7 Ways to Become a Local in a Tourist Town

By s.e. smith, Networx

Visitors to towns that rely heavily on tourism often express a desire to move there, imagining a lifestyle where they get to be on vacation all the time, instead of just for a few precious days or weeks. Some of them realize that goal in retirement or through making a major life shift that allows them to relocate to the place they always dreamed of. What they find often isn’t what they experienced on vacation, because living somewhere is different from visiting, and people who have relocated to a community or established second homes there are often going to be viewed as outsiders by locals.

So, how do you live in a tourist community, whether full- or part-time, without antagonizing the locals?

Start by recognizing that your new home is not just a tourist town. It’s also a place where people live and work, and have done so for years. Even if much of the economy is tourist-based, the town still needs sources for supplies ranging from toilet paper to bedding, and locals rely on services like schools, hospitals, electricians and law enforcement just like the residents of any other city or town. If you’re going to be moving in, you’re going to become one of those people. In Mendocino County, CA (where I live) new residents who can offer a skill to the community, like San Francisco roofers who have moved to Mendocino, are able to integrate more easily than people who don’t lend a hand in some way.

So you’d better learn the ropes. Find out where locals shop, and start establishing yourself as a regular customer. Try being friendly with clerks and store personnel, because they’re the ones who’ll be providing you with valuable advice once you’ve become a regular and well-liked customer. A friendly relationship with the guy behind the meat counter, for example, can make the difference between getting the recommendation for the best cut, and being given exactly what you ordered with no additional commentary, even if it’s not the best choice.

Learn about the local community, too. Try attending local events like fire department barbecues, town hall meetings, and theatrical performances. The more events you attend, the more you’ll get known as a face around the community and someone who is genuinely interested in what’s happening around town. Make sure to introduce yourself to people at those events, and start building up connections. Think of it as networking, because that’s exactly what it is. Get willing to roll up your sleeves and contribute, especially during times of need when members of the community are counting on each other for help.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Cheryl I.

3:35AM PDT on Sep 17, 2012

I want to live in that house.

September 17
send a green star

Elaine A.

11:48AM PDT on Sep 16, 2012

Interesting !

September 16
send a green star

Danuta W.

2:30AM PDT on Sep 16, 2012

Very interesting,

Teresa W.

2:24AM PDT on Sep 16, 2012

interesting

Michele W.

1:36AM PDT on Sep 16, 2012

Thank you

Marie W.

10:52PM PDT on Sep 15, 2012

Realtor is good info source.

September 15
send a green star

Lin M.

8:39PM PDT on Sep 15, 2012

I'm happy where my family lives. I do not want to go elsewhere.

g d c.

5:37PM PDT on Sep 15, 2012

Sue M.

5:26PM PDT on Sep 15, 2012

thanks

Jane R.

5:10PM PDT on Sep 15, 2012

Good advice. I still live in the town I was born in. It used to be a small with a downtown area that consisted of two or three streets of stores. It has grown into such a large place now and doesn't even resemble the town I grew up in. We had five & dime stores, a couple of pharmacies with soda shops in them, a drive in theater and a local movie theater, small grocery stores with a butcher shop where the meat was always fresh and cut to order, several hamburger places that served you in your car, a swimming pool for the city (closed now), pharmacies where you were known by name etc. Everyone knew everyone else in town. Doors never had to be locked, cars never had to be locked, and you could run into a 7-11 type store and leave your car running without it being stolen. I'd like to live in a town like that again. Wishful thinking for the way things were!