Friday Eye Candy: Maps Reveal Differences in How Locals and Tourists See the City

The cities that visitors see will always be different than the city that locals see. A new mapping project reveals the distinctions between the local perspective and the tourist perspective for 136 cities around the globe.

1 minute read

February 27, 2015, 6:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Locals and Tourists - Pittsburgh

Eric Fischer / Flickr

Talia Lavin shares news of an insightful mapping project by Eric Fischer that shows where specific kinds of city folk (e.g., tourists and locals) take photos around cities all over the world.

Here's how Lavin describes the project: "Using geotagging—location data embedded in photographs and other digital media—[Fischer] created a series of maps that show us precisely which locations are beloved by tourists, by locals, and by both groups."

The photo series, called "locals and Tourists" is available for viewing on Flickr. In the maps, blue dots represent local photos and red are for tourists. Fischer determined how long the photogs had taken photos in the city to make the distinction between local and itinerant. 

Thursday, February 19, 2015 in Huffington Post

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

People vote in Chicago behind blue privacy screens

Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners

Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents

November 5 - Block Club Chicago

Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks into a microphone. He wears a gray suit.

NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting

New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.

November 5 - The City Reporter

People in Los Angeles going to the polls, following a sign with an "I Voted" design

California appears to reject Prop. 45

The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.

November 5 - Cal Matters