Whether you’ve been offered a new job, love the city itself, are looking for a new adventure, or are coming to spend more time with family or friends, hundreds of people move to Washington, D.C. every year. But moving to a new place, especially a major city, comes with its own challenges. To take some of the stress out of your big move, Secret D.C. asked its followers: What is the best advice you would give to someone moving to D.C.? Here, we rounded up some Washingtonian wisdom (and wisecracks!) to keep in mind:
1. On escalators: “Don’t stand on the left!”/ “Stay on the right side!”
2. “Don’t take it for granted! D.C. offers so much history, walkability, so many free events!”
3. “D.C. is a great city for walking, biking – so many bike paths, trails, beautiful hiking both in the city and not far out of the city. D.C. is beautiful, big trees, flowers, birds, National Arboretum, Rock Creek Park, etc.”
4. Beware the rats!
5. Learn to merge.
6. #DCDating exists for a reason…dating in D.C. is the pits.
7. “Watch out for the traffic cameras!”
8. Stop asking people, “What do you do?”
9. “Avoid Maryland drivers!”
10. But also… “Watch out for all the cars with VA tags in D.C.”
11. “Never EVER wire money to a landlord or person BEFORE seeing the apartment and vetting that everything works.”
12. Don’t be ashamed: take advantage of some tourist attractions like the free Smithsonians, embassy events, and taking in the monuments and history.
13. Living near a Metro station is key for getting around.
14. Keep an eye on your budget (especially if you’re moving from a small town)—D.C. can be expensive!
15. Traffic…traffic, everywhere.
16. “Commanders are cool again now that Snyder is gone, go to a game.”
17. It can be hard as an adult to make new friends.