Local Point

By The Editors
June 19, 2012 9:00 am

Never underestimate the perils of navigating an unfamiliar city: inscrutable traffic signs. Passive-aggressive mimes. Aggressive-aggressive pickpockets.

Forego those dangers and get an assist from those who know the cities best — the locals — with Gidsy.

Partially funded by Ashton Kutcher (apparently the smallest of Two and a Half Investors), Gidsy pairs globetrotters with expert local tour guides, culinary experts and pro-am local culture enthusiasts, all of whom have a unique insight into their own hometowns.

Using the service is simple: head to the site, narrow down your listings by your interests and your city (ten worldwide for now, and averaging two new ones per month), then book a slot on an upcoming adventure of your choice. Each listing features a brief description of the event, plus the cost, duration, ticket availability and a bio of the organizer. Highlights:

    Events run in the $20-$60 range; the site takes a small cut of each online booking, and holds on to payments until at least 24 hours after an event to ensure customer satisfaction.

    In case that “learning to eat fire with a professional aerialist” event somehow goes awry.

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