[jmccree]

Wow, your post brought back such great memories of my first trip to Amsterdam. Visiting the Van Gogh museum, walking through the red light district, having savory pancakes at a famous place... while all fun, are not the experiences I remember. Taking the tour and tasting at Browerij 't IJ, grocery shopping for a BBQ with a local friend in Muiderpoort, eating Bitterballen, the random pub I hung out in waiting for my tour of the Utrecht Tower... Those are things that I will always remember.

There is nothing hipster about wanting to experience things locals regularly do. There is also nothing wrong with doing touristy things. I love the pictures I took at "The Bean" in Chicago, or climbing the steps of the Utrecht Dom Tower. If you /love/ classical art, then the Van Gough museum or Louvre are must sees, otherwise I agree that in 20 years it'll just be a checkbox "I've been to the Louvre!". For me, it comes down to that I remember more experiences with people than with things.