The Unexpected Store Frequent Travelers Say Is A Must-Visit While In A New Destination

When you're planning a vacation, you probably get a lot of restaurant and store recommendations from friends and colleagues who have been there before. They're often really helpful as you try to sift through the million things to do and see with a limited amount of time. There is, however, one store that you shouldn't miss when you're visiting a new destination and that's the grocery store. Ugh, right? Didn't you leave all the chores and to-do lists at home? Wait a second. You can get a better understanding of the day-to-day culture and experience of living in the place you're visiting at a grocery store. You're going to have a much wider range of food items that will likely be less expensive than you'd get with restaurant markups.

If you're staying at a place with a kitchen like an Airbnb or Vrbo, you can get food to prepare at home. You might find snacks or candy that you've never experienced before. You can see which brands exist in both America and other countries and see if they change their labels or ingredients. You can also put together a picnic, bring snacks for picky eaters for the day, and find items that suit those with specialty diets like vegetarians or vegans, which may be difficult in some restaurants. Get those reusable bags ready.

You might not want to think about cooking while traveling. However, a meal at your rental can give you a completely different perspective on what it's like to actually live somewhere else. You're going to find interesting foods, like local fruits, meats, and wines. Maybe you're in Tuscany and find the local apricot juice surprisingly delectable. What snack foods do the people in this town enjoy? What is similar or different to what you're used to at home? Don't let labels in another language worry you. Download the free Google Translate app and hold the camera over any labels for an instant translation. 

One big issue that can come up on a trip is people wanting to eat at different times. It's worth hitting a grocery store for some snacks and fuel in case you get hungry while out sightseeing. If you're stuck in a line at the Colosseum in Rome for an hour and everyone is starting to get hangry, you don't have to hit the nearby overpriced snack shop if you have something in your backpack.

If someone in your group is vegetarian, gluten-free, or has any dietary issues, you can find some great food at grocery stores. (You can also use the Google Translate app's conversation mode if you have to ask questions.) Do note that some stores have people packing for you, like the packing boys in the Bahamas. It's worth looking up whether tips are accepted, assumed, or offensive where you are. 

The grocery store doesn't have to be for cooking at a rental only. There are some other great ways to enjoy the local selection without a stove. Maybe you've spent so much at restaurants during your trip that your wallet needs a break. Try visiting the local grocery store for a loaf of bread, cheese, a few utensils, sandwich fixings, and a few desserts from the store's bakery. Take them with you to a local spot and have a picnic. You can even lookup reviews of grocery stores on Yelp to see if there are any you definitely want to hit. Sitting in a park and eating, or even visiting the store itself and people-watching can show you a side of the local population that is different than when they're out to dinner or at a tourist attraction.

Another option along these lines is looking up local farmers' markets or places that hold them like the market square at Campo de Fiori in Rome. You can get fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as things like fresh fruit and local honey there to eat on the spot. Sometimes you'll also find local vendors with street food at farmers' markets, so you can sample what people who live where you are like to snack on.