By Daniel Richter
Web Content Contributor
San Marcos is a special place. There are plenty of great things to do in our community and if you want to drive into Austin or San Antonio, you easily can. However, the idea of doing ‘touristy’ activities in your own area turns a lot of people off. I am here to tell you: be a tourist in your own city. Here are five reasons why…
Think of all the food!
We all fall into habits of eating the same foods and going to the same places week in and week out. There are limitless flavors to explore! They say the best way to get to know your city is by getting to know the food and I agree. With some of the best BBQ places in the world in our backyard, you’d be foolish to ignore them. Try visiting a new restaurant once a week or maybe whenever your paycheck comes in. No one is too cool to try new foods.
Communities host fun events for a reason!
We live in an area with a strong community presence. Local business and organizations frequently work with each other and often put on events for our community to enjoy. SXSW in Austin is a golden example. A community working extremely hard on a week-long event for the world and especially its own people to enjoy. Take advantages of these activities! In San Marcos, local artists and vendors come together every second Saturday of the month for Art Squared on the square.
Traffic, long lines and no parking is NOT an excuse.
You are going to find these challenges anywhere you go. Being caught in traffic can be a huge pain but good things come to those who wait. If parking at your destination is a huge headache that takes over 20 minutes that clearly means you are headed to the right place! A huge reason for why it is so hard to find parking in cities is because of all the fun stuff going on that people want to enjoy. You should enjoy them too!
You’ll meet new people!
Anywhere you go, finding people that you share interests with can be stressful. If you place yourself in an environment that showcases things you are interested in you are bound to be surrounded by those with similar interests. Once you’re there spark up a conversation with someone! Even just spending a couple hours in the park lends you the opportunity to make new friends.
You will regret it when you move!
I lived 30 minutes outside of Washington D.C. my whole childhood and the only time I went into the city to see the museums and monuments was when I had to for field trips. My biggest regret is not having to explore the city because now that I live over 1,000 miles away and all I want to do is see their beautiful cherry blossoms.
You should strive to make memories everywhere you go, and exploring your own community is bound to be full of memories.
Featured image by Daniel Richter.
