Founded in 2014, Localfu is an innovative take on sharing economy travel. They connect travelers with locals who will construct customized travel plans. For instance, if you are going to Harbor Springs, Michigan, and want to know where you can camp near the beach, you can get in touch with Jordan who will tell you about the best secret (not necessarily legal) camping spot near the beach, and he’ll also point you towards a great bar for food and a drink while watching the sunset.
So far Localfu has guides in 47 cities and towns around the world. Mostly in the United States. They have a surprising distribution of places for which you probably would be hard pressed to find a tour book or any tourist tips. For instance, Lubbock, Texas and Hickory, North Carolina. But they also cover big destinations like Paris, London, San Francisco, and Barcelona. And anyone can apply to be a localfu guide, it’s quite simple and requires no in person interaction, so I imagine they will expand quickly.
Never would have found this awesome bar without the tip from a local in Sevilla
I think this is a great addition to the peer to peer travel space. Often while traveling I just want to wander around and see stuff on my own. I’m not looking for a tour guide, but I welcome tips about interesting things to see and do. I’d definitely pay $5 for some tailored food and activity recommendations when I don’t know someone from the place I’m visiting.
For related reading, here’s my general review of peer to peer activities and tours.