Love the Place You Live

Last week I formally introduced a travel column, but if you’ve been reading awhile, you know I’m equally interested in adventures closer to home. Every where we’ve lived, there have been beloved landmarks, beautiful views and hip shops — and I’m sure that’s true for you as well!

I get a kick out of exploring whatever community I’m living in, so a couple of years ago I asked your opinion about a column called Love the Place You Live. The idea is that we’ll all seek out something cool in our own towns. It could be anything — a great library or museum, a new café, a terrific hike or concert, a favorite building, a local vegetable stand. Whatever you like! Then, we’ll write up our discoveries. I’ll add a linking tool to my post, so that if you’d like to share your adventures, all the links will be in one place, ready to explore.

Two years later and I still really love the idea. So let’s do it! Make plans to explore some bit of the place you live. On Monday, I’ll write up a post about what I found and I’ll include a link widget — you can add your post’s link and we can all read about some of the things people love about their towns. Good? I think it will be fun. I can’t wait to see what you guys love about where you live!!

What do you think? Is Love The Place You Live appealing to you? Do you like the idea of participating and adding your link? Or maybe just the friendly reminder to do some local exploring?

P.S. — I think it’s so important to embrace the place where you are living. Even if you’ll only be there for a short time! Learn to love it. Discover its treasures! Speaking of which, these photos are of an old-chapel-turned-exhibit-space. It’s where we saw the cow exhibit and it’s off by itself on a country road. We’re so glad we know about it!

55 thoughts on “Love the Place You Live”

  1. I love this idea!
    I have 4 small children and not a lot of extra funds for the world travel I dream of.
    So I satisfy that desire by exploring closer to home.
    My children love adventuring.
    I’m cultivating that spirit closer to home now wth the hopes it will grow as they do.
    To learn about other fabulous places, near and far, means I can start making my travel list with real life stories to go along with it.
    Can’t wait to share!
    Love from,
    Greta

  2. oooh, I love this idea! While I’d love to be trotting the globe someday, there’s so much to see and do right in our own backyard. …that gifted camper we received will surely help us see the States! I can’t wait to travel vicariously through all your readers.

    So hat’s off to you and this travel series. And, I am officially adopting your sentiment “Learn to Love it” as a Webb mantra. Thanks, Design Mom, once again!

    – heres to getting out!
    d.

    post script: donuts and cupcakes make people happy.

  3. I really love this idea. I’ve been blessed to travel a bit and folks say, “gosh, I wish I could go there…” and I just say hey, you don’t have to go across the world for an adventure. Go across town! Yesterday I took a break from my studies and went on a walk. I ended up in a beautiful graveyard and then an art gallery. Random, and sooo awesome! My little trip within walking distance absolutely made my day and inspired me to explore more.

  4. You know, I’m truly glad you came up with this idea. I truly need to do this because some times I feel so dissatisfied I complain a little too much about the heat and then when I see people flocking to this side of the world I realize there most be so many magical things people love. I will so do this!

    1. “when I see people flocking to this side of the world I realize there must be so many magical things people love”

      So true! It’s fun to see the place your live through tourist-colored-glasses. : )

  5. Fantastic idea! Me and the kids love to play tourist in our own town, going to all the little historical markers and touring around like were from out of town:) Often we’ll talk to friends who have lived here way longer and they say “wow! that’s really neat! I never knew such and such was right around the corner!”

  6. I never saw much of the last couple of states that we lived in (Oregon and Utah) so when we moved to Austin we started Texas Tuesday. Every Tuesday while the kids are out of school we go on some sort of excursion. Some are small (museums and such), some are day trips. It’s been so fascinating and we’ve seen some wonderful sights. It’s really made me love where I live!

  7. What a great idea! I can’t wait to add on things. For me it is the same… I love discovering new and exciting things in the area.

  8. I am so excited to read about everyone’s adventures and places they live. Fantastic idea Gabrielle!
    This really helps with contentment and making the most of where you live, within my financial means, but stirring that spirit of exploration and adventure. Perfect!
    Off to explore Phoenix, Arizona this weekend.

  9. Love the idea! Just last night my husband and I were making plans to play tourist in Seattle this weekend with our daughter! I have been lucky enough to travel quite a bit but enjoy my honetown just as much!

  10. I love this idea. In fact, much of my own blog is devoted to that. (Simply because we can’t realistically be traveling 365 days of the year.) Can’t wait to see what everyone else finds in their hometowns!!!

  11. I love to travel, whether on my own or with my family and to have vetted recommendations of places around and about will be an excellent resource! I’ll be happy to add my own this Monday…

  12. So true! Although for me, minus the hip shops!!! Sometimes I really miss living in Boston!!!

    I will definitely be back on Monday with something in the “beautiful views” category!

  13. I have lived in the same town my entire life…and I’ve spent most of that time not liking it. Oh, I’ll get out of here some day, but this will give me just what I need to explore and LEARN to love where we live. Beautiful idea!

  14. Love this idea, it is so positive. I live in NYC< and have a love, not like relationship. but have found some amazing things and place for kids. would love to participate.
    Michelle

  15. I’ve been “reading you” for a while, but never commented.

    I really love the idea you suggest. I live in Bolivia and my country has many amazing places to visit. I’ll write a post about one of our family trips and let you know about it!

    Can’t wait till monday!

  16. Gabrielle:

    I absolutely love your blog. It takes me back to my year in Paris right by Champ de Mars. I love where I live (Silicon Valley) and even though it’s a far cry from India (where I’m from) and from France (where I discovered my love for the written word), no one can complain about life in Northern California, an hour south of the Golden Gate. Here’s something I wrote about a walk in the neighborhood of Cupertino, a place where most people are too busy fussing over SAT and AP scores and college admissions to really appreciate the scenes around them: http://kalpanamohan.typepad.com/on_edge/2010/06/climbing-mount-everest-in-cupertino.html.

    I don’t blog at this site anymore; my new site is http://www.saritorial.com where I blog about India and Indians in the diaspora.
    I look forward to reading your blog and I’m sad that I just discovered it.

    Kalpana Mohan

  17. I love this idea and would hope to participate at some point. It’s a concept I’ve obsessed over for many years as my husband and I too-often complain about the city we live in and how we’d love to live here or there or anywhere of here. I’m so tired of feeling that way and have started to actively take notice of all the things I really love about our town. So much to think about.

    P.S. I really enjoyed your interview over on Gretchen’s site. Thank you for your honesty. Gave me much to contemplate.

  18. I love this! I try to do this a few times a month just to break the monotony. As much as I like routine, I don’t like boredom, so I’ve built an almost-weekly adventure into our routine :)

  19. Love this idea! I need a kick in the pants to get out more now that my youngest has dropped his morning nap. And we’ve been here over a year now but haven’t had a chance to explore much.

  20. I like this idea, especially because we can learn fun things from other people that live in our area. I’m pretty new to the Round Rock (Austin), TX area, so I’d love to hear what’s cool.

  21. What a wonderful idea. I’ve lived in Chicago for most my life, and still love exploring the city with my husband and son – there’s always new things to find and appreciate.

  22. This is such an amazing idea. My husband and I have a weekly “get local” ritual where we explore a new restaurant, park, store or street in our town. The people you meet, things you discover and places you see are so rewarding. Enjoying what is right outside your door with the people you love is really what life is all about.

    Next time I go, I’ll be sure to have my camera in tow.

  23. This is a great idea. I was thinking that it could be a very useful tool for people traveling or moving to the places that people will describe. Maybe an index or something? I know that I would want to read about all the places, but I think I would be more likely to read them if they were organized. It would also be interesting to see where the majority of your readers are posting and see the repeated places next to each other. I don’t know if this is possible on your blog, but it would be nice to organize comments, at least for this post.

  24. I love it. And since I do NOT love the town I live in, this will be a good exercise for me to seek out the positive things about it. I’m not moving anytime soon, so I struggle a lot with the whole “bloom where you’re planted” concept…maybe this will help!

  25. What a wonderful idea!!! I recently moved to a new very small town with my husband. He is from here, and loves it. I am a city girl, and miss having more live around me! This is just what I need! Find and explore the joys here! :)

  26. A wonderful idea! My husband and I have always been big travelers, but tough pregnancies and newborns have kept us closer to home lately. I’ve been getting a bit antsy and bored of our area, so this will be a great excuse to go exploring and remember why we chose to live here.

  27. Travel sidebar is great! Will you please, please also please include the snazzy and seasonal projects like you have had in the past? We look forward to seeing them and have enjoyed making many of those fab ideas. Thanks GB! You’ve been given a gift, I’m so glad you are using it.

  28. Wonderful idea! A few years ago I moved to Dublin and now whenever I return to Maine I try to take full advantage of it. And while I’m here in Dublin I try to take full advantage of all it has to offer too! Look forward to these posts!

  29. I was in Normandy six years ago with my husband and your picture brought back so many memories! We took a tour and went into the WWII historic museum (looked just like that chapel, is it the same space?!). Normandy is beautiful… I am seriously excited to see what you post on Monday. Have a great weekend!

  30. This idea excites me–I love the idea of reader-created content on a popular blog like this. (Gabby, you’re popular!)

    I’d come up with a trip for tomorrow, but we desperately need to stay home. We had a big shopping expedition last Saturday for a Big Bed for our toddler, and we did something else big the Saturday before; we’ve bought all sorts of home improvement stuff but haven’t had clarity of mind to install much of it. So tomorrow, we’ll be further creating the place we live.

    I think I’ll read for awhile and chime in when we have an adventure. I also write for TravelOregon’s blog, so we’re sure to have adventures soon.

  31. I love the idea. And it would motivate me to explore my new city, Baltimore, which I have not taken full advantage of since we moved here a year and a half ago.

  32. It took me some years to learn the excitement and fulfillment of taking on
    a new city. I prefer to have someone with me who is good with maps.
    I admire Mormon missionaries and their amazing ability to understand a
    new city. There are marvelous people everywhere and remarkable cities and villages, museums,,,, etc.

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