Self guided stories
in every city

I rebuilt the map over the last month, so instead of loading locations every time you move around, Storydex now runs off its own location database. That means locations load instantly, and you can zoom out to a new world heatmap to see every story location at once. I also found that a lot of nature-related spots had very thin info, which made the map noisy. My original plan was to use Storydex on hikes, learning about geology and rivers as easily as city blocks, but those low-info natural spots were crowding out the richer places. For now, I pulled most of those from the database until I can bring natural areas back in a more curated way. These updates are now live on the app store!

When my friend from Austin visited me in Portland, I found myself plotting a walking route downtown that passed as many "fun fact" spots as possible: Pioneer Square (former Portland Hotel), a skyscraper I helped design that never got built, a hidden creek now running beneath a park in the Pearl. Halfway through the walk, I realized something: giving this tour wasn't just about entertaining my friend, it made me feel connected, rooted, like a local who belongs.

I hope Storydex helps you feel the same way, wherever you are.

When I visited Barcelona, I planned my itinerary around the big spots: Park Güell, Sagrada Familia, the Gothic Quarter. But looking back, my favorite moments weren't at those landmarks, they were the small discoveries made along the way. Tiny squares with ancient Roman walls, homes of revolutionary Catalan leaders, local bakeries tucked in alleys. The real Barcelona emerged between destinations, not at them.

The Storydex website has pre-made tours highlighting the must-see places, but actually, I think the most interesting stories are the ones in the obscure places you come across as you walk from one destination to the next. That's what the app focuses on.