Would you behave like a visitor if you lived there?

I have sort f done that, and I start out seeing the stuff and enjoying it. Then day-to-day life takes over and I become a bit impervious. Then someone comes to visit and I am excited again, showing them around.

I do all the touristy things people do here: camp, fish, hike, drink too much, eat BBQ…

I’ve lived in tourist traps almost all my life. Show me a beach that isn’t a tourist trap. The reason I live close to beaches is because I’m addicted to being in or on the water. Fishing, sailing, scuba, snorkle, skiing, swimming, women in the scantiest garments or nothing at all, birding, or just watching the stars progress, or the weather—especially between June and November. Many tourists pay big money to do these things, between Mojitos, lines and blunts.

I don’t drink much at all, and don’t smoke anything anymore, so that part I don’t do. Mostly they pay me to take them diving and sailing. Pretty laid back. Overnight island hops or sunset cruises with champagne and good finger food, take my time returning under the stars. Give ‘em a taste of the good life. Tell them some island lore while just offshore under a nice moon.

“And beyond those cliffs is the Tascher Plantation, where Josephine, a beautiful and intelligent island creole, was groomed well by her father and the best tutors before being sent to Paris against her will when barely a teen to marry her first husband, a wealthy Viscount, who was guillotined before she married Napoleon and became Empress of France.” LOL. They love it.

Sometimes my first mate, a local, just makes shit up. But she tells great stories, so it’s cool. Her late night voodoo stuff is really good. You don’t have to hunt far for those old stories here. They are still just right under the surface.

I don’t charter for fishing because I run a sailboat and it messes up my deck—and it’s impractical for the modern fisherman. They prefer to get out to the grounds quickly and when sated, get back to the dockside lounge ASAP. They don’t want to do this under sail. They prefer a Sportsman Angler with outriggers and a tuna tower, and a minimum herd of 440 extremely loud horses hanging off the transom. Not my style at all.

So, I do some of it. But the fact is, I’ll always be seen as a foreigner here. These islanders are all of old, extended families—some slave and some masters—and you can’t buy your way into that history no matter how long you live here. The best you can hope for is to make good friends. It be dey island way, mon.

I lived in a popular tourist town for 8 years and behaved as a resident local not a tourist.
Yes, you do become rather impervious as @canidmajor mentions but get excited showing off and taking visiting friends around the local haunts and attractions. The best thing about living in a tourist community is that they all go home at the end of the summer. haha
One year when all the local campgrounds were full I brought home some people to camp on my property. Charged them $25.00 a night to pitch their tents, have water access and a breakfast of pastries, fruit and scrambled goose eggs.

A win win win for all.
I often brought home traveling kids and always had great experiences. Colomas couch surfing.

I did just that.

I’ve moved to Florida three times, and within Florida more than that. Every day the palm trees and sunshine make me feel like I’m on vacation.

I used to visit Disney World when friends were down for a trip. This year I have an annual pass, but it’s the first time I’ve ever had one, and won’t renew it for two years in a row.

I take day trips, or weekends to see cities I haven’t seen, go to the beach, go to a museum, see a show, all of it!

Where I live now it’s like a cruise ship, but it’s a town. Live music and dancing at outdoor town squares every night. We went to dinner at a square tonight, and then listened to the music for an hour. The weather was great! People out line dancing and couples dancing. I love it. There are art shows every few months. Also, mineral and gem shows, car shows, we attend quite a bit of them.

I haven’t even barely started talking about all the clubs and activities here. I do a few things a week.

Lots of equestrian competitions around here, so we went to check that out a few times to see if we enjoyed it. Right where I live they have polo matches, I want to go to one, but haven’t had the chance.

My parents were here for two weeks, and we took a couple days and drove over to St. Augustine. It’s so beautiful there.

When I first move to a new place I venture out to see the sights. It might just be one day every 4 to 6 weeks, but within about a year I’ve seen a lot.

There’s a follow-up question here:

https://www.fluther.com/201244/how-do-you-feel-about-visiting-a-place-where-you-used/

I can’t say for myself, but good friends of ours just sold their house and moved to a place in Maine that they always vacationed at.

It’s a sleepy town on the harbor with an active foodie scene and a few small galleries.

We’ve been up there on holiday with them a few times. I like it up there, but after two/three days, I’m ready to come home. But they now live there full time.

I asked them what they do all day now. They say they read, go for walks, eat out a few times per week, go to the galleries.

I’ve had both types of experience:

* Moved someplace that seemed nice to visit. Tried to enjoy living there and do things, but found it was mostly disappointing and annoying and depressing.

* Moved someplace lovely, and it was lovely and I enjoyed it and did plenty of walking about and enjoying it.

I think the differences had a lot to do with the aspects of the places that I didn’t get to know until I lived there, and also the people I was with and their way of being. i.e. some places are much more pleasant when you have the resources and orientation of a traveler, while some other places remain pleasant even when you’re just there and doing your daily business. For me, it’s also about how well the place is to be on foot, as opposed to requiring driving etc. And, do the people you live with like to do the same things you like to do?