Travel can be expensive but also quite addictive; it’s not easy being poor and seeing everyone amazing travel photos on Instagram. So what do you do when you’ve caught the travel bug but are strapped for cash? Become a tourist in your own city. Recently I had a dear friend come visit me all the way from Ireland and they had never been to Australia before; I came up with a full itinerary to give her a wide sampling of Australian life and I had to admit I had so much fun being a tourist in my own city.

Google Your City
It’s always worth starting by asking the all-knowing and powerful Google for recommendations on what to see and do in your own city. Plan out how much time you have and see if you can find a way to pack as much into your day as you can. Now’s the time to make a list of all the places you’ve always wanted to visit and check out.
Note: also try Googling for amazing restaurants, fun bars and other kitschy things to do.

Ask around
Feel free to talk to your friends and family about their favourite places to visit or eat at. You’ll find that most will have a few places that are special to them so it might be nice to check it out.

Drive out of the City
Go for a nice long drive out of the city and find a smaller town. Enjoy a difference of scenery for a day or two and just relax. We drove about 2 hours out of the city and stayed down south for a day or so. We enjoyed the beach, restaurants and sites.
Note: if you do get away, drive far enough so you can see the stars. This can be very refreshing, empowering and relaxing.

Bed and Breakfast
It may seem a bit silly to stay at a B&B in your own part of the world but even just being away from home for a night can reinvigorate you.

You-Time
You don’t need to go on this mini trip with anyone if you don’t want to. Try going on your own, working on your own schedule and taking time out to do what you feel like doing. This is a really important part of self-care; this is the time to take long baths, catch up on Netflix and sleep in.

A mini vacation can be budget friendly but also the perfect getaway. Go and rediscover your own little corner of the globe and have an adventure. As I recently did the same, it was a really lovely experience visiting all the places I had wanted to go to for a while; I went to the Aquarium, National Parks, Caves, Vineyards and much more. There were plenty of goofy tourist photos so enjoy and have a laugh!