Most travellers come home having spoken properly to a handful of locals: a waiter, a tour guide, a host. Not because people are unfriendly, but because a holiday rarely puts you in the places where locals actually meet each other. The fix is simple. Go where locals already gather, and give yourself a reason to be there beyond being a tourist.
Here are nine ways that work, in roughly the order you would use them on a trip.
1. Start before you land
The first few days of a trip disappear fast. If you only start looking for people once you arrive, you lose most of them to jet lag and logistics. A week before you fly, find a couple of local group chats or events for your interests in the city you are heading to, introduce yourself, and ask what is on while you are in town. Arriving with a plan for day two changes the whole trip.
2. Lead with a shared interest, not “I’m visiting”
“I’m new here, want to hang out?” is easy to ignore. “I’m a runner, is anyone doing the Saturday river loop?” is easy to say yes to. Locals are far more likely to include you when you share something they already care about: a sport, a hobby, a band, a cuisine, a team. Pick one or two interests and use them as your way in.
3. Join local group chats
A lot of local social life now runs through group chats: run crews, climbing groups, board game nights, supporters’ groups, expat and newcomer chats. A group chat is lower pressure than a one-on-one message, because you can read along, get a feel for the people and jump in when something suits you. Brane is built for exactly this. It shows people, group chats and events near you on a map, filtered by your interests, and you can browse a city before you arrive.
4. Go to something weekly
One-off events are fun, but weekly ones are where you meet locals, because the regulars are locals. Trivia nights, social runs, pickup football, open mic nights and community markets all have a core group who come every week and are used to new faces. Free weekly options such as parkrun, a timed 5km held on Saturday mornings in many countries, are especially good for travellers: turn up, run or walk, and stay for the coffee afterwards.
5. Try a language exchange
Language exchanges pair people who want to practise each other’s language. They are one of the easiest ways to meet locals in non-English-speaking countries, because your native language is the thing you bring to the table. Many cities have regular exchange nights in bars and cafes, and there are apps for finding a one-on-one exchange partner too.
6. Take a class instead of a tour
A cooking class, a surf lesson, a pottery workshop or a dance class puts you next to people for a couple of hours with something to do together. Classes aimed at locals rather than tourists are better again. They are often cheaper, and the person next to you is more likely to live there.
7. Watch the game where the fans go
Sport is one of the fastest ways into a local crowd anywhere in the world. Find out which pub or bar the local team’s supporters use, turn up for a match and pick a side. If the team has a supporters’ group chat, join it before match day so you know where everyone is meeting.
8. Stay somewhere with a social side
Hostels mostly connect you with other travellers, which is great company but not the same as meeting locals. If you want locals, look for stays with a community attached: a host who runs events, a guesthouse above a busy cafe, a coworking space with a members’ night, or a short volunteering placement. Where you sleep decides a lot about who you meet.
9. Keep the conversation going
The difference between a nice chat and a friend is the follow-up. Swap details on the night, send a message the next day, and suggest one specific thing (“the market’s on Sunday, want to come?”). Group chats help here too, because staying in the group means you are still around when the next plan gets made, even after you fly home.
Staying safe when meeting locals
Meet in public places for the first time, tell someone where you are going, and trust your instincts if something feels off. Group events and group chats are a good default for first meetings, because you are never relying on one stranger. Keep your accommodation details to yourself until you know someone well.
Common questions
What is the best app to meet locals when travelling?
It depends on what you want. Meetup suits organised events, language exchange apps suit language practice, and Brane suits finding people, local group chats and events around your interests on a map, including before you arrive. Brane is free on iPhone, Android and the web, and it is not a dating app.
How do you meet locals when travelling alone?
Join one group activity that repeats, such as a weekly run, trivia night or language exchange, and one local group chat for an interest you have. Solo travellers tend to get invited along more easily, because there is always room for one more.
How do you meet locals if you don’t speak the language?
Start with language exchanges, where locals are actively looking to practise your language, and with activities that need little talking, such as sport, climbing or music. Learning a few greetings goes a long way.