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I'm seeing a lot of typical negativity without any balanced viewpoints. I am currently very put out about the drought situation and inadequate water supply planning, but there are things I like about Austin:
Excellent Mexican and other central American cuisine, including Tex Mex and interior Mex. Excellent supply of Viet and Thai food.
Except during droughts like the one we're in, things can be very, very green with abundant wildflowers. The hills of west Austin are gorgeous, and life is extremely good for those who have the wealth to live the hills. I always take newcomers on drives through west Austin, and the reactions are, without fail, disbelief that such an beautiful area exists here. Study Google Earth to get an overview of west Austin.
Lots of great inner city neighborhoods.
One of the most vibrant downtowns in the nation. Downtown wasn't that way until about 5 years ago, but a building boom, including a bunch of condo towers, changed it tremendously.
Very open, tolerant society. There are some hard core fundamentalists, but they are a tiny minority.
Highly educated citizenry.
I'm annoyed by the traffic and sprawl, billboards and areas here that look like "anywhere USA", but those who take the time to explore Austin find a ton of things to like.
So in summary, be careful about the posts that are all negative. While negatives exist here, there are lots of positives, which is why so many people continue to move here and love it.
By the way, lemonlime made some comment about "butt ugly" Texas, and he/she gave a very distorted viewpoint.
East Texas is forested (piney woods) and looks a lot like the Carolinas. It's very pretty and green, and contains the Big Thicket National Preserve, a completely undisturbed area that is junglelike and almost inpenetrable.
The hill country is a huge area of hills, canyons, and pristine rivers that extends from Austin to the west about 150 miles. There are other similar areas between Austin and Fort Worth, particularly west of Fort Worth. The portion of the hill country northwest of San Antonio is the best part. Absolutely gorgeous topography out there. Far west Texas has mountain ranges, including some with upland evergreen forests (Davis Mountains, Guadalupe Mtns, for example) and lowland deserts. Much of the coastal plain (e.g., between Austin and Houston) is pleasant rolling terrain with intermittent woodlands and grasslands that Europeans settled because it reminded them of their homeland. State highway 71 from Bastrop to Columbus is particularly pretty.
Unfortanately, I-35 runs almost its entire length through boring farmlands and is very unattractive, and this is what many travelers see. Much of west Texas and the Panhandle are very unattractive as well. So there's a mix of good and bad.
Climatewise, historically east Texas is one of the wettest areas in the nation (e.g., Houston historically has a very wet climate). The Austin area normally has about the same preciptation as places like Kansas City, Chicago, and Minneapolis. The drier extreme would be places like El Paso, which are as dry as Phoenix.
Temperaturewise, historically, October through mid April in Austin are great, and can even be pretty cold at times. But more often it's extremely pleasant. Summer in a normal year is consistently hot, and usually humid, with an average of 12 days over 100 degrees. This year blew all records, though, and shouldn't be considered normal by any means.
Hope that provides some perspective in a fair manner.
I grew up in a small town in NH, went to school in larger towns in NE, lived in Boston for a while and spent a lot of time in NYC. I moved to Taipei after college and lived there for ten years, then moved to Austin based on friends' suggestions and my desire to continue living somewhere foreign.
Texas and Austin are great. If you have the desire to move here, just do it. You're 25. Now is the time. Just do it and don't worry about the particulars. Don't confuse the journey with the destination.
Weatherguy, I wouldn't say Austin has the most vibrant downtown in the nation. That honor, IMHO, goes to NYC.
Also, I just wonder why people care so much about the education level of the populace. I frankly don't really care. Education level isn't necessarily income level.
I was sick of all the same things you are. I moved here to finish school on the cheap (UT). I was burned out on the trains, the homeless, my 5th floor walk-up, the dirt, feeling poor around so much wealth, etc.
Here's what I miss:
-Decent food. Restaurants here are terrible. No decent ethnic food other than Mexican. No matter what any Austinite tells you. They don't know any better.
-Living in a place where people keep their religion to themselves. I am agnostic, and living here in Christianland is awful. My children even have a "minute of silence" after the Pledge of Allegiance at school. Unless you love Jesus, you'll be in pain. Unless you live in very central Austin forever, that is...
-ZERO proximity to WATER. No REAL lakes or ocean. The locals will tell you about Barton Springs and "Lake" Travis/Austin, etc. But again, if you like bodies of water, you'll be SOL.
-Small airport that costs a lot to get in & out of. It is getting better, but still not great. To go many places you'll need to go out of Houston or Dallas, adding to your time and budget.
-People with spunk and opinions. Texas is very "polite", which means saying what you think is viewed as "negative". Especially for women. Spirited debate is just not possible, and it scares the natives. And by polite I mean they tell you what they think you want to hear, and do what they want anyway.
-The awful, never ending heat. This really cannot be underestimated. It's seriously not meant for human consumption. This summer was an endurance contest for me--Texas won, I surrender.
-Not much to do. Again the locals will whine that I just don't take advantage of all that this town (yes, I said town, because it's NOT a city) has to offer. Unless you like "live music" and substandard dining, you'll soon be frustrated. Not one decent museum, for example.
-Landlocked. To even get out of the state, you have to drive hours and hours and hours in a car. Then you're in Arkansas. Need I say more? The "coast" here sucks. You'd swear the Gulf of Mexico in Florida is a different Gulf from the one in TX. It's that drastic. So you spend a lot of time in TX, because it's time consuming and expensive to LEAVE the state. I think this is why many Texans insist TX is the best--they don't have much perspective.
-There is little to no zoning here. Much of Texas is butt ugly. I drove to San Antonio right after a road trip to FL this summer. I had driven through LA, MS, AL, and FL. They are all prettier than anything I saw on my ride from Austin to SA. Billboards after RV dealerships after shed companies, after ugly industrial parks, etc. And browner and drier than you can fathom.
I totally get your desire to leave the city. When you're done you're done, unless you won the Lotto, right? Anyway, I'd look for a bigger city than this one, but smaller than New York.
I wish you luck.
This is definitely not a fair representation of Austin or Texas, and I hope it doesn't dissuade the OP from even considering the move. It sounds to me as though lemonlime22 needs to find somewhere else to move to find that more beautiful green grass he/she is seeking.
And, FYI, I have traveled extensively, am highly educated, have found PLENTY of enjoyable activities to occupy my time, and DO have other perspectives from which to draw so you can't say I'm just a closed-minded Texan living in Christianland.
My sense is if you want most of the amenities of New York: great restaurants, museums, architecture, excellent 24 hour public transportation, walkability etc, but with less smoke and mirrors, cheaper and nicer housing, move to Chicago. I spent the better part of a decade in New York, and then 4 years in Chicago and now nearly a decade in Austin. Relative to those two cities, Austin is a charming country town, with some fun distinctive intangibles. I agree with lemonlime that the restaurant scene in Austin has nothing like the quality and variety (at every price point) of New York, except for Tex-Mex and BBQ, though it has improved hugely in the last 5 years or so. There is now a pretty great food truck and locavore scene. Austin, on average has much better supermarkets - I now cringe when I am in New York and stumble through a Gristede's or a D'agostino or the horror of a Key foods, and the flagship Whole Foods in downtown Austin is much bigger and better than any of the NYC Whole Foods, but none of the delightful specialty grocery stores. We have one cheese shop, which is not bad, and that is about it, for that kind of retail. What passes for a deli here will make you weep, and not with joy. Austin has one world-class cultural institution: The Harry Ransom Center, New York has dozens. I could go on . . . I , however, really like my everyday life in Austin. I have much more space, encounter very little attitude, the heat is horrible in the summer but everywhere has central air and I much prefer it to the cold, and things are quite a bit cheaper here, and when I need a big city fix, I get on a plane, and spend a three or four weekends a year in New York or Chicago or Mexico City, going to museums, the opera, theatre, fancy meals - things I probably did only 3 or 4 times a year anyway when I actually lived in New York or Chicago. It's a trade off - if you need to be able to buy x at 2.am, see avant garde theater and dance on a weekly basis, never eat at the same restaurant twice in a year etc and there is a helluva lot more you can do in New York that you can't do in Austin than vice-versa, then putting up with the indignities of New York living becomes worth it. But if you have a little mobility, I think it is nicer to live in Austin and visit New York than the other way round. Though if I won the lotto, I would move back in a heartbeat.
Common (and true complaints) Italian food, diners, bagels, and pizza will not meet your standards. Folks smile more and talk to strangers. Pace is slower, no pro sports, museums, zoos etc are not world-class (how could they be? We are not even the 3rd largest city in the state). Very limited public transportation, fierce competition for jobs, constant influx of new college grads willing to work for peanuts
^This. These are the common complaints from people who come here from the larger northeastern cities or even Chicago. But frankly I don't understand why they didn't realize this before they moved, afterall Austin started as a college town and state capital. It didn't have the "old money" that established cultural institutions in the larger, more cosmopolitan cities, and shouldn't be expected to.
Quote:
Originally Posted by homeinatx
My sense is if you want most of the amenities of New York: great restaurants, museums, architecture, excellent 24 hour public transportation, walkability etc, but with less smoke and mirrors, cheaper and nicer housing, move to Chicago. I spent the better part of a decade in New York, and then 4 years in Chicago and now nearly a decade in Austin. Relative to those two cities, Austin is a charming country town, with some fun distinctive intangibles. I agree with lemonlime that the restaurant scene in Austin has nothing like the quality and variety (at every price point) of New York, except for Tex-Mex and BBQ, though it has improved hugely in the last 5 years or so. There is now a pretty great food truck and locavore scene. Austin, on average has much better supermarkets - I now cringe when I am in New York and stumble through a Gristede's or a D'agostino or the horror of a Key foods, and the flagship Whole Foods in downtown Austin is much bigger and better than any of the NYC Whole Foods, but none of the delightful specialty grocery stores. We have one cheese shop, which is not bad, and that is about it, for that kind of retail. What passes for a deli here will make you weep, and not with joy. Austin has one world-class cultural institution: The Harry Ransom Center, New York has dozens. I could go on . . . I , however, really like my everyday life in Austin. I have much more space, encounter very little attitude, the heat is horrible in the summer but everywhere has central air and I much prefer it to the cold, and things are quite a bit cheaper here, and when I need a big city fix, I get on a plane, and spend a three or four weekends a year in New York or Chicago or Mexico City, going to museums, the opera, theatre, fancy meals - things I probably did only 3 or 4 times a year anyway when I actually lived in New York or Chicago. It's a trade off - if you need to be able to buy x at 2.am, see avant garde theater and dance on a weekly basis, never eat at the same restaurant twice in a year etc and there is a helluva lot more you can do in New York that you can't do in Austin than vice-versa, then putting up with the indignities of New York living becomes worth it.
There is a little secret in Texas, and I know a few privileged who get to live there and it's called the West University (tiny little city) within Houston near the Museum district and Rice Univ. Definitely not NY or Chicago but probably the closest you'll get in the entire southern region of the country to the diversity, restaurants, museums, culture etc. of the country's real cosmopolitan cities, but also with very nice friendly people, Tex-Mex, and much better winters. Unfortunately, Houston seems to put no effort into PR or advertisements in addition to being vilified by the media and Hollywood ilk (ironic because it was oil industry old money that established the museums and cultural institutions in the last century) and the ignorant masses, and not being a media-darling flavor like Austin. So, not many people actually know about it because they write the whole city off based on what they heard about a crummy area like Pasadena or Channelview.
Weatherguy, I wouldn't say Austin has the most vibrant downtown in the nation. That honor, IMHO, goes to NYC.
Also, I just wonder why people care so much about the education level of the populace. I frankly don't really care. Education level isn't necessarily income level.
I didn't say Austin has the most vibrant downtown in the nation. Please reread my post. I said it's "one of the most". Places like NYC and Chicago are way above Austin and other cities for vibrancy. But for a mid-sized city, Austin's downtown is one of the best.
My sense is if you want most of the amenities of New York: great restaurants, museums, architecture, excellent 24 hour public transportation, walkability etc, but with less smoke and mirrors, cheaper and nicer housing, move to Chicago. I spent the better part of a decade in New York, and then 4 years in Chicago and now nearly a decade in Austin. Relative to those two cities, Austin is a charming country town, with some fun distinctive intangibles. I agree with lemonlime that the restaurant scene in Austin has nothing like the quality and variety (at every price point) of New York, except for Tex-Mex and BBQ, though it has improved hugely in the last 5 years or so. There is now a pretty great food truck and locavore scene. Austin, on average has much better supermarkets - I now cringe when I am in New York and stumble through a Gristede's or a D'agostino or the horror of a Key foods, and the flagship Whole Foods in downtown Austin is much bigger and better than any of the NYC Whole Foods, but none of the delightful specialty grocery stores. We have one cheese shop, which is not bad, and that is about it, for that kind of retail. What passes for a deli here will make you weep, and not with joy. Austin has one world-class cultural institution: The Harry Ransom Center, New York has dozens. I could go on . . . I , however, really like my everyday life in Austin. I have much more space, encounter very little attitude, the heat is horrible in the summer but everywhere has central air and I much prefer it to the cold, and things are quite a bit cheaper here, and when I need a big city fix, I get on a plane, and spend a three or four weekends a year in New York or Chicago or Mexico City, going to museums, the opera, theatre, fancy meals - things I probably did only 3 or 4 times a year anyway when I actually lived in New York or Chicago. It's a trade off - if you need to be able to buy x at 2.am, see avant garde theater and dance on a weekly basis, never eat at the same restaurant twice in a year etc and there is a helluva lot more you can do in New York that you can't do in Austin than vice-versa, then putting up with the indignities of New York living becomes worth it. But if you have a little mobility, I think it is nicer to live in Austin and visit New York than the other way round. Though if I won the lotto, I would move back in a heartbeat.
I would never call Austin a country town because that connotes something entirely different from what Austin is. But it's not NYC, and your descriptions are pretty good otherwise. In this region, Houston and Dallas are much more "big city" culturally and only 3 hours away. But still not like NYC. Nothing exceeds NYC...I'd love to live there, too.
MABARR, please pvt message me and I'll email you some photos of Austin (particularly west Austin) to give you a feel for the area. I also have some great downtown/river photos.
One thing that hasn't been mentioned that for people into outdoor activities, there are greenbelts all over the city for hiking that are like being in a remote wilderness, but right in the city (e.g., Barton Creek and Bull Creek greenbelts). There are nature preserves in the hilly part of west Austin, the river running through downtown is always full of rowboats, and Lake Travis on the far west side is a boaters and swimmers paradise. Unfortnately, with the drought, Lake Travis is extremely low and most if not all of the boating ramps are closed for now.
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