It’s everyone’s dream while traveling in an unfamiliar city to walk into a random bar and discover that it’s one of the best kept secrets. Unfortunately, most travelers don’t know how to find the best places to drink and just settle for the bars that are close to their hotels.
Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be your fate on your next trip out of town. If you’re looking for a solid drinking experience that you can brag about, here’s how to find awesome bars while traveling.
Rely on Your Social Network
Before you leave, tap into your online network. Go on Facebook or Instagram! Ask your friends if they know someone who might be able to recommend some bars in your travel destination. You might have some friends who know bartenders, chefs, and other people who work in the hospitality industry.
You can ask these people for recommendations on where to go once you arrive. Most will be happy to even connect you with someone they know that works in the place that you’re traveling to.
See What the Locals Post Online
Foodie blogs that are posted by bloggers in the location to where you’re traveling can be a big help. These bloggers typically review places that have been recommended to them by locals. This is also a great way to find out what drinks and spirits are popular with the locals.
Skip the Online Reviews
Bars that have been reviewed extensively on online review sites are likely to be overrun with tourists. In addition, they probably also aren’t the places that are popular with the locals. If you want an authentic bar experience, don’t rely on online reviews written by people who don’t live in the area.
A lot of online reviews for the most popular places in a city are usually written by tourists. They may be biased and could even deter you from visiting a cool bar. Someone might point out negative experiences at a bar simply because it wasn’t to up to their own personal cultural standards.
Research the Bars That Serve the Most Popular Local Drinks
Almost every popular destination around the world is known for a particular drink or spirit. As a result, the easiest way to find an awesome bar is to find a bar that is famous for a local drink.
These aren’t the bars that people will go out to for an ordinary night of drinking. Instead, they’ll be somewhere that people go when they want to have a special night out to celebrate, which will pretty much guarantee you a great time.
Branch Out
Finally, don’t look for the foreign version of a bar that’s popular back at home. It’s not going to give you an authentic idea of what it’s like to drink in your destination city. Now is the time to try something new and different. So get out there and live a little (or a lot)!
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