Regardless of how long your stay is, getting started can be one of the most overwhelming and intimidating parts of traveling to a new city. No matter how many books you’ve read or TV shows you’ve watched to prepare, nothing compares to finding yourself right in the middle of an unfamiliar place.
Here are some tips to help you start your trip off on the right foot.
1. It’s for the birds!
One of the best ways to get a handle on the layout of a new city is to make your way to one of the tallest structures around for a bird’s eye view. It could be the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Coit Tower in San Francisco, or the Empire State Building in New York City. From above the city, you can orient yourself by taking note of the locations of geographical landmarks, recognizable buildings, and the position of the sun, and where these all are in relation to each other, and to you. Once you’re back on the ground and in the thick of things, you’ll have an easier time navigating between all the places you want to go.
Image: Flickr
2. Get a little help.
Whether it’s friends you know personally or like-minded friendly strangers on Yelp or Mosey, relying on others to suggest their favorite things to do in a new city is a simple and easy solution. Ask your friends for tips with a Facebook post or tweet, or search your favorite review site for recommendations. Mosey is a particularly interesting new site, with users creating themed adventures, or “moseys” for others to go on while in a specific location.
3. Get around.
Regardless of the city you find yourself in, once you know where you want to go, you’ll need a way to get there. Every city has its own personality and specific set of needs. Los Angelenos drive everywhere, and while public transit options are available, walking is pretty much out of the question due to the sprawling layout of the city. Manhattan is compact and walkable, with a street grid that’s easily navigated through taxis and the subway system. San Francisco has public transit as well, and due to the extreme hills, many people opt for taxis if they want to avoid a workout. Many cities are also jumping on the peer ridesharing trend, with companies such as Lyft or Uber offering yet another alternative to expensive and impersonal taxis.
As you check in at PC Housing, or any other out of town lodging, be sure to ask the staff for any of their favorite recommendations, and they will be happy to point you in the right direction.