Houston vs. So Cal...pro`s and con`s (Sugar Land: how much, elementary schools)

[jenkirk]

I lived in Houston for 30 years. I would suggest north houston off 59 or 45. The commute to downtown is not bad. Sugarland is also very very nice and has great schools.

We moved to Austin over a year ago, and the home prices are more than Houston (about 30%), but the taxes are lower in most areas. So your payment ends up being only slightly higher in Austin. Also it is very pretty here, not so cal pretty, but it is still very nice.

I loved Houston and miss it, but Austin is so much nicer if you are an outdoor type.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by Mom2Feebs

I can't get over the comments about In-and-Out burger. They're good, but come on, gang! This is Texas--for crying out loud, if you can't find a better burger in this state, that's a sign of trouble for sure! I can name a dozen places right off the top of my head that I think have better burgers, but I'll save that for the thread in the Texas general forum that's ongoing.

Actually tell me the ones here in Houston. I don't care about the places in S.A. or other parts of Texas.

[person]

I would like to know too where I can find good fast food burgers like the ones at In-and-Out. I can think of few places like chain restaurants to get good burgers, but they are not fast food places, or at fast food prices.

[Lakewooder]

Originally Posted by CMDallas

you seem to be looking for affordable housing, all of Texas does a good job of that... But like some of the posts above if you're looking for So Cal weather then I would consider central Texas or Even Western Texas. However if you want a big city life SA, Dallas, or i guess Houston would probably due. If you're an ocean fanatic then i would recommend Houston. But otherwise i would say SA mainly because its not so much in the way of tornadoes (like Dallas) or hurricanes (like Houston). El Paso, Odessa, or Amarillo might also please you if you don't mind smaller cities. If you don't care about the city size at all i would find i small city with about 10,000 people and move there homes will probably be cheapest there.

Dallas hasn't had a tornado of any consequence since April of 1957. I think that one killed 10 people.

[tstone]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Dallas hasn't had a tornado of any consequence since April of 1957. I think that one killed 10 people.

People (many Houstonians) think Dallas "always has tornados" because the thunderstorms there are rough. I came down from Okla City and have never seen so much trash fly around from shopping centers into the freeways. It sure does feel like a tornado there sometimes.

[blancspons]

We've lived in both San Diego and Houston, and we like both places- though they are very different! We're settling in Houston because we can afford it and my husband found a great job here. San Diego is so beautiful, has perfect weather, but overcrowded and overpriced. Houston is affordable, not so pretty, and very humid in the summer. Both cities offer a ton to do and lots of opportunities. If I had the money, I'd move to San Diego to live- but since I don't Houston is a nice place to call home.

[blancspons]

Also, you say you want to be close to the beach? The TX coast looks very different from the CA coast.. we were disappointed when we saw it. The land is flat, the water is brownish, and there is no "cool ocean breeze." (I think the water is cleaner here than in CA though!)

[worldlyman]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

Actually tell me the ones here in Houston. I don't care about the places in S.A. or other parts of Texas.

I've had In N Out in my time living in SoCal. I've eaten there maybe 5 or 6 times in a four year span...take that for what it's worth.

In N Out is "fresh" and all that, especially those awesome fries. But I never developed that zombified SoCal mindset for it. It has a definite appeal (I was more into Carl's Jr.)...but I don't see that as a REAL burger like that in Houston's Miller's Burger Cafe in the Texas Medical Center or even Beck's Prime. Beck's is sort of fancy (and pricey)...but man if that size alone doesn't boggle the senses.

Not really a big burger person myself...but Miller's Burgers has no equal that I've found in SoCal.

For more of a wow factor, I still take Beck's Prime and Miller's Cafe in Houston over the popularity of In N Out.

[Mom2Feebs]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

Actually tell me the ones here in Houston. I don't care about the places in S.A. or other parts of Texas.

Clay's (on Clay Rd near 6) is one of my favorites. They're just awesome, I don't know what it is about them. I also love Skeeter's, Cliff's, and definitely Miller's as someone else mentioned....but my very favorite burger joint in Houston has to be Wunsche Bros. in Old Town Spring. Wow. Just flat-out great burgers, among other things. I am drooling just thinking about it!

[tstone]

I remember Cliffs from WAY back in the day - that was pretty good stuff.

As far as chains go, nothing beats Whataburger.