Web Buzz: Know a local wherever you go
- Share via
Get your nose out of the guidebook — or take your eyes off that travel app — and make a human connection on your next vacation. Locals might offer you the best recommendations yet.
Name: Tripping.com
What it does: Connects travelers and locals. Stay on their couches, discover a cultural experience you might otherwise have missed, take a run together or simply rent a room or house. Tripping caters to carefree extroverts as well as those who want to browse and connect at their own pace.
What’s hot: This site is not just for budget travelers. There are a lot of twenty- and thirtysomethings on it, but I also saw 40- and 50-year-old-plus travelers reaching out. I also liked that I could find luxury homes for rent as well as hostel alternatives when I checked out Rome; Sydney, Australia; London; Bangkok,Thailand; and other destinations. Don’t miss the “Networks” section for honing in on special interests such as yoga and scuba diving.
What’s not: When I checked out some locals during a trip to Oahu, Hawaii, I found several profiles that were not complete and had no previous interactions. However, I did tap into one local’s Yelp list of restaurant reviews and found it useful for getting local foodie info.
Sign up for The Wild
We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
