Friends You Meet on Vacation
By Beth Brody
10/14/26
Knowing a local can result in a more meaningful trip. You may see hidden gems that tourists are generally not aware of and learn more about a place than a guidebook provides. On most of my trips, I do not know anyone in the places I visit. To find locals, I post in Facebook travel groups to arrange meetups and in one case, met a local while sightseeing on my first day in Spain.
Ireland: A Travel Agent Turned Tour Guide
My first experience meeting a local was in Ireland. I posted in a Facebook travel group and Erin, who turned out to be a travel agent, met me in Galway and we spent the day together. Erin was kind enough to take me and my husband on a boat cruise, sightseeing, shopping, and to a local pub. I looking for a cross to bring back as a souvenir and Erin directed me to shops that sold local handicrafts, not gifts from China. She also gave us advice on where to stop enroute to our next destination, which turned out to be an ancient monastery with ruins that was a highlight of our trip. I have referred several friends who need a travel agent in Europe to Erin.
Spain: A Chance Encounter That Became a Friendship
On a trip to Spain with my friend, Marci, our first stop was Cuenca, a gorgeous UNESCO town with houses hanging off cliffs, a parador that was a former monastery, and several Michelin star restaurants. We checked into the parador and began walking across a bridge to the main town. We stopped to take pictures and a woman traveling alone asked us if we would take her photo. We started chatting (in Spanish with the help of Google translate) with Luda, who was visiting Cuenca for the day from Valencia. She said if we made it to Valencia, she’d be happy to show us around. We exchanged numbers and said we’d stay in touch. Our next stop in Spain was our main base, Alicante. After spending a few days in Alicante and watching my friend’s son play professional basketball there, we were ready for a day trip. We connected with Luda and made a plan to meet her and her friend, Lira, in Valencia. The day we spent with these local ladies was the highlight of our trip. Our first stop was the Valencia train station, Estación del Norte, which is a living museum of early 20th-century Art Nouveau architecture and design. We also visited mercados, museums, and the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, where Tomorrowland and Westworld were filmed. I am still in touch with Luda to this day.
Recommendations From An Expat
During a recent trip to Mexico City, we met up with Tess, a friend who has been living in Mexico City for almost a decade. She took us to dinner at Rufus, a delicious chef-owned restaurant not far from our hotel. She gave us great recommendations for getting around without a car, shopping and where to eat. One of her suggestions was Expendio de Maiz, a popular restaurant with a Michelin star. It had no menu (and no silverware) and the chef made whatever was fresh that day. What a great experience.
London: Four New Friends in One Week
Last year I went to London for the World Travel Market conference and spent a week there. As a solo traveler, I was happy to have free time to sightsee alone but I also wanted to meet people in London. I found Daniella, Punita, Dawn and Diana on Facebook and they agreed to meet up. Daniella attended the World Travel Market conference with me (she had worked in the travel industry and wanted to connect with colleagues.) We had dinner, spent time seeing Picasso’s art work in a gallery, and are currently planning a trip together. I had a wonderful dinner with Punita and she invited me to join her Barre Sculpt class in Hampstead Heath the next day. Taking an exercise class with local ladies and walking to the top of Hamstead Heath is probably not something I would have known to do on my own but it was one of the best parts of my trip. The following night, I met Dawn for dinner at the Lamb & Flag pub. She is an avid traveler and had some interesting tales about her job as a social worker at a London prison. I spent my last day and evening with Diana, who was also visiting London. We did some sightseeing around London Bridge, visited London’s famed Borough Market, and had dinner at the Michelin restaurant, Sketch. Diana and I have gotten together several times since our meeting in London.
Even if you’re on a guided tour, make an effort to meet the locals. It will really enhance your experience and you could make lifelong friends.