So, you’ve just said goodbye to your movers and moved to Fort Lauderdale. Great! What now? Should you simply go out and start walking around? Well, not really. In order to properly settle into Fort Lauderdale and become a Florida resident for the first time, there are a couple of things you need to keep in mind. This is why we’ve written our newcomer’s guide to Fort Lauderdale – so that you will know what to do and when.
After moving to Fort Lauderdale
The movers are gone and you are left with a pile of moving boxes? What should you do first? Well, there are two ways you can go about dealing with the aftermath of moving. You can either start unpacking right off the bat or give yourself some time to rest and recuperate and then tackle unpacking. In essence, it is up to you to figure out which one sounds better and which one you should opt for.
Unpacking
Ideally, you should unpack as soon as possible. The sooner you unpack your moving boxes, the sooner your Fort Lauderdale apartment will feel like a home. But, the downside is that unpacking can be quite tiresome. And, seeing that moving is a stressful process, unpacking can easily add to your stress. Therefore, it is not always the best idea to go straight into unpacking.
Relaxing
If you feel tired and burned out due to everything that you had to handle during your relocation, then you need to make sure you relax after the long move. Forgo the unpacking for the time being, and focus on your health and your nerves. Order or make some comfort food and try to unwind.
Some people enjoy listening to music, while others prefer to start researching their new city. Heck, you can reread our newcomer’s guide to Fort Lauderdale, while you are relaxing. So, all in all, do whatever helps you unwind and recharge you for both unpacking and exploration of Fort Lauderdale.
Settling down
Once you unpack, we suggest that you take a day or two to settle down. This means going through your home and looking into every nook and cranny of it. Until you do so, there is no way that your apartment will truly feel yours.
After that, you should explore your neighborhood. See where your grocery shop is, where your public transport stations are and where you can find the police and a hospital. The idea here is pretty much the same as the former one. You need to explore your neighborhood in order to properly settle down into it.
How to explore Fort Lauderdale
Now, once you’ve unpacked with or without the help of the crew suggested by Verified Movers, the time has come to explore Fort Lauderdale. As a newcomer, you are probably inclined to go out and explore everything that Fort Lauderdale has to offer. But, before you do so, we suggest that you take your time and plan your exploration a bit. After all, we wouldn’t be writing a newcomer’s guide to Fort Lauderdale, if we didn’t think that research was important.
History of Fort Lauderdale
The first thing that you need to do is to study the history of Fort Lauderdale. Seeing that the area was first inhabited by Tequesta Indians for over 2 thousand years before the Europeans arrived, the whole place has a lot of history for you to explore. From the time it was known as “New River Settlement”, to the Second Seminole War and the 1926 Miami hurricane. Multiple historical events helped shape what Fort Lauderdale is today. Therefore, if you want to know what Fort Lauderdale is about, you need to study its history.
Head to the beach
Once you know a bit more about Fort Lauderdale’s history, we suggest that you hit the beach. With 7 miles (11 km) of beaches, Fort Lauderdale is easily one of the most beautiful beachfront cities. You will be able to relax, enjoy the sun and have a swim at any of these gorgeous beaches. Plus, you can even rent a bike and drive around to properly explore them. That is what New Tampa lifestyle is all about, why would Fort Lauderdale be different?!
Visit Las Olas Boulevard
If you are up for seeing what Fort Lauderlade is really like, we suggest that you hit Las Olas Boulevard. Here you will see both tourists and residents of Fort Lauderdale going about their daily business. Furthermore, you will find tons of cafes, art galleries, and fashion displays. If you are up for a bit of history, you can check out the Stranahan House, which is preserved from the 1900s and houses antiques from the era. Before long, you will probably end up in the Arts and Entertainment District, which is a joy to explore all in itself.
Entertainment district and Riverwalk arts
Any art lover that visits Fort Lauderdale will probably spend most of their time in the Entertainment District. And, if you plan on living here for a while, this is the area where you will go to check out concerts and shows. In this 22-block district you have:
- Florida Grand Opera.
- Fort Lauderdale History Center.
- Broward Center for Performing Arts.
- NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale.
The final thing to keep in mind about our newcomer’s guide to Fort Lauderdale
As you will soon learn, Fort Lauderdale has a lot to offer. After all, it is not an accident that it is one of the most popular tourist destinations. So, if you plan on spending a lot of time here, we suggest that you take it slow. You can see a lot while spending time in Fort Lauderdale, but the last thing you want is to blow through it in a couple of days. Instead, try to focus on a single segment of Fort Lauderdale and explore it thoroughly. That way, you will enjoy it much more.