How Not to Look Like A Tourist

I think basically this list is telling a person to be more subtle. The result is that in a roomful of American tourists, you will look less like an American tourist, but I think you will always look like a tourist...but it might confuse people as to from where you hail. I don't mind being a tourist.

Photography: My camera is almost always with me, even in the USA. Consequently, I must always look like a tourist even at home? You can't get that suddenly appearing image if you don't have the camera with you. I think taking pictures is different than taking photographs. I analyze and really view an area, see detail, rarely taking tourist snapshots...although getting the right photo is still mostly illusive. My cameral helps me see, and then remember. It doesn't stop me from seeing, just the opposite, it helps me see specifics.

On the other hand I was once on the Eiffel tower and there were a couple of people with a video camera, clearly tourists. They did not once look around. The man was filming the video of the view, and the woman was looking through the camera's screen for her experience of the view. They then put the camera away and descended. Crazy.

Why is anyone bothered about looking like a tourist? Does anyone care if you're a tourist apart from those profiting from tourists but considering tourists are doing touristy things it doesn't matter if you look like one or not.

Do people feel the need to want to blend in with the locals? If so, for what reason? It's very unlikely that you'll be able to and it all seems a bit pointless.

I've just returned from Warsaw and for the most part I couldn't tell if someone was a local or a tourist until they spoke. Even then I wouldn't be able to tell a local from any other Pole who was visiting.

It's an obsession that I find a bit odd.

Do people feel the need to want to blend in with the locals

Amen. If standing around in a city center or a historic train station with my head pointed upwards admiring the pretty architecture, labels me...so be it. Its called sightseeing:)

I found the other list (Five ways the iPhone has ruined travel ) in the link far more interesting. Even though I use my smartphone and it's apps extensively, I do wish they were never invented, and when I become dictator of the world I will ban Google Streetview.

The article gives some advice that RS would give as well - its not just about dressing. But I think its human nature to be concerned about appearance - not wanting to stick out, just like in junior high school. A person dressed like a rube (a rube is a country bumpkin or an inexperienced, unsophisticated person) might expect to be targeted by pickpockets, scammers, short-changers, etc., and treated rudely and condescendingly by service people. My goal is to not dress like a slob; I want people to know I am an experienced traveler, IF they notice me at all.

wearing socks with sandals is quite common is some European cities especially in Prague my mate does it all the time and so does his dad.
using airbnb does not mean you will be out in the sticks but as likely to be in the tourist areas .Bus v metro what is that about, depends on the city you are in and metro is often the quickest option so more likely used by locals.
as far as I am concerned the article is a pile of dog poo.

There's also the question: do you not want to look like an American tourist? Is it okay to look like a European tourist?

It's a weird point of pride for some people--myself included. I don't want to be a tourist; I don't want to look like a tourist. Ich bin Besucherin. (I'm a visitor.) I travel solo and don't participate in group tours. I wear basically whatever I'd wear at home in NYC. I get stopped and asked for directions ALL THE TIME. This makes me happy.

No offense, glad it was posted, but I thought it was a weak article. You may succeed in looking a bit less like a tourist if that is your goal. But, as stated above, I am a tourist and no matter what I do I will definitely look much more like a tourist than a local (especially as you get outside of heavily European based cultures) and will be spotted instantly as a tourist as soon as I interact with someone. Advice like, don't photograph, you'll see more, is IMHO, nonsense. Human memory is terrible (read the myriad of studies about it.) At least I have photos which will remind me accurately of the trip for years and I think I often see more trying to take a more "artistic" shot (did you notice the dragon motif at the top of the column? I ask to my fellow traveler after I just snapped a pic. No I didn't says the camera-less one.) Also, tourist centers are tourist centers for a reason. Sure, go to smaller towns after you have seen Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, Dublin etc. There are great things to see in smaller places and less crowds.... but personally, I'm glad I've seen the Eiffel Tower, Colosseum, Ann Frank's House and Book of Kells. Disagree or find some of the other suggestions rather bland as well. But then, I am a tourist and don't think there is a massive advantage to working hard to be a local when it isn't going to work.

I nearly always wear a shirt that says USA on it or the name and logo of my favorite / local college football team

I always do and always will wear something that identifies me as an American because I don't give a crap and I'm proud to be an American.

It's an obsession that I find a bit odd.

Me too. It's just another article by another nose-in-the-air writer that will cause first-timers needless consternation ("OMG, what if I look like a TOURIST in Paris??") and doesn't take every traveler's needs into consideration. Some of the suggestions, such as taking the bus instead of the metro, are just plain silly; take whatever works best for you. Stay in whatever works best for you too; flats aren't great choices for everyone.
There is nothing wrong with looking like a tourist, and the whole notion of "blending in" is overblown.

Some first-time forum posters could benefit from some quality time with a few guidebooks before being advised to ditch them? :O)

In the United States you could wear shorts, T-shirts and sandals
with socks and blend into the background.

Really, no one wears sandals with socks where I live, and it's not a fashion I see with any frequency anywhere else in the U.S. either. The author must be smokin' something.

the more I read of this article and the links in it the more I think the writer has just woken up from a dream ,all they have done is rehashed other articles that were talking crap anyway.Don't use a daypack but a local plastic bag from the supermarket.................... you got to pay for them in Europe these days and most folk use back packs whether locals or not.
wonder how much they got paid for this pile of drivel

I was going to say this was written by a NYC Manhattanite-elite, until I noted it was published by a UK news organization, presumably targeting UK travelers.

Nick Trend - "Commissioning editor and deputy head of Telegraph travel"

Locals know you're an American straight away no matter how well you attempt to mask it. I think it's important to be OK with yourself being a tourist. Tourists are all over the world and even "Europeans" are tourists when they venture out. Being a tourist is OK. Being an obnoxious tourist is not OK. Heck - being an obnoxious person in general is not OK.

How do you know when you have succeeded? When someone walks up to you and asks in the local language for directions!

I wear basically whatever I'd wear at home in NYC. I get stopped and
asked for directions ALL THE TIME. This makes me happy.

Exactly! I love being asked for directions when I'm the one who is the visitor. I take it as a great compliment that I don't stand out like a deer-in-the-headlights tourist in the Hawaiian shirt, visor, crocs and floppy hat.

Some of the things in the article I do as a matter of practice like NEVER traveling in the touristy times like the summer but instead going in the shoulder or offseason. It's not only a huge cost savings but who wants to be near mobs of tourists? I admire visitors who come to NYC in January and February bypassing the tourists mobs at Christmas and summer. They are with locals like us and I applaud them.

I won't purposely get lost however as the article suggests. I do use travel books. I also do take a lot of photos with my iPhone. The article does provide a reminder that sometimes I can overdo it and miss actually observing/experiencing where I'm visiting. I'll do better. My next trip is in 5 months.

How do you know when you have succeeded? When someone walks up to you
and asks in the local language for directions!

Yes! More often, I'm asked if I speak English.

Maybe I should write a similar article to share my secrets. I constantly get asked for directions, how to buy train tickets, etc. while I am in Europe just being a tourist.

But then I don't wear "travel clothes". I don't wear clothes with all sorts of designer logos on them. I'm quiet (usually). I don't have cameras, fanny packs, and all sorts of other things hanging off of me. Looking at those around me, I tend to look just like them. Must be why people think I am from there, wherever "there" is.

I do aim to blend in. No, under scrutiny I will not pass as a local, but the aim is to avoid being looked at closely enough for anyone to care. I think it's natural to not want to call attention to oneself. I'm there to learn and enjoy, and looking like a clueless tourist (note - clueless tourist, not all tourists!) invites local people to "dumb down" things. Not everyone, but enough that it's worth it to be subtle.

Plus pickpockets/scammers often target people they think they can fool. So blending in makes you less of a target. If you are a thief are you going after the guy with a stuffed daypack who is staring at a map in the middle of the sidewalk, talking very loudly in a non-local language while wearing faux-safari gear in Paris or the guy who is quietly going on his way?

There's a real reluctance among some Americans to admit that appearances matter. Rail against it all you want, and you're right - in an ideal world clothing and looks shouldn't matter. But that's not reality. People are often judged on how they present themselves. I can't suddenly become a 20 year old fashion model but I can dress nice and appropriately which really does help. Sad, maybe, but true. Of course polite behavior matters too - maybe even more - but no one disputes that.

We've been asked for directions too, and without dressing any differently than we do at home: tidy jeans and non-fussy shirts. It would feel odd and uncomfortable dressing out of character, and so far we've never felt out of place at all. It would never cross my mind to wear items abroad which advertise my citizenship, though. That could potentially create more attention than I'd like to have.

Sometimes if you look like a tourist other tourists will approach you for help, just because it is less intimidating than trying to communicate in a foreign language.

I have to bring up the possibility that tourists ask us for directions precisely because we look like tourists, who may have knowledge of where the next tourist sight is. We just don't look like confused tourists.

How do you know when you have succeeded? When someone walks up to you and asks in the local language for directions!

I get asked ALL THE TIME for advice in whatever country I am in, and always in the native language. The past few weeks alone I have been told I look Dutch, been asked about a train in Munich in German, asked directions innumerable times in Italian, given restaurant advice to a lost Italian in a remote seaside town, been stopped twice by Parisians asking for something, and been asked by Londoners about a bus.

I guess we blend in. But Zoe makes a great point: maybe we just look confident. I really love it when I can actually respond knowledgeably!

the article was a bit elementary ...
if you do not want to look like an "American tourist"..
1 speak very quietly to each other... everywhere!
2 don't demand an "American coffee" or bitch about the coffee you do get
3 do not look like you are wearing a money belt or have the "safety" cross body bag ( easy to pick out)
4 do not wear footwear that screams USA... you know who you are.
5 don't go on a bus tour
(and I must add that I've seen plenty of European tourists with fanny packs)
We also rely on our smart phones for maps ... try not to bring out the folding map in public.

sorry about that folks...

I was thinking about that big, bad font size too! So what's a "safety cross body bag"? Is it in bright neon yellow or orange like a crossing guard? :-)

tgreen, Please edit your post and remove the hash (#) at the start of the lines. That is what makes the big blue letters.

So what's a "safety cross body bag"? Is it in bright neon yellow or
orange like a crossing guard?

LOL, Continental. It's one of the bags with locking zippers, like Pacsafe or Travelon. We have a black Pacasfe shoulder bag. Not a thing wrong with them if they work for ya.

https://www.pacsafe.com
http://www.travelonbags.com

Stop worrying that you'll "look like a tourist".

I've got news for you: you ARE a tourist, no matter what you do, you can not hide that fact, everyone is going to know you're a tourist. And that's OK, because wherever you go, there are going to be thousands of other tourists all around you, and nobody else cares.

So, maybe the article referenced by the OP should have had the title “10 simple ways to travel without looking like a DORKY tourist”

These threads always make me laugh.... If I travel by myself ( really only for work) I can pass off as a local and have many times. It is much easier, I think to not look like a tourist when travelling alone. As soon as you have your whole family, you are for sure tourists.. when else do the 4 of you walk down the sidewalk, talking about what you are about to go see or discussing what you just saw etc.
I hate to break it to you too but...if you speak English, people will assume that you are American. We are Canadian, do not wear college t-shirts, baggy shorts etc. and are always asked what part of the US we are from....

Sadly, too many folks new to international travel may read this article and further obsess about how they look when out of country. Recall Steve Martin in the Pink Panther movie walking across the street. Relax people. Dress respectfully and comfortably. I wear clothing in good repair in boring colors and muted patterns and have been asked for directions a number of times in languages other than English. The key may be appearing confident while walking about. I don't take forever to compose AND take photos using my camera or smartphone...and I have become far less tolerant about waiting endlessly for folks doing so.

How do you know when you have succeeded? When someone walks up to you and asks in the local language for directions!

I've been asked several times for directions in the local language....and I look very touristy.

Stop worrying that you'll "look like a tourist". I've got news for
you: you ARE a tourist, no matter what you do, you can not hide that
fact, everyone is going to know you're a tourist.

I agree, but mainly because good tourists bring out good people and begin good moments.

To flip this around: I work in the most touristy part of my city, and yes, it's easy to spot tourists. They're the ones gawking in awe at the Freedom Trail stops and getting understandably turned around on the curvy downtown streets and trying to figure out which way to hold the map. I can easily spot the Europeans by the cool clothes you can't get in the U.S.

And you know what? I'm delighted that they're here. It makes me appreciate Boston's history, something easy to take for granted when, say, you're rushing by the Boston Massacre's site to get a burrito. Tourism also nicely feeds our local economy, and I'm all for that.

My point is that, unless one is violating some cultural norm, the notion that one needs to act and look like the locals is much ado about nothing. On my first trip to Italy, I felt so self conscious about the need to blend in, but when to France a few years later, I joked that I didn't bother to learn "I am an American" in French because they'd know :)

I do agree with the article's point re: getting lost - too many people (here and elsewhere) miss out on what's in front of them when they're just trying to get from point a to b via smartphone. That said, when I see tourists in Boston who look lost, I stop and give directions. It's fun to meet people from elsewhere in the country or the world as I go about my business.

That said, when I see tourists in Boston who look lost, I stop and
give directions. It's fun to meet people from elsewhere in the country
or the world as I go about my business.

Bingo! and being on the receiving end of that can add a lot to a trip. So why try and hide?

My significant other and i were walking down Andrassy ut a few weeks ago. We were "strolling" slowly and enjoying a really beautiful day. The upper end of Andrassy ut is lined with stunning old mansions, some restored and many in rather raw condition. Its an amazing walk. Then we heard behind us some gentleman pissed off and complaining to his wife that we were walking too slow. Eventually they raced past us, nose glued in a map. I watched as they went down the boulevard, they didn't see any of the mansions. or the trees or the birds or the hear the guy playing the violin for change.... What a waste....

Maria, Standing up cheering at your post!

I'd love to be on the Andrassy again. Perhaps next summer.

We try not to look like tourists. We don't wear loud t-shirts with NFL logos. We don't wear fanny packs. I do wear my hat with the hundreds of pins. It's my travel hat. I do wear the camera. We don't talk loudly, and we aggressively look for local restaurants and local bars.

I am sure that locals can immediately tell that we are tourists. We try not to look like VULNERABLE tourists. I always know where I am and who is around me. And we don't drag our suitcases around much. That's the big deal - a vulnerable tourist with too much stuff is gonna get targeted with some scam. We try to avoid that.

The other way to look like a tourist is to NOT know where you are going. I was in the hospital this morning and a woman came in. She stopped, and I immediately knew she was not a native. That'a tourist - not sure where they are going. Be clear about your destination, and walk with purpose. As James E notes, be observant and take in the ambiance, but be purposeful.

Paul, I dress comfortable. In warm weather than means quick dry fishing pants and a t-shirt. As a result i am certain i look like a tourist. I guess that's why i have had so many interesting encounters with people in the places we have visited. If not looking like a tourist means those encounters end, that would take a lot of the pleasure out of the trip.

We travel to Budapest 3 or 4 times a year and never get tired of Andrassy ut. I think its more interesting than that Paris road. Actually Budapest has some pretty interesting architecture by that French guy that did the tower thing too.

Kaeleku: When I go to Europe, I am surrounded in many places by people wearing t-shirts from US sports teams, baseball hats, the whole tourist horror-show. Except most are locals. It's ridiculous.

Paul, a few weeks back i counted no less than 6 people wearing NY Yankee caps. All Europeans, must be a trend. Also saw a UT T-shirt on a Montenegrin; which indicates he has been to a country with a Walmart. Nike shirts and shoes galore. But on average, my impression is that at least in Central/Eastern Europe the 20 to 30 year olds tend to be a little more attentive to their dress and appearance then what i see in my US hometown.

I hate to crush anyone's ego, but my husband and I get asked for directions quite often. Trust me - we don't look like locals. My husband is the least fashionable person I know. He always wears shirts with writing on them - either from a road race or another place we have been. He wears shorts any time the temperature is above 50. I am mostly in black, but my shoes are often ghastly (foot issues; what can I do) and I'm almost always holding a camera.

I really can't understand why people think it's so much better to look like a local. What is wrong with being who you are?

As for my reaction to the article? Aaauuugghhh! Not another one!

For our first trip to Italy a few years ago we read everything we could find about "how" to dress...don't wear jeans or "gym" shoes. HAH! We saw jeans and gym shoes everywhere. Now they were not from any stores we might shop at here in the US - so ... wear one outfit and immediately go shop at whatever stores in the whichever country you land for the clothes you'll wear the remainder of your trip. No matter what you wear or don't wear you will look like a tourist/visitor if you bought your clothes in the US. Heck this last trip we found ourselves in a bike trip with 14 Canadians. I could tell by looking at them that they weren't from the US and it wasn't just the ROOTS label.

What is the reason for the 10 Simple Ways To Travel Without Looking Like A Tourist?

Today on my morning commute on the Washington Metro, a woman got on with baggage, and she seemed to be carefully looking at the system map and looking for station names at each stop. The line we were on goes past the airport, but we were going in the opposite direction. I was afraid that she might be on the wrong train. When we got to my stop I asked "Are you doing okay?" as I passed. she answered cheerfully, "Yes. Are you?" So either she wasn't a tourist or she knew where she was going.

Sharon, you're from the Upper States of north America :)

No, she is not. You are from a southern Canadian province.

The best way to not look like a tourist is to move there and get a job. Otherwise you are walking around looking at things when most people are at work so guess what?

Richard, I think you've nailed it. 👍

I guess I passed the litmus test in a few countries because I am often approached in the local dialect by people asking me for a cigarette (not directions). Given the amount of North Americans who give the stink eye to anyone lighting up outdoors within a 100 yard radius of them, and the loud complaints and waving of one's hands in front of their noses when a local does light up in their presence, it's probably throwing off the tourist-sensing meters of those living in the host country to see me sitting on a bench or at a sidewalk cafe with a cigarette in my hand enjoying it.

Upon pulling out my pack of smokes, some have actually seen the brand I'm carrying, been surprised by it and then switched to English saying "Oh, you're American!" the instant they see the bland Surgeon General's Warning label on the American pack vs. the graphic photos of blackened lungs or the fun warnings how smoking causes erectile dysfunction that the rest of the world gets.

So if you really want to not look like a tourist in Europe, take up smoking.

Ceidleh; outstanding!!!

I am at a loss for words!

Ceidleh, half the joy of travel in Europe is sitting outside with a cup of coffee and the exquisite smell of tobbaco. I am always looking for gifts to take with me when we go to Europe, never occurred to me to bring a carton of cigarettes. Excellent idea.

Not a smoker myself, but we do visit a friend in E Germany who is a smoker, and I am sure she would appreciate a carton of American cigs, especially if we could get them in Duty Free. I will make sure to do that. I agree with James. I quit smoking in 1977, but I still enjoy that tobacco aroma. Cigars are a bit much, but a nice cigarette! When I am 80, I will start smoking again, just to annoy my kids.

@James: My bad habit also has resulted in some really fun and interesting conversations with locals on a number of occasions. When you get a few people together with the same socially unacceptable vice, they tend to bond pretty quickly and become very chatty with each other - same thing happens in the States when you have a group of people huddled together in the freezing cold on a sidewalk in a spot at least 25 feet from the entrance to the building.

As a result, I've received insider tips on off the beaten path things to see or do, great places to eat not listed in any guidebook, and invitations to pull up a chair and join my fellow European smokers for a bottle of wine or round of beers. We've talked about topics ranging from politics, soccer, art, literature and even TV shows (a number of them seem to watch American produced shows that are 1 or 2 seasons behind us, so they throw spoiler alerts to the wind and demand to know what's happening in the current season - explaining what was going on in "Breaking Bad" one year was hilarious). Now before someone accuses me of promoting smoking - I'm not. I just find it kind of funny a habit that makes one a leper in North America unintentionally leads to that oh-so-coveted Europe Through the Backdoor interaction with locals that so many non-smokers are desperate to have.

Ceidleh

You really ought to quit. But you know that so I wont beat the obvious to death. I found it easy to quit. Over my 30 years of smoking i quit at least a dozen times. The last time was about 12 years ago (thank you chantex). But I still love the smell and in most circumstances I can sit across the table from someone while they smoke. Love it.

But as for your comments on unique perspectives; you nailed it well. I have a healthier habit now, Fly Fishing. I take my rod when i can and have met great fishermen on the banks of rivers in Slovakia, Bulgaria and Montenegro. I am looking forward to meeting more in Ukraine and Albania next year.... I love the concept of finding a common thread and then tracking it down. Maybe Chess? Or following a performer on tour, or routine medical. Medical? Had some great experiences in European medical clinics and now get my dental work done in Europe. Looks like i will be getting a hearing aid on my next trip (I didn't wear adequate protection when playing with guns and it sort of messed up my right ear).

I agree with James, there are all sorts of ways to do this.

The Hawaiian agreeing with me means the End of Times is near. Everyone take cover!!

This really beautiful person sent me a PM with some suggestions based on my comments. I have to say that this forum has truly beautiful people. Thank you.

Edit: I am allergic to popcorn. Go figure?

Regarding the article, about half of its suggestions are reasonable, if well-trodden. There are some I really disagree with, though. Like, "locals take the bus, only tourists take the metro system." I'm pretty sure Londoners use the Underground, Parisians and Barcelonians all regularly use their metro systems. I think the suggestion to use AirBnB and rent flats instead of staying in hotels is dumb, from a blending in standpoint. Your hotel is just where you lay your head at the end of a long day, nobody on the street as you're exploring the city is going to know whether you stayed in a hotel or a flat. And the little family run hotels like Rick Steves recommends offer just as authentic, immersive experience as renting an apartment. Also, the suggestion to "go somewhere different" is stupid. Like I'm going to avoid seeing important and cool cities like Barcelona and Paris just so I can go somewhere that is allegedly easier to blend into. Even the premise is flawed; in a lot of ways its easier to blend in in a big city like Rome than a little town like Alberobello. And I think the admonition against taking pictures is outdated, with everyone constantly instagramming on their smartphones, I doubt taking pictures, at least with your smartphone, identifies you as a tourist. Now an SLR slung around your neck, that's a different story. Also the admonition about not taking a guidebook with you - no, take the guidebook, but in electronic form on your smart phone, preferably. And no matter what form it is in, limit the amount of times you need to pull it out for reference. Make that work by doing your homework and familiarizing yourself with what's in it before you leave, on the plane, and in the hotel the night before.

Some of the comments here are really baffling. There seems to be a reverse snobbery directed against those who might strive to blend in, questioning why anyone would want to blend in, claiming it's "pointless" to try, snarky comments like "it's an obsession that I find a bit odd."

Really, you can't think of a single reason why someone might want to blend in? Maybe because they don't want to be hassled by every shop or restaurant owner they pass? Maybe because pickpockets and scammers look for people who look like tourists and target them? Maybe because anti-American sentiment might expose an obvious-looking American tourist to harassment or worse?

To all the naysayers and defeatists, you're wrong, it is possible to blend in. A few years ago I met my brother and his wife in Greece. Now they're blonde and fair, but also were dressed like typical Americans on summer holiday in the Med. I'm dark haired and brown eyed, and on the olive side of white, but I was also dressed in my usual attire (whether at home or abroad) of slacks, dress shirt, and dress shoes, with no daypack. The taverna hawkers would constantly be hassling them as they walked down the street, even following after them a bit, but never bothered me. When I was walking with them, there would even be times the hawkers would start their spiels, but see me and say "oh, you have Greek friend," and then leave them alone. Obviously nobody can blend in everywhere, I certainly didn't blend in during all my trips to Japan, or my trip to Tanzania, but this IS an American forum about European travel, and statistically, most Americans who travel to Europe have the genotype to blend in on the street at least in Northern Europe, and the rest has to to with how you dress, what you carry, and how you carry yourself. Another way to feel less like a tourist and be treated less like one even when you can't blend in, is add untouristy things to your itinerary. When I was in Japan, on my weekends off, yes, I'd hit up Nikko and Kyoto, etc, but would also spend time in Chiba browsing flea markets and a childrens' art show at the Chiba City Museum.

Now I have another reason not to use Airbnb or rental flats as an option, rental an apt for 4-5 nights only once, that was in Warsaw, an ok, satisfactory experience.

Blending is another story. I don't care about doing that at all, any anti-Americanism around is irrelevant to me. Personally in 46 years of traveling in Europe I never ran across it, not in Paris, or any other place in France, Germany, Sweden, etc, was never affected by it on a personal level. Forget about blending in, that's an individual decision. I stick out like a tourist, "they" know it too.

Dunno where I heard this: You can always tell an American tourist. Americans are bigger than everyone else.

I'd say one of the main differences is that many Americans live in suburbs and have very little contact with busy urban areas and public transit. So, they'll do things in Chicago or New York that makes them stand out as tourists just as they would in London or Paris. Walking 4 abreast, standing in front of the doors on a train, or suddenly stopping outside the ticket barrier to check a map.

I think that I don't mind looking like a tourist anywhere with the possible exceptions of nightclubs, upscale restaurants, and concerts, mostly attended by locals. The world is full of tourists and most educated unreasonably wealthy people are tourists at least once a year. But in really dressy places I'd like to approach if not meet local standards.

What I don't want to be is an annoying tourist. I don't want to impede local foot traffic, hold up lines with questions I should have researched before I left, expect local laws for be different for me, to talk loudly where locals are quiet, or make levels feel,they can't move without some yahoo photographing them.

The article covers virtually nothing I'm willing to stop doing. I need maps. I travel in part for the purpose of sketching and photographing my surroundings (I paint them later). Good sun coverage is necessary for anyone outside most of the day. Museums demand good shoes. Cobbles demand good shoes. Yes, yes I do need the backpack on days I'm out all day from morning to evening. It holds the warmer layers I need in the morning and in the evening. It holds my lunch. It holds the guidebook sections I need. And on daytrip days it holds my on train entertainment.

What I do want to do to minimize obvious touristiness is dress reasonably well in city centers and for dinner out, to dress conservatively for places of worship and in countries where that is the norm, to avoid obviously USA symbols or teeshirts bought in local tourist shops. I want to admit ignorance and ask when I need to.

I call this approach being politely practical. It works. Locals treat us well in our interactions with them in and out of the tourist districts. Oddly I find looking like a tourist in neighborhoods with few tourists actually gets you better more personal service. Occasionally you get political conversation from the curious or conversation with expats that would never happen otherwise. Also people tell you about their city and country gratis. Who can complain about that?

On the other hand I was mistaken for a local in Amsterdam, Munich, and Vienna and the results were in all three cases an embarrassing conversation in which an older lady was dismayed to discover that I couldn't help her. I'd much rather look like a tourist than disappoint a Dutch granny. I'm of Scandinavian descent so should we ever go there, I'm tempted be so obviously North American that she won't ask.

I like to photograph in early morning light. By doing this I've met other likeminded tourists. If I didn't look like a tourist I would have missed coffee with Australian, English, American, and other English speaking tourists. I also interact with people who don't speak much English but recognize me as a fellow tourist. I love taking pictures of people for them. The young lady traveling with her grandfather who wanted a picture with him on the St. Charles Bridge made me smile for hours.

Unless I am reading the wrong article, it is very pooly written and full of stupid suggestions. Carry a big camera in Bergamo and you'll be alright.

I don't think they're bad suggestions, especially "travel out of season".

I can't imagine taking fewer pictures but I don't carry a "touristy" camera anymore. My last two trips have been with smart phone only. I lose a little in zoom and low-light capability but the vast majority of my photos don't need those. My photo teacher years ago said the most important part of photography isn't the equipment, it's the eye of the photographer.

I've also ditched the quidebook for a kindle version and the map for either Copilot GPS or Google Maps (Google Maps, BTW, consumes too much power and data).

I stopped packing my little daypack in favor of a reusable shopping bag I bought at some store in France. It serves the same purpose and folds smaller and flater in my carry-on.

Really, you can't think of a single reason why someone might want to
blend in? Maybe because they don't want to be hassled by every shop or
restaurant owner they pass? Maybe because pickpockets and scammers
look for people who look like tourists and target them? Maybe because
anti-American sentiment might expose an obvious-looking American
tourist to harassment or worse?

I don’t have the problem with looking like a tourist because I try and avoid:

• Places where shop owners and restaurant owners harass tourists for business (Istanbul markets come to mind)
• Places where pickpockets and scammers look for tourists (Barcelona comes to mind)
• Places with anti-American sentiment (well……. You know I haven’t run into that on my travels. Till I do, I will categorize it as a myth borne out of self-deprecation - or maybe I'm hard not to love.... naaaa, first concept is probably correct)

Look like a tourist or not; really doesn’t matter. Each to their own. Personally I have benefited from looking like a tourist so I don’t see much reason to change. If the opposite works for others, then that’s great too.

" Personally I have benefited from looking like a tourist so I don't see any reason to change." Bravo! How true! More so in the 1970s and '80s than now but still true especially as a solo traveler when I have struck up a conversation in a compartment or took part in one.

I always laugh at this because when we travel I am often mistaken for being a local but when I open my mouth and the Texas falls out I’m not fooling anyone!!!

I always laugh at this because when we travel I am often mistaken for being a local but when I open my mouth and the Texas falls out I’m not fooling anyone!!!

Good point. Although I look very touristy I have been mistaken for a local (asked for directions in the local language) several times. I have no idea how anyone could mistake me for a local, but it happens. In those rare events, it takes about 2 seconds after I have clearly not understood them or blurted out my first word for them to (with 100% certainty) recognize I am not a local. No way to cover it up--when in a different country than the one we live in, we're tourists and are easily spotted.

For our French travel friends, some valuable lessons on fitting in when visiting America are in the movie The Pink Panther with Steve Martin.

Emma,

Good point. Never thought of that. One time a young lady (part of a small group) gasped "You're not French!?" after asking directions, but usually people don't say anything like that. Perhaps (as I look so touristy) they recognize that and are asking a fellow traveler for directions.

I must admit I haven't read all 70 responses, but I'd just like to say this is a fascinating article. Not so much the "tips to blend in" by themselves but rather the obvious question it raises: Why would I want to blend in?

This is an almost philosophical question. Do I somehow feel like a better or more "valuable" traveler if I am not an obvious traveler at first glance?

In former times, this concept of "better" or "more valuable" travelers was common among backpackers. They felt so much superior and morally above package tour travelers and never even realized how much the locals really despised them because they didn't do anything to support the local economy, sleeping on the beach and having almost no money to spend. I still seem to feel this sometimes, with co-travelers giving themselves an aura of superiority by studying a certain line of guide books.

Or is this a purely practical safety question? Do I feel like I am safer from pickpockets if I blend in? Well, no. Any self-respecting pickpocket will know a tourist at a glance, no matter in what disguise. Even I - and I am not usually in the habit of pickpocketing myself - would venture to spot an American among hundred Europeans any time. Same thing goes vice versa, I am sure.

Now obviously nobody wants to attract attention in an unpleasant way, and no tourist wants to stick out like a sore thumb, which is a good idea. But as soon as I open my mouth – at the latest - , everybody will know I am a tourist anyway. So what's the point in overdoing this "inconspicuous" thing?

I think the best one can do is be a pleasant tourist that the locals like to remember. Learn a bit of the local language. Respect their culture even where I disagree or don't understand it, or where it means I can't do certain things. Be interested. Smile.

Good post Anna

Oh, thanks! "blush"

Anna - I was so jealous of my friends with wealthy parents who were able to "backpack" through Europe in the 60's and 70's. Trust fund kids pretending to be paupers.

Until you mentioned it, I never considered the fact that they contributed very little, if anything, to the local economies of the places they deigned to visit. They didn't look like "tourists", but in fact they were worse than tourists.

I feel better now.

They didn't look like "tourists"

No, they didn't look like tourists, but they most certainly didn't look like locals either. As a matter of fact, what they looked like to the locals was like - bums. And one of my Greece guide books tells me that that's exactly what they were called in Greek: bum tourists.

There's this other line I really love especially when expressed with the proper amount of disgust for other tourists: "We discovered this beautiful 'last paradise' spot, and no tourists at all!" - Well, sorry to disillusion you, but YOU are tourists. The very moment you are there, there are tourists around. So why feel so morally superior to those tourists who are sitting on the packed beaches of Waikiki or Mallorca? They are at least leaving those few precious "last paradises" alone.

Having said all that, there is of course something to be said for moral considerations when traveling, like your carbon footprint, or how much your style of travel is actually supporting the local economy instead of the usual big global companies.

Anna! What a good post! Thanks for saying what needs to be said.

I wish I had a forelock.

But surely they are travellers living like a local.

Beautifully put! Yes, those are the best!

And here you see me now, entering into that wonderful circular reasoning of feeling very much superior to all those people who feel superior to everyone else...

Another sort of people I love are the ones who buy some fixer-upper in some tiny remote village and live there for the summer or possibly even permanently and start to believe they have become locals. A favorite type of show guest with home makeover magazines and travel podcast producers, BTW. ;-)

Sorry, guys (and gals), no. You are not and never will be locals.

The locals may accept you (if they are nice locals), they may even like you (if you are a nice newcomer), but you will forever be "the newcomer" or "the American" or whatever. Small village locals all over the world are very much alike in that respect, I would venture to say. Their traditions may vary, but their views on local community and newcomers will not.

I should know. I have lived in small villages for decades. :-)

I live in Florida, which tends to warp your perception of what is real a little bit. And where 2/3 of the state's population was born Somewhere Else. When we moved here in 1998, 15.5 million people lived here; now it's around 21 million. You get your local card by sticking it out for a year or two and not running screaming from the hurricanes, killer wildlife, weirdos, and other quirks of the state and by thinking that diversity is cool rather than threatening. Show up and we'll take you in; we're not picky.

If you live in any of the coastal metro areas or greater Orlando, you know that tourists are just part of the fabric of it all, and that you'll still be here when they have to fly back home in a snowstorm. And that even if the tourists weren't here, infrastructure growth still wouldn't keep pace with population growth.

And it doesn't matter if you're a local tourist, or somewhere in between, just note that:

A vacation doesn't mean a vacation from manners, human decency, or parenting. (People that let their kids play dodgeball in the frozen foods section at Destin Publix, I'm looking at you)

Understand that not everything revolves around you and your schedule. Some of us have to get up at 6:00am to go to work and we don't appreciate your late night beer bashes

There may be a cultural disconnect but attempts at kindness and politeness will still likely be met with the same as long as it seems like you're trying.

Never ever play the 'If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have a job or an economy down here" card. Because a) it's not true (my area is best known as a beach destination but 2/3 of the local economy is actually military spending, and those just are high wage-high skill unlike the ones at the t-shirt shop) b) it's not consistent with 'try to be nice'

"Any self-respecting pickpocket will know a tourist from a glance...." How true. That's another reason why I don't make any efforts to blend in and why I have tourist (in their eyes) written all over me. I could care less if they are self-respecting.

As I am presently in the Netherlands, I had to come back to post that in a period of one week I have been approached multiple times each day by locals and other Europeans asking for a variety of things in Dutch. I certainly don't feel I look typically Dutch with my dark hair and eyes. Am I dressed like a European? Nope...that's not it. Although with all the Europeans I've been seeing in tee shirts with writing, graphics and American team logos paired with Athleisure hoodies, skinny jeans and sneakers, everyone looks the same. If anything, in my grey skinny jeans, sweater and All Birds slip on loafers I look more like the aging Gen X boss of some Silicon Valley firm full of millennials and at any minute I'm going to need to go into a tirade about the amount of time being spent playing foosball in the office vs actually working.

So what was it? Oh yeah, in every instance I was holding a cigarette. But the most hilarious encounter was 2 nights ago in Utrecht. I was standing in front of a self-service laundromat waiting for my clothes to finish drying. To kill time, I went outside to smoke and send some texts on my phone. A French man sees me, stops and starts asking me something in Dutch. I silently shake my head and he quickly switches to French. This I can at least manage to speak enough of to tell him "Sorry, I don't speak French very well. I'm American." He stands there with his mouth agape and says in English "You're teasing me! I was asking you if you could recommend a place to eat near here. I thought you were European. Americans don't smoke and they don't wash their clothing in places like this. The laundry thing really threw me off!"

So for all you die-hard hotel sink washers, if you want to not look like a tourist, spend an hour at the local laundromat instead of letting your wet underwear drip all over your hotel room.

There are plenty of young men in Rome wearing those awful padded jackets, tight jeans and white sneakers, looking as if they have just been on a Kmart shopping spree. Give me white running shoes and long, blue socks any day. Dress how you like, you may even put a smile on someone's face.

What about the alternative of wanting to look like a tourist?

Well, that's an easy one. Hang a big SLR around your neck, put a tacky sun hat on your head, and you're all set.

Well I have to admit, as someone who has photography as a hobby, I often have a big ole DSLR hanging around my neck when I'm at home too!!!! %)

O.k. then, substitute "SLR" with "selfie stick". :-)

@Wonderful: That's another easy one. The people carrying their backpacks in front. :-)

When I travel, I wear a green hat with a ton of pins. You cannot appear to be a local with such a hat. I actually am not trying to fit in.

Easy - stay home :) !

Wonderful,just about everyone in that video is a tourist , Prague a city I know so very well and a place I spend at least 3 weeks of the year in though not a great deal in the areas that are in the video.Back there to celebrate the New year with friends.

True in the age of globalism, etc, it is harder to spot out Americans in Europe, but back in the 1970s, '80s and the early '90s It was super easy to spot out American tourists, lots of clues that gave them away.

Interesting point Fred. It seems that American men's shoe styles have been heavily influenced by Europe in the last 10-15 years. The pair of Sketchers I'm wearing right now would have been considered absurdly Euro-looking 20 years ago.

I believe Rick Steves admitted a while back that his warning against jeans in Southern Europe was no longer valid. Now if you see a photo of 50-60 year old Italian or Spanish men, they're very often wearing jeans.

I wonder what other changes we could parse out.

Will the odd obsession about not wishing to look like a tourist be forever resolved in 2017 or carry forward into 2018?

As long as I don’t look like a tourist idiot, I don’t care. Neither do I want to look like a local idiot, abroad or at home.

Norma, a good point, often missed.

It seems amusing to me that people think wearing a nice camera around your neck signals that you are a tourist. So many of my friends are photographers and wear or carry cameras all the time to catch spontaneous shots. They certainly aren't tourists. Local residents take as many photos as tourists do.

There's also the question: do you not want to look like an American tourist? Is it okay to look like a European tourist?

Damn right and where i go it works for me

Many many years ago I was in a Bar in Vancouver British Columbia, standing at the urinal giving back all that Molson I had drank. The guy next to me looked down and over at me then up and said...So you're American...

I had not said anything

I said "is it written somewhere I'm not aware of?"

He laughed and said " It's easy, you walk different carry yourself differently and just LOOK out of place a little"

I learned something that night.

You can dress differently and try to blend in but in the vast majority of cases you will stand out a bit no matter what. And So What?

Be yourself, go learn and have fun.