New to Town? 5 Things you Need to Know

Before we get started, congratulations are in order! Whether you’re searching for your dream job, or simply want to spend more time outdoors, you’ve made the right move. We’ve chatted to our new Squamish friends and created this list of 5 thing you need to know if you are new to town.  

Finding Friends has NEVER Been Easier

The hardest part about moving to a new town is saying goodby to good friends around the corner and family down the street. It may seem daunting, but let me promise you… getting this network back will be the easiest part.

If you’re interested in the outdoors, or anything really, (and have a facebook account), finding friends couldn’t be any easier. There’s a number of facebook groups which are used for the purpose of finding climbing, hiking, biking, ski touring friends, or fellow female adventurers.  You can also use Squamish Adventure as a resource for summer activity inspiration. 

You Can’t do Everything (Although Hundreds Try)

If you didn’t know, Squamish is the the outdoor recreation capital of Canada. There’s world class climbing areas, exhilarating mountain bike trails, challenging whitewater kayaking, sea kayaking on the Howe Sound and Kiteboarding at the spit. Did we mention hiking, camping, ski touring and highlining?

Are you overwhelmed yet?

We know you want to try it all but think about the money you’d need to spend on gear, and finding the time to take lessons and get work off.  Don’t forget you’ll need a massive shed to store all your new toys!

It’s a great idea to simply pick one or two seasonal activities in the beginning and avoid getting overwhelmed.

Give Yourself Plenty of Time to Find the Right House

For room or house rentals, it’s just a matter of time before you find somewhere suitable, and while it probably doesn’t t seem like it, we promise you will! Make sure you take a drive/ride around the neighbourhoods in town and find somewhere suitable for yourself or your family.

There’s a few sites and groups which are helpful such as Squamish Housing, Squamish Renters and Craigslist housing also make sure to take a look at our most recent Squamish housing article

Although it’s Nice, a Car isn’t Crucial

If you’re making the move up to Squamish, it’s important to know that there are a number of transport options.

Squamish has a bus service, with routes running between the Valleycliff, Downtown, Brackendale and Garabaldi Heights areas. A single ride will set you back $1.75 or $39 for a monthly pass.

A bike’s another great option and lets you explore the beautiful trails winding along the rivers and through the forests. As a rule of thumb, the furthest points of Squamish are only 30 minute ride away, much longer than you spent on the sky train every morning.

If you’re looking to travel to Whistler or Vancouver hitchhiking is always a safe, cheap and easy option. Just stand outside the Adventure centre or Mags 99 for an easy pickup. Hitching the Sea to Sky allows you to ‘hitch’ from the comfort of your home.

If you’re not comfortable with that, the Greyhound busses offer cheap return services as do websites such as Poparide.

Your Life Will be Different in Squamish

While cities often bring out our materialistic side – bigger houses, faster cars, more shoes – Squamish seems to push us back to the basics; where everyone is talking about the next big climb they have planned, or the trail they want to tackle.

Wandering down Cleveland Ave you’ll find any number of families enjoying the sunshine, freelancers working from coffee shops and old friends getting re-aquainted. Maybe it’s time to join them!

I’m just trying to say that you should enjoy your time in Squamish. Build friendships, slow down, attend some cool events and get outside!