The top 5 ways to make your city feel like home

I have found in each area that we live, there is always an adjustment phase of feeling comfortable in the city. We move fairly often and it always takes a while to feel settled in an area and even know what are the great things about the area that we live in. A few years ago we moved to an area where we had little knowledge or experience. We have done some simple things to make this area our home!

The five ways that we've made new areas feel like home:

1. Create a list of recommended restaurants to try out. 

We met a friend who had an endless list of names of restaurants to try. All of her recommendations will take us a long time to get through but have not been disappointing so far. It makes it fun to have different places to try and have delicious food!

     2.  Set up a fun photoshoot that plays with areas you've never been to before.

We needed to have some professional pictures done for our business. I reached out to a photographer who would be willing to go downtown to different areas. It turned out really fun and we were able to explore a boutique hotel, pictures on a bridge, and experience something different. We were also able to find restaurants to try out that didn't make our list before. 

     3.  Have a staycation downtown for a quick weekend.

We have done this a few times, tried out different hotels, and just took a relaxing weekend to explore the area. Walking from the hotel to see different shops, boutiques, and of course, food locations is a great way to enjoy your downtown.

     4.  Do tourist type of activities like a downtown tour or visiting museums.

Our family loves exploring museums and we have an opportunity to do a duck tour in our area which is on our list of to do's! There are also bike tours and segway tours available in our city along with several hiking locations. The sky is the limit in exploring your city. We also use websites for recommendations, reviews and new ideas of what we can do.

     5.  Find local activities to make connections such as a church, service opportunities or local events.

Before we move to an area, we always try to have a church location picked out to visit once there. It helps us to create a community where we can make connections and friends. Fortunately, our church usually has great resources for service but we also use an app called JustServe to find ways to serve. We found through social media a music mini-concert in the town square happening in the spring and summer months. It has been a fun way to dance, make friends, and spend time with our family.

I hope that these tips can help you adjust and enjoy the area that you live in, whether you've been there for 20 years or just 1 year. I have found that moving to new areas has helped our family become well rounded, more independent, and find confidence in exploring and experiencing the new that our home has to offer.