Borrow a local, not a tour

The world's first marketplace for local friends.

Tourist? Fuck that. Borrow a verified local who will show you the city like someone who actually lives there.

Borrow a Local in

People, not tours

Borrow a Local.

Every city has amazing places. We’re here to introduce you to the people who know them best.

Sarah, a Nashville songwriter, photographed in black and white with a guitar in a music venue

Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville with Sarah

4.97(168 Reviews)

Professional songwriter · Nashville local for 12 years

“Every unforgettable night starts with live music.”

Spend the day

Writers’ rounds
Whiskey bars
Southern food
Hidden music venues
Broadway after dark

Perfect For

Music Lovers · Friends · Bachelor & Bachelorette Trips · Weekend Travelers

Ask Sarah about

The next artist who’s about to become famous.

Chris Bader, a Chicago comedian, smiling on stage with a microphone in a comedy club

Chicago, Illinois

A Night Out with Chris

5.0(142 Reviews)

Stand-up comedian · Born and raised in Chicago

“Skip the tourist version. Spend the evening with me.”

Spend the day

Neighborhood dinner
Hidden cocktail bars
A legendary comedy club
Late-night eats
Chicago after dark

Perfect For

Nightlife · Friends · Couples · First-Time Visitors

Ask Chris about

The comedy club where the city’s best comics drop in unannounced.

Carmen, a Michelin-trained Chicago chef, photographed in black and white in a restaurant kitchen

Chicago, Illinois

A Day with Chef Carmen

4.99(214 Reviews)

Michelin-trained chef · Chicago local for 18 years

“The best restaurants aren’t always the hardest reservations.”

Spend the day

Chicago pizza
Hidden Italian neighborhoods
Legendary steakhouses
Cocktail bars
Coffee & dessert

Perfect For

Food Lovers · Couples · Friends · Weekend Visitors

Ask Carmen about

The one Chicago restaurant she’d choose for her last meal.

Captain Jack, a licensed New York harbor captain, photographed in black and white on a dock

New York City

Explore New York with Captain Jack

4.98(187 Reviews)

Licensed captain · Navigating New York Harbor for 30 years

“The skyline tells a completely different story from the water.”

Spend the day

Harbor cruise
Statue of Liberty
Brooklyn waterfront
Dockside seafood
Sunset over Manhattan

Perfect For

Families · Couples · First-Time Visitors · Photography

Ask Jack about

The best hidden place to watch the Manhattan skyline.

Lucia, a Roman art historian, photographed in black and white near ancient architecture

Rome, Italy

Rome Through Lucia’s Eyes

4.99(246 Reviews)

Art historian · Born and raised in Rome

“The real Rome begins where the guidebooks end.”

Spend the day

Ancient neighborhoods
Hidden churches
Family trattorias
Local wine bars
Evening aperitivo

Perfect For

History Lovers · Couples · Culture Seekers · Solo Travelers

Ask Lucia about

The one place she’d never let visitors skip.

Kenji, a former Tokyo food writer, photographed in black and white in a lantern-lit alley

Tokyo, Japan

Eat Tokyo with Kenji

5.0(301 Reviews)

Former food writer · Tokyo resident for 25 years

“Your best meal in Tokyo probably won’t have an English menu.”

Spend the day

Sushi counters
Tiny ramen shops
Hidden alleys
Izakayas
Neighborhood nightlife

Perfect For

Foodies · Adventure Travelers · Couples · First-Time Visitors

Ask Kenji about

The Tokyo neighborhood locals don’t want tourists to discover.

Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville with Sarah

4.97(168 Reviews)

Professional songwriter · Nashville local for 12 years

“Every unforgettable night starts with live music.”

Spend the day

Writers’ rounds
Whiskey bars
Southern food
Hidden music venues
Broadway after dark

Perfect For

Music Lovers · Friends · Bachelor & Bachelorette Trips · Weekend Travelers

Ask Sarah about

The next artist who’s about to become famous.

Chicago, Illinois

A Night Out with Chris

5.0(142 Reviews)

Stand-up comedian · Born and raised in Chicago

“Skip the tourist version. Spend the evening with me.”

Spend the day

Neighborhood dinner
Hidden cocktail bars
A legendary comedy club
Late-night eats
Chicago after dark

Perfect For

Nightlife · Friends · Couples · First-Time Visitors

Ask Chris about

The comedy club where the city’s best comics drop in unannounced.

01 / 06

Every city has two versions.

How you experience a city depends entirely on who you experience it with.

Following the crowd

The Tourist Version

Spend hours researching what to do
End up booking the same tours as everyone else
Wait in long lines for overrated attractions
Eat at restaurants designed for tourists
Overpay for average food and drinks
Miss the neighborhoods locals actually love
Leave feeling like you checked boxes instead of experiencing the city

You visited the city.

Like having a friend waiting when you arrive

Your Friend's Version

Skip the tourist traps
Discover hidden restaurants and neighborhood favorites
Get honest recommendations instead of sponsored ones
Spend your time where locals actually spend theirs
Meet people and places you would've never found on your own
Experience the city through someone who genuinely loves it
Leave with stories—not just photos

You lived the city.

Google

Someone who lives here

Guidebooks

Personal recommendations

Tourist restaurants

Local favorites

Crowds

Hidden gems

Fixed itinerary

Flexible day

Photos

Stories

The difference isn't the city.
It's who shows it to you.

More than a guide.

Eat where locals actually eat.

Skip the tourist traps with the picture menus. Get taken to the counter, the back room, the place with no sign.

Wander beyond the guidebook.

The streets, corners and hours that never make the itinerary. See the city the way it actually lives.

Meet someone who calls this city home.

Not a guide reading a script. A real person, verified and vetted, showing you their world.

Choose the kind of local you want to borrow.

Your LocalFriend

Meet Amy. Your LocalFriend in Chicago.

4.98Chicago has been home for 10+ years.

“I’m obsessed with finding new restaurants, hidden cocktail bars, and places that make people fall in love with this city.”

NightlifeRestaurantsCocktailsHidden GemsWalkable Neighborhoods

Perfect For

Dinner Dates · Friends · Couples · Weekend Trips · First-Time Visitors

Local Favorites

Restaurant
Avec
Communal tables, wood-fired everything, no pretense.
Cocktail Bar
The Violet Hour
An unmarked door in Wicker Park and the best pour in the city.
Rooftop
Cindy’s
Golden hour over Millennium Park, drink in hand.
Coffee
Sawada
A quiet ritual and the pour-over I plan my mornings around.
Late Night
Au Cheval
The 1 a.m. burger that ends every good night out.

Available Thursday–Sunday evenings

Typically responds within 30 minutes

This is not a tour.

Traditional tours

Scripted
Crowded
Predictable
Built for tourists

LocalFriend

Personal
Flexible
Human
Built around you

More than a guide.

Eat where locals actually eat.

Skip the tourist traps with the picture menus. Get taken to the counter, the back room, the place with no sign.

Wander beyond the guidebook.

The streets, corners and hours that never make the itinerary. See the city the way it actually lives.

Meet someone who calls this city home.

Not a guide reading a script. A real person, verified and vetted, showing you their world.

Meet Amy. Your LocalFriend in Chicago.

4.98Chicago has been home for 10+ years.

“I’m obsessed with finding new restaurants, hidden cocktail bars, and places that make people fall in love with this city.”

NightlifeRestaurantsCocktailsHidden GemsWalkable Neighborhoods

Perfect For

Dinner Dates · Friends · Couples · Weekend Trips · First-Time Visitors

Local Favorites

Restaurant
Avec
Communal tables, wood-fired everything, no pretense.
Cocktail Bar
The Violet Hour
An unmarked door in Wicker Park and the best pour in the city.
Rooftop
Cindy’s
Golden hour over Millennium Park, drink in hand.
Coffee
Sawada
A quiet ritual and the pour-over I plan my mornings around.
Late Night
Au Cheval
The 1 a.m. burger that ends every good night out.

Available Thursday–Sunday evenings

Typically responds within 30 minutes