Ashtyn Asay When you’re visiting a new place, it can be easy to stick to the familiar, whether that means grabbing Starbucks before sightseeing, shopping at the same big-name stores you have at home, or booking a hotel through a major chain. But one of the easiest ways to get a better feel for a destination is to spend some of your vacation dollars with the people and businesses that actually call it home. We realized that The Local Girl team is particularly well-suited to this conversation: we spend most of our time exploring the best parts of our communities. So why not take that approach on the road? Shopping and dining locally can help support the local economy while introducing you to restaurants, shops, artists, and other businesses you might not find on a typical tourist itinerary. It can also help you discover the neighborhoods, traditions, and everyday spots that make a place feel like more than just a vacation destination. Whether you’re taking a weekend trip or spending a few weeks somewhere new, here are 30 easy ways to support small businesses on your next trip.
Why Shop Small?
We obviously love our hometowns, but traveling is a great opportunity to break out of your routine and see how other places do things. Instead of spending your entire trip in the same familiar chains and tourist-heavy areas, use it as an excuse to try a neighborhood cafe, wander into a family-owned shop, or pick up a souvenir you couldn’t find anywhere else. These small choices can help you feel more connected to your destination while giving you a chance to discover places you might have otherwise missed. And supporting local businesses doesn’t have to mean changing your entire itinerary. Even a few intentional choices can help you experience a destination from a more local perspective. And maybe the most fun part is coming home and seeing your town through new, refreshed eyes. You might just find your new favorite spot just around the corner.
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1. Find Local Coffee Shops
That familiar chain might be tempting when you’re jet-lagged and need caffeine ASAP, but your morning coffee is an easy place to shop small. Look for independent cafes, bakeries, and coffee shops instead. You might even discover your new favorite coffee order along the way.
2. Shop Locally Owned Boutiques
Before heading to your go-to Zara or Mango for a new outfit, take a look at the local boutiques. Independent shops often carry clothing, accessories, home goods, and gifts from smaller brands and designers that you might not otherwise come across.
3. Visit a Local Museum or Cultural Institution
Look beyond the major tourist attractions and check out smaller museums, galleries, historical societies, or cultural centers. Admission fees, gift shop purchases, and donations can all help support these community institutions.
4. Book a Locally Owned Hotel or Guesthouse
Where you stay is another opportunity to put your travel dollars toward a local business. Look for independently owned hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, guesthouses, and other locally operated accommodations when they make sense for your trip.
5. Choose Independent Restaurants
You can visit the same chain restaurants in cities all over the country, but where’s the fun in that? Try seeking out locally owned restaurants, cafes, diners, bars, and bakeries instead to get a taste of what your new destination actually has to offer.
6. Take a Local Walking, History, or Food Tour
A local guide can give you context you won’t necessarily get from a Wikipedia page. Book a walking tour, food tour, architecture tour, history tour, or another experience led by someone who actually knows the area firsthand.
7. Buy Locally Made Souvenirs
Instead of bringing home another generic keychain, look for souvenirs made in the city or region you’re visiting. Think locally designed prints, handmade ceramics, regional foods, jewelry, art, or textiles.
8. Ask, “Is This Made Locally?”
This is an especially useful question when you’re shopping for souvenirs. A store may be locally owned while selling products made somewhere else, so asking about the origins of an item can help you find something that actually has a connection to the place you’re visiting.
9. Visit Neighborhood Markets
Farmers markets, public markets, flea markets, and neighborhood markets are an easy way to see what a community is all about. They’re also great places to find local food, produce, crafts, vintage items, and small businesses all in one stop.
10. Shop at Independent Bookstores, Boutiques, and Pharmacies
Don’t overlook the everyday businesses. An independent bookstore, neighborhood pharmacy, clothing shop, stationery store, or home goods shop can tell you a lot about a community, and your purchase helps keep those businesses around.
11. Spread the Love
Instead of having every meal at the same restaurant or grabbing your coffee from one place each morning, try a few different local businesses. Your breakfast, coffee, lunch, dinner, and dessert can all support a different small business.
12. Hire a Local Guide or Photographer
If you’re looking for a guide, photographer, translator, stylist, driver, or another local professional, consider hiring someone who actually lives in the destination. It’s also a great way to get recommendations and perspective you wouldn’t get from a standard tourist experience.
13. Book Experiences Directly
Found a cooking class, tour, workshop, or other activity you want to try? Check the business’s website before booking through a third-party platform. Booking directly can mean more of your money goes straight to the business.
14. Tip Local Guides and Service Workers
If tipping is customary where you’re visiting, remember to tip the people helping make your trip happen. That can include tour guides, drivers, servers, hotel staff, and other service workers. Just make sure you know the local tipping customs first.
15. Leave Thoughtful Reviews
A good review can go a long way for a small business. If you had a genuinely great experience, leave a thoughtful Google review and mention what you liked. Specific details can be much more helpful than simply writing, “Great place!”
16. Tag and Follow the Places You Loved
Obsessed with the tiny bakery you found on your trip? Follow it on Instagram and tag it in your vacation photos when appropriate. Social media can help introduce a small business to other travelers who are planning their own trips.
17. Recommend Your Favorite Finds
Word-of-mouth is a completely free way to support a small business after you’ve already gone home. Tell your friends about the restaurant you loved, send your favorite bookstore to a fellow reader, or share your travel recommendations with someone planning a similar trip.
18. Bring Home Local Pantry Items, Art, or Ceramics
Not every souvenir needs to say the name of the city on it. Pick up a jar of local jam, a bottle of regional olive oil, a handmade mug, a piece of art, or another item you’ll actually use once you’re home.
19. Look Beyond the Main Tourist Streets
Some of the best small businesses are a few blocks away from the places everyone is already visiting. Wander into residential neighborhoods and commercial districts outside the main tourist areas, while being respectful of the fact that these are people’s homes and communities.
20. Ask Hotel Staff Where They Eat and Shop
Instead of asking for the closest tourist attraction, ask hotel staff where they personally like to grab dinner, coffee, or groceries. They may be able to point you toward a neighborhood favorite that doesn’t appear on every “best of” list.
21. Attend a Local Festival or Performance
Check the local calendar before your trip for festivals, markets, concerts, theater performances, art shows, and other community events. It’s a fun way to experience what’s actually happening in the destination while supporting the people putting those events together.
22. Learn a Few Phrases in the Local Language
You don’t need to become fluent before your vacation. Even learning how to say hello, thank you, please, and a few other useful phrases can show respect for the local culture and make everyday interactions a little more enjoyable.
23. Carry a Reusable Bag
Keep a foldable tote in your suitcase or day bag so you’re ready if you stumble across a great bookstore, market, boutique, or other small shop. It’s a tiny thing, but it means you don’t have to turn down a purchase because you don’t have a bag.
24. Book a Class or Workshop With a Local Business
Try something hands-on, like a cooking class, pottery workshop, art lesson, dance class, or craft experience. It’s a fun way to learn something new while supporting a local instructor or small business.
25. Pay With Cash When a Small Business Prefers It
If a business accepts cash and asks customers to use it when possible, consider doing so. Some small businesses prefer cash because of card processing fees. Of course, don’t assume cash is always preferred, and make sure you have enough on hand for your needs.
26. Respect Local Customs
Part of being a good tourist is remembering that you’re visiting someone else’s home. Pay attention to local customs, dress codes, neighborhood rules, photography policies, and opening hours, and don’t assume that the way things work where you’re from applies everywhere.
27. Ask Locals Where They Actually Shop and Eat
One of the easiest ways to get away from the tourist bubble? Ask. Whether it’s your bartender, hotel receptionist, taxi driver, tour guide, or the person working at the coffee shop, locals can often point you toward places you wouldn’t find on a typical tourist itinerary.
28. Visit a Local Farm, Winery, or Producer
If you’re visiting a region known for its farms, wineries, breweries, fisheries, bakeries, or other local producers, make a stop while you’re there. Visiting these businesses can give you a better sense of what the area produces while supporting the people behind the products. It can also be a fun way to bring a literal taste of your destination home.
29. Use Local Transportation When Possible
Depending on where you’re traveling, consider using public transportation, locally operated taxis, bike rentals, or other transportation options instead of defaulting to the same services you use at home. It’s also a good way to see more of the destination as you get around.
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30. Shop at Local Grocery Stores
Skip the familiar supermarket chain when you can and stop by a neighborhood grocery store, specialty market, or family-owned food shop instead. It’s an easy way to pick up snacks, ingredients, and other everyday items while seeing a little more of how locals live.
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