About Touristish

I’m a travel obsessive, rabbit-hole researcher and firm believer that the best part of a trip is usually the thing you almost didn’t know existed.

I’ve traveled a lot of different ways over the years: solo backpacking, romantic getaways, giant family trips with four kids, road trips, international adventures, ridiculously long hikes to get somewhere cool, and vacations planned almost entirely around one place I became obsessed with.

And I research the hell out of all of them.

I want to know about the strange little hotel outside town. The restaurant doing something nobody else is doing. The Airbnb where sleeping there is half the reason to take the trip. The hike with something incredible at the end. The experience buried on page six of Google that somehow becomes everyone’s favorite part of the vacation.

That’s how Touristish started.

Less touristy. More Touristish.

I’m not completely opposed to tourist attractions. Some things are famous because they’re genuinely incredible.

But I’m always looking for what else is out there. Touristish is about finding the unique places to stay, unforgettable things to do and experiences actually worth going out of your way for.

Sometimes that’s an iconic place approached differently. Sometimes it’s somewhere you’ve never heard of. Sometimes it’s a hotel, treehouse, ghost town, restaurant, hike or completely bizarre experience that becomes the entire reason for the trip.

I’ve actually been there.

One thing that’s important to me as Touristish grows: I’m going to tell you what I actually know.

Touristish Stayed Here
If you see this badge, I personally stayed there. I’ll tell you what I loved, what I didn’t, what surprised me, who I think would love it and who should probably spend their money somewhere else.

Touristish Wish List
If you see this badge, I haven’t been there yet. It means I’ve researched it and genuinely want to go, and I’ll be clear about that too.

There is already enough generic travel content on the internet written by people who have never set foot in the places they’re recommending. I don’t want Touristish to become more of that.

So, what counts as Touristish?

Visiting a ghost town is touristy. Sleeping in one is tourist-ish.

Going to Santorini is touristy. Finding the little village just outside Oia where you can escape the crowds is tourist-ish.

Seeing the famous thing is great.

Finding the story, place or experience that makes you come home saying “you are not going to believe what we found…”?

That’s what I’m after.

Welcome to Touristish.