#Local May 27

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Travel can offer many wonderful perspectives especially if you embrace LOCAL favorites.

One of the great “Life Lessons” of spending a good portion of my life traveling with basketball teams or recruiting was discovering places defined as a “LOCAL Favorite”. In Lumberton NC I would say that would mean including places like “Arnold’s, Village Station, Adeilo’s, Happenings on Elm, and Your Pie.

One fantastic way to plan and find places where “LOCAL” folks go to dine is to find people who live there. You may not know someone directly but ask people at work, church, in your community if they know someone that lives there. It usually produces a name and recommendations. This past week I had to travel to Alabama to work with a client. On the return trip home I stopped in Augusta GA. I asked and people about a great local restaurant. The all raved about a Mexican Restaurant named Taqueria El Rey. It was located a couple miles from Augusta in Martinez GA. The place was packed and had lots of wonderful specials including “Taco Tuesday”.

When my wife and I are traveling we have a couple of tips that tell us it is not LOCAL.

1. They’re located in areas with high tourist footfall

2. They really advertise. Picture banners and signs everywhere.

We also don’t mind traveling off the beaten path. We stumbled across a fantastic hamburger place in Louisville KY driving thru a neighborhood near Bellarmine College. It is called Kaelins 80/20-maybe the best burger I have ever eaten. We stopped because of the crowds and the fantastic neon sign hanging off the building.

If you are staying at Airbnb or VRBO property ask the owners. They know the great hidden gems, because they live there year-round. Part of traveling is experiencing the LOCAL culture.