I visited Montreal for the first time without having booked. The locals helped me plan my 24-hour trip.

On a trip to Montreal, my first time ever in Canada, I ChatGPT dumped and influencer travel content for actual recommendations from locals.

As a travel writer and content creator, I am draw up a travel plan before I travel. Each day is carefully curated from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep, including reservations for restaurants, sightseeing, and other activities. I spend hours scouring the internet, TikTok, and Instagram for Top 10 and “Best of” lists, asking ChatGPT for recommendations.

It has become tiring.

I have to sift through each post and ask myself if the influencer actually enjoyed the place they’re reviewing, or if it’s just an advertisement – ​​or, alternatively, if they’re deliberately highlighting something negative for engagement and exaggerating the experience. Also, articles that ChatGPT recommends sometimes haven’t been updated in years, and a place you added to your list may no longer even exist.

So to test a new way of travelingI decided to book an overnight stay in Montreal during a layover. I booked my flight and that was the end of the planning. Equipped only with a destination, my Midwestern comfort with small talk, and an interest in real recommendations, I set out on a trip with no itinerary and no advance planning.

I got my first recommendations while waiting for my flight

As I waited to board my flight, I decided this was a good time to ask travel tips. I struck up a conversation with a man at my gate and asked where he recommended I stay. His eyes widened when I told him I was heading to a new country and hadn’t arranged a hotel, but he was excited to show me around the neighborhoods of Montreal.

His first recommendation was Old Montrealthe heart of the city, the perfect location for walking to both the old harbor and sights such as Notre-Dame Basilica. He also recommended Downtown Montreal for great shopping and easy transportation, and Griffintown, with its vibrant Montreal arts scene, as options. Since I only had about 24 hours, I decided to book a hotel in downtown Montreal since it had busy streets and wasn’t too far from the airport.

My Uber driver also had some tips for me

During my drive from the airport I received even more tips. When I told my Uber driver it was my first time in the city, he immediately launched into a list of reasons why loves Montreal. He recommended a few activities, such as going to Ye Old Orchard Pub and Grill to watch a hockey game, trying some of the iconic smoked meats and poutine Montreal has to offer, and visiting the bars in the entertainment district. By the time I arrived at my hotel, I had a list full of personal recommendations that only required a few minutes of active, engaged listening, rather than hours of scrolling.

After check into my hotelI went to my first recommendation from my Uber driver: Schwartz’s Deli, one of the oldest delis in Canada. I was in foodie heaven when I went to town on a delicious smoked meat sandwich that was worth every minute I had to wait in line to get a seat.

I also got a recommendation from the cashier at Schwartz’s Deli

Surprisingly, my next recommendation came from the cashier as I was leaving. She inquired about my meal and I told her how much I loved what I ordered, but that I regretted not going for one of their other classic dishes. She immediately recommended another popular Montreal eatery, La Banquise, and told me not to leave without trying their poutine.

From there, I took a tip the hotel staff had given me when I checked in (yes, I talked to them too!) and walked to the Old Port of Montreal. I used the walk as an opportunity to explore the city, making several stops along the way to spot bits of history, such as Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica, Montreal City Hall, and Quebec’s oldest private history museum, Chateau Ramezay. I also picked up some sports equipment for my dad from Montreal’s hockey team, the Montreal Canadiens (aka the Habs).

I ended the day full of poutine and satisfied with the results of my adventure. No, I couldn’t see everything Montreal has to offer in 24 hours, but my quest to “talk local” saved me hours of planning and allowed people who know the city best to share what makes their home so special.

Traveling without an itinerary isn’t right for every trip, but for this one it worked perfectly

Now, I guess one travel free method for every trip? Absolutely not. Montreal was a unique test for this experiment for a number of reasons. First, as Canada’s second largest city, I knew booking a hotel would be a piece of cake. If I were going somewhere smaller or remote, I wouldn’t risk a last minute hotel booking.

It was one long layover with a lack of time, which, ironically, gave me a feeling of freedom. I didn’t pressure myself to make reservations or book a fancy hotel. I just walked on my own time, stopping and browsing every store I liked and the recommendations I picked up along the way.

I can admit that my sans itinerary planning isn’t a path to follow for every trip, but I do hope to incorporate the importance of flexibility and “going with the flow” into my travels and skip or at least limit the overload that comes with endlessly scrolling for plans.