Hey Reader,

Happy Tuesday!

I'm curently sitting in the Marina Dockside Eatery in Victoria, BC, Canada watching two local seals swim around the boats. They are such curious creatures.

This café has some pretty epic west coast views of the marina and ocean. It's a great spot to grab a coffee, especially in the summer when you can sit out on the patio and then take a stroll along the waterfront.

Moments like this remind me how easy it is to overlook the places right in front of us.

I can sometimes get caught up in the “everything is more interesting somewhere else” mentality.

Being home can feel a little too familiar.

Yet at the same time, there are so many gems here I haven't explored yet, even after 30+ years on Vancouver Island. And plenty of places I love that I definitely take for granted.

It reminds me of the time I won “crossing guard of the week” in elementary school and got free passes to a bunch of local tourist attractions.

Places I had never visited as a local.

I still remember those experiences 30+ years later.

With our staycation Spring Break coming up, I'm also looking for ideas to keep my newly teen daughter off screens.......which got me thinking.

​💡 Mini Challenge: Be a Tourist in Your Own Town

This week I challenge you to pick one spot, activity, walk, or place in your town and visit it like a tourist.

Look at it with fresh eyes.

Then hit reply and tell me what you chose. Or send me a picture of something that caught your eye.

I'll share what I ended up doing in next week's newsletter.

If you need ideas, here are a few ways to get started:

• Eat somewhere new: Try a restaurant or type of cuisine you've never had before. Or visit a tourist hotspot and see what all the fuss is about.

• Try a different way to get to a regular spot: If you usually drive, try walking, biking, or taking transit to a place you visit often.

• Time shift your visit: Go somewhere familiar at a different time of day. Sunrise, sunset, after dark, or even on a rainy or foggy day. Or visit a place during this wintery season you usually only visit in the summer.

• Ask for recommendations: Visit your visitor center or ask a local for their favorite things to do in the city. Then choose one that catches your fancy.

• Create a mini "vacation" photo album: Pick a theme and head out on the town, park or trail to take photos of things like windows, street art, food, trees, or historic buildings.

• Take a tour: A walking, boat, bus, or ghost tour can reveal stories about your town you never knew.

• Walk your usual route in reverse: If you have a regular walking trail or dog route, try doing it backwards and see what you notice. Or plan another route you don't usually take. Keep an eye out for things you don't usually see, or haven't noticed before.

That's all for today.

But I'm curious.

What would your “tourist in your own town” activity be?

Hit reply and tell me or send a photo. I'd love to see what you discover.

​P.S. I'll share my own mini adventure in next week's newsletter.

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