It depends on the trip. I usually withdraw local currency from the atm in the airport where I arrive. I get $200 in local currency for emergencies and try to pay as much as I can with cc. then on my last day in country use the remaining local currency to pay for my hotel and then charge the rest of the hotel bill to my cc.

This way I have local currency, but dont end up leaving the country with it to collect in a drawer in my house somewhere.