About Us

Authentic. Immersive. Curious

Welcome to Live Like a Local Abroad where you can plan & book  immersive adventures for days or months at a time – affordably.

We share how living like a local - anywhere in the world - gifts more time to savor your journey and enjoy life-changing moments – all without breaking the bank!

Who we are

I’m Carol, founder and editor of this site which is explicitly designed to help you travel longer, spend less and enjoy deeper travel experiences – when you Live Like a Local Abroad.  

For 15 years, I’ve lived like a local while traveling throughout Europe and Latin America.  This site’s contributors also travel like locals when abroad. 

We’re happy to share with you why living like a local is an extraordinary way to travel your world, and how this travel lifestyle could be the perfect option if you want to spend more time abroad, stay within budget, and experience better.

Perhaps you landed here because you want to broaden your horizons, enjoy the world more intimately.  Or maybe you’re re-thinking how best to travel your today world. 

You’re not alone.

Seeking a slower and more immersive way to travel their world, lots of curious travelers are now embracing the Live Like a Local Abroad travel style.  They gladly stay weeks and months at a time in their favorite spot which serves as their home base and then they leisurely day-trip around the region.

Maybe like them, you’re not keen on the type of tourist traveling that has each hour jam-packed, you scurrying from one spot to the next - barely remembering what you did, with whom, and where.

If so, then living like a local is definitely an excellent alternative! 

Can you picture yourself here...

As Italy’s Tuscan-hued sun slowly slides behind verdant Cypress-dotted rolling hills, we mute our friendly chatter and happy-houring at a favorite hilltop café overlooking majestic Florence. For a moment, time stops - allowing us to breathe in and savor the Renaissance city’s night glow embracing iconic bridges, myriad cobblestoned streets and church bells singing. Shortly, we resume our conversation while sampling tonight’s complimentary tapas and plated traditional foods.

That’s me in the photo taken at Piazzale Michelangelo when I was living like a local in Florence for three glorious months.  Having time to get to know some locals and expats has made all the difference in the world to my “pinch me” moments and personal life-changing experiences while abroad.

I’ve enjoyed many nights like this enchanted Florentine evening and you can too.  We invite you to take a look and see if this travel lifestyle might work for you.

So, what is the Live Like a Local travel lifestyle?

No surprise, the most common comment I get after returning from an incredible trip is - “Oh, I wish I could do that!” to which I always reply, “You Can!”

We’re here to demystify how to benefit from the Live Like a Local travel lifestyle which keeps you within budget, gives you more free time for awesome activities – even all those top tourist spots.

In a nutshell:

To live like the locals means you live where they live, shop neighborhood fresh markets, frequent popular affordable restaurants and cafes, rent a centrally located apartment (or other hotel-alternative accommodation) for weeks or months, cook some meals at home and walk everywhere or use public transportation. Bottom line - play, shop and eat where the locals go – a great way to get to know neighbors and your host country’s unique personality along the way.

Eleanor Roosevelt’s definition of what is a “Perfect Life” underscores what is at the heart of living like a local.

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”
Eleanor Roosevelt

The “Secret Sauce”:

When you stay longer than a few days – you significantly lower trip costs across the board.  For example, you pay less for your (hotel alternative) accommodation, meals and touring while adding more quality time for you to explore and discover at your own pace.

With more time you can - learn a little of the local language, take an Italian cooking class (make an Italian pizza), visit top tourist sites on discounted days, wander aimlessly through winding cobblestoned streets, soak up the sun on an iconic beach, indulge in an afternoon of “people-watching” while sipping a delicious cappuccino or wine … and so much more.

When you travel off-season – you will get the best accommodation pricing and, out of tourist season, the local markets and eateries lower their prices as well.

Get to know your neighbors … they’re (usually) very friendly

After decades of traveling, I’ve found my today travel heaven – living like a local while abroad weeks or months at a time so I can linger longer, be kinder to my pocketbook, explore deeper, de-stress, and experience incredible moments.

The icing on the cake is getting to mingle with some locals at your destination who, in my experience, are very helpful and interested in getting to know me and vice versa.

I know – it probably sounds like a dream come true - it is! I must admit - once back in Florida, I start musing and planning for the next escapade - looking forward to what’s “Next!”

How we help you plan and book your trip

It can be a bit daunting when planning a trip - particularly if you have to search dozens of websites to find what you’re looking for – and sometimes you may not even know what to look for!

Been there, done that.

Well, we’re here to make the adventure planning easier and more fun.

We invite you to browse our Articles to see how others are staying longer, spending less and experiencing more while abroad.  You will find first-hand advice from our contributors as well as personal stories about unforgettable moments and about living their travel dream.

You can research and book your discovery trip at this site.  Get inspired while browsing our articles to help choose where and when to go, check out our insider travel tips, book your rental apartment, book your flight, and book day trips and local activities – all right here.

At this site, you’ll find reports on the "best places" to stay abroad, travel tips, country rankings, first-hand living-the-dream stories as well as valuable “how to” information for planning and traveling your adventure.

For example, in the Articles Section, you’ll find both practical and whimsical articles written by myself and contributors sharing real-life experiences about living like a local, travel tips, and how this travel lifestyle is key to staying within budget.   

In addition to the personal articles and weekly newsletter, you’ll also find a selection of curated country guides and travel books, covering top sights to see and things to do, as well as those lesser known “hidden gems” awaiting discovery.

With staying longer and spending less - you have the luxury of more time to see and do what you want, at your own pace, allowing more in-depth experiences. For me, that means more outdoor café stops for people-watching and longer lunches! And always… more pictures.

To get started, feel free to sign up for our weekly newsletter featuring current stories, tips and practical advice for your trip.  We’re happy to share with you and excited to learn of your live like a local abroad adventures as well!

I hope you find our guidebooks, articles and planning tools helpful in your search for an extraordinary trip!

How did a girl from Cleveland, get here?

So how did I, one lucky girl from Cleveland, Ohio get here? I'm not exactly sure when or where the travel bug actually hit me…

Maybe it's thanks to the annual cross-country road trips with my parents and sister...

Or, perhaps it's when I realized my immigrant grand-parents spoke a foreign language and that I wanted to speak those languages too...

Of course, the most likely answer would be when I spent my "junior year abroad" living with a French Family while studying in Tours, France… But, to be honest, it just might have been back in 1964 when, at the New York World's Fair, a brave new world opened wide right in front of me – and, boy, did I ever want to see more of that!

So far, I’ve lived in 5 countries, 7 cities and visited some 98 foreign cities throughout Europe and Latin America. Studying in France and Spain, serving US Foreign Service assignments in Switzerland and Germany, extended vacations, and business trips, ensured that travel was a constant in my life and remains so.

Travel now aligns more with my personal preferences – to be more curious, learn lots, and experience deeper. If, like me, your travel preferences are not the same today, as they were some years ago, I encourage you to take a look at planning a Live Like a Local Abroad experience. It’s a great way for us independent travelers to live their travel dreams and, yes, even take care of that “bucket List” – CHECK!

We invite you to take a look at how staying longer, spending less, and experiencing more, is a great way to enjoy traveling your world.  Wishing you the very best in your travels and hoping you find your perfect travel lifestyle. 

Helpful links …

Find Tips for Living Like a Local

Self-profile travel  preferences.

Enjoy your destination like a local.

Browse Articles.

 

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