TrustedHousesitters, one of the most popular house-sitting platforms in the world, recently analyzed 110,000 home stays around the United States to determine which places people feel most welcome.
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If you’re new to house-sitting platforms, let me catch you up. Rather than paying for a hotel or a private rental, travelers can submit their homes and apartments for lodging exchanges. Some platforms require owners to put up their own places, while others let users pay a small fee to stay in other people’s homes. All members are vetted to ensure safety and quality.
One key factor in many house-sitting setups, including TrustedHousesitters, is pet care.
One cost that I factor into my travel planning is dog-sitting care for my chihuahua. With platforms like TrustedHousesitters, pet care is baked into the equation. In short, you agree to care for a (lovable) pet in exchange for a free stay. You can also find pet sitters to stay in your home while you travel. You can even do both, in case you want to find a sitter for your pooch before you head out on a pet-sitting adventure of your own.
(If that premise sounds good to you, I recommend signing up with TrustedHousesitters. Although I haven’t used it, two of my close friends in Barcelona regularly use TrustedHousesitters to look for pet care for their poodle when they travel. Given they live in a highly sought-after part of the city, they’re never searching for a sitter for long.)
Now, onto the fun stuff. Given TrustedHousesitters has worked with over 280,000 registered members in 180 countries as of 2026, they know a thing or two about feeling at home when traveling.
While the platform is optimized for finding pet care, it’s also about giving travelers a homely experience—one that makes it even easier to soak up the atmosphere and vibe of a new place. Here’s what we can learn about US destinations from a recent study from the house-sitting website.
3 US cities where you’ll feel at home, according to TrustedHousesitters
TrustedHousesitters recently published its Hidden Corners Index, a study that ranks six cities where users have noticed they felt like a local. According to users, these three US cities had neighborhoods they fell in love with and local businesses that made it easy to get into the groove of things.
These cities include San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle. (I guess it’s a West Coast thing!)
But that’s not all. The rankings also include insights and tips from the actual sitters who enjoyed their stay in the area. Kacie, a sitter who enjoyed her time in San Francisco, recommends Andytown Coffee Roasters and walks through Forest Hill, for example. In Seattle, sitter Melody recommends The Outer Rim, a funky sci-fi themed café, and the Little Free Libraries that are scattered around the city. They’re the type of spots and experiences that locals know about for years before travelers find out.
The lists are great for recommendations—but they’re also solid social proof that TrustedHousesitters works. Even if you’ve never imagined shacking up in a stranger’s home and caring for their pup (or seeking out a sitter), the stories and tips from each sitter will get you excited for the opportunity to travel without spending on pet care and/or lodging.
- Check out recommendations from Seattle
- Check out recommendations from San Francisco
- Check out recommendations from Portland
