“Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work.”
— Daniel Hudson Burnham (1846-1912)
Burnham’s statement is often quoted, and for good reason. It’s a motto for anyone who sees beyond now and dreams of creating something lasting, meaningful, and impactful. It’s a herald that’s called to me since I founded The Local Tourist twelve years ago. I had just moved to Chicago and at the time it was just a business directory for River North. But I had big plans. I envisioned a resource that would help people get the most out of their city, that would make navigating all the options easy, and that would be a happy place, highlighting where to go, not where not to go. Locals would experience the fascination of tourists, and tourists would feel the comfort of locals.
This site would not just be for Chicago, though. It would help locals and tourists all over the world in cities large and small. Now that dream, that high aim, is becoming reality.
Over the next few months we’ll be launching TLT in Milwaukee and San Diego. We’ll also launch in destination towns like Galena, Lake Geneva, and Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Next year we’ll add Asheville, North Carolina, and several others. Once this ball starts rolling it is not going to stop!
To that end my fiance and I have put everything in storage and over the next few months we’ll be traveling and exploring. We’ll be hitting the hot spots and the hidden gems, both in our home base of Chicago and in our future locations. We’ll be, essentially, Local Tourists!
We’ve already begun this Grand Adventure, and I’m writing this right now from Oceanside, California, a community about an hour north of San Diego. We’ll be visiting family through Sunday and then we’re staying in some of the area’s finest hotels and resorts for a few days. While we’re here we’re getting a crash course on the region, with a syllabus provided by the San Diego Convention and Visitors’ Bureau. Yesterday after our arrival we had lunch in Old Town. Today’s a two hour harbor tour. Tomorrow? You’ll just have to follow along!
We’ll be sharing this entire experience on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Google+. If you’d like to virtually accompany us on our journey follow #GrandAdventure on any of the above.
Only big plans, high aims, and Grand Adventures, Mr. Burnham.
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