So, I just finished my first year in college recently and I realized there wasn't much to do at my college which is located in St Louis, Missouri. I'm originally from Houston Texas so adapting to the Midwest was definitely challenging for me. I found it hard to discover good food spots and fun places to hang out off campus. There weren't many students from St. Louis who could give me recommendation, and if they did it was places that everyone on campus knew about. As time went by I decided to escape the campus bubble and explore the city but also learn more about current issues like the Delmar Divide which separate people based on racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. Which I could relate to as a black person that grew up in a bad neighborhood and had to go to school outside of my zone due to the area being underfunded and devalued.

When I came back home for the summer I realized that this issue might not be something that only I face when it comes to trying to explore a new city but not knowing where to start or what to look for. As someone that has lived in Houston my entire life I took for granted what I had and stayed within my bubble not really caring about issues in my community. I also didn't explore my city much which closed me off to meeting new people or finding places that I enjoyed without being places that tourists would frequent. With the influx of people moving to Houston now if someone asked me for recommendations I wouldn't be able to offer much.

I've seen many posts about traveling internationally or out of state, but do people consider exploring their city as a form of travel? Growing up low income, I simply didn't have the money to travel far, and I know people who never leave their city. Could local travel be a good way to open your eyes to what's around you, offering unique experiences without visiting major tourist spots, but instead finding hidden gems and local experiences?

I�d love to know what are your thoughts and experiences about this issue. Whether you�re a local, a student, a newcomer, or a traveler, how do you explore and connect with your city? Do you think local travel can be as enriching as traveling far away? How do you stay connected to your community, and what resources would make exploring your city easier and more enjoyable?

Travel, in my definition, is anything that opens your eyes to new cultures and ways of thinking. I am amazed at the amount of people who live in my current state--Utah--who have never been 4 hours South to see Arches National park. Yet, there are some things in our metropolitan area that I still have yet to see.

Bottom line--explore!!! "travel" is as you define it. Anything that opens you to new experiences, ideas, cultures, ways of thinking--all of that is travel. In some places, that experience is just a subway ride away. In others, you have to drive an hour or 4. Start where you can and then grow. Having lived on the east coast, the west coast, and the intermountain west, I will say that the most provincial people are from major east coast cities!!! Go-explore! Wherever and however you can afford to do so at this point in your life. For everyone this is different--it depends on what is within a 20 minute, one hour, or 4 hour radius. Whatever it is--go see it!

I travel all around the area I live, (Washington, DC) and I feel like I've been in every neighborhood. It's easier with a car, no doubt.

One of the things that gets me visiting even unlikely neighborhoods is food. I will scour for every hole-in-the-wall there is. Here is my definition of a hole-in-the wall: When you walk in, do you think to yourself, "Does the county/city know about this?"

Another thing is cultural opportunities, especially theatre. And as some of you might know, theatre companies often open in neighborhoods that have low rents or are industrial. Music festivals in parks is another attraction for me.

When I was younger, it used to be basketball. I had a basketball jones, and I would always have a ball in my car looking for pickup games.

Another thing that got me in neighborhoods I would otherwise not visit is when I did political canvassing, going from door-to-door. I would get sent into neighborhoods that I'd pass by regularly, never realizing what was beyond the main arteries of traffic.

It's all been good.

Sure you and and should explore and enjoy where you live. I don't consider that "travel" per se but I do think any new experiences are valuable.

I'm lucky to be retired and live in New England so there are many opportunities. I belong to the NH OLLI education program for people over 50. Some members chose to retire to NH to be closer to grandchildren although at least one couple chose northern NH for skiing. This gives me a chance to meet other people from other places. In yesterday's book club our discussion leader asked for memories of WW2 necause we had read “the Splendid and the Vile” which is about Churchill and WW2. Heck I didn't realize our discussion leader was old enough to be alive then.

Book clubs or some kind of Meet Up group helps meet people who might be from your community or not. My second book club is sponsored by our library. We sometimes discuss backgrounds and my favorite storyteller is Jewish and grew up in NYC. When he came to NH for law school he realized he wanted to live in a rural area. Due to becoming disabled he no longer practices law but still volunteers at the state prison. In addition to reading we share a love of gardening but otherwise our backgrounds and daily lives are very different.

Thanks to OLLI we can do some tours to places an individual might not have access to such as factory tours and Navy shipyard. Look around you and see if some kind of club or adult ed program offers in depth local travel.

Attend free author readings at bookstores. One of my favorite mystery writers is Archer Mayor from VT who actually works with polce and medical examiners bringing more detail tomhis books.

Volunteering! It can be more fun at an event to be one of the workers. We used to volunteer on trail crew for a NH sled dog race. We got to meet mushers from other state as well as Canada plus meet other volunteers. We have also been 4H volunteers. One of the public speaking judges I was frequently paired with does Abraham Lincoln impersonations when he gives talks on history. Together with his wife they run a nature program and are experts on Monarch butterflies.

Pay attention to what is around you. A long time ago a national level speaker said he attended local meetings because he usually met someone or learned something of value. Myou should not cross something off your list because it seems ordinary. Try to maximize your opportunities. Thanks to a thread about cooking in Fodors Lounge, i've made friendships with people fromother states and countries. Twice, a group of us arranged private cooking lessons and stayed at the same hotel for a longmweekend. I shared a room with someone from another state and provided airport transportation. When she visited a city close to me we spent the weekend together visiting museums and meeting two others at restaurants. Later someone from England asked if she could visit me when she was touring Canada and the Northeast. Another local and I met her in VT and the three of us did some traveling together for a few days. It all grew from regular posting about something as ordinary as cooking.

Since you are curious about the world you already have made yourself open to new experiences. Build on a hobby. Join a club. See what's available for zoom classes. My hobby is decorative painting and I have been able to attend classes and conventions in different parts of the country. I also meet painting teachers who lead painting vacations in Europe and when I had the time and the money was able to go on a trip to Italy and a trip to France with small groups. I would never have known it was possible if I hadn't had classes with the teachers

I agree with all that has been said. Back when I purchased my home, funds were a bit tight so I did a "Staycation" that summer. I visited our local zoo, places that I had gone to as a kid but had not been to for years. I live just north of Detroit, Michigan. While I was growing up, Detroit was not really a place to go due to the crime, etc. This has changed. There is a lot to be seen and learn from. I have spent time in many of the museums, taken some walking tours, basically been a tourist in my own city. Just a few weeks ago I ventured downtown to the Saturday market and then to the Mexican Town area. Spent some time in the grocery store finding good things to bring home, then had dinner. While down there I noticed that the food truck scene has exploded. I put that in my memory for another trip.

I follow several travel forums. There always seems to be something interesting popping up to go see. Sometimes in my city, sometimes in a city not too far away.

There is also regional travel. You could explore places within an hour of Houston and St. Louis. For example, Galveston Island is an hour from Houston and the Ozark Mts. (St. Francois State Park) are only an hour south. I was able to afford to travel when in college by sharing expenses with a friend and camping.

The OP is young and I suspect feels like they aren't experiencing much new. When I was young I hadn't traveled and barely knew how to expand my contacts with other people and things. One time I was attending a convention in a Chicao suburb and my friends were shocked when I suggested we explore downtown Chicago. They didn't know how to get there but I had noticed a commuter train station within walking distance. They were willing to go as long as I was the leader. My friends were probably in their 40s. When you work or go to school all day, routine can be smothering. In 1990 our son was about 12 and my husband was out of work. He said we might as well go camping. So, we did. We wandered the East coast in July and then PEI and NS in August. Fortuneky we had savings to buy a used camper which was later sold for a profit. It was before internet so we would stop at local libraries to check local newspapers for activites and events. It probably doesn' sound like a sensible thing to do but it was a great learning experience for all three of us. Think about how does one make a new friend? How does one travel economically? What makes one experience more valuable than another? While following one newly retired Fodorite's travel plans I thought they had too much planned and isn't putting enough time into building roots. But perhaps they would think I,m the country mouse who doesn't travel enough.

You can have GREAT new experiences in your home city. But obviously that is not "travel".

'Do you think local travel can be as enriching as traveling far away?'
It can be, for sure. The city I'm from, Omaha, NE, is and has always been incredibly diverse. Good for you to want to 'widen out'. I know some people that travel out of the country (US) but only re-visit the same place year after year after year. Which, in my mind, kind of defeats the purpose of international travel. Not unsimilar to what you've described about growing up in Houston but rarely venturing away from your 'home' neighborhood.