Many of the things you will plan to do on vacation will depend on where you travel. It’s true that every single city has something unique to offer, but every city has a lot more things in common than you think.
You aren’t doomed to spend all of your time next to the hotel pool if you aren’t sure what kinds of activities are worth doing where you’re staying. No matter where you find yourself during your travels, these ideas will give you a great place to start because they can be found in nearly every city across the globe.
Listen to Some Local Live Music
There is always an option to listen to some live music when you’re on vacation. Even if you’re in a small town seemingly in the middle of nowhere, if you ask the locals, they’ll likely be able to tell you about a bar that hosts live music at least once a week.
Of course, many cities have unique venues that host musical acts, and many of them have buildings that are just as interesting to tour as it is to see the musical act itself. For example, the Grand Ole Opry is located in Nashville, Tennessee and is known around the world for hosting modern, classic, and local musical acts.
Listening to big name bands is always an option, but focus on listening in to some local music. You can learn about the local culture, and you just may discover a new band that you like.
Visit an Art Museum
Nearly every city has an art museum. It’s true that some are bigger than others, and some contain more famously-known artists than others, but every kind of museum is worth a visit.
Paintings not really your thing? Art museums contain a lot more than just two-dimensional paintings and drawings. Some contain pottery, jewelry, textiles, and much more.
If you’ve got kids, you should definitely visit the local art museum. They will experience many benefits of visiting the museum, and it’s not likely to be something that’s part of the curriculum at school. The only way to get closer to the arts and be inspired is if you expose your kids yourself, so why not do it on vacation!
Visit a History Museum
Just as every city is likely to have an art museum, so too is every populated area likely to have a history museum. Just like every art museum is different, every history museum is different too.
You can learn a lot about the local area by visiting a museum, but you’re also likely to discover some quirky history that you never knew existed by entering a weird museum.
Some of the most interesting museums you’ll find around the world include:
- The Dog Collar Museum in Kent, United Kingdom
- International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine
- The Lunchbox Museum in Columbus, Georgia
- The Sewer Museum in Paris, France
- Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments in Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- UFO Museum and Research Center in Roswell, New Mexico
Catch an Act
Musical acts were mentioned earlier on the list as a must-do activity on your next vacation, but that isn’t the only kind of act you should seek out when you’re looking for something to do.
There are many different kinds of acts that you can find in nearly any city. You can catch a set by a local comedian, see a community play, or even catch a magic act.
If you’re having a hard time finding local talent, head to the town square or wander around downtown. You might run into a juggler or a dancer.
Find Something Free
Just because you don’t have a lot of money doesn’t mean you can’t have a great time on vacation! Every city has plenty of things to do for free, if you know where to look.
Many museums are free, which is an even better reason to check out some art or learn about the local history, but there are other free things you can do too. Search for free local events on the internet, stop by a local farmer’s market, or find a free walking tour.
There are a lot of things you can do on vacation, but sometimes, having all those choices can be overwhelming. In other cases, you may not even know what’s available where you’re staying! This list of ideas is a great place to start when looking for something fun to do on your next vacation.
