Need help for young family with neighborhoods in Lake Travis vs. Westlake (San Antonio: daycare, big house)

[zacha]

My husband and I (and 2 year old) are trying to decide between Eanes and Lake Travis ISD, along with the community/lifestyle/people. I have read through many many of these threads but I still need some more help from you all! We live in Alamo Heights in San Antonio, we love the close proximity, the close knit community, neighborhood pool, youth sports - little league, kid friendly neighborhood, access to toddler/kid activities all within 5-10 minutes.

Basically, I need your help to narrow down the neighborhoods that would meet most of the criteria in our price range. Which neighborhoods are the best in each area and why? Just want a close knit overall community with young families and the ability for our kids to get a great education and have lifelong childhood friends and memories!!

Here is our wish list for what we are looking for in our community, schools, and lifestyle:

Close proximity to grocery stores, restaurants (i.e. not too far out of town where we have to drive 20 min to get groceries)

Work commute doesn't apply - my husband and I work from home

Schools - both are great public school districts but a little concerned about the potential growth of Lake Travis. Most of the folks I knew that grew up in Austin went to Westlake but Lake Travis is right there with them on most accounts.

Preschools - What about church preschools for toddlers prior to kindergarten - I seem to have a longer list for the Westlake area and only one for Lake Travis - are there folks that live out in Lake Travis and drive kids into Westlake for school?

Down to earth folks - I know there is a mix in either but the majority of good honest neighbors that actually socialize and maybe have block parties, BBQs, etc.

Family oriented neighborhood - where kids are riding their bikes outside or to each other’s houses, preferably neighborhood pool with a swim team or a country club that has a large majority of families and big plus if they also have holiday events to bring everyone together.

I am not overall concerned about the distance to drive for kid friendly activities but want an active group of Moms nearby to have playdates, etc.

Want an active MOPS group nearby to hear panels, meet other Moms, and enjoy the fellowship. Which ones are active?

Church - want an active church that has a lot of family oriented events - fair, easter egg hunts, kids sunday school, etc.

House - prefer a 4 bedroom house with at least a .25 acre (to hopefully have a yard for our dogs), price range $500-600K. We currently live in an older home with beautiful oak trees but are willing to be open to the newer homes that might not have all the mature foliage if everything else meets our lifestyle wishlist. Willing to do some remodel but probably not gutting the place if it is an older home. Don't like the newer homes that are identical and are literally right next to one another, they need to have a little distance between them. Hill country views would be great plus!

[ImOnFiya]

Westlake is the better choice. Close to the central Austin, downtown, with loads of nearby restaurants and shopping amenities. With quick access to the best restaurants and shopping in central and south Austin. Great schools. Can't beat it. Plus, apparently you can afford the Westlake lifestyle! Why not?

[BentBow]

Take a dart and throw it in that west side of Austin, and you will be more than happy with either area. Both have excellent schools and shopping, good sports leagues too, except the baseball / softball deal. For that, Oak Hill is tops in the Austin area for baseball and softball, and a lot of boys and girls from Lake Travis and Westlake play ball there.

[hoffdano]

I'll offer just one comment - Lake Travis schools have improved as the district has grown. The district is managed very well and the last bond election has secured funds to address campus needs for perhaps the next five years.

[texastrigirl]

I think you'd be happy in either area honestly. You might check out Lake Hills Church in any case. It's closer to Lake Travis than Westlake but not a bad drive from either and might provide you with some fellowship and programming that would help you to form a peer group. Good luck with your move! My sister just moved from Shady Hollow out to Lakeway and she loves it. Wishes she had done it along time ago as her son is just now doing his senior year at LTHS and she thinks it's superior to where he was before in AISD.

[LakeTravisAlum]

Okay, where do I start??

First, welcome to Austin! Since you're coming from Alamo Heights, both LT and Westlake are identical to AH so you should have a relatively smooth transition.

You say that you like the close proximity to things in AH. Both LT and Westlake have grocery shopping, restaurants, stores, etc. all within a 5 minute drive. Since you're working from home, it doesn't sound like you were too interested in travelling to downtown everyday. Obviously, Westlake is closer to downtown, but that doesn't seem like something that is too important to you. Also, downtown is just a 30-45 minute drive in rush hour down Bee Cave Rd. from LT.

Regarding schools, I have to say that it's refreshing to finally meet someone on this forum that can look past the longer history and reputation that Westlake has. LT's reputation is fairly new, but like you said, LTISD is now on par with Eanes. Like Hoffdano said, the schools have only improved as LTISD has gotten bigger. The size of LTISD as a whole is still a little smaller than Eanes, but will eventually be bigger. The district just passed a bond that includes the expansion of LTHS, the relocating and rebuilding of LTMS, the expansion of HBMS and a new ES. They have done a good job making sure that no school meets its capacity. Either school district, you will be just fine!

Preschools - LT has the Abercorn International School. I don't know much about it really. There's a few more that I'm not familiar with also. I do know some people that live in LT, commute down Bee Cave Rd (through Westlake), and drop their kids off at Children's Center of Austin in Westlake on their way to work downtown or somewhere.

Both have good family-oriented neighborhoods. In Eanes, I'd say Lost Creek, Parkstone, Davenport Ranch, and Rob Roy. In LT, Lake Pointe, Flintrock Falls, The Hills, Ridge at Alta Vista, Rough Hollow, and Uplands.

In my neighborhood (Lake Pointe), there is a exercise group of moms that work out at the park every morning. I'm not a female nor a mom, so I really don't know much about this, but LT definitely has groups that you can get involved in for other moms. The same goes for Westlake.

As far as churches go, if you're looking for non-denominational, Lake Hills Church in LT and Austin Ridge Bible Church in Westlake are both very popular. Also, people from both areas go to both. I live in LT and go to Austin Ridge.

You can find the right house for you in both areas. 500-600K will get you something very nice in both areas. You might check out Westlake proper for the older homes. LT, in general, has newer homes. Lakeway proper has older homes and is more established. I think you would like either Lake Pointe or the Uplands in LT. Both are right next to the HEB, Hill Country Galleria, Shops at the Galleria, etc. They are also the closest into downtown Austin. They are both a little more established. The Uplands might be a bit above your price range. It's also a smaller, gated community so I don't think there is a pool with a swim team. However, I think almost every home in that neighborhood has a pool of its own. Lake Pointe has a neighborhood pool.

The Hills and Flintrock Falls are both gated and very upscale. These two neighborhoods have access to the two country clubs inside both neighborhoods - The Hills Country Club and Flintrock Falls Country Club. You would find something very nice for you price range there. Also, Rough Hollow is going to be very nice with a great amenities center being built. It also has the Rough Hollow Grille. There are some BIG houses being built back there with great views!

I hope any of this information was helpful!

[centralaustinite]

OP, sounds like Rollingwood would be a perfect fit!

[CarnivalGal]

I agree with checking out Lake Pointe. It is in Lake Travis ISD but is very close to the Eanes border. Has the community amenities you are looking for. I know several families that live there and they all love it.

[FalconheadWest]

Lake Pointe doesn't match the criteria of not wanting houses on top of each other... none of the Bee Cave communities will meet that criteria. Parts of Spicewood and parts of Lakeway will meet that criteria, but the rest are "planned communities" that are house after house.

There are a few people in my neighborhood in Bee Cave who take their kids to Westlake's Presby mother's day out program. Those programs are only 9-1 or some short hours like that. There are a couple of Montessori schools in the area, all with different hours. I take my kids to Primrose as it's not just a "daycare" but they have an actual learning curriculum, and I need full time hours, not half day. My daughter will be in Kindergarten at age 4 this next school year since she's already done their pre-K class.

[supernaut112]

"Down to earth folks" = Lake Travis, IMHO.

I do like Westlake, but it comes with a rather upscale/snobby cache — at least this is the impression that it leaves on many old-time Austinites.

Sounds like Lakeway might be a really good fit. It has the feel of a small town, with plenty of big city amenities.