Sometimes we all want to move. Pack it all in, find somewhere new, a new version of ourselves, an idealized path we could be taking if we weren’t stuck in the place we are now. This house, this neighborhood, this city. If we could just escape from this present reality, then we’d be happy.
And if we can’t move, maybe just a vacation. A journey to a new place, across the world, across the country, across the state. Sometimes it’s just a day trip, or it could be a multi-week adventure. As long as it’s not our present reality, our daily life, we’re happy to escape just about anywhere.
But what if we didn’t go anywhere? What if we’re busy, or life is expensive, or there just isn’t enough wiggle room in our vacation days or schedules, and moving to a new place isn’t an option? What then?
May I suggest touring your own town?
Nothing revolutionary, obviously, but maybe a reframe of our perspective. My husband and I often discuss where we would take friends or family when they visit. The best sandwich, the best cocktails, the restaurant with the best barbecue or Tex-Mex, the wine bar with the best vibe. The cutest boutique shops for men, women or children. The museums most worth visiting, the best park for a picnic or for kids to play. The antique store with the best deals or most unique finds. The hotels with the coolest pools where you can get a day pass.
We curate this list. We add to it. We remove spots when we find something better or an old place loses its appeal.
May I suggest touring your own town?
Nothing revolutionary, obviously,
but maybe a reframe of our perspective.
But we are never creating this all-star list for ourselves. It’s our recommendation list for others. Our Houston can’t-miss places, meanwhile we are dreaming of our next overseas trip or discussing the places that might be cool to move to next. Near Dallas? Closer to Austin? Anywhere but here, for anyone but us.
And then we started approaching some of our weekends as a way to enjoy our city.
Houston is a cool place. The food scene is incredible, and the city is widely recognized as one of the most diverse in the country. There is a Chinatown, vibrant Hispanic and Vietnamese populations, and multiple communities of people from all over the Middle East and Africa. Stir it all up, and there’s a lot going on here.
And actually, when you take a step back, there’s a lot going on in almost every city. It’s just harder to notice when you live there.
We go to the restaurants. We attend the festivals. There are late nights at wine bars with groups of friends, and you just have to sit back and realize: if this isn’t nice, what is?
There is something to be said for the ability to be grateful for what you already have, for the world around you, for the adventures at your doorstep, instead of always chasing something else.
And so, we have been seeing our adopted city a little differently. Instead of curating our list for our loved ones, we make sure to include ourselves in that category.
Where should we take ourselves on a Friday night? We really should shop small, so maybe those boutique shops are places where we should grab a souvenir, one for our own lives. A reminder that we live here. We chose this city and this life, and there’s a lot to love about it, even when we’re all a little tired of the humdrum.
As much as I love an adventure elsewhere, sometimes the best place to explore is the home we leave behind when we set off. The home we are glad to return to, the place that is waiting.
Alexandria Nolan-Miller is a misplaced Michigander navigating the vibrant chaos of Houston’s urban jungle. She travels with her husband and young son, contributing her insights and experiences to various print and digital publications. As the author of historical books rooted in Michigan, Alexandria brings the past to life through her writing. When not on the road, she can be found immersed in books, teaching, sharing stories, and chasing new adventures to inspire her next piece.
