You’ve Moved: 8 Tips For Acclimating To Your New City

Moving to a new city can be a stressful experience, but it should also be a time full of excitement and new experiences. Once you’ve found the perfect home, packed your life up into a slough of cardboard boxes, and scheduled the movers, the next step is getting to know your new city. It’s easy to get caught up in all of the busyness that comes with moving into a new home and making it your own, but you’re not just moving into a new house, you’re moving to a new city. Here’s a few tips to try to get to know and get acclimated to your new city.

1. Learn the Neighborhood – it’ll be easy to get to know your neighborhood when you move in and realize you need to find your new grocery store, children’s schools, or religious institution.
2. Meet Your Neighbors – don’t be afraid to peak over the fence and introduce yourself to your new neighbors. Learn about them to start building a positive relationship!
3. Explore The City – take a break from getting moved into your new home to check out your city a bit more, beyond your immediate neighborhood.
4. Enjoy A Staycation – before you move or soon after you relocate, spend a weekend as a “tourist” in your new city. See, do, and experience all of the touristy things so you know whether they live up to the hype and can bring friends/family there when they visit.
5. Join The Conversation – if there’s neighborhood meetings or a forum, join in so you know what’s happening.
6. Learn The History – visiting museums, chatting with locals, and doing research to understand more about your city, the culture, and it’s history is a great way to get to know your city.
7. Get Involved – a great way to meet new people and get involved with the community is to volunteer your time with organizations you care about.
8. Go For a Walking Tour – probably the best way to get to know your city and experience the vibe is getting out those walking shoes and seeing it from the sidewalk. Take in all the sights, sounds, and smells to find your favorite parts of your new city.

Shortly after you’ve moved, it’s likely that friends and family will want to come visit. Become an expert on your new city by getting out and exploring, trying out the touristy things if you haven’t spent much time there in the past, and getting to know the locals. By trying out a few tips, it won’t be long before this city starts to feel more like home.