I have always loved to explore new places when I’m traveling, whether it’s a coffee shop, thrift store, restaurant or park. Since I only have two more semesters at Kent State, including this one, I’ve decided it’s finally time to check more things off my Kent and Cleveland bucket list.
After graduation, I’m not planning on staying in Ohio, so there’s no better time than now to truly explore the area, especially since I’ve already lived here for three years. If I had gone to college in my hometown and came to Cleveland for a weekend trip, I would have explored so much of the area, so what’s stopping me from doing the same now?
During the winter months, it’s very easy to fall into the same boring routine every day. It’s too cold to do anything outside, and for me, the walk to class is so awful it makes me want to rot in my apartment for the rest of the day. To help get through these colder months, I have been trying as many new places as possible.
The first step to becoming a tourist in your own city is to do your research and create a list of everything you want to do. I found most of the places on my list through TikTok, which I was pretty surprised about. There are influencers all over the world who are constantly sharing recommendations for pretty much everything. After you create your list, make sure to include how far away each location is and organize them from highest priority to lowest priority.
Another important step is not being afraid to go alone. There are going to be times when no one else is free, and that’s totally okay!
Some of my favorite places I have been to off my local bucket list are Lolas Bistro, Top Golf, the West Side Market and Cuyahoga Valley National Park. All of these places exceeded my expectations, but Lolas Bistro in Chagrin Falls was by far my favorite. Lolas Bistro is a French restaurant that has delicious dinner options, drinks and desserts.
When I went there for my birthday dinner, it didn’t even feel like I was in Ohio, which was exactly what I wanted. With only two semesters of college left, I’ve realized I need to make the most of this time and to finally romanticize my life. I highly recommend trying to become a tourist in your own city, especially if you are only temporarily living somewhere.