Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I grew up in The Woodlands, graduated from high school there. We are probably moving back to the Houston area and there is no way I will live in The Woodlands. My reasons are that I want my kids to experience more than middle class white kids. I dont want them to think they get a BMW for their 16th bday. There is also a superiority complex that people have in The Woodlands. It's like people think it's this amazing place to live. Prior to Seattle we lived in Orange County, CA. People didnt have nearly the superiority complex there as the people I grew up w/ in the Woodlands. And the funny thing is the people in CA have houses 3-5 times more than people in The woodlands, the beach is right there, the communities blow The Woodlands out of the water. It's just laughable to me that people think it's so amazing. It shows a real ignorance to what the rest of the country is like.
These kind of comments are absurd. I love it when people know the inner thoughts of an entire community of 100k people. I would love to have that super hero skill one day. Can you fly too?
The Woodlands is something I have a lot of experience with since that is where my family is. I find the Woodlands to be one of the best communities in the country pound for pound. The homes are stunningly beautiful. The entire community is like living in a forest. They don't allow any public signs above ground. So when you are driving down the main roads all you see are trees. Behind those trees might be a strip mall or a restaurant or gas station but it's completely out of view until you actually turn into the parking lot.
The whole community is very clean and there are miles and miles of hiking and biking trails that wind through the deep woods. There are parks everywhere. The Cynthia Woods Pavilion is a great place to hear a free concert (or paid one). Downtown Woodlands is really booming. You never have to go on the highway for anything. Everything you need is there. The schools are some of the best not in the state, but in the country.
I think 25 years down the road the Woodlands is actually going to become a booming city versus a master planned community. With Exxon moving in there will be more to follow. Anadarko Petroleum is already there as well as many other biotech companies.
It's close to the airport. It truly is an amazing place to raise a family. Are there snobby people there? Sure. But most of the people there just want a safe place to raise their kids. And please don't make the comparison to Orange County, the white capital of the world. The capital of Christian Rock and the white supremacy capital of the world as well. People out there are far more stuck up. Although, parts of OC I really like as well. And just as many 16 year olds get a BMW for their birthday out there as well.
These kind of comments are absurd. I love it when people know the inner thoughts of an entire community of 100k people. I would love to have that super hero skill one day. Can you fly too?
The Woodlands is something I have a lot of experience with since that is where my family is. I find the Woodlands to be one of the best communities in the country pound for pound. The homes are stunningly beautiful. The entire community is like living in a forest. They don't allow any public signs above ground. So when you are driving down the main roads all you see are trees. Behind those trees might be a strip mall or a restaurant or gas station but it's completely out of view until you actually turn into the parking lot.
The whole community is very clean and there are miles and miles of hiking and biking trails that wind through the deep woods. There are parks everywhere. The Cynthia Woods Pavilion is a great place to hear a free concert (or paid one). Downtown Woodlands is really booming. You never have to go on the highway for anything. Everything you need is there. The schools are some of the best not in the state, but in the country.
I think 25 years down the road the Woodlands is actually going to become a booming city versus a master planned community. With Exxon moving in there will be more to follow. Anadarko Petroleum is already there as well as many other biotech companies.
It's close to the airport. It truly is an amazing place to raise a family. Are there snobby people there? Sure. But most of the people there just want a safe place to raise their kids. And please don't make the comparison to Orange County, the white capital of the world. The capital of Christian Rock and the white supremacy capital of the world as well. People out there are far more stuck up. Although, parts of OC I really like as well. And just as many 16 year olds get a BMW for their birthday out there as well.
I have spent the past 20 years of my life in OC, CA. I would agree with a lot of what the poster above said about the Woodlands....they mirror my impressions of it so far. However, about the OC area, my experiences are very different than this poster. There are very, very pretentious parts of the OC. I'm sure that sort of mindset exists in any wealthy area anywhere in the world. But, I can tell you that there are many down to earth, wonderful people in the OC.
My perspective is that the OC area is not as lacking in diversity as some here have said or implied. I think it is very diverse here. More so with large percentages of Hispanics and Asians, though. I think you typically see less African Americans the further West you go in the U.S. However, I was always around African Americans growing up, and have always had AA friends and colleagues. I don't know what you are meaning by the OC being the White Supremacy Capitol of the World?? I sure don't see that here in my circles. At all! At the Community Bible Study that I host, we have black, white, Asian and Hispanic women who attend. I also have friends and family who have interracial marriages here. It is a non issue with the vast majority of my friends and family.
Also confused about the Christian Rock Capitol thing? I would think that would be Nashville, not here? I am not familiar with any Christian rock scene here, and if anyone would hear about it, I would , since I run in pretty Christian circles.
We spent the last two days going all over the Woodlands, and I didn't see anything approaching pretentiousness. Maybe I just didn't go to the "right" places to observe such folk? It seemed pretty normal, middle class, and friendly. I was mostly in public places ( Market Street, the Mall, a supermarket, driving around neighborhoods, etc.) . I thought overall, people seemed to be less image driven and less....flashy than what I see at South Coast Plaza, for example. Or, Newport Beach, or Irvine. I think the Woodlands as a whole feels much more down to Earth and less pretentious than in the higher end zip codes here.
Sorry for rambling....just my observations.
Last edited by CAHomeschoolMom; 08-12-2012 at 01:24 PM..
I have spent the past 20 years of my life in OC, CA. I would agree with a lot of what the poster above said about the Woodlands....they mirror my impressions of it so far. However, about the OC area, my experiences are very different than this poster. There are very, very pretentious parts of the OC. I'm sure that sort of mindset exists in any wealthy area anywhere in the world. But, I can tell you that there are many down to earth, wonderful people in the OC.
My perspective is that the OC area is not as lacking in diversity as some here have said or implied. I think it is very diverse here. More so with large percentages of Hispanics and Asians, though. I think you typically see less African Americans the further West you go in the U.S. However, I was always around African Americans growing up, and have always had AA friends and colleagues. I don't know what you are meaning by the OC being the White Supremacy Capitol of the World?? I sure don't see that here in my circles. At all! At the Community Bible Study that I host, we have black, white, Asian and Hispanic women who attend. I also have friends and family who have interracial marriages here. It is a non issue with the vast majority of my friends and family.
Also confused about the Christian Rock Capitol thing? I would think that would be Nashville, not here? I am not familiar with any Christian rock scene here, and if anyone would hear about it, I would , since I run in pretty Christian circles.
We spent the last two days going all over the Woodlands, and I didn't see anything approaching pretentiousness. Maybe I just didn't go to the "right" places to observe such folk? It seemed pretty normal, middle class, and friendly. I was mostly in public places ( Market Street, the Mall, a supermarket, driving around neighborhoods, etc.) . I thought overall, people seemed to be less image driven and less....flashy than what I see at South Coast Plaza, for example. Or, Newport Beach, or Irvine. I think the Woodlands as a whole feels much more down to Earth and less pretentious than in the higher end zip codes here.
Yeah Orange County has been known to have some rather large white supremacy organizations. Of course it's a small part of the population. But the larger groups are based out there. As for christian rock, yeah very big out there. I'm not knocking OC, I love it out there and have many friends out there. All good people. Just pointing out that there is diversity in both places. The Woodlands has a lot of Asians, some Muslims, lots of Latinos. I think both OC and Woodlands are very similar and are probably criticized for the same reasons.
Wow...that is nuts about the raid on the supremacists. Scary stuff!
That is an interesting observation that the Woodlands and OC are similar. Maybe that's why we feel so at home there. And I do agree, there is diversity in both places.
Jek, are you talking about the Fish radio station? Just curious about the Christian rock thing ( maybe I don't know about it because I am approaching middle age...or am I there already? Lol! So maybe I am just out of touch .
Wow...that is nuts about the raid on the supremacists. Scary stuff!
That is an interesting observation that the Woodlands and OC are similar. Maybe that's why we feel so at home there. And I do agree, there is diversity in both places.
Jek, are you talking about the Fish radio station? Just curious about the Christian rock thing ( maybe I don't know about it because I am approaching middle age...or am I there already? Lol! So maybe I am just out of touch .
"Like many forms of the Sixties counterculture, Christian rock first emerged in California. More precisely Orange County, the epicenter of what was dubbed the Jesus Movement. It was at Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa where Chuck Smith famously teamed up with über-Jesus freak Lonnie Frisbee. Larry Norman came out of the Bay Area and had a major impact as well."
"Like many forms of the Sixties counterculture, Christian rock first emerged in California. More precisely Orange County, the epicenter of what was dubbed the Jesus Movement. It was at Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa where Chuck Smith famously teamed up with über-Jesus freak Lonnie Frisbee. Larry Norman came out of the Bay Area and had a major impact as well."
Aha! I am very familiar with Calvary Chapel. Of course, they are more mainstream evangelical now....more conservative. We attend one, actually. I guess I didn't clue into what you were referencing because I just always hear about that refered to as the "Jesus Movement" back in the 70's . The music was more a byproduct or expression of it. Interesting YouTube clip, thanks for sharing.
The Christian music scene has changed so much. It used to be very much more heartfelt. Now, it's just a big business like any other.
There is a possibility of my husband will be relocated from San Antonio to Houston (city centre area). I grew up in Orange County, CA, and moved to San Antonio when we had kids. I love the feel of San Antonio and how great it is for families. I also loved growing up in North Orange County. (didn't have too many kids get BMWS for their birthdays) I think we would like the Woodlands, but it's a little too far and a little pricey. We moved from CA to avoid traffic and inflated housing prices. Can anyone recommend somewhere like the woodlands but closer? Is Katy/Cinco Ranch similar
We are relocating from DFW this spring & we're having a hard time deciding between The Woodlands and Sugar Land. I know the obvious differences - The Woodlands has more trees (which we LOVE) & is a bit more... "uppity" & Sugar Land is more culturally diverse & a bit closer to all the "good stuff" a family may want to frequent in Houston (zoo, museums, etc).
My husband will be based out of our house & covering the entire Houston area (I think he said from Conroe to Victoria?) & I will be a stay at home mom, so location isn't necessarily an issue (especially since traffic will be bad everywhere ). We are drawn by the fact that The Woodlands will save us about an hour in the commute back to DFW, which we will probably make quite frequently... but something about Sugar Land just draws me in!
I'm not sure what info will help us narrow down which city is best, but I'd love opinions on one town vs the other. We do have an almost 5 year old (so he'll be starting kinder) & another one on the way, but I think the schools & family-friendliness is going to be pretty comparable in either area. (Right?) We love outdoor activities (running, cycling, hiking, "exploring", etc), which either will likely fit. I'm guessing crime rates are about the same in both towns also, right?
We plan to rent for at least a year before we buy, so we can always change our minds, but I'd really like to get my son settled into in an area we plan to stay long term.
I've lived in The Woodlands for most of my adult life, so I'm a bit biased towards The Woodlands. Not once in all the time I've lived have I wished I lived in another part of the metro Houston area. It is extremely well maintained and laid out very well. Lots of stuff to do and the schools are very good. Many of my friends live in Sugarland and are happy there, I just know The Woodlands is hard to beat and housing market is excellent for re-sale.
[SIZE=3]The Woodlands is about an hour from Sugar Land, and 30 minutes from George Bush Intl Airport. I am more familiar with Sugar Land. Before getting into real estate, I worked for the City of Sugar Land’s marketing department for nearly 4 years.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Here’s some info on Sugar Land:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Sugar Land is a culturally diverse city. In 2007, Sugar Land officially became the first city in the nation to be named a Community of Respect® by the Anti-Defamation League. The City has been recognized each year since 2007.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]As far as public safety, Sugar Land was named one of America’s safest cities and the safest city in Texas in 2011, a distinction based on an analysis of FBI crime stats published by Congressional Quarterly. Each year, Sugar Land has made it on the list (at least in the last 4 years when I worked there).[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Sugar Land has excellent Fort Bend ISD schools that have been nationally recognized for academic achievement. Here’s a link: [/SIZE][SIZE=3]http://www.fortbendisd.com/about/awards-accomplishments[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Also, if you enjoy the outdoors, Sugar Land has numerous parks with beautiful hike and bike trails that encircle acres of lakes. We even have a dog park and a mountain bike trail. Jogging trails are a key feature in a lot of the subdivisions in Sugar Land. In fact, in 2011, the City opened its first Imperial Park Recreation Center. So if you like fitness, this a great place to work out and meet new friends.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Like the Woodlands, Sugar Land also has heavily wooded communities, like Greatwood and Sweetwater that come to mind. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Sugar Land is a family-oriented city. The City hosts numerous community events throughout the year including the Cultural Kite Festival, Concerts in the Park, Red White and Blue Fest, the Tree Lighting Event at Town Square, and New Year’s Eve Celebration, to name a few. We also have Constellation Field - a new minor league baseball stadium - that opened up this past spring![/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]You don’t have to travel far to get to various destinations in Sugar Land. The 3 major corridors are Highway 6, U.S. Highway 90A, and U.S. 59. SL is 20 miles southwest of downtown Houston. BTW, the City has embarked on several capital improvement projects to enhance mobility throughout Sugar Land, including a University Boulevard extension that will eventually connect U.S 59 to State Highway 6.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]I can go on and on about Sugar Land. I’d be more than happy to send you a packet of Sugar Land literature so you can review and determine if this would be an ideal place for your family.[/SIZE]
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
, since I run in pretty Christian circles. 
.
). We are drawn by the fact that The Woodlands will save us about an hour in the commute back to DFW, which we will probably make quite frequently... but something about Sugar Land just draws me in!
The Woodlands
