PENNSYLVANIA, USA \u2014 The difference between a tourist and a traveler is getting to know a culture, according to Karen Gershowitz, writer and travel addict.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Since boarding a plane to Europe when she was 17, Gershowitz has visited over 90 countries and \u201cgained friends and lovers and made a radical career change,\u201d according to her website.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
In this week\u2019s Travel Smart, FOX43\u2019s Trenice Bishop spoke to Gershowitz about how to find the \u201chidden secrets\u201d of travel destinations. She said that travel is all about being open to new things and new experiences.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Her number one travel tip is simply to talk to people.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cBe friendly, smile at people, ask them questions, show that you\u2019re interested,\u201d she said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Second, she said to plan a trip around something you love.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s sports, arts, or if it\u2019s food,\u201d Gershowitz said. \u201cBut whatever it is, go and do that and talk to the people who are around you because you\u2019ll mostly find locals and they know the really great places to go, and what to do, and the kinds of places to see.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Third, she said to pick up a paper and look for local events.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cLook for the festivals, rather than the places,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s where the people will be. They\u2019ll tell you whether the places in the guidebooks are worth going to.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Finally, she said to enjoy the journey and expect the unexpected.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Karen Gershowitz is the author of\u00a0Travel Mania \u2013 Stories of Wanderlust<\/em>, a vivid story of how one woman found her strength, power, and passion.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" PENNSYLVANIA, USA \u2014 The difference between a tourist and a traveler is getting to know a culture, according to Karen Gershowitz, writer and travel addict. Since boarding a plane to Europe when she was 17, Gershowitz has visited over 90 countries and \u201cgained friends.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14583,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,1],"tags":[23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30],"class_list":["post-54","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hotel","category-travel","tag-content","tag-offers","tag-promotion","tag-seo","tag-social-media","tag-tools","tag-traffic","tag-website"],"yoast_head":"\n