Your own private audio

I still reminisce often about one of my favorite memories made while spending a summer in New York City in 2000. No, not the partying until 6am at clubs, or accidentally wandering into an S&M bar. Though those still make me laugh. It was taking a historical tour of Greenwich Village. It was on this tour that I took a step back in time and heard stories that still blow me away.

Naturally every time I return to NYC I always want to rekindle this memory, but the tour’s scheduling never seems to work out with my own. But now anyone with an iPod can take a step back in time 21st-century style, without having to be limited by tour schedules.

In many major cities across the US you can download to your mp3 player an audio tour of a neighborhood or tourist attraction. There are companies that sell them, or many tourism bureaus offer them for free. In San Francisco you can walk through Golden Gate park to learn more about the serene nature scene, as well as the iconic bridge. In Chicago, you can stroll around the city and learn the history of blues, with Buddy Guy as your guide. These tours are a great way to learn the nitty-gritty details of a city at a schedule you make. Plus you can rewind if you need to.

And if you’re going to Paris anytime soon, Rick Steves (my favorite Europe travel nerd) has some free audio guides for you. Take a step back in time for a few moments and listen below for a history lesson on the art of the Venus de milo. It will make you want to jump on the next flight to Paris.

Louvre.mp3