Tips for Exploring a New City Using the Internet

Guest post by Ana M. Ferrer, Movers.com

Once you’ve finished unpacking all your boxes and furniture, you might think you’re done — but you’re not.  Whether you moved across the state or across the country, you’ll need to do some exploring.

The Internet is going to be your new best friend after you move. Here are some tips for exploring a new city by going online.

1. Visit Review Websites

Whether you moved for work or for a change in scenery, you undoubtedly did some research on your new home. But what do you do when you arrive and you don’t know where the best pizza place is? Who will you ask when you need to find a reliable plumber? What will you do when you need to find a new yoga studio?

If you don’t already have friends or family in the area, the best place to look will be review websites.

Websites such as Yelp, Urbanspoon and Zagat make it easy to find your new favorite restaurant. Angie’s List, the Redfin Open Book Directory and Houzz have reviews of contractors and service providers. Angie’s List performs thorough checks on reviewers and does not allow anonymous reviews on the site.

Yelp does double duty in this situation because it not only displays reviews but also helps you locate services, restaurants and other businesses near you on your GPS-enabled phone or using your ZIP code.

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2. Use Social Media

Facebook and Twitter are excellent tools for keeping in touch with friends and family, and will become invaluable once you move away. But they’re also convenient for learning about your new home.

Many towns and cities have official Facebook and Twitter pages that offer up-to-the-minute information about what’s going on in the town. Usually, businesses in the town connect to the town’s social media pages, which will help you kill two birds with one stone.

Once you’ve made “friends” with your town, you’ll be able to stay informed about events and public figures and can connect with anyone else who is “friends” with your town, which in turn will grow your personal network!

3. Ask a Search Engine

Sometimes, you can just Google things.

If you’re looking for something specific, a good place to start is a search engine. Often enough, a simple phrase and your ZIP code will give you a place to start looking.

Search engines often show ratings of results along with addresses and contact information.

If a business doesn’t have a website or your neighbors and friends haven’t heard of it, be sure to check the Better Business Bureau’s website for any complaints.

Once you’ve done a sufficient amount of online research, there’s no substitute for personal experience. Get out there and explore your new hometown with your own two feet. Many people find it helpful to treat the first few weekends as a vacation to really make the most of their time when they’re exploring.

About Ana M. Ferrer and Movers.com

Ana M. Ferrer writes content for Movers.com and sometimes writes her own personal blog. Movers.com specializes in connecting customers to professional moving companies and offers information for planning and executing residential, corporate and international moves.

Note: This is a guest post; the views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Redfin.