Be A Tourist In Your Own Hometown

One of the best parts of my job at the Convention & Visitors Bureau is being active in community events. There is so much going on in Ottumwa, and it’s so much fun to keep up the calendar on our website, filling it with places to go and things to do.

Have you ever stopped to look around you when you’re in your own hometown? Or are you just on autopilot, running the errands and doing the things that you absolutely have to get done?

When people come in to our office, they’re often looking for the events, food and attractions that they can’t see or do anywhere else. Isn’t that what we do when we’re traveling? We don’t eat at restaurants we have at home - we want to try the signature dishes that we can’t get every day. We want to shop for souvenirs and take pictures of things we might only see this once.

I encourage you to be a tourist in your own hometown this summer. Pick up a visitors guide or go on your local tourism website. (Ours is GreaterOttumwaCVB.org) You’ll be reminded of stores you don’t normally shop in, eateries you’ve forgotten about and some places you have visited in a long time. Then you can head out and see what’s really happening in the community around you.

Have fun learning everything you can about the city you live in!

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