What is the allure of Austin and why is it better then Houston and Dallas? (San Antonio: wedding, school)

[AK123]

Originally Posted by cBach

Austin has a vibe, like what you get in New Orleans or San Francisco. It has a quirky and unique character that intrigues people.

You are giving way too much credit to Austin. I wouldn't compare it with those places (as someone who has lived in central Austin and has a long family history with N.O. and enough experience with S.F.)

Originally Posted by capcat

I think San Antonio comes closer to a vibe like New Orleans. I don't the uniqueness in Austin to the degree it exists in those two cities.

I agree. For my wedding a decade ago, we liked the idea of a destination wedding but wanted to stay close. New Orleans and San Antonio were on the list for having that "vibe" and in the end we chose historic downtown San Antonio. Austin wasn't even on the radar.

Originally Posted by N. Olikee

Perhaps Houston is so big that the quirkiness is "diluted?" It's more exposed in Austin?

Pretty much. There's plenty of quirk... it's just not in-your-face if you don't live in the right areas. In fact I think there's more quirk in Houston than Austin, but it's not tooted nearly as much. And yes, in such a huge city, it's not as easy to find.

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

And Dallas and Houston are important world class cities? Look I like both towns but if you want to see an important world class city with real culture and real international business come to London and I'll show you what a real city is. ... Dallas and Houston are wonderful little regional towns, and great for what they are. As is Austin. It is again much smaller and an wonderful town for what it is. In their own part they are anything but insignificant.

Of course they're not on a level with London or NYC, but certainly much above somewhere like Austin economically and culturally. Houston is a huge international city... only two other US cities have more foreign consulates. Has most of the typical big-city amenities. In city tiers, it's probably a step or two behind L.A., Chicago, etc. Certainly far from regional little towns.

[migol84]

Originally Posted by AK123

You are giving way too much credit to Austin. I wouldn't compare it with those places (as someone who has lived in central Austin and has a long family history with N.O. and enough experience with S.F.)

Yeah, I don't think Austin is anywhere near what San Francisco is and I've never been to New Orleans but I don't think its near its quirkiness either.

Austin's weirdness is more like if someone has a plethora of tattoos all over their face people would turn around and make a novelty of that person as some tourists did the same with my long curly eccentric hair. In San Francisco, you'd get more craziness and eccentricities but nobody cares, just like nobody cared about my hair here. haha That's about the first things I noticed moving here.

I agree. For my wedding a decade ago, we liked the idea of a destination wedding but wanted to stay close. New Orleans and San Antonio were on the list for having that "vibe" and in the end we chose historic downtown San Antonio. Austin wasn't even on the radar.

Yes, I absolutely agree. San Antonio and New Orleans seem to have that old traditional small town vibe to them, its semi-european, (
SA more Spanish influenced, NO more French influenced) but mostly southern.

Pretty much. There's plenty of quirk... it's just not in-your-face if you don't live in the right areas. In fact I think there's more quirk in Houston than Austin, but it's not tooted nearly as much. And yes, in such a huge city, it's not as easy to find.

Well, I don't know about this.... its kinda close really. Maybe it stems from the fact that Austin has more per capita of that eclectic weirdness... but I've lived in both cities and while there is plenty of this strange vibe in Houston, its really hard to tell which has more. I mean, we're talking about Hyde Park, the East Side, S. Congress, S. Lamar, S. 1st, the drag and all of downtown that pretty much caters to this type of culture.

There certainly are pockets of Houston that feels the same way, but how big in comparison is it really? And another thing, I don't think that its in your face per se, I just think its more embraced. "In your face" sounds like if people in Austin are annoying trying to embrace their eclectic vibe... I really don't think they are.

Of course they're not on a level with London or NYC, but certainly much above somewhere like Austin economically and culturally. Houston is a huge international city... only two other US cities have more foreign consulates. Has most of the typical big-city amenities. In city tiers, it's probably a step or two behind L.A., Chicago, etc. Certainly far from regional little towns.

BevoLJ was making a case for Houston not being a world class city. Nobody here is making a claim that Austin is nearly as good as Dallas and Houston in terms of what makes a great city. We're all just answering why we prefer it over those two.

So essentially, we're all on the same page here.

[thesonofgray]

Originally Posted by AK123

I agree. For my wedding a decade ago, we liked the idea of a destination wedding but wanted to stay close. New Orleans and San Antonio were on the list for having that "vibe" and in the end we chose historic downtown San Antonio. Austin wasn't even on the radar.

Austin is not really known as being historic...actually, quite the opposite. Austin is a lot of "new". New Orleans and downtown San Antonio are very much historic. But historic != quirkiness or eccentric.

Originally Posted by migol84

Yes, I absolutely agree. San Antonio and New Orleans seem to have that old traditional small town vibe to them, its semi-european, (
SA more Spanish influenced, NO more French influenced) but mostly southern.

San Antonio...semi-european? You've been to San Antonio, right?

And here people are criticizing Austin for being known as something they think it isn't.

[love roses]

Spain is a european country and at some of its earliest history has a tad of that, although it is more hugely mexican. Some of the oldest chapels are spanish influenced. Had to mention I'm talking about San Antonio

[artsyguy]

Austin is more like Denton, Texas but with nearly 1 million people shuffling here and there.

Originally Posted by eepstein

Absolutely correct! You cannot possibly compare Austin to either Dallas or Houston. They simply aren't in the same league. You could compare Austin to places like San Antonio, Nashville, Raleigh, or POSSIBLY Denver. Ok not Denver, but geeeez.

If you want to continue to bow to the state capitol wearing your orange colors and driving your F-150, fine. But don't try to compare a city as small and relatively unimportant as Austin to world class, culturally diverse, international business cities. It will never work.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by N. Olikee

Well, for uniqueness and quirkiness......I'm going to have to go with San Antone, with Houston a very close second.

One thing about Houston.....it is very diverse and ethnic. (There used to be some hole-in-the-wall restaurant down around the Ship Channel where Greek sailors would come to off their ships and drink and dance the night away and engage everyone in the joint......Now, you don't get THAT in Austin or Dallas.)

That sounds interesting, but isn't most of the Ship Channel off limits. I think if they would have opened up the ship channel for private boating and commercialization, perhaps the allure of Houston may have gotten out.

This is the type of thing Houston should have been promoting by the way. Hindsight's 20/20 though...

[cBach]

Originally Posted by migol84

Yeah, I don't think Austin is anywhere near what San Francisco is and I've never been to New Orleans but I don't think its near its quirkiness either.

Austin's weirdness is more like if someone has a plethora of tattoos all over their face people would turn around and make a novelty of that person as some tourists did the same with my long curly eccentric hair. In San Francisco, you'd get more craziness and eccentricities but nobody cares, just like nobody cared about my hair here. haha That's about the first things I noticed moving here.

Yes, I absolutely agree. San Antonio and New Orleans seem to have that old traditional small town vibe to them, its semi-european, (
SA more Spanish influenced, NO more French influenced) but mostly southern.

Well, I don't know about this.... its kinda close really. Maybe it stems from the fact that Austin has more per capita of that eclectic weirdness... but I've lived in both cities and while there is plenty of this strange vibe in Houston, its really hard to tell which has more. I mean, we're talking about Hyde Park, the East Side, S. Congress, S. Lamar, S. 1st, the drag and all of downtown that pretty much caters to this type of culture.

There certainly are pockets of Houston that feels the same way, but how big in comparison is it really? And another thing, I don't think that its in your face per se, I just think its more embraced. "In your face" sounds like if people in Austin are annoying trying to embrace their eclectic vibe... I really don't think they are.

BevoLJ was making a case for Houston not being a world class city. Nobody here is making a claim that Austin is nearly as good as Dallas and Houston in terms of what makes a great city. We're all just answering why we prefer it over those two.

So essentially, we're all on the same page here.

Having lived in all three metro areas, there are more similarities between Austin and SF/NO than at first glance.

Austin: not historic, laid back, progressive, open-minded, wild, artsy
SF: historic, not laid back, progressive, open-minded, not wild, artsy
SA: historic, laid back, not progressive, not open-minded, not wild, not artsy
NO: historic, laid back, not progressive, open-minded, wild, artsy

Austin and SF have 3/6 match, Austin and NO have 4/6 match.
SA and SF have 1/6 match, SA and NO have 3/6 match. NO and SF have 3/6 match. In summary, NO is more similar to Austin than to SF or SA.
Austin and SA have 1/6 match for reference.

Actually, NO and Austin have more in common than many think. Perhaps that's why I like it here.

[artsyguy]

That's not true at all IMHO. The average person in Austin is dull and vacuous. The city itself is overcrowded, falling apart, and grungy: the only unique attractions are a few extremely wacky parades here and there that do feature wild and deranged actors and actresses who paid to act like they are having a great time.

Originally Posted by cBach

Having lived in all three metro areas, there are more similarities between Austin and SF/NO than at first glance.

Austin: not historic, laid back, progressive, open-minded, wild, artsy
SF: historic, not laid back, progressive, open-minded, not wild, artsy
SA: historic, laid back, not progressive, not open-minded, not wild, not artsy
NO: historic, laid back, not progressive, open-minded, wild, artsy

Austin and SF have 3/6 match, Austin and NO have 4/6 match.
SA and SF have 1/6 match, SA and NO have 3/6 match. NO and SF have 3/6 match. In summary, NO is more similar to Austin than to SF or SA.
Austin and SA have 1/6 match for reference.

Actually, NO and Austin have more in common than many think. Perhaps that's why I like it here.

[migol84]

Originally Posted by thesonofgray

San Antonio...semi-european? You've been to San Antonio, right?

I was making emphasis on the style of architecture within the downtown area... and the missions in particular... all of that was Spanish influenced. Spain is in Europe bra.

[migol84]

Originally Posted by artsyguy

IMHO.

Exactly.