Here’s what happens when you activate your adventure instinct and make like a traveller at home.
Think you’ve got your local city sussed out? Sure, you might visit the same multicultural market every day or pick up coffee at your favourite sustainable roaster, but the stories behind them often remain hidden. To test this theory, a handful of Intrepid’s adventure-loving staff went to see if they could learn something new about where they live by taking an Intrepid Urban Adventure on their home turf. Just a few hours out of their day to delve more deeply into their destinations and discover what lies beyond their immediate back door.
The results – from storied gin distilleries to community-saluting bookshops – reveal that surprises can still be found even amid the familiar. Here’s to making the everyday exceptional.
Melbourne’s drinking dens
– Dyan Mckie, head of specialist experiences
I was born and raised in the wine-making Yarra Valley so I knew I’d be able to have fun on the Melbourne Booze Makes History Better Tour. We visited several spots down alleyways that I had no idea existed – including a laneway bar, hidden speakeasy, historic pub and rooftop bar – which revealed snapshots of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people, glimpses of gold-rush history and a hidden debaucherous past that revolved around the city’s red-light district. Making it even more fun, our local leader had cards that we got to pick from to learn about the next story, so it was like a choose-your-own adventure.
The one that stood out for me was a stop at a small cottage, which dates back to the 1850s, which is now the Little Lon Distilling Co. History tells us a woman by the name of Yokohama (a Japanese name she carried, though she was, in truth, Chinese) settled here and earned her living as a lady of the night. Inspired by the enchanting legacy of Miss Yoko, today you can try their limited-batch gin named ‘Miss Yoko’.
Delhi’s secrets and street food
– Kajal Chaudhary, reservations executive
As a Delhi local, I got the opportunity to go on two back-to-back trips around the city which is a great way to maximise your time if you don’t have long. The day started by exploring Hidden Gems of Delhi, where I experienced lost history in Sunder Nursery – a 90-acre (36-hectare) heritage park rich in Mughal-era history, that retains the charm of nature alongside the ruins. We also laced through the Lodhi Art District – which made me realise that art is such a strong form of societal expression. Then, another gem of Delhi: the Mehrauli Archaeological Park, filled with relics, ruins and heritage monuments, which further delved into Delhi’s ruling dynasties.
Later in the evening, we went for the Food Walk Adventure. I’m not much of a foodie, but the local street food made me change my mind. I tried momos, shawarma and gol gappas – all of which were delicious. This experience showed me that the place you live in has so much to offer – you just need to be ready to explore it, even if you only have a few hours.
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Seattle’s Pride scene
– Madison McConnell, marketing specialist
I’ve been to the Capitol Hill neighbourhood before with my wife but I wasn’t familiar with its history at the heart of Seattle’s gay rights movement. So, for Pride, I went on the Capitol Hill Pride Walk to find out more. We visited a few local businesses and community spaces, including the Elliott Bay bookstore, with its huge collection of LGBTQIA+ books – one of the largest queer- and woman-owned bookstores in the US, which celebrates LGBTQIA+ voices year round.
We also dropped in at Cupcake Royale, a coffee shop and bakery that’s been championing gay rights for 20 years – one sprinkle at a time. It was a great way to learn more about the people, stories and activism that helped shape the neighbourhood. For example, I didn’t realise the community park, Cal Anderson Park, was named after the state’s first openly gay lawmaker back in 1987, or that Seattle was one of the first cities to advocate for AIDS research and treatment. It was such a meaningful tour – hearing the stories and seeing how that spirit continues to thrive today. It left me with an even deeper appreciation for what makes this neighbourhood so special.
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Denver’s dark history
– Peter O’Donnell, adventure consultant
I’ve lived in Denver for about 20 years, so I didn’t necessarily think I’d discover any surprises on the Denver History and Highlights Tour. But I had no idea that the Klu Klux Klan ran every level of Denver’s government here in the 1920s. The flat-topped mesa I know so well from my walk to work turned out to be their favourite spot to do cross burnings – a potent hate symbol popularised by the KKK in the early 1900s.
It was eye opening, shameful stuff, which explains why the city has tried to distance itself from Benjamin Franklin Stapleton, Denver’s longest-serving mayor, who was high up in the hate group and a prominent member of the Klan. It was an example of why I think we all have a duty to know the history that’s right on our doorsteps.
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Melbourne’s street-art spots
– Shirlee Hermocilla, adventure consultant
As I walked through Fitzroy and Collingwood, I discovered there was far more to Melbourne’s coffee and street-art districts than I realised, even as a local. Along the way, this Fitzroy and Collingwood adventure revealed a fascinating history of Aboriginal civil rights, post-war migration and the transformation of these areas from industrial suburbs into sought-after cultural neighbourhoods. I was fascinated by the Matt Adnate mural on Collingwood’s 20-storey public housing tower – the tallest in the Southern Hemisphere – that celebrates the suburb’s multicultural community, and the Keith Haring mural on the corner of Johnston Street – a vibrant, heritage-listed piece of global street-art history.
We then passed The Tote Hotel while learning how its closure ignited the 2010 SLAM rally that helped save Melbourne’s live-music scene. I also walked past the Fitzroy home of chocolatier and confectioner, Sir Macpherson Robertson, learning he built his empire there with iconic treats like the Freddo frog, later bought by Cadbury. Turns out, he also founded my school, MacRobertson Girls’ High School – which I took great pride in.
Toronto’s food hubs
– Chelsea Cay, marketing specialist
I didn’t know I worked around the corner from ‘Toronto’s kitchen’, but that’s what I discovered on the Kensington Market & Chinatown adventure. Our leader said a kitchen is what makes a house feel like a home – that’s why hotel rooms don’t seem homely – and they referred to Kensington Market as Toronto’s kitchen. Along with so many locals who use it as their home away from home in the city, I’ve been there a lot. I’d never previously thought of it like this, but now I always will.
We stopped at Moon Bean coffee for snacks and sustainably sourced beans. This local independent roaster only partners with ethical suppliers and farmers and has been in the same spot for 30 years, making it a real landmark. In Chinatown, we also visited Mashion, a grab-and-go Hong Kong-style bakery on Spadina, where we got to choose our own baked goods. It’s only five minutes’ walk from our office, so after discovering it, I still go back all the time.
Explore your own city with an everyday adventure from Intrepid Urban Adventures.
