Reasons to live in austin/why you love it

[atxcio]

Some people, perhaps a lot of people, come to this city and end up falling in love with it. That's what happened to me (granted, this was 20 years ago)... It wasn't an instant thing, but not too long after I moved here. The part that drew me in was just how easy it was to become part of the city. There isn't really any "old money" here in the way that there is in older cities, where people live in different worlds... it was all wide open in this city. So many people are always "new" here, because of the colleges and now all the transplants... makes you feel comfortable about coming from somewhere else. It doesn't take long to feel like a true "Austinite", if you are willing to embrace it!

The other thing that got me, having lived in big cities without much natural beauty, was the niceness of the west side of town and the hill country. It's not spectacular like Rockies or the Pacific coast line, but it's something you usually don't see right inside a city limits -- especially not in Texas.

Later I started getting into running, biking, etc.. and that's part of what keeps me here. The trails, rivers, and lakes right in town (and in the area) offer tons of those opportunities. Plus there are 5Ks, 10Ks, triathlons, and bike races happening pretty much every weekend all year long.

I will say this, as somewhat of a "word of warning" : Most of the great things you read about Austin, and most all the things I fell in love with, are found in the central city. You may get a completely different vibe in the burbs. Might be family nirvana out there, but for singles, you absolutely must stay close-in.

[Nomadic9460678748]

With a few exceptions, Austin is where I have lived pretty much my whole life. I attended Oak Springs Elementary, Dobie Middle School, Lanier High School, and UT Austin. I'm almost 33. I've lived here a long time. Too long for me, but more on that later. I preface my comments in that fashion because you almost always have to somehow prove your Austin "cred" if you're to voice a minimally disparaging or not completely glowing review of this town. It's bizarre.

Here are some things I can see people love about Austin:

• For the most part, people are friendly. This doesn't mean you won't meet your fair share of jerks. Jerks are everywhere.
• With the exception of the summer (which I hate beyond words), the weather tends to be rather temperate and amenable to outdoor exploits. I avoid Ladybird Lake/Town Lake like the plague because there are so many people and it's more like the Autobahn than a trail, but many people enjoy walking, riding or jogging about there.
• If you're not into living in a gigantic city, Austin combines some of the rural with the urban and still remains smaller than Dallas and Houston, though truth be told I don't think Austin should be compared to either of those two cities.
• There are plenty of places to get a drink. I believe Austin has been voted one of the drunkest cities in the country (Google it, you'll see) and UT Austin has been getting up there in the Party School rankings. This may or may not be seen as a good thing.
• The topography is good by Texas standards. Let's face it, Texas is pretty flat, but Austin has some rolling hills, but unless you're rolling in the dough, your chances of building your own "city upon a hill" are pretty slim. Mt. Bonnell is nice for a visit if you've never been. I once received a ticket there for making out with someone there after 10pm.
• Food. I personally, don't find the culinary offerings here all that diverse, and if there are opportunities to sample a more exotic fare one must have an auto to drive to some places and I don't own a car (nor do I care to).
• Family-friendly. Or so I'm told. The Children's museum here is kind of sad, but I've been told by some of my breeder friends that there are plenty of other ways to keep your chitlins occupied.
• It's cheaper than places like San Francisco, Chicago, and New York City, but it's the most expensive city in Texas, which is markedly ironic in light of the fact that most of the jobs here don't offer compensation in keeping with the continually rising cost of living.
• Music. ACL, SxSW, blah de blah, blah, blah. Yes, those things happen. They're expensive, unless you hit up some of the free shows. And a lot of the music played in the clubs or during the festivals is the same indie-pop, rockabilly, hipster stuff, or Bob Schneider. Thankfully there's a new addition of a Latino Music Festival. If I had money I would check it out. Maybe it will add some spice to Austin.

Here's why I don't care for Austin

• It's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too hot in the summer for my liking.
• I don't even drive, but traffic is HORRIBLE.
• The public transportation here BLOWS. Unless you live between Anderson Lane and William Cannon (there are more routes within these streets), you'll be at the mercy of one of the worst transportation authorities imaginable. You pretty much have to drive anywhere or expect to not get the most out of living here. I don't plan on living here past 2012, so I'm not interested in buying a car. Not that I could anyway as I've had no luck finding a job, and employers will even deny you an opportunity to interview if you state you are without a car. I know, it's happened to me.
• Markedly segregated, or at least, not nearly as racially (yes, I'm using race as my measure) diverse as it thinks it is. I'm of mixed race, have been told I look Latina, but white people have told me they believed I was black until they hear me speak Spanish, and I'm often the ONLY non-white person in a bar or party here. It's a little strange. Am I saying that Austin is racist? No, I'm not. But it's difficult to see how so many people think there's this massive progressive sentiment here when a lot of people won't even hang around people not like themselves.
• I'm not obsessed with UT Austin. Sorry. Come football season it's pretty much the only thing you'll read about in the Statesman (which is a sad excuse for a newspaper). I like professional sports teams. But I guess that's what Houston and Dallas are for.
• I like museums. Austin has many studios, but not museums. I guess that's what Houston and Dallas are for.
• I'm too old to get drunk on 6th street, so that's lost its appeal for me; and I'm not into the type of music that gets played in most Austin venues. I like funk, jazz, hip hop, classic soul, and um, there ain't a lot of that in these parts. And when it does happen NO ONE DANCES!!! I went to see a local band called Grupo Fantasma and was floored that outside of a handful of people, no one was dancing. And this is the "Live Music Capital of the World"! But I guess dancing is not included?
• The "cool" parts of Austin are incredibly overpriced, but if you don't live in one of these "cool" places you'll probably not get a real taste of the city proper as you'll more than likely be living on the outskirts on Parmer or Slaughter (or Cedar Park, Leander, or Pflugerville) in a gigantor apartment complex and will have to (surprise!) drive into town to experience the festivals, music, and food which is so often hyped.

All in all, Austin is good for some, not so good for others; but Austin is not that "weird" at all. I used to love it here. But I was able to experience other things, am getting older, and realize there are other places I'd rather live. It's escaping that's been difficult. Either way, you should just visit and see how you feel about the place. Don't let anyone's opinion be your own. Best of luck to you!

[hoffdano]

I was tempted to ignore this thread. But since eepstein chose to add his lies, damn lies, and more lies, I had to write something. I'm still waiting on eepstein to show me some data about how many gas guzzling vehicles there are in Austin.

I don't know if I would call Austin amazing. But I think quality of life here is very good. You know why?

1. Austin isn't Houston (I lived there for four years) or Dallas or any other similar sized city.
2. Austin has a Texas-style of beauty I like a lot. Not Colorado, Hawaii, or the Swiss Alps. But the hills, the trees, etc. are just to my liking.
3. I can afford a waterfront home. I don't want to live downtown. They can't make me. But I know people who wouldn't trade their downtown address with mine. That's OK with me.
4. The schools are in general excellent.
5. I don't give a damn about seeing pro sports in person. It isn't worth the money. TV is fine. I don't want taxpayers paying one cent to build any stadiums.
6. I am a conservative happy even with idiots like Lloyd Doggett representing some of us.
7. Very low violent crime.
8. Even without big museums, pro sports, and theme parks I think there is a huge amount to do. Go to a concert at The Backyard. That is a world class outdoor venue.
9. I've lived next to bikers, rednecks, yuppies, lesbians, senior citizens, software geeks, etc. in my time here.

Austin has its problems. Traffic can be terrible - but it isn't terrible everywhere. Public transportation - not much of it. Because I don't live in the city limits I can't vote out the city council. But I would if I could.

[Mrs.JT]

Originally Posted by Nomadic9460678748

With a few exceptions, Austin is where I have lived pretty much my whole life. I attended Oak Springs Elementary, Dobie Middle School, Lanier High School, and UT Austin. I'm almost 33. I've lived here a long time. Too long for me, but more on that later. I preface my comments in that fashion because you almost always have to somehow prove your Austin "cred" if you're to voice a minimally disparaging or not completely glowing review of this town. It's bizarre.

Here are some things I can see people love about Austin:

• For the most part, people are friendly. This doesn't mean you won't meet your fair share of jerks. Jerks are everywhere.
• With the exception of the summer (which I hate beyond words), the weather tends to be rather temperate and amenable to outdoor exploits. I avoid Ladybird Lake/Town Lake like the plague because there are so many people and it's more like the Autobahn than a trail, but many people enjoy walking, riding or jogging about there.
• If you're not into living in a gigantic city, Austin combines some of the rural with the urban and still remains smaller than Dallas and Houston, though truth be told I don't think Austin should be compared to either of those two cities.
• There are plenty of places to get a drink. I believe Austin has been voted one of the drunkest cities in the country (Google it, you'll see) and UT Austin has been getting up there in the Party School rankings. This may or may not be seen as a good thing.
• The topography is good by Texas standards. Let's face it, Texas is pretty flat, but Austin has some rolling hills, but unless you're rolling in the dough, your chances of building your own "city upon a hill" are pretty slim. Mt. Bonnell is nice for a visit if you've never been. I once received a ticket there for making out with someone there after 10pm.
• Food. I personally, don't find the culinary offerings here all that diverse, and if there are opportunities to sample a more exotic fare one must have an auto to drive to some places and I don't own a car (nor do I care to).
• Family-friendly. Or so I'm told. The Children's museum here is kind of sad, but I've been told by some of my breeder friends that there are plenty of other ways to keep your chitlins occupied.
• It's cheaper than places like San Francisco, Chicago, and New York City, but it's the most expensive city in Texas, which is markedly ironic in light of the fact that most of the jobs here don't offer compensation in keeping with the continually rising cost of living.
• Music. ACL, SxSW, blah de blah, blah, blah. Yes, those things happen. They're expensive, unless you hit up some of the free shows. And a lot of the music played in the clubs or during the festivals is the same indie-pop, rockabilly, hipster stuff, or Bob Schneider. Thankfully there's a new addition of a Latino Music Festival. If I had money I would check it out. Maybe it will add some spice to Austin.

Here's why I don't care for Austin

• It's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too hot in the summer for my liking.
• I don't even drive, but traffic is HORRIBLE.
• The public transportation here BLOWS. Unless you live between Anderson Lane and William Cannon (there are more routes within these streets), you'll be at the mercy of one of the worst transportation authorities imaginable. You pretty much have to drive anywhere or expect to not get the most out of living here. I don't plan on living here past 2012, so I'm not interested in buying a car. Not that I could anyway as I've had no luck finding a job, and employers will even deny you an opportunity to interview if you state you are without a car. I know, it's happened to me.
• Markedly segregated, or at least, not nearly as racially (yes, I'm using race as my measure) diverse as it thinks it is. I'm of mixed race, have been told I look Latina, but white people have told me they believed I was black until they hear me speak Spanish, and I'm often the ONLY non-white person in a bar or party here. It's a little strange. Am I saying that Austin is racist? No, I'm not. But it's difficult to see how so many people think there's this massive progressive sentiment here when a lot of people won't even hang around people not like themselves.
• I'm not obsessed with UT Austin. Sorry. Come football season it's pretty much the only thing you'll read about in the Statesman (which is a sad excuse for a newspaper). I like professional sports teams. But I guess that's what Houston and Dallas are for.
• I like museums. Austin has many studios, but not museums. I guess that's what Houston and Dallas are for.
• I'm too old to get drunk on 6th street, so that's lost its appeal for me; and I'm not into the type of music that gets played in most Austin venues. I like funk, jazz, hip hop, classic soul, and um, there ain't a lot of that in these parts. And when it does happen NO ONE DANCES!!! I went to see a local band called Grupo Fantasma and was floored that outside of a handful of people, no one was dancing. And this is the "Live Music Capital of the World"! But I guess dancing is not included?
• The "cool" parts of Austin are incredibly overpriced, but if you don't live in one of these "cool" places you'll probably not get a real taste of the city proper as you'll more than likely be living on the outskirts on Parmer or Slaughter (or Cedar Park, Leander, or Pflugerville) in a gigantor apartment complex and will have to (surprise!) drive into town to experience the festivals, music, and food which is so often hyped.

All in all, Austin is good for some, not so good for others; but Austin is not that "weird" at all. I used to love it here. But I was able to experience other things, am getting older, and realize there are other places I'd rather live. It's escaping that's been difficult. Either way, you should just visit and see how you feel about the place. Don't let anyone's opinion be your own. Best of luck to you!

My sentiments, exactly. I'm now married and settled, so I don't get out as often as my single days, but wow....if my husband and I wanted to get out for a drink and live music, we'd be at a loss. Reed's was a NICE spot, but as usual, places I like to frequent somehow don't last. *confused*

[zhugeliang1]

9. I've lived next to bikers, rednecks, yuppies, lesbians, senior citizens, software geeks, etc. in my time here.

That would not happen in San Antonio. When I was living in Austin, my next door neighbors were a Chinese lady (on the right side) and a Orthodox Hasidic rabbi (across the street) and a software geek (on the left side).

[TexasHorseLady]

When we lived in Austin, a bi-racial couple lived next door (with their adorable daughter who played with ours), a gay couple lived on the other side (before them, a single Dad and his toddler son who called me "Mom" because I'd known him since he was born and his friend, our daughter, called me that - he lost his mother when he was just a baby), and an architect and his wife were re-designing the two duplexes at the end of the block into something amazing. A little old lady and a family with a couple of teenagers lived across the street. We were a family with a teenager and a kid in elementary school.

This was about 15-20 years ago. That's been pretty standard as far as the kinds of neighbors we've had in the 40 years we've lived in Austin - doesn't really seem to have changed significantly over the years, in my personal experience. (YMMV, of course.)

[kiacook]

I like that there's such a focus on local businesses. People move here from Michigan and open shopping centers that host Torchy's Taco's and Chuy's: http://impactnews.com/southwest-austin/109-business-profiles/8033-the-shops-at-arbor-trails (broken link). I like that Austin (for the most part) doesn't feel like every other generic suburb in the country because of that.

[Honolulu is calling]

-still affordable hosing price
-decent schools
-clean streets
-low crime rate (well I feel safe.. I don't know about the statistics..)
-nice folks generally

[gigi0327]

I am thinking about moving to Austin. I have lived in New Orleans all my life. My brother lives in Round Rock & have only visited him once last year. But since I have not found a job in my home town & I am getting sick of New Orleans in general!! I am sick of the crime & the people. Of course, I don't have the money to move now since I have to save to rent a place & find a job there. What area of Austin do you think is not too far from Round Rock and is a safe place to live for a single woman, who would love to meet someone special??? I am open to suggestions. I know that by looking on Craigslist in Austin I see "South Austin", "Central Austin", SW Austin, etc. and of course I don't know what part of the city is a good area as opposed to not so good area. [mod]email address, see comment[/mod]