Top 40 Cheap Things To Do In A City When Alone and Bored!
Hi! Welcome to Complete City Guides!
My name is Patrick, I'm originally from Sydney (Australia) but grew up in England (my second home) - and I love exploring cities (and writing about it!)
I work online in marketing, which gives me the opportunity to travel around the world full time.
So while I am away, I keep this blog updated with full travel info. I tend to stay in a city for a few months at a time, to really get to know it - then I write guides on it.
Are you in a city and not sure what to do? We have made a list of the top 40 cheap (or free) things to do in a city, especially if you are travelling solo! So enjoy!
Pretend you have one day to see every street in the city. Now go!
They can be found in almost any large city with lots of tourists. They will entertain you for a couple of hours, you get to see the main hotspots of the city and you will learn a thing or two! Although it is free, you should tip at the end of it!
Go and spend a day at the museums! See what the best ones are in the city and check them out.
British? Find a British Fish and Chip restaurant. Italian? Try and find a nice Pizza place. Check it out, complain silently and tell your friends back home how it doesn't compare!
Bored and want to find other tourists? Find a hotel with a hotel bar. It'll be expensive, but you will not be the only foreigner there.
Are you the only foreigner there? Or is this a city with people from all countries of the world?
Find the local shopping district (or large shopping mall) and go shopping like a local.
Got your running shoes with you? Wake up early and go for a run. It is a fast way to see the city!
If you like animals, get some bread and feed some birds. Or maybe get some nuts to feed squirrels.
Obviously be safe, but try chatting to some local strangers. You never know who you will meet.
If you are in a small city with a 'center' where all the tourists go, try going a bit further out. Go where the locals go!
Find a huge tower, hill or mound and see if you can get a great view of the city from there.
It might seem a bit silly, but some McDonald's have almost completely different menus. For example, in the Philippines, you can get a 'McSpaghetti' dish! Check them out!
Churches and other religious places are often quite impressive buildings. Go and check them out!
Get out of the city and explore nature! Find some national parks, mountains or other beautiful scenery to spend an afternoon in.
If the sun is out, go and relax in a park!
Find a list of the top 10 things to do in the city and do every one of them!
Most big cities will have street performers. They might range from a homeless guy with a flute to groups doing full performances. Find them and watch them! Just be careful of pickpocketers.
Find a nice bench, sit, relax and people watch for a while.
Fancy being a bit more sociable? Seeing as it is 2022, you could check out Tinder or other dating apps and see if you get a match. Go on a date!
Like to have a beer or two? Then find an organised pub crawl. If you can't find one, try contacting some hostels - they will often organise pub crawls that you can pay to join.
Find out what the local traditional breakfast is and order it in a cafe or restaurant. See if you like it!
It might seem a bit daunting (or a bit boring!), but some cities have fascinating public transport - such as in Indonesia.
(Almost) every country has their own beer specialities. See what they are like there! You might fall in love with it and have a new favourite beer!
See what the local cinemas are showing. You might get lucky and be able to see a film in English (or with English subtitles).
Learn how to say 'please', 'thank you', 'I would like to buy a ...' and other basic phrases. Now go and try to use them!
Find a traditional indoor market (often they are easier to find on a Sunday). Try some local food, see what the locals get up to!
If you have been travelling for a while, it could be a perfect time to Skype (or Facetime) your friends and family back home.
Do you like antique stores (or second-hand stores)? Find one and have a nose!
Hire a bike and go for a ride around town. Some cities are much better suited for this!
Go and get some locally produced food, and create a lunch or dinner meal out of it!
Try and spend the day exploring the city without using your phone! No GPS, no Facebook, nothing!
Every country has their own version of what makes a nice sweet (candy). Go and buy some in a shop. They make great gifts too if you can find something weird and tasty!
Got some work or studying that needs doing? Find somewhere quiet and spend the day doing it!
Tourist traps are popular for a reason! Go and check them out!
Most countries have a national liquor. Try a shot! But be careful - they can often be very strong (and not tasty!)
Use your legs to see the city! Take note of the streets, signs, people, smells and everything else that you pass.
Most cities have sports bars - go and find one (especially if a bit match is on). See what the atmosphere is like, and enjoy a game!
Couchsurfing isn't used just to find a free sofa to sleep on. There are almost always regular large meet ups (or people wanting to meet up in smaller groups) in big cities. Use it to meet other locals and tourists.
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I'm an Australian who has lived in Europe for most of my life. I work online, travelling with my laptop, working online and exploring cities for months at a time.
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