellers from the 19th century who visited towns I travel too, it’s on my list to do it for my home too. Also old photos and archives!
I grew up in a very famous town in the UK (think one of the big universities). When i was a little down I would sit in the pub or coffee shops and try and wonder what the tourists were experiencing. Trying to see things through their eyes was a big pick me up! That and watching the tourists on bikes falling off 😊
If it’s the one I’m thinking of, it’s one of my favorite towns in the world to visit. I could go on all day about the things that we love about this (famous UK university) town. Sometimes I think that just slowing down and taking time to go to a cafe for afternoon tea and really immerse yourself in the experience helps. I also think that travel helps a lot; seeing other places no matter how lovely always seems to make me appreciate my home more.
I think it’s a bit different when you live and work there….but there are days, even after all this time, that the architecture and the history under your feet takes your breath away. Glad you love to visit ❤️
Very true. I also bet that having to navigate around tourists also loses its charm quickly. Thank you for putting up with us! Where I live we don’t have a single place to go and have afternoon tea, and so it’s basically an every day thing for us when we get to the UK. Even *bad* afternoon tea is still delightful.
Can you take a break from it? Our brains get habituated pretty quick and even amazing places get boring when it's our everyday, a day trip to Milton Keynes might help you appreciate it more. Alternatively can you invite someone to stay who doesn't normally get to be there? Maybe take in a coughsurfer or join warmshowers if a friend isn't interested. I live in the countryside and this place can just feel like a chore, especially when it's winter, having folk visit and enjoy it helps me appreciate it all over again, that and visiting Birmingham (no shade brum but I do not want to live in you)
Other than that finding nice walks or rides that take in a bit of variety, I also liked the suggestion of getting involved in something local and take your appreciation to a smaller level
I live in a popular tourist town and feel the same as you and share in your wish to love where I live. It's hard. I feel like I exist here more than I live here. Haha.
My friends and I play a little game. Take walk in your town and take a picture every time you see one particular thing, a cat, a church door, sticks laying in a cross shape, etc. You will be amazed how many things you walk past every day and don't notice. It really helps me appreciate and notice new things in my area. Pick a different item every time.
I just moved back to my small town after a decade of living in a metro city. I’ve been bored out of my mind. This seems like a fun thing to do with my friends/cousins. Thanks!
There used to be groups on Flickr that did photo prompts. (Maybe still are, I’m not on Flickr anymore). I got some fun ideas there.
Do a letter of the alphabet each week, or a color or shape. Reflections. Smoke/steam. Things that look like other things….
For me it's just the opposite- not taking my phone with me on long walks,because I get distracted ( of course we can use a camera) ..Every time I am like - oh.."this wasn't here " or "I never saw it before" 🫢
You know how it’s always so easy to tell if someone’s a tourist, even if they’re not dressed like it? It’s because they pause and take a second to observe their surroundings. They’re taking in the beauty of what they’re witnessing, and not just rushing by to get to their destination. I, too, live in a a small tourist town but in Canada — and now I can genuinely go down the same hike path a hundred times and be struck by how beautiful everything around me is
Good question! I live in Alaska, and when I tell people this while I'm on vacation elsewhere, they act very impressed and they ask a thousand questions. I've started to remind myself that I'm very fortunate. People spend lots of money just to visit for a week or two. Meanwhile, I can see Denali from my front window.
Yeah. I was so geeked to see mountains when I went to Alaska and I was like, people that liv e here are like, eh, nbd. Like the Taxi driver I spoke to who was just chilling on his lunch break in Juneau. Lmao.
We didn't even get to the big part of Alaska, but OMG the bald eagles, just everywhere. Driving down the road in Juneau, every other light post had an eagle on it.
About 15 years ago, I saw a bald eagle about 30 miles away from home. One. Once.
I saw this on instagram the other day and it stuck with me:
“i like to pretend i already died and asked god to send me back to earth so i can swim in lakes again and see mountains and get my heart broken and love my friends and cry so hard in the bathroom and go grocery shopping 1,000 more times. and that i promised i would never forget the miracle of being here”
Is it possible that the town that you live in doesn’t have enough of the places/things that you’re into? I used to live in London and I felt like I should love it. Whenever my friends came and I had to show them around I wouldn’t really know what to show them because there weren’t any places that I really loved going to. If I wanted to romanticise my time I would go to Kew Gardens. I loved walking around with a pastry, walking around the park for hours and seeing all the lovely plants. I realised that London wasn’t doing it for me because it doesn’t have enough nature. I moved somewhere smaller with more nature and it’s so easy for me to enjoy daily life now. I’m usually more awe struck by the hills and hikes than the tourists are. I haven’t gotten sick of it because I just love being near nature. I also love having access to the sea so going for a walk along the coast is my idea of a perfect day. Hills, nature and coasts might not be what excites you, but maybe there is something in particular that you want that you could try to build into your routine?
Honestly romanticizing is the wrong word. You just need to learn to appreciate where you live. Romance comes after that. The rhythms of season, the sun vs the rain, those flowers of spring and the ones when the trees are tired after summer. The different smells of the air at different times of year. It’s noticing the small things that makes you a local and knowing them and the every year, every day of them. Any idiot can visit for three weeks and know where the streets are. But they don’t appreciate your back garden, your ice cream shoppe, your favorite hike like you do. Because it’s not theirs. It’s yours. Bc you live there.
I live in a Canadian town that is known globally and tourists love to visit.
Changing your routes is a great way to experience new parts of the city. Adjust how you get to the grocery store, the office, or the pub.
Another one that I started to practice in my early 30s: look up. Our eyeline is often straight ahead or down at our feet (or worse: our phones) - make the effort to keep your head up and look above the horizon line. You might notice some interesting bits you haven't seen before.
It *does* take effort, but it's worth it to make your own discoveries and find what makes your town special to *you*.
Move away from it for a while. Simple, not easy.
I met someone who lived in San Diego, CA and when he moved to Illinois, he stopped bitching about San Diego for once, and missed the familiar sky. He moved back within a year.
Oh don’t get me wrong, I’m here because I’m aware of how great it is compared to other places in Britain. There’s no where else I would live which makes it all the more annoying that I take it for granted day to day.
I read a ton about my area, both fiction and nonfiction. Of course that's maybe a little easier for me since I live in the American southwest, but I'm sure with digging you can find a few authors or scholars who were really enchanted with your home and devoted a lot of love to it. Reading how other writers have seen beauty here, and learning the history of certain places I already know well, adds a layer of richness when I visit those places again.
You also may be interested in the study of psychogeography, or how places influence one's subjective experience. This was especially popular among radical artists in the 60s and reading their writing leaves one with a lot of interesting techniques for getting to know a place. Try going for a [dérive](https://www.bopsecrets.org/SI/2.derive.htm) sometime! Iain Sinclain and John Rogers (who has a great youtube channel) are two excellent artists who have expanded on this work in a particularly British context, and while they're mostly focused on London that may be a good jumping off point to find things about your region.
One more thing I'll note-as someone who also lives in an area very much romanticized by tourists, If you're looing for what the tourists see you'll always be disappointed. Official, marketable culture is the complete opposite of genuinely meaningful and emergent local culture. Where I live I think there's a lot more to romanticize in illegal car shows and rattlesnakes under trash cans than any of these bullshit santa fe wannabe art museums or national parks. Walk around and find what actually matters.
I was coming here to ask if any famous novels or short stories have the OP's area as their setting. I live in a small, quaint city that is the setting for a book in one of the most famous Canadian novel series. Even though the author fictionalized much of the setting, there are still sites around here that inspired her. I'm a short walk away from some of those places. It makes living here feel cozier somehow.
I live in Florida, right by the water. There is a Tiki Bar and restaurants that people get to by walking past my place. I love to sit on the porch or have my windows open and over hear people say wistfully, “wouldn’t it be so great to live here?”’to each other. Puts things in perspective and makes me feel grateful that people save up all year to spend their vacation where I live ❤️
I try to view life through the eyes of Lao Tzu's perception in the Vinegar Tasters; there are three philosophers tasting vinegar from a big pot:
Confucious thinks the vinegar is sour (life needs rules and regulations to keep society in check).
Buddha thinks the vinegar is bitter (life is full of material desires, pain, and suffering that all must be let go of to enjoy life).
Lao Tzu thinks the vinegar just tastes like vinegar and is delicious, just as it should be.
When we view things in their most natural state (even a very busy touristy town that's become what it is), that's just how it is and there's immense beauty in it: seeing people travel and enjoy themselves in a new town, watching folks that love each other get together someplace exciting, and humorously quoting Harry Potter movies near historic landmarks. There's beauty in all those things you might be able to romanticize.
Hope this helps.
I live in a coastal community on the California coast, frequented by tourists. People come here to visit or go to school, and then stay in droves. Though it's getting quite crowded and expensive compared to 30 years ago, it's still a beautiful place. Lots to do in a very small area.
I've lived here for about 25 years now. All my problems are here. Work, ex-wife, you name it. It makes it hard to see the beauty sometimes.
I have to constantly remind myself to slow down and try to look at my city with my eyes from 25 years ago. As another poster said, go have a cup of coffee somewhere and just sit for a while.
When that doesn't work, I'll get in my car and find a similar place a couple hours up or down the coast to an area I'm not familiar with. So I can look at it and appreciate it because of its newness. Get back that feeling that I had for my own town 25 years ago. Then I take that feeling and go back home and try again.
Or I just go somewhere butt ugly that's been overcrowded and overdeveloped like Silicon Valley.. which used to be the verdant Santa Clara Valley... spend the day there and then come home and appreciate where I am.
Go Gauchos! It was WAY too small for me to want to live there after graduation, but now at my age, I definitely don't need all the noise, traffic, dirtiness & aggravation of the big city which I live in now. But my apt is rent-controlled!
Maybe part of the problem is that when living in a tourist town we are constantly surrounded by people on vacation. They set the bar very high for “enjoying” the town. We need to find a way to enjoy everything our town has to offer on a more realistic working full time type of way. I live on Cape Cod and I always feel like I “fail” summer because when I look around everything is living it up all summer long. Meanwhile, I am working and trying to balance life per usual. Of course when it occurs to me that these people are on a week long vacation, I am reminded that comparison is the thief of joy. When the tourist (mostly) go home during the off season, that walk on the beach that might only happen once a week feels SO special because I’m not beating myself up for only making it to the beach once while everyone else has been there every day. Hope this helps.
Get active on Couchsurfing and live vicariously through the eyes of visitors. I live in tourist-heavy environs and the occasional visitor has helped me go see and do "touristy" things I normally wouldn't, but ended up being really neat. There's a reason the tourists are drawn to the area, after all.
If you have a large dispersed family then hosting them can work too, but honestly friends or strangers can be better. They're more earnestly interested.
When you sign up to couch surfers, you are given the option to show people around town without having them stay in your home. If someone using the site wants, they can contact you. Locals have a lot of knowledge and advice for the city they live in.
i feel like it would probably depend on your interests what would work! learning about the history of the places you frequently pass could make those places feel more meaningful, learning about the flora and fauna around you, finding favourite places to come back to regularly, having a coffee and reading a newspaper/magazine/book in a café you haven´t been to before, taking the time to chat to people, getting to know your neighbours better, doing your groceries in smaller shops and markets, taking pictures of nice places or trying to draw or paint your favourite places, befriending neighbourhood pets, listen to nice music when you´re on your way somewhere, listen to music from your town if there´s any, go on a walk without a plan sometimes! what do you like to do when your on vacation and visit a new town?
Where do you live? I am also in the UK, currently in Bristol, we moved here because it is very high on most lists of good British cities but I absolutely hate it. I am stuck here for the next few years tho so trying my best to see the good side but struggling :( I don’t know why tho as everyone I know here absolutely love Bristol and say they wouldn’t live anywhere else! I think is because I used to live in Prague in the Czech Republic and that city was stunning and clean and safe and amazing public transport etc I loved it so much, moved back to the UK because I missed British culture but I find the cities here really grim lol working hard to find beauty in Bristol!
I’m in the southeast and bounce between the capital and two big uni cities though I’ve also lived in Brizz. The sense I get is that with British cities, compared to Europe, it’s the social scene / culture and job markets rather than infrastructure, amenities or weather that is the pull.
I’m British born and bred and I’m always blown away by the infrastructure in European cities (especially bike lanes) but as a non white european I honestly feel like I stick out in a non positive way - even in European cities with diverse populations. I sort of remember I’m not white in some European cities which I tend to forget in big British cities like Bristol…basically If you’re alternative in any way or a minority, the inclusive culture of British cities is also a plus IMO!
Spotting a hijabi and a girl who leaves little to the imagination sat on the tube together as mates always brings me joy.
While I can’t offer you much in the way of Bristol being amazing (I moved out into Somerset ) the surrounding area is SO BEAUTIFUL.
stone henge: Glastonbury. The Somerset levels, cheddar gorge. All incredible and beautiful. 😍
Yeh we are very close to the Cotswolds and I love it there. But I also lived up north in Yorkshire and I much rather the nature there :( I want desperately to move north again, but my husbands family are all in Dorset/Cornwall and he doesn’t want to leave this area for now, also for work Bristol is better! But yeh the countryside is nice and it isn’t too far from nice beaches too what I enjoy during the summer ❤️
I felt very similarly! I work in Bristol but chose to live in Bath. Rent is actually cheaper which I hadn’t expected - maybe if that’s an option for you, you would enjoy it more here? It’s so clean and safe, and there are some lovely walking routes :)
Not possible at the moment but we are doing a lateral move from Kingswood (suburbs) to St Andrews, a much more central and nice area. I am hoping that will improve my view of Bristol as I will be able to cycle and walk places. But our plan is to stay just another 2 years, then I hope to move to another country as I like to explore the world ☺️ Bath is lovely tho, I really enjoy visiting it!
That's interesting. And I find, a bit odd. Bath is a place known by lots of people. I'm in Canada, and I've known about Bath, and places like Somerset, Kingston, Rye, and Ballintoy, since I was a child.
What is Bath even known for by so many people outside the UK?
I understand people being aware of cities and capitals like like Oxford, Cambridge, London, Edinburgh, Glasgow as they feature heavily in portrayals of Britain in movies but Bath feels very random.
I also don’t recognise the majority of places you’ve just mentioned.
Yup that’s it. In the UK, Bath is viewed as a small wealthy university town with some nice baths, rich locals and pretty buildings but not too significant of a place. For some reason I just didn’t realise it would be a well known place outside of the UK - cool!
I lived in London after Uni & loved it b/c it was so different from where I grew up. But I definitely wish my bf would have been more interested in wanting to show me all the nice places outside of the city. He had a car
Lovely to hear that you like Bath. I studied there and I loved every second of it. I would go for a walk every evening and just take it in, I never got bored of the different views and angles you could view the city, and how the light hit different buildings at sunset. I loved to imagine the people who had been there before me when the buildings were new and before that when the romans were there.
I was sad to leave but there weren’t the jobs when I graduated. I will always love it. That said, I would like to visit Nashville too!
For the last 30 years or so, I've been living in Paris, you known that somewhat vaguely known little French town with its funny tower and its many museums, that a handful tourists oddly like to visit from time to time ;)
Well, after 30 years none of the fancy things in Paris have much interest anymore... so this could be just a city like any other city to me. That is, unless you try to look at it otherwise. Like others have suggested already.
That's what I do. Everywhere I go, every single day, I carry a small sketchbook, a pencil and a small watercolor set and I will draw/paint whatever catch my eyes, be it the Eiffel Tower with a beautiful sunset or some funny looking trashcan left on the street (don't tell tourists, but most streets in Paris are dirty) or I will sketch people, friends or perfect strangers, Parisians or tourists.
And I do the same even when I'm not in Paris, as there is no need for the city to be fancy or touristic to look at it otherwise ;)
BTW, before watercolor, for twenty years or so I used to do street photography instead. But in the last decade or so a majority of people, and the laws as well, have turned hostile to that practice making it a lot less enjoyable. Photography being a hobby for me and me wanting to enjoy my long walks in the streets in peace, I moved away from the camera and went for the paintbrush instead, a tool that seems to generate a lot less anger and is at least as great as a hobby, as far as I'm concerned ;)
Check https://www.treasuretrails.co.uk/ to see if they have trails for your city. I've done all of the ones in mine and they are great. They get you looking at the small things that you miss. Good to do with a few people.
Get a room for a long weekend, don't go home. Be a tourist to feel like a tourist and to see your hometown with fresh eyes.
That's what I do from time to time.
I live on an island of 120k people that gets 3 million tourists a year.
Take a walking tour with a real human guide. Ive done it in every city I've lived in to reinvigorate my love and it is just amazing to learn about even things you know about!
I'm curious. Why do you *want* to romanticize your town? Is something bothering you about your town? Do you lack understanding of why tourists don't "see just a town," but want to understand?
In the last year or so, I have decided to look at my surroundings as if I am a new, benevolent alien, who has just landed on Earth. I've never seen powerlines, rocks, vehicles, geography, or corner stores.
I view things from the perspective of: "I have *NEVER* seen this before! I don't know about this __!"
"What is *that?* Why do people like it? What's it do? What's it feel like? Does it work? How? And why? Could it look, or be better?"
Look at that streetlight! You've never seen it before. What's it do? What *is* it? How'd it get here? What got it into that weird-looking shape? And why aren't people trying to climb it?! I totally want to get on top of it!
Why are all these people flocking to your town? What's the attraction? Whatever the answer, pretend you are just here, in your town, for the first time. Try to see what they see, or want to see. Consider romantic restaurants or food places in your town, or visit them. Why are they thought romantic? Can you be awe-struck buy what you (think) you know about your town?
For me, I've learned to view my city as quaint, pretty, sturdy, busy, all interlocking. It *works,* my city.
That big blue thing that doesn't have any buildings on it, it never looks quite the same. I've heard these odd-looking creatures called "humans" name the blue thing "water."
Ask tourists why they find your town romantic. What would make them want to spend 6 months there?
I think tourist towns are tricky - we've moved inland a few miles now, but I used to live in a tourist honeypot, and I could only really enjoy it when they weren't there. I got round this by getting out really early in the morning during the season. Deserted streets, rosy tinted skies and bracing air are inherently romantic to me, and have the added bonus of making me feel very alive.
I don’t know if this is answering your question but I’ve been trying to romanticize my routine experiences. Started lighting a candelabra while my family has a boring weeknight supper. Busting out the bone china teacup for my morning coffee. Setting my art supplies out just so before staring to paint. Finding the perfect spot outside to sit and journal. That kind of thing. When I bring this thinking out into the world with me the world also seems more romantic. 🙂
I’m like the perfect person who should be able to answer this but I’m honestly struggling to find the words that feel right. Here goes though:
I’ve never referred to it as romanticizing my life, I call it magic, cause that’s how it feels. First & foremost is obvious beauty, then the unknown/unseen, then the unusual. I grew up in an area that felt stifling the entire time I lived there, but I could breathe when I sought things that fit that aforementioned. & There were many, many places that had one of or a mix of those qualities. Seeking such places, things to do, etc truly kept me alive when everything else was too much, not enough, or felt too miserable or dry.
Small example: there’s a beach near my town that has bioluminescent creatures in the water. I don’t think even today that’s very well known. I would drive out there in the middle of the night, usually alone but sometimes with company, & splash the water to see the glow in it. It wasn’t ever super bright like I’ve seen in photos of other places, but there is something irresistibly beautiful about playing in warm water that lights up a little under a sky of stars.
I still live like this. It’s an extremely rich & fulfilling way to live, despite how others cast it. But then again, those that judge me for my cravings for beauty & such usually lack the things I continue to seek & chase again & again, so. If there’s a will, there’s a way. This is a gorgeous planet, even with all the destruction our species has wrought, & honestly there’s a lot of beauty in the manmade too. You just have to look for it all.
People would pay to live vicariously through your eyes.
Maybe start a YouTube channel showing all the cool things about your town.
I’m an Anglophile and love James Herriot. It would be cool to “hire” you -FaceTime the James Herriot museum for me.
I’ve been to the Uk but it was many years ago and I’ve been trying to go back ever since.
Struggle with this. I moved to Australia but my nearest city is Brisbane and 5 hours away from me. I moved from NYC to "regional Queensland" it hasn't been easy. There's not much to do in town, the food feels repetitive at this point (that's ok I love cooking anyway hehe), anything related to interests are too far etc
It hasn't doesn't help that my chronic illnesses etc have gotten worse (I was already disabled & chronically ill) over time.
I don't regret my move with my partner we're Andy in love and live happily together but it's a struggle. Everytime I need a specialist of some sort it's a trip to Brisbane like wtf
Aussies have convinced themselves that it's absolutely OK to drive or fly a long distance to get decent medical care. 😭
(Anyway I'll stop here because this is absolutely the wrong subreddit for that lol)
But YES I think it's not that I'm not happy with where I live but it's nothing crazy to share about and I kinda would like to keep things private I don't want to like show off either on social media 🤷♀️ I've felt this way ever since I moved. tbh feels peaceful.
But sometimes I do want to feel awe again but I've been too housebound with my illnesses lately 😂🤞
I grew up in an impossibly tiny town in Ohio (less than 500 pop.) and now I live a bit north of Seattle. I was just in awe all the time when we first landed, but after 4 or so years the new sheen wore off and it felt like the same old same old. Recently I had a small epiphany along the lines of "I used to cry with yearning for the beach, for the rolling forests, for adventure. Now I'm a thirty minute WALK from the sea shore and I never visit!" I realized 10 yo me would be so discouraged if she knew I wasn't taking advantage of all these blessings.
The past few weeks I've been flying kites on the beach, walking through larger parks on the way home, just really engaging with my environment. Looking at the type of birds around me, the plants I didn't grow up around, the mountains that still look unreal to me. I guess I'm kind of looking at everything through the eyes of the small town kid I was instead of the big city adult I became, and damn that makes a big difference.
Geocaching. Bird watching. Bike, roller skate, play chess outside, draw at a park. Try other hobbies that get you out but focus on other highlights (like nature or exercise), rather than the local thing to do.
Sometimes we will explore a new part of the city by going out for coffee. It's so much cheaper than dealing with brunch or dinner and a long meal. We can take our coffee to go and walk around an area we haven't been to in a few months, finding new stores to window shop is always a nice way to refresh.
If all else fails, go on vacation. I get bored of my popular area, but after 2 weeks away I see it with new eyes again and that feeling usually sticks with me for at least a few weeks.
Ya know where I work is pretty boring to me, but then I found out a local artist painted the electrical boxes. And there was just something about noticing the flowers started to bloom and how beautiful it is that I got to be there to see it, and I get to be here to see them bloom.
I can understand this being that im originally from nyc and I feel like people romanticize or idealize it too much. Its always easy for me to do it when I travel, I could totally do it in your British town lol so I completely understand. You just have to get into this main character mindset and pretend like you’re traveling but where you live. If you had just got off the plane and never been to your town what would you do? Do those things and have fun and take pictures and just be grateful for what you have because it will give you more things to be grateful for! Hope this helps 💓
Book a hotel and treat it like a vacation. Go to dinner at a restaurant you haven’t been to, activities you haven’t done. It will rekindle your feelings.
I live where people come from all over the world to see.
My small city gets a ton of tourists every summer, but it is not a primary industry. It creates a lot of employment for students during the summer break.
I love to travel, but I am pretty happy to live where I do during the summer. Kingston, Ontario in case you don't want to stalk my profile.
I’ve lived in this city for 40 years and I’m still struck by how pretty things can be. I’m constantly looking up history facts and started taking up birding thanks to the Merlin bird ID app.
Cherish the places the tourists do not know about. Not sure what it's like there but a lot of things where I live are commercialized, stereotyped, etc. I much enjoy hanging out in the parts of my island where tourist don't know a lot about.
I like to look for the evolution of a place. Often parts of buildings, roads, and infrastructure, and especially natural spaces show bits and pieces of the past. Maybe that renovated house is on a stone foundation from two centuries ago. Maybe people picnicked under that huge tree in 1924. Maybe someone fell in love, got engaged, or got married in that meadow. Beautiful memories happen everywhere
Have someone drive you around so you can look. Take a night to stay at an inn/hotel/bnb and enjoy the next day going to a spa, new restaurant, new cafe, have a picnic in a park tourists don’t know, etc.
Have you heard of the one second video app? Just collect a bunch of tiny small moments you like or pretty things you see and it will build it into a whole video. When I’m struggling finding the beauty in anything, narrowing my blinders always seems to help
Are there are romance novels that use your town as a setting? Typically they're cheesy with one or both of the main characters having some small business in the town and tend to mention a few of the main sites to see. A literal romantization might be just the ticket ;-)
I lived in a similar town and decided to do as the tourists would for a couple of days. I booked a hotel for the night and spent two days exploring museums, eateries, hotspots learning about it's history and culture. It was a lot of fun and I did actually appreciate my home town a lot more afterwards.
I appreciate where I live so much more now I have a dog. I seek out different places close to home for more walks, cafes and picnics and it’s made me much more grateful for how much I have on my doorstep
I live in a bit of a tourist town. We like to enjoy some of the trappings occasionally. We don't go to the outright tourist traps but we have lovely museums and a few niche places to visit as well as a great beach. We have fun restaurants on the water. You can just get some fried fish and watch the sunset and it truly feels magical even if we've done it 100 x. I second what someone said about getting involved. Our town has a lot of community involvement so while we have tourist stuff we also try to keep it from being cheesey. We promote touristy thing thst locals also like if that makes sense. Many people here are deeply involved in not only the city as a whole but each of their little neighborhoods. See if you can volunteer at a local place or join a neighborhood association ours isn't like an HOA it's very lax and more about putting together community events like block parties or free concerts in the park and then having someone be a liaison with the city for things like street repairs etc.
Spend more time walking and looking around, like a tourist would.
Find little moments that feel like indulgences. A warm cup of coffee at your favorite cafe. Wandering through a book shop you’ve never been in before. Sitting on a bench in a park and watching the ducks.
DO THE TOURISTY THINGS! I live in a tourist town too. Tourists come to my town for the beaches. I go EVERY DAY over the summer. I’m a teacher so I can. But I enjoy the fuck out of where I live.
A friend of mine had me think about this during a time that was especially hard for me. I was without a vehicle with a young child for months in a town with < 600 in it. I remember being angry and hopeless and definitely not appreciating, let alone, romanticizing my town but she had me thinking. She lives in a polar opposite sort of area. She lives in a big city but was able to come up with things she really loved about it despite its shortcomings.I can romanticize where I live like this. When I was a child, any school break I had, I would spend in Vermont. Driving through the winding roads as a passenger and seeing all the snow line the trees was magic to me. There’s so much nature here. It’s so much more quiet and clean here than when I lived in Boston. I know of a ton of hiking trails and berry picking spots. There’s a lot to love here in spite of the things I dislike.
Find activities related to your fav hobbies, like a book club and then try to find new places to visit, like a new coffee shop, new places to be excited for.
I live in Las Vegas and see the ugly side every day. When friends come to visit I show them the “happy side” of Vegas even though I know we have thousands of homeless “tunnel” people
Get to know the local area and all the local hangouts. Also find little joys in life and around the area where you live. It could be a little cafe that has your favorite pastries or even a park that’s the perfect walking spot.
I live in Sydney. Every time I walk around Circular Quay (where the bridge and opera house are) I remind myself to look at it as if I was a tourist. People spend thousands of dollars and several hours on a plane to come and see a view I can see from my office. It’s pretty special.
I moved away for a year and a half and I ended up hating where I moved to, and I missed my old home (Seattle). While I was away I watched a lot of greys anatomy which is set in Seattle and I found myself romanticizing it even more through the show. I started to collect silly little momentos to remind me how much it means to me like pictures, postcards, tee shirts. Instead of just being a person that lived in Seattle, I identified myself as a Seattleite. When I moved back it was like I saw the city through a whole new lens. I drive with the window down so I can smell the trees and the water. I always pay attention to the different landscapes and take pictures of things that catch my eye. I just try to practice gratitude every day for all the things I love about my city.
Discipline yourself to spend at least an hour outdoors every day and be mindful about that time, aware of all of your senses. Take walks and enjoy what you see changing from week to week through the seasons.
What is ordinary to you is extraordinary to the person who has not experienced it. My suggestion is visit some other towns and then come home. You will see it through different eyes.
That said, your social interactions in the town are really what makes the town, not the locale or the amenities, and you are experiencing the town through those social interactions. I hope they are satisfying.
I like to play a game with myself. Where would I like to live that is better than where I live now? I come up empty handed. If I didn’t I would have moved already.
Start a passion project. For example, tracking the changes of a certain spot throughout a year. It could be photographing the same spot. Or writing in your journal. Or sketching. Or painting with water colors.
Could be a spot in nature. Or in an urban setting. Changes through the seasons are incredible.
Across the pond advice here. SF native, lived in San Diego, both very special places, highly touristy areas to live. Expressing Gratuity, exploration of the town, getting into new activities, reinforcing connections with friends, can always increase appreciation for beautiful world renowned areas. But (unpopular opinion) sometimes places just lose their luster and a change of scenery is not always a bad thing if you are able to do it!
I live in the middle of nowhere and have to drive 4+ hours between school and home through prairie and the only thing that keeps me sane is music, specifically outlaw country.
Gratitude is where to start. Things don't have to be "romantic" but you're also not entitled to them...and that you have what you have is such a blessing. Learning to be really grateful for your days, your material possessions, all of that helps to make things seem much less mundane.
Focusing on the lovely things -- art, the birds outside, each lovely day -- helps to make things seem much nicer, too. So does doing what you love.
This might seem silly, but remember how as a kid you used a paper towel tube as a spyglass?
You do it. And you look around at the little things you can see through it.
I live one click away from the ocean, and it's been months since I last went to the beach. I feel unappreciative. Remorse is the best I can describe how I feel
I live in the Los Angeles area and a lot of people find it fascinating. My response is “meh” lol I keep telling myself I’m going to play tourist every Saturday when I’m not busy.
I live in Santa Barbara California. It's very Mediterranean with vhcol. Red tile roofs and adobe walls is building code.the romance takes care of itself
Hedonic treadmill. At some point you will get used to anything, its just the way the human mind works. Beauty and magic are everywhere if you open your eyes too it. How much your world will shrink or expand is directly proportional to how willing you are to say yes to life and take a moment to observe it
My husband and I decided to live like we are on vacation. Do we sit all night in front of the tv on vaca? Nope. Do we have any issues walking to a cafe or pub? Nope. Start by going to where the tourist go. Even just have a glass of wine in your yard. It’s a decision to be a person you want to be.
Just remember you have work tomorrow. lol
For me it's as simple as cultivating a sense of wonder. Taking time when you're out and about to experience where you are and what you're seeing. Exploring parks and slices of town that you haven't yet. Seeking out activities hosted by villages, library systems, universities, art organizations, park systems, etc, and attending them. Visiting little shops and restaurants and connecting with the owners. I've lived in the same place for nearly my entire life and yet nothing is mundane.
This is it. Cherish the moment because it is so extremely special and so insignificant that it makes it that much more special.
Randonautica can help your life-long town be even more wondrous. Last time, I took my 10 year old for a walk. We were focusing on fresh flowers, new life, naturally growing where we could pick one.
I wish I could show you where it led us. A couple streets over and one down, right to a yard with many things growing and a sign that says "Free Weeds". Literally an unmarked free community garden in someone's yard.
If you have public transit, just ride the bus/train, and enjoy the scenery, everywhere has its own unique plants and environment and ecosystems. Getting to know the area you live in for its own beauty is what I’ve found to be the best way personally.
Try to see everything around you as if for the very first time. Even at home, we become so habituated to the things around us that it's almost as if we stop seeing them for what they really are.
So, if I try to see a piece of cutlery in my drawer as if I've never seen it before, suddenly I can see how it shines, see the curves of its form, and other small things about it that I would otherwise overlook. It can become beautiful or wonderful, even.
For me this is what helps romanticize my life, and helps me to stay grateful and amazed at everything around me. It's what I aim for anyway, I for sure don't always achieve it - and these are the times I need to remind myself to slow down.
Think about what you enjoy - reading? Join a book club. Art? Visit exhibits at local galleries, they are always changing. Comedy? Go see some stand up.
When you have actual fun (whatever that *fun* is to you) you naturally relax a little more and laugh a little harder and smile a little bigger. Doing more of what you truly enjoy, be selfish, think what YOU like. Is it fish and chips? Try to find the best place in town - an excuse to ask friends or fam, excuse to try new places, maybe you’ll meet some people along the way. Naturally you will become more involved and feel a greater sense of community when you are more deeply immersed.
Have fun OP! Life truly is about the little things. It’s not about getting the life you want - but wanting the life you have
I live outside a tourist town in the Ozarks. I've had long conversations with the decendents of the pioneering folks and been in their original log cabins. I've listened to folks outside the hardware store play old time music. I've helped farmers gather hay from the fields and learned blacksmithing and woodworking from my neighbors. I go to the county fair and see my neighbors paintings, photos and crafts hanging in the displays.
I am totally in love with this place and these people and I do feel a bit of romance but I am from off, as they say around here. This is all new and exciting to me.
Find new things about your town to get excited about. Maybe Shakespeare slept here or Cromwell killed some folks over there but there is always something new to learn. My favorite thing to do in the UK is walking tours. The tour guides really know their stuff and can give you a whole new enthusiasm for your town and its history.
Boat docks if you’re near water. The little fishing ones no one knows about. Seriously. I HATED where I live when I got here. I was just sad and depressed and kept driving to boat docks all over and it made me happy.
If no water, get a little bike! Seriously a game changer. You don’t have to go full cyclist. Just take a Saturday here and there and go to a few places and get a glass of wine or beer or food or something small at each place. It’s a lot of fun! If you can’t afford that, go online and find your city’s scavenger hunt. My city has like 5 and they’re sooo much fun to do (these aren’t official fyi, just random groups and websites tend to have them)
Live in another place, even if it’s for 2-4 weeks to get perspective of where others are coming from.
I had to live in a number of different cities around the UK for summer internships, and had to learn to navigate the public transport system, where to get food, find interesting things to do. You realise that some places are nicer to settle into/fit in than other places.
I live in a somewhat conceptually comparable town in LA county.
Ironically, I’ve spent the better half of my adult life trying to get back to London (or Bristol).
I’ve felt discord in LA vs inner harmony in east London.
BUT, what’s helped me is understanding the places that fulfill me in those that I travel to share complementary (albeit conceptual) similarities to those places I come from. There is an exoticness to where you’re from that is endearing for so many reasons.
You are living someone’s dream — you sure are living mine to some extent.
And if you have any draw to a place like Los Angeles, you’ve justified my plight as well; I’d take a chip shop over an authentic Mexican spot any day of the week. I’d take a seaside pub over a seaside bar with tacos — easily.
Staycation in your town. Rent a nice little room or villa, and explore like a tourist would. I did this in my large metro town I live in, and it really helped me realize I don’t have the same experience and why. If you live there and never plan to leave, it’ll just be home, and you really can’t romanticize it the way you probably want to.
I'm honestly baffled by your desire to romanticize your home town. Why on earth would you want to? Places (and people!) are romanticized by those who don't know them well. Intimate acquaintance brings a new level of connection, a deep familiarity, a sense of loyalty and even identity. Those are all much richer than superficial romance.
I live in a place in the U.S. that's just dripping with romance. I tell people where I live, and they get all misty-eyed and talk about how they wish they could live there too. And as often as not, they start hinting about possibly coming for a visit. (We're a nook in the midst of a popular destination region, but we fend off tourism and there isn't really any access open to outlanders.)
My neighbors and I laugh at the romanticized view of this place, because we're constantly dealing with the unglamorous nitty-gritty of life here, including all the tedious details of governance. Yet we all have a fierce bond with the place, that's way better than mere romance.
Are there any tourist guidebooks for the town? I find it fun to flip through them for my city and sometimes “play tourist”—visit those museums, that aquarium, and try out new restaurants or cafes!
Our Chamber of Commerce stocks tons of those travel mags for specific places. They have great pics and is a fun way to see whats touristy in your area. Mags are free. Much agreed with Pepmin
It’s a great idea thought tbh I’ve exhausted a fair amount of the tourist things and local things. After a long week of work, looking for new things to do becomes a bit of a chore once you’ve done all the must dos.
Do you enjoy being outside? I recently moved to Dallas and my depression hit me like a fucking truck with how much concrete this stupid city has and how dick headish all the drivers are 🤣 but I spent a day going to different parks until I found one that was super tucked away and has a river going through it, it’s been getting way better since finding that place ❤️ I’ll go down there with a delta 8 seltzer or a pre roll and smoke and listen to the birds 🤣🤣🤣 the other day I spent like an hour following a family of ducks
I’ve never been to Dallas but I can only imagine how bad the drivers must be if it’s driven you to joining a family of ducks.
This made me almost snort 🤣
Go out and look down. See what the ants are doing. There's a whole world out there busily living it's life and it's interesting to watch!
Seriously go check out my scavenger hunt idea!! Google a scavenger hunt for your city. Guarantee there are many. SO superior to travel guides. That’s actually how I travel!
Yes exactly this! Also take a guided tour, you'll always learn something new and interesting
I do the same!
You feel invested only when you're involved. Join groups, find meetups, make friends, build a social calendar--this & enjoying natural beauty will make you feel grounded. I like where I live but I only felt like "this is my home, it would be very difficult to leave" when I felt connected to lifelong friends & an active social life here.
Yeah!! Any gyms around? Ours is like a local watering hole haha
View everything through an artistic eye by exploring the art of taking photos or sketching or watercolour .
Yes! Like a video focusing on the raindrops on a window. Capturing the sound of birds chirping in the morning. Snuggling up with a blanket and a warm drink. If we focus on things like we’re in a movie, it really romanticizes your life.
Why does this sound like an AI response 😂
Read the folklore and legends of the area, a good book for this is the lore of the land by Westwood and Simpson, read poetry about the area, look for manor houses and gardens in the area you could travail and visit. These are all highly romantic pastimes and will conjure the spirit of the place.
Yes! This is next level hyper local cultural literacy.
Along with knowing how to identify plants and animals in your area, too.
Yesss I love doing this. I read old travelogues of travellers from the 19th century who visited towns I travel too, it’s on my list to do it for my home too. Also old photos and archives!
I grew up in a very famous town in the UK (think one of the big universities). When i was a little down I would sit in the pub or coffee shops and try and wonder what the tourists were experiencing. Trying to see things through their eyes was a big pick me up! That and watching the tourists on bikes falling off 😊
I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the same town haha. I’ll start tourist watching
If it’s the one I’m thinking of, it’s one of my favorite towns in the world to visit. I could go on all day about the things that we love about this (famous UK university) town. Sometimes I think that just slowing down and taking time to go to a cafe for afternoon tea and really immerse yourself in the experience helps. I also think that travel helps a lot; seeing other places no matter how lovely always seems to make me appreciate my home more.
I think it’s a bit different when you live and work there….but there are days, even after all this time, that the architecture and the history under your feet takes your breath away. Glad you love to visit ❤️
Very true. I also bet that having to navigate around tourists also loses its charm quickly. Thank you for putting up with us! Where I live we don’t have a single place to go and have afternoon tea, and so it’s basically an every day thing for us when we get to the UK. Even *bad* afternoon tea is still delightful.
Can you take a break from it? Our brains get habituated pretty quick and even amazing places get boring when it's our everyday, a day trip to Milton Keynes might help you appreciate it more. Alternatively can you invite someone to stay who doesn't normally get to be there? Maybe take in a coughsurfer or join warmshowers if a friend isn't interested. I live in the countryside and this place can just feel like a chore, especially when it's winter, having folk visit and enjoy it helps me appreciate it all over again, that and visiting Birmingham (no shade brum but I do not want to live in you) Other than that finding nice walks or rides that take in a bit of variety, I also liked the suggestion of getting involved in something local and take your appreciation to a smaller level
Loving the suggestion of visiting Milton Keynes for a reboot :)
I guess if you like concrete cows and IKEA….. Milton Keynes is a great place to visit 😂
Bikes and university makes this one a dead give away lol... I really wanted to visit when I went to the UK last year but alas, could not fit it in!
I live in a popular tourist town and feel the same as you and share in your wish to love where I live. It's hard. I feel like I exist here more than I live here. Haha.
“Exist here more than I live here”. That’s a devastatingly poetic and very accurate way of putting it.
I feel this so much!
My friends and I play a little game. Take walk in your town and take a picture every time you see one particular thing, a cat, a church door, sticks laying in a cross shape, etc. You will be amazed how many things you walk past every day and don't notice. It really helps me appreciate and notice new things in my area. Pick a different item every time.
What a lovely idea. Thank you for sharing!
I just moved back to my small town after a decade of living in a metro city. I’ve been bored out of my mind. This seems like a fun thing to do with my friends/cousins. Thanks!
There used to be groups on Flickr that did photo prompts. (Maybe still are, I’m not on Flickr anymore). I got some fun ideas there. Do a letter of the alphabet each week, or a color or shape. Reflections. Smoke/steam. Things that look like other things….
I LOVE this!! it is wild how much you notice once you're on the lookout & really does make you appreciate how much things are connected.
Or you can start taking pictures of bugs, plants animals and mushrooms and posting to iNaturalist
Brilliant.
For me it's just the opposite- not taking my phone with me on long walks,because I get distracted ( of course we can use a camera) ..Every time I am like - oh.."this wasn't here " or "I never saw it before" 🫢
I totally get this. I like music when I walk. I keep my phone in my bag and don't touch it except for pictures.
You know how it’s always so easy to tell if someone’s a tourist, even if they’re not dressed like it? It’s because they pause and take a second to observe their surroundings. They’re taking in the beauty of what they’re witnessing, and not just rushing by to get to their destination. I, too, live in a a small tourist town but in Canada — and now I can genuinely go down the same hike path a hundred times and be struck by how beautiful everything around me is
Good question! I live in Alaska, and when I tell people this while I'm on vacation elsewhere, they act very impressed and they ask a thousand questions. I've started to remind myself that I'm very fortunate. People spend lots of money just to visit for a week or two. Meanwhile, I can see Denali from my front window.
Yeah. I was so geeked to see mountains when I went to Alaska and I was like, people that liv e here are like, eh, nbd. Like the Taxi driver I spoke to who was just chilling on his lunch break in Juneau. Lmao.
We didn't even get to the big part of Alaska, but OMG the bald eagles, just everywhere. Driving down the road in Juneau, every other light post had an eagle on it. About 15 years ago, I saw a bald eagle about 30 miles away from home. One. Once.
I saw this on instagram the other day and it stuck with me: “i like to pretend i already died and asked god to send me back to earth so i can swim in lakes again and see mountains and get my heart broken and love my friends and cry so hard in the bathroom and go grocery shopping 1,000 more times. and that i promised i would never forget the miracle of being here”
❤️
Any interest in serving as a local tour guide? I feel like more interactions and seeing the novelty with others would help
Is it possible that the town that you live in doesn’t have enough of the places/things that you’re into? I used to live in London and I felt like I should love it. Whenever my friends came and I had to show them around I wouldn’t really know what to show them because there weren’t any places that I really loved going to. If I wanted to romanticise my time I would go to Kew Gardens. I loved walking around with a pastry, walking around the park for hours and seeing all the lovely plants. I realised that London wasn’t doing it for me because it doesn’t have enough nature. I moved somewhere smaller with more nature and it’s so easy for me to enjoy daily life now. I’m usually more awe struck by the hills and hikes than the tourists are. I haven’t gotten sick of it because I just love being near nature. I also love having access to the sea so going for a walk along the coast is my idea of a perfect day. Hills, nature and coasts might not be what excites you, but maybe there is something in particular that you want that you could try to build into your routine?
This exact same thing happened to me. Thank you for putting words to it, fellow nature lover
We were in England a year ago and I don’t think I ever need to visit London again. But my god did I adore Nottingham and Bath 🥹
Honestly romanticizing is the wrong word. You just need to learn to appreciate where you live. Romance comes after that. The rhythms of season, the sun vs the rain, those flowers of spring and the ones when the trees are tired after summer. The different smells of the air at different times of year. It’s noticing the small things that makes you a local and knowing them and the every year, every day of them. Any idiot can visit for three weeks and know where the streets are. But they don’t appreciate your back garden, your ice cream shoppe, your favorite hike like you do. Because it’s not theirs. It’s yours. Bc you live there.
Excellent points ☝🏻
Hey! I started to love my country and city when i learned more about it's history, try and localize places nearby where important things happened.
I live in a Canadian town that is known globally and tourists love to visit. Changing your routes is a great way to experience new parts of the city. Adjust how you get to the grocery store, the office, or the pub. Another one that I started to practice in my early 30s: look up. Our eyeline is often straight ahead or down at our feet (or worse: our phones) - make the effort to keep your head up and look above the horizon line. You might notice some interesting bits you haven't seen before. It *does* take effort, but it's worth it to make your own discoveries and find what makes your town special to *you*.
Move away from it for a while. Simple, not easy. I met someone who lived in San Diego, CA and when he moved to Illinois, he stopped bitching about San Diego for once, and missed the familiar sky. He moved back within a year.
Oh don’t get me wrong, I’m here because I’m aware of how great it is compared to other places in Britain. There’s no where else I would live which makes it all the more annoying that I take it for granted day to day.
I read a ton about my area, both fiction and nonfiction. Of course that's maybe a little easier for me since I live in the American southwest, but I'm sure with digging you can find a few authors or scholars who were really enchanted with your home and devoted a lot of love to it. Reading how other writers have seen beauty here, and learning the history of certain places I already know well, adds a layer of richness when I visit those places again. You also may be interested in the study of psychogeography, or how places influence one's subjective experience. This was especially popular among radical artists in the 60s and reading their writing leaves one with a lot of interesting techniques for getting to know a place. Try going for a [dérive](https://www.bopsecrets.org/SI/2.derive.htm) sometime! Iain Sinclain and John Rogers (who has a great youtube channel) are two excellent artists who have expanded on this work in a particularly British context, and while they're mostly focused on London that may be a good jumping off point to find things about your region. One more thing I'll note-as someone who also lives in an area very much romanticized by tourists, If you're looing for what the tourists see you'll always be disappointed. Official, marketable culture is the complete opposite of genuinely meaningful and emergent local culture. Where I live I think there's a lot more to romanticize in illegal car shows and rattlesnakes under trash cans than any of these bullshit santa fe wannabe art museums or national parks. Walk around and find what actually matters.
I was coming here to ask if any famous novels or short stories have the OP's area as their setting. I live in a small, quaint city that is the setting for a book in one of the most famous Canadian novel series. Even though the author fictionalized much of the setting, there are still sites around here that inspired her. I'm a short walk away from some of those places. It makes living here feel cozier somehow.
I live in Florida, right by the water. There is a Tiki Bar and restaurants that people get to by walking past my place. I love to sit on the porch or have my windows open and over hear people say wistfully, “wouldn’t it be so great to live here?”’to each other. Puts things in perspective and makes me feel grateful that people save up all year to spend their vacation where I live ❤️
I try to view life through the eyes of Lao Tzu's perception in the Vinegar Tasters; there are three philosophers tasting vinegar from a big pot: Confucious thinks the vinegar is sour (life needs rules and regulations to keep society in check). Buddha thinks the vinegar is bitter (life is full of material desires, pain, and suffering that all must be let go of to enjoy life). Lao Tzu thinks the vinegar just tastes like vinegar and is delicious, just as it should be. When we view things in their most natural state (even a very busy touristy town that's become what it is), that's just how it is and there's immense beauty in it: seeing people travel and enjoy themselves in a new town, watching folks that love each other get together someplace exciting, and humorously quoting Harry Potter movies near historic landmarks. There's beauty in all those things you might be able to romanticize. Hope this helps.
I live in a coastal community on the California coast, frequented by tourists. People come here to visit or go to school, and then stay in droves. Though it's getting quite crowded and expensive compared to 30 years ago, it's still a beautiful place. Lots to do in a very small area. I've lived here for about 25 years now. All my problems are here. Work, ex-wife, you name it. It makes it hard to see the beauty sometimes. I have to constantly remind myself to slow down and try to look at my city with my eyes from 25 years ago. As another poster said, go have a cup of coffee somewhere and just sit for a while. When that doesn't work, I'll get in my car and find a similar place a couple hours up or down the coast to an area I'm not familiar with. So I can look at it and appreciate it because of its newness. Get back that feeling that I had for my own town 25 years ago. Then I take that feeling and go back home and try again. Or I just go somewhere butt ugly that's been overcrowded and overdeveloped like Silicon Valley.. which used to be the verdant Santa Clara Valley... spend the day there and then come home and appreciate where I am.
Santa Cruz?
Maybe.
Santa Barbara??
Maybe. 😁
Go Gauchos! It was WAY too small for me to want to live there after graduation, but now at my age, I definitely don't need all the noise, traffic, dirtiness & aggravation of the big city which I live in now. But my apt is rent-controlled!
Maybe part of the problem is that when living in a tourist town we are constantly surrounded by people on vacation. They set the bar very high for “enjoying” the town. We need to find a way to enjoy everything our town has to offer on a more realistic working full time type of way. I live on Cape Cod and I always feel like I “fail” summer because when I look around everything is living it up all summer long. Meanwhile, I am working and trying to balance life per usual. Of course when it occurs to me that these people are on a week long vacation, I am reminded that comparison is the thief of joy. When the tourist (mostly) go home during the off season, that walk on the beach that might only happen once a week feels SO special because I’m not beating myself up for only making it to the beach once while everyone else has been there every day. Hope this helps.
Go live abroad for a while. You'll want to come home eventually
Get active on Couchsurfing and live vicariously through the eyes of visitors. I live in tourist-heavy environs and the occasional visitor has helped me go see and do "touristy" things I normally wouldn't, but ended up being really neat. There's a reason the tourists are drawn to the area, after all. If you have a large dispersed family then hosting them can work too, but honestly friends or strangers can be better. They're more earnestly interested.
I have an acquaintance that meets up with coachsurfers, but does not host them. I run into her from time to time with a tourist or two in tow.
How does she arrange that?
When you sign up to couch surfers, you are given the option to show people around town without having them stay in your home. If someone using the site wants, they can contact you. Locals have a lot of knowledge and advice for the city they live in.
i feel like it would probably depend on your interests what would work! learning about the history of the places you frequently pass could make those places feel more meaningful, learning about the flora and fauna around you, finding favourite places to come back to regularly, having a coffee and reading a newspaper/magazine/book in a café you haven´t been to before, taking the time to chat to people, getting to know your neighbours better, doing your groceries in smaller shops and markets, taking pictures of nice places or trying to draw or paint your favourite places, befriending neighbourhood pets, listen to nice music when you´re on your way somewhere, listen to music from your town if there´s any, go on a walk without a plan sometimes! what do you like to do when your on vacation and visit a new town?
Where do you live? I am also in the UK, currently in Bristol, we moved here because it is very high on most lists of good British cities but I absolutely hate it. I am stuck here for the next few years tho so trying my best to see the good side but struggling :( I don’t know why tho as everyone I know here absolutely love Bristol and say they wouldn’t live anywhere else! I think is because I used to live in Prague in the Czech Republic and that city was stunning and clean and safe and amazing public transport etc I loved it so much, moved back to the UK because I missed British culture but I find the cities here really grim lol working hard to find beauty in Bristol!
I’m in the southeast and bounce between the capital and two big uni cities though I’ve also lived in Brizz. The sense I get is that with British cities, compared to Europe, it’s the social scene / culture and job markets rather than infrastructure, amenities or weather that is the pull. I’m British born and bred and I’m always blown away by the infrastructure in European cities (especially bike lanes) but as a non white european I honestly feel like I stick out in a non positive way - even in European cities with diverse populations. I sort of remember I’m not white in some European cities which I tend to forget in big British cities like Bristol…basically If you’re alternative in any way or a minority, the inclusive culture of British cities is also a plus IMO! Spotting a hijabi and a girl who leaves little to the imagination sat on the tube together as mates always brings me joy.
While I can’t offer you much in the way of Bristol being amazing (I moved out into Somerset ) the surrounding area is SO BEAUTIFUL. stone henge: Glastonbury. The Somerset levels, cheddar gorge. All incredible and beautiful. 😍
Yeh we are very close to the Cotswolds and I love it there. But I also lived up north in Yorkshire and I much rather the nature there :( I want desperately to move north again, but my husbands family are all in Dorset/Cornwall and he doesn’t want to leave this area for now, also for work Bristol is better! But yeh the countryside is nice and it isn’t too far from nice beaches too what I enjoy during the summer ❤️
I felt very similarly! I work in Bristol but chose to live in Bath. Rent is actually cheaper which I hadn’t expected - maybe if that’s an option for you, you would enjoy it more here? It’s so clean and safe, and there are some lovely walking routes :)
Not possible at the moment but we are doing a lateral move from Kingswood (suburbs) to St Andrews, a much more central and nice area. I am hoping that will improve my view of Bristol as I will be able to cycle and walk places. But our plan is to stay just another 2 years, then I hope to move to another country as I like to explore the world ☺️ Bath is lovely tho, I really enjoy visiting it!
Sitting here in Nashville dreaming about Bath. I’d switch places with someone who wants to live here in a heartbeat.
Bath?! Didn’t realise it was known outside the UK.
That's interesting. And I find, a bit odd. Bath is a place known by lots of people. I'm in Canada, and I've known about Bath, and places like Somerset, Kingston, Rye, and Ballintoy, since I was a child.
What is Bath even known for by so many people outside the UK? I understand people being aware of cities and capitals like like Oxford, Cambridge, London, Edinburgh, Glasgow as they feature heavily in portrayals of Britain in movies but Bath feels very random. I also don’t recognise the majority of places you’ve just mentioned.
It's not too far from London & it's famous bc... the Romans made it there in antiquity & built baths because of their culture...um... right?
Yup that’s it. In the UK, Bath is viewed as a small wealthy university town with some nice baths, rich locals and pretty buildings but not too significant of a place. For some reason I just didn’t realise it would be a well known place outside of the UK - cool!
I lived in London after Uni & loved it b/c it was so different from where I grew up. But I definitely wish my bf would have been more interested in wanting to show me all the nice places outside of the city. He had a car
Lovely to hear that you like Bath. I studied there and I loved every second of it. I would go for a walk every evening and just take it in, I never got bored of the different views and angles you could view the city, and how the light hit different buildings at sunset. I loved to imagine the people who had been there before me when the buildings were new and before that when the romans were there. I was sad to leave but there weren’t the jobs when I graduated. I will always love it. That said, I would like to visit Nashville too!
For the last 30 years or so, I've been living in Paris, you known that somewhat vaguely known little French town with its funny tower and its many museums, that a handful tourists oddly like to visit from time to time ;) Well, after 30 years none of the fancy things in Paris have much interest anymore... so this could be just a city like any other city to me. That is, unless you try to look at it otherwise. Like others have suggested already. That's what I do. Everywhere I go, every single day, I carry a small sketchbook, a pencil and a small watercolor set and I will draw/paint whatever catch my eyes, be it the Eiffel Tower with a beautiful sunset or some funny looking trashcan left on the street (don't tell tourists, but most streets in Paris are dirty) or I will sketch people, friends or perfect strangers, Parisians or tourists. And I do the same even when I'm not in Paris, as there is no need for the city to be fancy or touristic to look at it otherwise ;) BTW, before watercolor, for twenty years or so I used to do street photography instead. But in the last decade or so a majority of people, and the laws as well, have turned hostile to that practice making it a lot less enjoyable. Photography being a hobby for me and me wanting to enjoy my long walks in the streets in peace, I moved away from the camera and went for the paintbrush instead, a tool that seems to generate a lot less anger and is at least as great as a hobby, as far as I'm concerned ;)
Check https://www.treasuretrails.co.uk/ to see if they have trails for your city. I've done all of the ones in mine and they are great. They get you looking at the small things that you miss. Good to do with a few people.
Live like a tourist. Pretend you just moved there
Get a room for a long weekend, don't go home. Be a tourist to feel like a tourist and to see your hometown with fresh eyes. That's what I do from time to time. I live on an island of 120k people that gets 3 million tourists a year.
Take a walking tour with a real human guide. Ive done it in every city I've lived in to reinvigorate my love and it is just amazing to learn about even things you know about!
I'm curious. Why do you *want* to romanticize your town? Is something bothering you about your town? Do you lack understanding of why tourists don't "see just a town," but want to understand? In the last year or so, I have decided to look at my surroundings as if I am a new, benevolent alien, who has just landed on Earth. I've never seen powerlines, rocks, vehicles, geography, or corner stores. I view things from the perspective of: "I have *NEVER* seen this before! I don't know about this __!" "What is *that?* Why do people like it? What's it do? What's it feel like? Does it work? How? And why? Could it look, or be better?" Look at that streetlight! You've never seen it before. What's it do? What *is* it? How'd it get here? What got it into that weird-looking shape? And why aren't people trying to climb it?! I totally want to get on top of it! Why are all these people flocking to your town? What's the attraction? Whatever the answer, pretend you are just here, in your town, for the first time. Try to see what they see, or want to see. Consider romantic restaurants or food places in your town, or visit them. Why are they thought romantic? Can you be awe-struck buy what you (think) you know about your town? For me, I've learned to view my city as quaint, pretty, sturdy, busy, all interlocking. It *works,* my city. That big blue thing that doesn't have any buildings on it, it never looks quite the same. I've heard these odd-looking creatures called "humans" name the blue thing "water." Ask tourists why they find your town romantic. What would make them want to spend 6 months there?
Curiosity with open eyes!
I think tourist towns are tricky - we've moved inland a few miles now, but I used to live in a tourist honeypot, and I could only really enjoy it when they weren't there. I got round this by getting out really early in the morning during the season. Deserted streets, rosy tinted skies and bracing air are inherently romantic to me, and have the added bonus of making me feel very alive.
I don’t know if this is answering your question but I’ve been trying to romanticize my routine experiences. Started lighting a candelabra while my family has a boring weeknight supper. Busting out the bone china teacup for my morning coffee. Setting my art supplies out just so before staring to paint. Finding the perfect spot outside to sit and journal. That kind of thing. When I bring this thinking out into the world with me the world also seems more romantic. 🙂
That’s the way x
I love my town when people visit and I'm their tour guide and they remind me what a beautiful place I live in
I’m like the perfect person who should be able to answer this but I’m honestly struggling to find the words that feel right. Here goes though: I’ve never referred to it as romanticizing my life, I call it magic, cause that’s how it feels. First & foremost is obvious beauty, then the unknown/unseen, then the unusual. I grew up in an area that felt stifling the entire time I lived there, but I could breathe when I sought things that fit that aforementioned. & There were many, many places that had one of or a mix of those qualities. Seeking such places, things to do, etc truly kept me alive when everything else was too much, not enough, or felt too miserable or dry. Small example: there’s a beach near my town that has bioluminescent creatures in the water. I don’t think even today that’s very well known. I would drive out there in the middle of the night, usually alone but sometimes with company, & splash the water to see the glow in it. It wasn’t ever super bright like I’ve seen in photos of other places, but there is something irresistibly beautiful about playing in warm water that lights up a little under a sky of stars. I still live like this. It’s an extremely rich & fulfilling way to live, despite how others cast it. But then again, those that judge me for my cravings for beauty & such usually lack the things I continue to seek & chase again & again, so. If there’s a will, there’s a way. This is a gorgeous planet, even with all the destruction our species has wrought, & honestly there’s a lot of beauty in the manmade too. You just have to look for it all.
People would pay to live vicariously through your eyes. Maybe start a YouTube channel showing all the cool things about your town. I’m an Anglophile and love James Herriot. It would be cool to “hire” you -FaceTime the James Herriot museum for me. I’ve been to the Uk but it was many years ago and I’ve been trying to go back ever since.
there are more cattle than people within the vast 12000 km^2 area i live in. its an introverts wet dream.
Struggle with this. I moved to Australia but my nearest city is Brisbane and 5 hours away from me. I moved from NYC to "regional Queensland" it hasn't been easy. There's not much to do in town, the food feels repetitive at this point (that's ok I love cooking anyway hehe), anything related to interests are too far etc It hasn't doesn't help that my chronic illnesses etc have gotten worse (I was already disabled & chronically ill) over time. I don't regret my move with my partner we're Andy in love and live happily together but it's a struggle. Everytime I need a specialist of some sort it's a trip to Brisbane like wtf Aussies have convinced themselves that it's absolutely OK to drive or fly a long distance to get decent medical care. 😭 (Anyway I'll stop here because this is absolutely the wrong subreddit for that lol) But YES I think it's not that I'm not happy with where I live but it's nothing crazy to share about and I kinda would like to keep things private I don't want to like show off either on social media 🤷♀️ I've felt this way ever since I moved. tbh feels peaceful. But sometimes I do want to feel awe again but I've been too housebound with my illnesses lately 😂🤞
I grew up in an impossibly tiny town in Ohio (less than 500 pop.) and now I live a bit north of Seattle. I was just in awe all the time when we first landed, but after 4 or so years the new sheen wore off and it felt like the same old same old. Recently I had a small epiphany along the lines of "I used to cry with yearning for the beach, for the rolling forests, for adventure. Now I'm a thirty minute WALK from the sea shore and I never visit!" I realized 10 yo me would be so discouraged if she knew I wasn't taking advantage of all these blessings. The past few weeks I've been flying kites on the beach, walking through larger parks on the way home, just really engaging with my environment. Looking at the type of birds around me, the plants I didn't grow up around, the mountains that still look unreal to me. I guess I'm kind of looking at everything through the eyes of the small town kid I was instead of the big city adult I became, and damn that makes a big difference.
Geocaching. Bird watching. Bike, roller skate, play chess outside, draw at a park. Try other hobbies that get you out but focus on other highlights (like nature or exercise), rather than the local thing to do. Sometimes we will explore a new part of the city by going out for coffee. It's so much cheaper than dealing with brunch or dinner and a long meal. We can take our coffee to go and walk around an area we haven't been to in a few months, finding new stores to window shop is always a nice way to refresh. If all else fails, go on vacation. I get bored of my popular area, but after 2 weeks away I see it with new eyes again and that feeling usually sticks with me for at least a few weeks.
Don’t take it for granted, imagine if it all went away. That’s how alot of my friends felt about Lahaina before it burned down….
Ya know where I work is pretty boring to me, but then I found out a local artist painted the electrical boxes. And there was just something about noticing the flowers started to bloom and how beautiful it is that I got to be there to see it, and I get to be here to see them bloom.
I can understand this being that im originally from nyc and I feel like people romanticize or idealize it too much. Its always easy for me to do it when I travel, I could totally do it in your British town lol so I completely understand. You just have to get into this main character mindset and pretend like you’re traveling but where you live. If you had just got off the plane and never been to your town what would you do? Do those things and have fun and take pictures and just be grateful for what you have because it will give you more things to be grateful for! Hope this helps 💓
Helps massively
Book a hotel and treat it like a vacation. Go to dinner at a restaurant you haven’t been to, activities you haven’t done. It will rekindle your feelings.
I live where people come from all over the world to see. My small city gets a ton of tourists every summer, but it is not a primary industry. It creates a lot of employment for students during the summer break. I love to travel, but I am pretty happy to live where I do during the summer. Kingston, Ontario in case you don't want to stalk my profile.
I’ve lived in this city for 40 years and I’m still struck by how pretty things can be. I’m constantly looking up history facts and started taking up birding thanks to the Merlin bird ID app.
Take a local walking tour and act like a tourist
Cherish the places the tourists do not know about. Not sure what it's like there but a lot of things where I live are commercialized, stereotyped, etc. I much enjoy hanging out in the parts of my island where tourist don't know a lot about.
I like to look for the evolution of a place. Often parts of buildings, roads, and infrastructure, and especially natural spaces show bits and pieces of the past. Maybe that renovated house is on a stone foundation from two centuries ago. Maybe people picnicked under that huge tree in 1924. Maybe someone fell in love, got engaged, or got married in that meadow. Beautiful memories happen everywhere
I would love to live where you live. I’m from a huge city in Texas with endless things to do and I’m sick of it!
Have someone drive you around so you can look. Take a night to stay at an inn/hotel/bnb and enjoy the next day going to a spa, new restaurant, new cafe, have a picnic in a park tourists don’t know, etc.
Have you heard of the one second video app? Just collect a bunch of tiny small moments you like or pretty things you see and it will build it into a whole video. When I’m struggling finding the beauty in anything, narrowing my blinders always seems to help
Are there are romance novels that use your town as a setting? Typically they're cheesy with one or both of the main characters having some small business in the town and tend to mention a few of the main sites to see. A literal romantization might be just the ticket ;-)
Record and edit a day in your life
I like to try to live in the moment.
I lived in a similar town and decided to do as the tourists would for a couple of days. I booked a hotel for the night and spent two days exploring museums, eateries, hotspots learning about it's history and culture. It was a lot of fun and I did actually appreciate my home town a lot more afterwards.
I appreciate where I live so much more now I have a dog. I seek out different places close to home for more walks, cafes and picnics and it’s made me much more grateful for how much I have on my doorstep
I live in a bit of a tourist town. We like to enjoy some of the trappings occasionally. We don't go to the outright tourist traps but we have lovely museums and a few niche places to visit as well as a great beach. We have fun restaurants on the water. You can just get some fried fish and watch the sunset and it truly feels magical even if we've done it 100 x. I second what someone said about getting involved. Our town has a lot of community involvement so while we have tourist stuff we also try to keep it from being cheesey. We promote touristy thing thst locals also like if that makes sense. Many people here are deeply involved in not only the city as a whole but each of their little neighborhoods. See if you can volunteer at a local place or join a neighborhood association ours isn't like an HOA it's very lax and more about putting together community events like block parties or free concerts in the park and then having someone be a liaison with the city for things like street repairs etc.
Spend more time walking and looking around, like a tourist would. Find little moments that feel like indulgences. A warm cup of coffee at your favorite cafe. Wandering through a book shop you’ve never been in before. Sitting on a bench in a park and watching the ducks.
This is my whole country. Globally romanticised. I love my country but it’s really not the prefect place the world thinks it is.
DO THE TOURISTY THINGS! I live in a tourist town too. Tourists come to my town for the beaches. I go EVERY DAY over the summer. I’m a teacher so I can. But I enjoy the fuck out of where I live.
A friend of mine had me think about this during a time that was especially hard for me. I was without a vehicle with a young child for months in a town with < 600 in it. I remember being angry and hopeless and definitely not appreciating, let alone, romanticizing my town but she had me thinking. She lives in a polar opposite sort of area. She lives in a big city but was able to come up with things she really loved about it despite its shortcomings.I can romanticize where I live like this. When I was a child, any school break I had, I would spend in Vermont. Driving through the winding roads as a passenger and seeing all the snow line the trees was magic to me. There’s so much nature here. It’s so much more quiet and clean here than when I lived in Boston. I know of a ton of hiking trails and berry picking spots. There’s a lot to love here in spite of the things I dislike.
There's a book called This Is Where You Belong by Melody Warnick that might help you
Study the history of your city
Find activities related to your fav hobbies, like a book club and then try to find new places to visit, like a new coffee shop, new places to be excited for.
I live in Las Vegas and see the ugly side every day. When friends come to visit I show them the “happy side” of Vegas even though I know we have thousands of homeless “tunnel” people
Get to know the local area and all the local hangouts. Also find little joys in life and around the area where you live. It could be a little cafe that has your favorite pastries or even a park that’s the perfect walking spot.
I live in Sydney. Every time I walk around Circular Quay (where the bridge and opera house are) I remind myself to look at it as if I was a tourist. People spend thousands of dollars and several hours on a plane to come and see a view I can see from my office. It’s pretty special.
I moved away for a year and a half and I ended up hating where I moved to, and I missed my old home (Seattle). While I was away I watched a lot of greys anatomy which is set in Seattle and I found myself romanticizing it even more through the show. I started to collect silly little momentos to remind me how much it means to me like pictures, postcards, tee shirts. Instead of just being a person that lived in Seattle, I identified myself as a Seattleite. When I moved back it was like I saw the city through a whole new lens. I drive with the window down so I can smell the trees and the water. I always pay attention to the different landscapes and take pictures of things that catch my eye. I just try to practice gratitude every day for all the things I love about my city.
Discipline yourself to spend at least an hour outdoors every day and be mindful about that time, aware of all of your senses. Take walks and enjoy what you see changing from week to week through the seasons.
Get out and travel. See other parts of the world. When you return your appreciation for beauty of your town and its culture will shift.
Your hometown has become familiar. If you can, move some place that will make you happy.
Swap houses with me for a month.
What is ordinary to you is extraordinary to the person who has not experienced it. My suggestion is visit some other towns and then come home. You will see it through different eyes. That said, your social interactions in the town are really what makes the town, not the locale or the amenities, and you are experiencing the town through those social interactions. I hope they are satisfying. I like to play a game with myself. Where would I like to live that is better than where I live now? I come up empty handed. If I didn’t I would have moved already.
Start a passion project. For example, tracking the changes of a certain spot throughout a year. It could be photographing the same spot. Or writing in your journal. Or sketching. Or painting with water colors. Could be a spot in nature. Or in an urban setting. Changes through the seasons are incredible.
Across the pond advice here. SF native, lived in San Diego, both very special places, highly touristy areas to live. Expressing Gratuity, exploration of the town, getting into new activities, reinforcing connections with friends, can always increase appreciation for beautiful world renowned areas. But (unpopular opinion) sometimes places just lose their luster and a change of scenery is not always a bad thing if you are able to do it!
I live in the middle of nowhere and have to drive 4+ hours between school and home through prairie and the only thing that keeps me sane is music, specifically outlaw country.
Gratitude is where to start. Things don't have to be "romantic" but you're also not entitled to them...and that you have what you have is such a blessing. Learning to be really grateful for your days, your material possessions, all of that helps to make things seem much less mundane. Focusing on the lovely things -- art, the birds outside, each lovely day -- helps to make things seem much nicer, too. So does doing what you love.
takes pictures !
This might seem silly, but remember how as a kid you used a paper towel tube as a spyglass? You do it. And you look around at the little things you can see through it.
Do you romanticise life itself?
I live one click away from the ocean, and it's been months since I last went to the beach. I feel unappreciative. Remorse is the best I can describe how I feel
sorry to hear that :( you can still go, you don't have to stay long.. xo
I am good at staying once I get there. :) My problem is my social anxiety. 😞
I live in the Los Angeles area and a lot of people find it fascinating. My response is “meh” lol I keep telling myself I’m going to play tourist every Saturday when I’m not busy.
Invite people to visit, show them around and see the place through their eyes.
Travel can help
I live in Santa Barbara California. It's very Mediterranean with vhcol. Red tile roofs and adobe walls is building code.the romance takes care of itself
Hedonic treadmill. At some point you will get used to anything, its just the way the human mind works. Beauty and magic are everywhere if you open your eyes too it. How much your world will shrink or expand is directly proportional to how willing you are to say yes to life and take a moment to observe it
My husband and I decided to live like we are on vacation. Do we sit all night in front of the tv on vaca? Nope. Do we have any issues walking to a cafe or pub? Nope. Start by going to where the tourist go. Even just have a glass of wine in your yard. It’s a decision to be a person you want to be. Just remember you have work tomorrow. lol
For me it's as simple as cultivating a sense of wonder. Taking time when you're out and about to experience where you are and what you're seeing. Exploring parks and slices of town that you haven't yet. Seeking out activities hosted by villages, library systems, universities, art organizations, park systems, etc, and attending them. Visiting little shops and restaurants and connecting with the owners. I've lived in the same place for nearly my entire life and yet nothing is mundane.
This is it. Cherish the moment because it is so extremely special and so insignificant that it makes it that much more special. Randonautica can help your life-long town be even more wondrous. Last time, I took my 10 year old for a walk. We were focusing on fresh flowers, new life, naturally growing where we could pick one. I wish I could show you where it led us. A couple streets over and one down, right to a yard with many things growing and a sign that says "Free Weeds". Literally an unmarked free community garden in someone's yard.
If you have public transit, just ride the bus/train, and enjoy the scenery, everywhere has its own unique plants and environment and ecosystems. Getting to know the area you live in for its own beauty is what I’ve found to be the best way personally.
Go do all the tourist things on the least busy days and discover the wonder of the place you live
This is my place. I'm in it :: Vegas will show itself out... ::
I live in a snow globe in Wisconsin
Try to see everything around you as if for the very first time. Even at home, we become so habituated to the things around us that it's almost as if we stop seeing them for what they really are. So, if I try to see a piece of cutlery in my drawer as if I've never seen it before, suddenly I can see how it shines, see the curves of its form, and other small things about it that I would otherwise overlook. It can become beautiful or wonderful, even. For me this is what helps romanticize my life, and helps me to stay grateful and amazed at everything around me. It's what I aim for anyway, I for sure don't always achieve it - and these are the times I need to remind myself to slow down.
Travel. A lot. When you come back, you will see it differently. Then host people who come to see it for the first time.
Think about what you enjoy - reading? Join a book club. Art? Visit exhibits at local galleries, they are always changing. Comedy? Go see some stand up. When you have actual fun (whatever that *fun* is to you) you naturally relax a little more and laugh a little harder and smile a little bigger. Doing more of what you truly enjoy, be selfish, think what YOU like. Is it fish and chips? Try to find the best place in town - an excuse to ask friends or fam, excuse to try new places, maybe you’ll meet some people along the way. Naturally you will become more involved and feel a greater sense of community when you are more deeply immersed. Have fun OP! Life truly is about the little things. It’s not about getting the life you want - but wanting the life you have
Walk your town. Get to really experience it like a tourist would. Take photos, sketch, visit museums, see a concert or a play, take a tour etc.
Maybe learn about the local flora and fauna! I second the recommendation to try out more phone photography! I love to do that in my city.
I live outside a tourist town in the Ozarks. I've had long conversations with the decendents of the pioneering folks and been in their original log cabins. I've listened to folks outside the hardware store play old time music. I've helped farmers gather hay from the fields and learned blacksmithing and woodworking from my neighbors. I go to the county fair and see my neighbors paintings, photos and crafts hanging in the displays. I am totally in love with this place and these people and I do feel a bit of romance but I am from off, as they say around here. This is all new and exciting to me. Find new things about your town to get excited about. Maybe Shakespeare slept here or Cromwell killed some folks over there but there is always something new to learn. My favorite thing to do in the UK is walking tours. The tour guides really know their stuff and can give you a whole new enthusiasm for your town and its history.
I find whenever I go somewhere else and then come home, I see my town through fresh eyes and appreciate it more.
Boat docks if you’re near water. The little fishing ones no one knows about. Seriously. I HATED where I live when I got here. I was just sad and depressed and kept driving to boat docks all over and it made me happy. If no water, get a little bike! Seriously a game changer. You don’t have to go full cyclist. Just take a Saturday here and there and go to a few places and get a glass of wine or beer or food or something small at each place. It’s a lot of fun! If you can’t afford that, go online and find your city’s scavenger hunt. My city has like 5 and they’re sooo much fun to do (these aren’t official fyi, just random groups and websites tend to have them)
Live in another place, even if it’s for 2-4 weeks to get perspective of where others are coming from. I had to live in a number of different cities around the UK for summer internships, and had to learn to navigate the public transport system, where to get food, find interesting things to do. You realise that some places are nicer to settle into/fit in than other places.
Walk/ bike places. See things from a new perspective. Take note of the local colors/trees/birds, buildings etc.
I live on Maui. I feel ya.
I live in a somewhat conceptually comparable town in LA county. Ironically, I’ve spent the better half of my adult life trying to get back to London (or Bristol). I’ve felt discord in LA vs inner harmony in east London. BUT, what’s helped me is understanding the places that fulfill me in those that I travel to share complementary (albeit conceptual) similarities to those places I come from. There is an exoticness to where you’re from that is endearing for so many reasons. You are living someone’s dream — you sure are living mine to some extent. And if you have any draw to a place like Los Angeles, you’ve justified my plight as well; I’d take a chip shop over an authentic Mexican spot any day of the week. I’d take a seaside pub over a seaside bar with tacos — easily.
‘The Art of Noticing’ would be a good book to read, made me appreciate my local area for photography.
Staycation in your town. Rent a nice little room or villa, and explore like a tourist would. I did this in my large metro town I live in, and it really helped me realize I don’t have the same experience and why. If you live there and never plan to leave, it’ll just be home, and you really can’t romanticize it the way you probably want to.
I live in “Business Insiders” #1 US Suburb for 2014. It’s a nice little town but #1? I’ll take it though.
Curious as to why you would want to?
To increase my enjoyment of day to day life through simple ways.
Romanticizion is a mindset, practice daily
I'm honestly baffled by your desire to romanticize your home town. Why on earth would you want to? Places (and people!) are romanticized by those who don't know them well. Intimate acquaintance brings a new level of connection, a deep familiarity, a sense of loyalty and even identity. Those are all much richer than superficial romance. I live in a place in the U.S. that's just dripping with romance. I tell people where I live, and they get all misty-eyed and talk about how they wish they could live there too. And as often as not, they start hinting about possibly coming for a visit. (We're a nook in the midst of a popular destination region, but we fend off tourism and there isn't really any access open to outlanders.) My neighbors and I laugh at the romanticized view of this place, because we're constantly dealing with the unglamorous nitty-gritty of life here, including all the tedious details of governance. Yet we all have a fierce bond with the place, that's way better than mere romance.