Pack your bags, lace up your walking shoes and prepare for fun on your trip around the Greater Lansing area for the “Be a Tourist in Your Own Town” event on Saturday, June 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., sponsored by the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“Be A Tourist in Your Own Town,” was started 19 years ago to increase community awareness of the different attractions in Greater Lansing and the tourism industry’s impact on the area. The event features over 20 venues including: Art Alley, MSU Beal Botanical Gardens, Burgdorf’s Winery, MSU Bug House, Cooley Gardens and many more.

Participants can purchase a “Be A Tourist Passport,” which grants free admission to all participating venues for $1. Tickets can be purchased from the CATA Transportation Center, the Greater Lansing Visitors Center, Lansing City Market, NCG Cinemas and other locations. A full list of places where passports can be purchased are featured on the “Be A Tourist in Your Own Town” website. Children ages 3 and under do not require a passport

CATA buses will serve the “Be A Tourist In Your Own Town” routes for the entire day. A one-time purchase for a boarding pass is required and costs 50 cents. The boarding pass can be used all day along the routes. A map of the CATA routes can be found on the event’s website.

The event also features a contest for participants called, “Be A Tourist Check-in Challenge.” The contest starts at 10 a.m. on the day of the event. Contestants will use their GPS-enabled Droid or iPhone to check in at specific locations via a photo hint and earn 100 points for each location visited. Prizes will be awarded to three people with the most points. Prizes include: overnight accommodations at TownePlace Suites by Marriott, a $50 gift card to Eastwood Towne Center and a $25 gift certificate to Buffalo Wild Wings in East Lansing.