When traveling in Rome, you gotta do as the Romans. That includes partying–you know, if it’s your thing. And why wouldn’t it be your thing?
One way to find a good party spot on your travels would be to consult a friend who’s already been to the city you’re visiting, or maybe doing some independent research using the old Google-fu. A more fun way would be to meet up with a local, and have them not just direct you to the most happening shindigs around, but also accompany you to them. That way you make a new friend, and have a more authentic local experience on your travels. That’s exactly what Party With a Local makes possible.
Party With A Local is an app available on Android and iOS that has been around for more than two years now. It has gone through a few iterations during that time. Version 3.0 was released just last week (December 8th), and brings the ability for users to add events and find ones happening near them–anything from large concerts to small gatherings. The app has garnered more than 100,000 users spread across 150 countries so far, so the likelihood of it helping connect travelers and locals is already pretty high and growing.
Getting started with the app is really simple. Right after signing up (through Facebook or with an email address), the app asks for your hometown, so it knows when to categorize you as a local and when to categorize you as a traveler. Then it displays the profiles of users in and around you; the list can be filtered by whether you want to meet travelers or locals, girls or guys, and by age and distance from your current location. Some profiles are recommended by the app–presumably based on their activity, number of positive reviews, and whatever other quantifiable ways there are to judge a nightlife ninja.
Once you’ve chosen a potential party partner, you can pop into a chat with them inside the app. From there on in, it’s left to the humans to make plans and decide what direction the evening takes. If you run out of ideas, as mentioned above, there is now the option of jumping into the ‘Events’ tab. The feature was added as a result of the makers noticing people using the app to find company while attending events of all kinds, and not just parties. So now, any Facebook Event can be added to Party With A Local’s event calendar.
Party With A Local is available as free download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you’re a road warrior who’s not quite into the party scene, you might prefer an app to help find the best hipster joints in town, or one that connects you with locals intent on diving into the most authentic areas of the culture, from arts and crafts to tours and Tai Chi. When it comes to taking in a new locale, there are many ways to skin the cat, and just as many apps to assist with the process. If it’s getting crunk ’till the crack of dawn, then you may want to let Party With A Local bubble up to the top of the list.
