If you live within two to three hours of the community that you are considering moving to, it might be worth you driving, bussing, or taking a train there to spend a day familiarizing yourself with the area. This will give you first-hand experience with the area and can offer you a truer sense of what living there may be like. You will have a chance to meet the local people, check the amenities, and visit different neighborhoods that you may be considering buying a home in. If you do some preliminary research online, you can plan your visit most efficiently.