We loved the Woodlands near Houston, is there anything similar in Austin suburbs? (Dallas: credit, neighborhoods)

[Seattlwfamily]

We are from Seattle. Family of 6.

We are planning to move to the Dallas area or Austin area...

But we are staying in Houston suburb of the woodlands this week.

We visited Dallas and it seemed like way too flat and like a concrete jungle.

We really really loved the Woodlands. It's beautiful..love the little lakes and trees. It's really pretty. But, we don't know a single family that has moved to the Houston area... So we are hoping to find something similar in Austin (or Dallas).

Are there any towns/neighborhoods in Austin that resemble the Woodlands?

With all of the normal stuff, good schools, sports, etc. D

Any insight out there?

We are going to Austin tomorrow to look around. Hoping to find a gem of a town.

[atxcio]

Nothing like the tall pines of the Woodlands here in Austin. They just don’t exist outside of east Texas, except for a tiny swath around Bastrop, which was largely destroyed by wildfire about 10 years ago.

The equivalent in Austin, I think, would be the west side hill country. Much shorter trees but hills with views, and lakes. Something far-out from the city (like the woodlands) might be Lakeway. But it’s not close to the airport like the Woodlands.

[Need4Camaro]

Nothing remotely close in aesthetics. Not really much in comparison to amenities either given the mall, canals, mixed use community. We have all of those but no distinct neighborhood has all of it in one area like Woodlands does.

In terms of prestige and schooling, all of the western suburbs. Bee Cave, Lakeway, ect… that’s probably as close as you’ll get.

[NigerianNightmare]

Originally Posted by Seattlwfamily

We are from Seattle. Family of 6.

We are planning to move to the Dallas area or Austin area...

But we are staying in Houston suburb of the woodlands this week.

We visited Dallas and it seemed like way too flat and like a concrete jungle.

We really really loved the Woodlands. It's beautiful..love the little lakes and trees. It's really pretty. But, we don't know a single family that has moved to the Houston area... So we are hoping to find something similar in Austin (or Dallas).

Are there any towns/neighborhoods in Austin that resemble the Woodlands?

With all of the normal stuff, good schools, sports, etc. D

Any insight out there?

We are going to Austin tomorrow to look around. Hoping to find a gem of a town.

I know you said, Dallas looks like a concrete jungle, and to Northern Houston suburbs it probably does. But as far as suburbia, Dallas has a lot of hidden gems, probably more than the other 3 cities combined, in my honest opinion. It's a lot similar to Houston than most would give it credit for, you might just have to snoop a little.

In terms of Austin areas, while it's not that similar, I feel like Steiner Ranch occupies a similar sphere as The Woodlands although it doesn't look that similar. As the posters above, mentioned. Western suburbs of Austin gives the greatest mix of nature and suburbia. It's different from Houston, with more hills, and smaller trees but it gives off a similar vibe of "lost in nature".

[atxcio]

^^ Good call on Steiner Ranch. I agree, that might be a mini-version of the Woodlands if you took the topography of Austin instead.. Esp with some retail/restaurants and schools within the neighborhood.

[Dynamoo]

Great Hills and River Place. Circle C maybe for the lower end spots in Woodlands.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Steiner Ranch sucks. Lived there for a year, got stuck for an hour just to leave the neighborhood multiple times. Sold my place and never looked back. You know when you're in one of those places, super crowded. One exit door? And then some emergency breaks out and everyone has to leave through that one door?

yeah, that's Steiner Ranch.

[Need4Camaro]

Yeah. OP if you intend on commuting, don’t consider Steiner Ranch. FM620 will suck the life out of you. There are people who went grey just waiting to get through the FM2222 and FM620 intersection. If you work remote or just go out during weekends, it’s not super bad.

[DMChicago]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

Yeah. OP if you intend on commuting, don’t consider Steiner Ranch. FM620 will suck the life out of you. There are people who went grey just waiting to get through the FM2222 and FM620 intersection. If you work remote or just go out during weekends, it’s not super bad.

Yeah but now there’s a bypass..

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by DMChicago

Yeah but now there’s a bypass..

It seems like they're taking their sweet time on finishing that little detour.

Their original plan was much better, an overpass with ramps for that intersection would have been a godsend.

Given the scope of the bypass, I just don't see why they didn't make dedicated right turn keep moving lanes from FM620 NB to FM2222 SB - basically just make the existing two right turn lanes on FM620 into two dedicated lanes on the FM2222 side of the intersection so traffic can freely flow without the need to stop at the intersection.

[cheeva]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

It seems like they're taking their sweet time on finishing that little detour.

Their original plan was much better, an overpass with ramps for that intersection would have been a godsend.

Given the scope of the bypass, I just don't see why they didn't make dedicated right turn keep moving lanes from FM620 NB to FM2222 SB - basically just make the existing two right turn lanes on FM620 into two dedicated lanes on the FM2222 side of the intersection so traffic can freely flow without the need to stop at the intersection.

Now there are TWO roads to evacuate 13,000 people during a fire (while fire crews are trying to come into the neighborhood)