quick Austin question (San Antonio, Allen, Alamo: houses, neighborhoods, movie theaters)

[Gemini1963]

Hi.

I know this is the San Antonio Forum....

But does anyone here have first-hand knowledge about the Austin neighborhood of Allandale and the San Antonio neighborhood of Castle Hills? If so, do you find them similar, or not? (I am familiar with Allandale, but not Castle Hills.) Based on things that I can glean from online perusal, they seem like they might be -- similar distance from downtown, similar layout of streets and age / style of houses (maybe?), and with more mature trees scattered liberally throughout the area.

Thanks for any comparative notes you might have. If the comparison is COMPLETELY off-base, that would be great to know, too.

Thanks!

[ashbeeigh]

I’d say they’re somewhat similar. The homes in Castle Hills are probably a bit bigger then those in Allandale. The “walkability” of Allandale doesn’t translate to Castle Hills though. If you like the walkability of Allandale then I’d look more towards Olmos Park/álamo heights area. If style and size are what you’re looking for then I’d go with Castle hills. Schools are probably comparable, although the magnet programs are different.

[Gemini1963]

This is really great information. Thank you!

[Kthnry]

Ashbeeigh has good insights. I think of Allandale as a bit older - more pre-war era houses on smaller lots - while Castle Hills seems solidly mid-century and more spread out with houses on big lots, especially outside the loop.

Castle Hills isn't considered one of the close-to-downtown, cool neighborhoods. It doesn't have the cachet of Allandale, which is vastly more expensive and wealthy than Castle Hills. That being said, as someone who currently lives in a close-to-downtown, cool neighborhood, I'd rather live in Castle Hills. I love the housing stock. The two theaters that show foreign/art films are right there and all of the interesting ethnic restaurants are in that part of town. There are several bookstores nearby. I find myself driving out that way almost every weekend. I really do have Castle Hills envy.

Note that Castle Hills is not a neighborhood but an actual independent city embedded in San Antonio, as are Alamo Heights and Olmos Park (and others I may have forgotten).

If you'd prefer to live in a walkable/creative/artsy/crunchy-granola area, there are other parts of town that might be a better fit.

[Gemini1963]

Originally Posted by Kthnry

Ashbeeigh has good insights. I think of Allandale as a bit older - more pre-war era houses on smaller lots - while Castle Hills seems solidly mid-century and more spread out with houses on big lots, especially outside the loop.

Castle Hills isn't considered one of the close-to-downtown, cool neighborhoods. It doesn't have the cachet of Allandale, which is vastly more expensive and wealthy than Castle Hills. That being said, as someone who currently lives in a close-to-downtown, cool neighborhood, I'd rather live in Castle Hills. I love the housing stock. The two theaters that show foreign/art films are right there and all of the interesting ethnic restaurants are in that part of town. There are several bookstores nearby. I find myself driving out that way almost every weekend. I really do have Castle Hills envy.

Note that Castle Hills is not a neighborhood but an actual independent city embedded in San Antonio, as are Alamo Heights and Olmos Park (and others I may have forgotten).

If you'd prefer to live in a walkable/creative/artsy/crunchy-granola area, there are other parts of town that might be a better fit.

Thank you for this additional information. We lived in Allandale for about ten years, but we bought our house well before the neighborhood was expensive, wealthy, or had any cache at all. We sold our house juuuust as all of that was starting. Oops. Oh well.

I would love to be near foreign/art film movie theaters, and ESPECIALLY ethnic restaurants. And from what I can tell online, I agree with you on the housing stock appearing to be attractive.

Also, I was clueless about it being a separate city - very interesting (and important) information. Thanks again!

[Kthnry]

Originally Posted by Gemini1963

Thank you for this additional information. We lived in Allandale for about ten years, but we bought our house well before the neighborhood was expensive, wealthy, or had any cache at all. We sold our house juuuust as all of that was starting. Oops. Oh well.

I would love to be near foreign/art film movie theaters, and ESPECIALLY ethnic restaurants. And from what I can tell online, I agree with you on the housing stock appearing to be attractive.

Also, I was clueless about it being a separate city - very interesting (and important) information. Thanks again!

Heh. Allandale was expensive and prestigious when I was living in the North Loop neighborhood back in the early '90s (at least in comparison). Being under the flight path made a big difference in affordability.

I hope you can find something that hasn't been "renovated" by a flipper. It's a damn shame what they're doing to those great old houses. It's a real problem in SA.

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by Gemini1963

Thank you for this additional information. We lived in Allandale for about ten years, but we bought our house well before the neighborhood was expensive, wealthy, or had any cache at all. We sold our house juuuust as all of that was starting. Oops. Oh well.

I would love to be near foreign/art film movie theaters, and ESPECIALLY ethnic restaurants. And from what I can tell online, I agree with you on the housing stock appearing to be attractive.

Also, I was clueless about it being a separate city - very interesting (and important) information. Thanks again!

The Bijou is not far from Castle Hills. “Ethnic food” isn’t as big in SA, but you can find it (check our restaurant opening/closing and last place you are threads). Depending on your budget I’d look a bit further in closer to The San Pedro/downtown area by starting with zip code 78212. I think those would be more of an Allendale vibe. For context, I lived in SA from 1989-2025 at which point I moved up to Austin. I worked near Northwest District park for a bit so I think I get the vibe pretty well.

[Gemini1963]

Thank you!

Would I be pushing my luck to ask you both also to tell me a bit about allergies in the two cities? In the course of 13 years in Austin, I never got cedar fever, but I KNOW it could hit me any time. My spouse did suffer from it, almost from the get-go. Is it by any chance not as bad in S.A.? (I am pretty sure the answer is No, and yet ... I'll ask.)

Thank you, both, again for your help on this!

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by Gemini1963

Thank you!

Would I be pushing my luck to ask you both also to tell me a bit about allergies in the two cities? In the course of 13 years in Austin, I never got cedar fever, but I KNOW it could hit me any time. My spouse did suffer from it, almost from the get-go. Is it by any chance not as bad in S.A.? (I am pretty sure the answer is No, and yet ... I'll ask.)

Thank you, both, again for your help on this!

Allergies are about the same for me. Austin us slightly worse. I don’t get too sick from cedar, but oak and spring allergies really get me.

[Kthnry]

Originally Posted by Gemini1963

Would I be pushing my luck to ask you both also to tell me a bit about allergies in the two cities? In the course of 13 years in Austin, I never got cedar fever, but I KNOW it could hit me any time. My spouse did suffer from it, almost from the get-go. Is it by any chance not as bad in S.A.? (I am pretty sure the answer is No, and yet ... I'll ask.)

I don't have much trouble with allergies (yet), but my impression is that allergies are much worse in Austin. I can remember years when large numbers of folks at work were walking around like zombies with eyes puffed shut and zoned out on Benadryl. I don't really see that here. Even when my friends are complaining about allergies, it's on the level of a mild annoyance compared to the disabling effects of cedar fever in Austin.

Most of San Antonio is south of the Hill Country and we don't have a lot of the trees that cause cedar fever. I remember the clouds of pollen that would blow off those trees.