109. Avoiding Tourist Traps & Finding Hidden Gems in New Destinations | Luxury Travel Tips

How many times have you followed the guidebook straight into a crowd, ate some bland overpriced food, and felt like you missed out on the real action? Ugh! There's nothing worse than tourist traps. In today's episode, I'm sharing my best tips for avoiding them and finding those hidden gems when you visit a new destination. Tune in to get some ideas for your next travel adventure!

Connect with Michele on IG: @jetsettingwithmichele or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/MMTinsiders

Contact Michele to plan your next vacation: www.makinmemoriestravel.co/contact

This episode was produced by The Podcast Teacher: www.ThePodcastTeacher.com. 

Transcript

Hello, jetsetters, and welcome back to another episode of jetsetting with me. Tis I, Michele, your extra AF hostess, travel designer, travel concierge, and sometimes you're a pain in the ass. Who knows what I am today? I am traveling in the canyon city of Moab. So if the audio sounds a little different, it is. I am coming to you from inside a canyon, more or less, where the city of Moab is built. And today, I am going to help you determine how you can avoid tourist traps, which are kinda big outside, US national parks, but also how to find the hidden gems. So what if I told you that the best travel memories are not found in the guidebooks? They're tucked away in the cobblestone alleyways, the local markets, and conversations with the people that you meet along the way. In today's pod, I'm gonna show you how to find those hidden gems on your own next adventure.

And the number one recommendation and the one that I follow religiously is to talk to the locals. Whether at a hotel, coffee shop, or your taxi driver, I'm telling you, these people know the coolest spots that are off the beaten paths. They know the secret beaches in Hawaii. They know the tucked away art galleries in Europe. They know the best coffee shops in these mountain towns. I tell you, they love sharing. It's unlocking a secret level when you connect with locals, and some you connect with so much that you even go visit them on your next trip, or you see them, or you make plans to meet up with them, or you let them tell you where to go for dinner. I'm telling you, the locals are the best reason that I am a good travel advisor because I love to talk to the locals and I love to network and I have a great Rolodex that I can use to help you.

In fact, just yesterday here in Moab, we had a shuttle driver who had to drive us up one of the hills, one of the mountains, I guess it's not really a hill, to a historic restaurant that sits up top and looks over Moab. It was actually built by, Steen, not sheen, Charlie Steen, who is considered the father of Moab. And it's his old house that is now a historic restaurant with sunset views that go on all day. So we knew we wanted to eat there. That was a recommendation from someone who travels here frequently. But we needed to know where we were gonna be able to go the next morning for coffee. Thankfully, Starbucks has not infiltrated this wonderful, quaint city yet. And sure enough, our shuttle driver knew just where we had to go for our morning coffee that was just a block away from the hotel.

And I'm telling you my morning Java habit, this has been the best day of my trip so far. I guess we're on day four out of five. Okay. Travel outside peak seasons. So I said this on episode one zero six when I talked about recession proofing your vacation, but this advice plays dividends on avoiding the tourist traps too. You avoid the huge crowds. You discover a more personalized, different vibe. When it's less crowded, you can take advantage of hidden experiences that are not available when places are buzzing with tourists.

For example, when Universal is not busting out with tourists, you can get a hidden tour of the Bank of Gringotts. You have to know to ask for it, which is another reason you work with a travel professional like me, which is another reason that I'm a great travel professional. I can tell you where all those little hidden tours are. And, for example, during our Sea Cloud cruise, which I discuss also in great detail in episode number 96, One of my favorite things that I talked about was my picnic lunch at the Soho House. Had we been there in peak tourist season, Soho House would not have been able to host us because, a, the cruise ship would have been a % full instead of 50% full. And Soho House would have been overcome with all of their own guests, and they wouldn't have been able to host us. So I love traveling outside peak seasons. My favorite, eat where the locals eat.

I talk about this all the time. Most recently, episode one zero six. But this is something that I always, always try to do is eat like a local. We always try a local food tour or a cooking class. You get to discover the truly authentic flavors. You connect with the local culture through food. One of the reasons I love Virgin Voyages is because they excel at this. They offer excursions in almost every single port that they travel to that offers a cooking class, which is in someone's home.

Usually, it's a private chef or friend of Richard Branson's. And then you sit down to eat with the host, usually with a wine pairing. Even when I'm not on Virgin Voyages, I have done this. I've been lucky enough to do this in The Caribbean and Greece with Virgin Voyages, but Peru and Morocco, I set them up for our group ourselves. And I'm telling you, they are often the best memories, even for me, who is not allowed in her own kitchen. I get pictures of me chopping vegetables and putting them in a stir fry. Oh, I forgot. We did that on our retreat in Costa Rica too, and I tried to just be the official photographer, but they did have me setting up chopping vegetables, and I have really good picture of it.

In Prague, my cousin lives there. He took us to a Middle Eastern restaurant. So not typical Czech Czechie. I think it's called Czechie now or Czech. The Czech Republic, not typical food that you would get there, but the restaurant was run by an expat, so no way would anyone but a local ever know it's there. It's in the neighborhood off the path from the central area where the majority of the hotels are. And I'm telling you, it was the best Middle Eastern food I've ever had. And that includes when I've eaten falafel in Israel.

This was better. I dream of going back to Prague just so I can go to this restaurant. Another one that I've mentioned before is to learn basic local phrases. I've mentioned Duolingo before, but I can say thank you in a multitude of languages that I didn't have to use Duolingo for. Gracias. Obrigado. Merci. Tanca.

Salamat. Those are just a few. It's always the first question that I ask my transfer driver is how can I say thank you in your language? And even a few simple greetings like thank you in the local language, it goes a long way in showing respect. It helps open doors to more authentic interactions because it signals to the locals that you are not just there to drop your tourist dollars. You are there to become immersed in the local experience, telling you it makes a huge difference. Number five, and this is one of the most fun, create your own must see list. I love to go to synagogues, the hidden places, whether they're still open or not. When I did my tour of Toledo, we got to go into an old synagogue that was behind a locked door, and you had to have a guide, a specific guide, who has a key to that door and the code and was allowed to take people in.

And it was an old mikvah and a synagogue. And I knew that how special it was that I got to do this and that not everyone does. I love to go to local grocery stores. You can really find out a lot about people at local grocery stores. In the Laplands, we went to the local grocery store, like, every other day. It was just so fun. They had the best it's it's called their Christmas beverage, and I could buy it and package and bring it home at the local grocery store. In Fez, we wanted to see a local market where they have snake dancers and belly dancers, and they bargain, and it was quite the sight to see.

Now when you need that t shirt, that magnet, that pin, that picture that says, yes, I have been here, yes, you might be spending in a tourist trap. But then maybe you find a hidden gem like the Moab T shirt that I had in buying that is made from the clay of the hills, excuse me, mountains that surround the city. Now I have a few cities that are currently on my mind based on my current and my upcoming travel, so I'm gifting you with a few tourist traps that you can avoid and what hidden gems to replace them with. So here are some classic tourist shops that you can avoid in US national parks. Overpriced gift shops near the park entrances. So these shops are gonna sell the generic souvenirs, their inflated prices. Check the local gas station, the local grocery store, or, and this is what I did for today, look for the locally owned shops or art galleries. They are gonna have the more authentic and unique mementos.

Skip the restaurants that are right outside the park gates. They're gonna cater to the large crowds. They're gonna have very bland food. It's gonna be overpriced. Venture into a nearby town. Pack your own picnic. If you go to the local grocery store, you can pack your own picnic and enjoy your meal surrounded by nature. Okay.

Generic overcrowded park tours. Instead of joining the big bus tours that are offered through the excursion providers, consider doing a self guided hike, a ranger led program, those are usually free, or a smaller specialized tour focusing on what you want, whether that be wildlife photography or specific trails or overlooks of the area. Great things to do with a local. Another thing is those lodges inside the park boundaries, they can be quite luxury. They fill up very far in advance. It can be convenient, but it is usually highly overpriced. So consider staying in a nearby town. For example, we're five minutes from the Arches Park here in Moab.

You can explore camping options, but those of you who know me know that that would require gulamping. But I will say that it does give you immersive experience. And my bonus tip for that is to buy bottled water. Excuse me. Bring your reusable water bottle inside the park with you. There are always filling stations. Okay. Let's talk about cruising and how to find the hidden gems and dodging the tourist traps.

So definitely ditch the ship sponsored excursions. I've talked about that all the time. The only ones I have ever done with the ship are those Virgin Voyages cooking tours that I mentioned, because Friends of Richard Branson's chefs, they don't offer that any other way, so I can't get it locally. But otherwise, when I am doing excursions for you, I am always going to call on my network of local tour operators or help you explore it independently or find good transportation options for you, private drivers, so that you don't have to do ship sponsored excursions. Don't fall for those duty free deals. Often duty free doesn't mean a better price. Research your prices beforehand and be wary of the high pressure sales tactics. That is your red light, meaning I can find better souvenirs, as I mentioned just a few minutes ago, in the local markets.

Now here are the hidden gems. In Hawaii, you can skip Waikiki Beach, and you can head to the secluded sands of Lanai Kei Beach on Oahu. Get those breathtaking turquoise waters and avoid the surfers at Waikiki Beach and all the hotel guests who come out and have an area on Waikiki Beach. Another great hidden gem is instead of doing a luau at a large resort, seek out the smaller, more intimate luau experiences that focus on authentic Hawaiian culture. My trip in Maui, my podcast about that, I talk about the best, most awesome local luau experience that we had and how we saw them bake the pig in the sand with the leaves and how we watch them dig it up and take it over. It was a truly unique and local experience. In Alaska, instead of Juneau, which is overcrowded, take the ferry over to the charming town of Haines and explore the rich cultural indigenous people art scene there. Experience the tranquility at the remote Chilcot Bald Eagle Preserve.

I've been there. It is home to the world's largest concentration of bald eagles. And on our excursion there, which we booked, not with the ship, we booked with the local provider of the Chilcot Bald Eagle Preserve. We actually rescued an injured eagle, and we got to see our guide carry the injured eagle, row us back to the home port, and give it off to someone who could help bring it back to life and nurse it to health. And it was a truly moving and magical experience. Now in Europe, how about Paris? I'm not saying you don't want pictures of the Eiffel Tower, but the less crowded Arc De Triomphe also gives you beautiful panoramic views of Paris if you climb to the top of that. The charming Trastevere neighborhood in outside of Venice has cobblestone streets and beautiful trattoria. In other words, your local coffee lives there.

And instead of the typical canal tour in Amsterdam, you can rent a bike, you can explore the city's Jordaan District with its canals and its independent shops. When we go to Amsterdam this summer, we are doing a private tour, which includes some time on the canal, but also includes a lot of other things that are very private that you can't get to do in Amsterdam, like the Anne Frank House, unless you have planned in advance and spoken with a local tour guide who can make sure you get those tickets. There's some method to the madness. Okay. And again, because I'm traveling The US national parks right now, here are some extra AF hidden gems for you. Beyond the iconic at the Grand Canyon, the South Rim is the most crowded. Try the less visited North Rim for a little solitude and breathtaking vistas. It's a wonderful time to practice your affirmations and look at your vision board when you are alone in that majestic sight.

Yellowstone. Don't just go to Old Faithful. Head to the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook for a rainbow colored spectacle. While I am seeing all these, I want you to know I've done every single one of these, both tourist trap and beyond the iconic. I've been to all of these parks. Zion, I just went to for the first time three days ago, and we were on a shuttle bus. But we were let off where we could explore the Angels Landing hike if we wanted to. It does require a permit, but it has some exhilarating views.

In Acadia National Park, you wanna skip the main park loop and explore the quieter Shuduk Peninsula. It is accessible by ferry, and it's got that stunning coastal scenery and hiking trails. In the Great Smoky Mountains, a hike to Grotto Falls is the hidden gem. You can actually walk behind the cascading water. And I should say that Great Smoky Mountains are my favorite national park. Even now that I've been to Bryce, Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, all of those, I love the Great Smoky Mountains. And in the Rocky Mountains, which are also fabulous, you can explore the Emerald Lake Trail. It's a moderate hike and but it has stunning lake views.

And then Glacier, which would be my second most favorite. I think Bryce would be my third. So let's see. Smoky Mountains, Glacier National Park, and then Bryce Canyon. Glacier, you can hike to Avalanche Lake. It's a pristine alpine lake. It's surrounded by towering peaks. If you're gonna do it, do it now.

Glacier is in fact disappearing with climate change, so I highly recommend a trip to Glacier. And of course, now that I've experienced seeing the national parks on a guided tour, I'm here with Globus and I will report all about that trip in a future pod. I will say that having a guided tour is an excellent way to see the national parks. And finally, here I am in Utah's big five. So let's talk about Bryce. Bryce Canyon is called an international dark sky park, and it is free to step out of your hotel room, walk away from the lights, and stargaze. We're stargaze in the park under these incredibly dark skies. You can see planetary mass, stars galore.

It's beautiful. In arches, be sure to take the ranger led program so you can learn about the park's geology and ecology. It's so it makes a human feel so small and unimportant. And when you're standing up and looking at these grand ecological wonders that have been here for millions of years. Yesterday at Canyonlands, we even got to take pictures of some of the hydrolyphs that were left there by the Native American tribes before they had a written language. We are talking millions of years ago. In Canyonlands, you wanna be sure to visit the lesser visited island, which is in the Sky District. You can have panoramic canyon views.

If you want, you can rent a four by four and do a challenging four by four road excursion. If you're gonna do that, rent that four by four outside the park as I mentioned earlier. So these are just a few ideas of the hidden gems and a few tips to avoid the tourist traps. But remember, the real magic, the real making memories happens when you venture off the beaten path, and I can curate even more personalized hidden gem recommendations for you based on your interests. Until next week, jetsetters. Happy travels.