I interviewed the recently retired Pulaski County Tourism Director, Beth Wiles, and I am still thinking about something she said. I interview a lot of people. Most conversations are great but every once in a while, someone says something that I’m still thinking about a week later. Beth Wiles was one of those
Before we get to that, let me say I named my podcast Fort NOT Lost in the Woods because I wanted to take what is often intended as a derogatory nickname for the Fort Leonard Wood area and use it to highlight everything wonderful about living here. Pulaski County is NOT Lost in the Woods. The irony is that the very things that make some people think it is, are actually the things many of us love most about this community.
It’s quiet. It’s laid back. It’s beautiful. It’s filled with good people, small businesses that know your name, and enough outdoor adventures to keep you busy for years. On every episode of the podcast, I ask guests the same question: What’s your favorite thing about this area? While everyone has a different story, the answers almost always fall into the same categories. First, they talk about the natural beauty, winding rivers, scenic overlooks, and peaceful backroads.
Second, they mention the people. Folks who wave when you pass them on the road, neighbors who show up when someone needs help, and communities that rally around each other when times get tough.
Third, they talk about the outdoors. Floating the rivers, fishing at sunrise, hiking wooded trails, hunting in the fall, or simply enjoying a quiet evening on the porch while the cicadas provide the soundtrack.
Hearing those answers week after week reminds me just how fortunate we are.
On a recent episode of The Fort NOT Lost in the Woods Podcast, I asked Beth what she feels is one of the most misunderstood things about tourism in Pulaski County. Her answer deserves more reflection from all of us.
Beth said that in most small communities, residents don’t recognize the place they call home as a tourism destination. Apparently, we’re not unique. According to others who work in destination marketing, it’s a common conversation across the country. People who live somewhere tend to stop seeing what makes it special.
We get busy. We go to work. We run errands. Before long, the places around us become part of the background instead of something worth noticing. As the saying goes, we can’t “see the forest for the trees.”
The funny thing is, while we’re overlooking what’s in our own backyard, someone else is planning a vacation to come see it. They’re searching online for that little diner everyone says has the best pie or that family-owned restaurant that’s been serving generations of locals. They’re driving hundreds, if not thousands, of miles to visit the Route 66 Neon Park. They’re taking pictures of places we drive by every day without a second glance.
What feels ordinary to us is brand new to someone else. There’s something refreshing about looking at your hometown through the eyes of a visitor. Suddenly The Old Stagecoach Stop isn’t just another building you’ve passed a thousand times. Midway Coffee Shop isn’t just where you grab caffeine. The Roubidoux Park isn’t just a place you drive by. They’re experiences waiting to be discovered. Maybe that’s why tourists always seem so excited. They notice things we’ve stopped noticing.
This summer, I’m challenging myself—and you, too—to become a tourist in your own hometown.
Eat at the mom-and-pop restaurant you’ve always meant to try but somehow never have. Spend an afternoon floating the river instead of telling yourself you’ll do it “one of these days.” Take your kids or grandkids to The Route 66 Neon Park.
Supporting local businesses is another bonus. Every meal you buy at a locally owned restaurant, every souvenir you pick up from a small shop, helps keep our communities vibrant. Small towns thrive when people choose to invest in the places that make them unique.
Living somewhere every day has a way of making even extraordinary things feel ordinary. Sometimes we spend so much time dreaming about the next big vacation that we forget there’s plenty to discover just a few miles from our front door.
So, look around. Take the scenic route. See your hometown with fresh eyes. You might just discover that the place you’ve always called home has been a destination all along.