DIY New to Town Gift Basket Welcome Map

This DIY New to Town Gift Basket Welcome Map is the perfect way to welcome new friends or neighbors, with a basket full of a wealth of information!

Hello again, friends!

Jessica here today to share a fun idea to give to new neighbors, friends moving to your town, or guests staying with you for an extended visit: DIY New to Town Gift Basket and Welcome Map.

I recently moved …

I recently moved to a nearby town, so I reached out to a friend of mine that I knew grew up in this new-to-me area to ask if she knew of any good restaurants. Though I expected to get a one sentence response, I was deeply touched to get an extremely personalized, long e-mail from her. She went above and beyond, recommending every amazing restaurant in town, hiking trails for me and my pup, the best place for a cupcake (she knew about my sweet tooth!), the best road “to get lost on for a Sunday drive,” the locals’ favorite coffee shop, and a good theater for a date night. Her response was so thoughtful and unexpected, that I decided I’m going to do that for the next new neighbor or friend that moves into my little town. I love small acts of kindness like this.

A welcome map …

Only I’m going to take it one step further and turn all my suggestions into a helpful map! How fun would it be to open a gift basket and discover a “Welcome Map” that guided you through your new city?

Step 1: Make a list of your favorite restaurants, trails, coffee shops, parks, etc. If you know the person well, keep their personality, hobbies, and taste in mind to make it more personalized! If they love to bike, include a biking trail. If they love antiques, show them where the best antique shop in town is. If they are vegan, include a vegan restaurant if available.

Step 2: Trace a map of the city onto a piece of paper. Once you label the streets (I left this off my example to keep my location private), pinpoint each spot you wrote on your list, making sure to include a ‘key’ or additional notes somewhere to help them read the map easily. I chose to number my pictures and include a key at the bottom, but you can get creative and do whatever you want.

Step 3: Fold it up. Roll it up and tie it with ribbon. Put it in an envelope. Whatever you want! Then add it to a small gift basket welcoming them to the neighborhood. Easy!

DIY New to town gift basket welcome map

I also like to add additional local goodies in my basket to help better familiarize them with their new town. For example: treats or candles made from a local shop, a bottle of wine from a nearby winery, a gift card to the best coffee shop in town, an apple from the town’s farmer’s market, etc. Anything to get them excited to explore the city!

The best part about this project is that it forces you to really count your blessings and think about what you LOVE about living in your town.

What would you add to your basket to welcome someone to your town?