How to Get to Know Your New Orleans Neighborhood

After moving into a new neighborhood in New Orleans, you want to take the time to get to know it. There are several great ways to get acquainted with your new community. Here are some of the best ways you can get to know the new place you now call home.

Become Approachable

Getting to know your neighbors is an important part of fitting into your new neighborhood. You can make yourself approachable by spending time sitting on your front porch or taking walks throughout the neighborhood. Even just taking your time to walk to your car in the morning with a smile on your face makes it easier for neighbors to say “hi” or spark up a conversation.

When you’re out in the community, do the same type of thing. Choose a seat at the bar instead of the corner table or choose one of the communal seating areas and leave the headphones at home. You can even take the children to a park or playground nearby and leave the phone in your pocket. If you smile and say hello to others, you’ll likely get to know your neighbors much faster.

Sign up for Activities

Most neighborhoods and communities in New Orleans offer plenty of activities you can get involved with. Whether it’s a simple exercise class or a family event, you want to get involved as soon as possible. If you have children, get them involved in something they enjoy as soon as you get settled into your home. Getting involved will help you and your entire family feels more a part of the new community.

If the community has any volunteer activities you can do as a family, these types of activities work great for getting to know your neighborhood and neighbors. Volunteering often helps you get to know things better than just going to an event. Check the community calendars, Facebook page or website to find out about the things going on nearby you can get involved with.

Find Out Where Locals Go

Where do your neighbors hang out? Is there a dog park nearby you can take your dog to? What about a local cafe or farmers market?

When you go where the locals hang out, you’ll likely see people you live near and they will start to recognize you as a neighbor. This can help you move forward with making new friends and getting to know the neighborhood.

Check Out Local Attractions

Outside of just getting to know your neighbors, you may want to start getting to know the things to do in your area. Many New Orleans neighborhoods offer plenty of attractions you can visit with your family. Whether you spend the day at the park with a picnic or you head out on a historic tour, getting to know the attractions in the area will help you to feel settled and feel like a part of the community.

Look for things, such as home tours, historic tours and other tours of the area. Chances are, if you take a tour or do something with a group of other people, you’ll meet a few of your neighbors along the way.

Don’t Be Afraid to Make the First Move

You could be scared, but making the first move and introducing yourself is a great way to get to know your neighbors. They may have been looking for a good time to introduce themselves, but didn’t want to interrupt you as you were busy moving in. Approach your neighbors and say hello or even simply waving at them could be all you need to get to know them.

In addition, simple ice breakers, such as asking what day trash gets picked up or if there is a local grocery store nearby will get the conversation going.

Ask Your Real Estate Agent for Recommendations

Often, your real estate agent will know the neighborhood very well. They may know the best local restaurants and places to go. If you need a recommendation for a church, they probably know exactly where to send you. In fact, they could be the best source of information on where to find neighborhood events, activities and attractions.

Your agent may also be able to introduce you to other home buyers new to the neighborhood or getting ready to move into the area.

Getting to know your New Orleans neighborhood is very important. If you want to feel at home and enjoy living in your new community, it can be much easier if you take the time to use these tips and get to know the area and your neighbors.