If you’re not originally from a big city, the idea of traveling to one might seem both exciting and scary. While being in an unfamiliar environment in the first place can be a lot to deal with, surrounding yourself with all the sights, sounds, smells, and people of a big city can get overwhelming to even the most experienced of travelers. So to help ensure that you’re able to have an enjoyable time on your adventure without feeling like you’re going to be swallowed up in all the hustle and bustle surrounding you, here are three tips for visiting a big city for the first time.
Come To The City With A Flexible Plan
Big cities have so much to offer the people living and traveling there. Because of this, it’s easy to get distracted by everything there is to do and see that you might wind up leaving the city after your travels feeling like you’ve hardly scratched the surface. So to ensure that you’re able to do everything you’re wanting to, Ben Groundwater, a contributor to Traveller.com.au, recommends that you do a little research about the city before you arrive and come up with a flexible plan for the time you have there. Recognize, however, that it’s perfectly fine to alter your plan when you see something within the city that sparks your interest but hadn’t made it onto your original plan you set before you got there.
Hit The Streets
While you might want to see as much of the city as you possibly can, spending all your time making your way around the city in a car could do a disservice to you in your abilities to really immerse yourself in the city. Not only will you have to get comfortable driving on jam-packed streets rife with pedestrians and other potentials for car accidents, you also won’t be able to take the time to really see what’s around you. So rather than zooming through certain areas, Liz Humphreys, a contributor to ABC News, recommends that you take to the streets and wander around a bit. Just be sure, however, that you don’t wander too far into neighborhoods that might be dangerous for you.
Learn To Love Public Transportation
When you do need to get somewhere specific within the city, Isis Briones, a contributor to Travel and Leisure, advises that you take full advantage of the public transportation systems available there. In many larger cities, or even small cities if you’re visiting in Europe, you’ll be able to both save money and see more of the true sense of the city if you learn how to use some of the public transportation.
If you’re going to be visiting a big city for the first time soon, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you make the most of this experience.
