LocalGems

Why I Built This

Every travel guide on the internet is the same recycled list of tourist traps. TripAdvisor reviews are gamed. Google Maps recommendations are sponsored. The best spots in any city - the ones locals actually go to - don’t show up in search results.

I built LocalGems to fix that. It’s an AI-powered travel guide that surfaces the places, restaurants, festivals, and experiences that only locals know about. Real recommendations for real travelers.

What It Does

Tell it where you’re going, when, and who’s with you. LocalGems generates a personalized guide with restaurants, activities, neighborhoods, and hidden spots tailored to your trip. It handles dietary restrictions, age-appropriate suggestions, and seasonal events. You can export the whole thing as a PDF or get it emailed.

50+ destinations. Zero sponsored content. No slop, all gems.

How It’s Built

• Framework: Astro for fast static generation
• AI: Claude API for personalized recommendation generation
• Infrastructure: Cloudflare for global CDN and edge delivery
• SEO: Schema.org structured data for every destination
• Output: PDF export and email delivery

Who It’s For

Travelers who are tired of eating at the same restaurants every tourist eats at. Families planning trips who want age-appropriate activities that aren’t just theme parks. Anyone who’s ever asked a local “where do you actually eat?” and gotten a completely different answer than what Google suggested.

FAQ

Is it free? Yes. The platform runs on donations - it started as a family project to support our kids’ education.

How does it avoid the same tourist trap recommendations? The AI is specifically prompted to prioritize local-favorite spots over tourist-heavy ones. No sponsored listings, no pay-to-play. If locals don’t go there, it doesn’t make the cut.