Where in Texas can I find a walkable city/town? (San Antonio: crime, employment)

[Emerald Forest]

Hello Everybody,

My husband and I are from Corpus Christi, TX. We recently took a trip to Fredericksburg, TX and loved it! The town is very walkable, has a nice strip where it is nice to take a stroll, with or without children, and has a strong sense of identity.

We would like to leave Corpus in the next few years. It just isn't for us. The city is laidback and has lots of good Mexican food, which is nice, but in my opinion, the city is pretty "common stock", if that makes any sense. Besides the water, it's a pretty bland, plain place. Yes, there are museums, a ballpark, and an aquarium, but how many times does one need to see the museum (there aren't many exhibits making there way through)? We're not ballpark fans, and the downtown area doesn't cater to families very well.

Now I don't want to diss Corpus.... By and large people are easygoing, and the bay does provide natural beauty. Most people can afford a decent cost of living, and the economy here, while it's not booming, seems to move along at a deliberate pace. But, the heat is quite stifling and unrelenting. Some will say the gulf breezes mitigate it, but not enough for my comfort.

What we liked about Fredericksburg is that it felt a tad cooler, so it was easier to be outside and enjoy it. The town has great places to walk and visit, as well as the surrounding areas. It also has a distinctive history and a greater sense of culture. Crime is pretty low, not that Corpus' is off the charts, but I felt very safe there. It's also great that it's not far from two large metro areas.

Are there other places like this in Texas? If so, we'd like to know about them.

[cinnamon_toast]

I live in FBG and it is true, we can walk to most everything we need -- coffee, restaurants, shops, HEB, library. It is incredibly safe, all the shops on Main St. leave their large display items out overnight. I have never felt uncomfortable walking around alone at night.

[Emerald Forest]

Cinnamon, you live in a great town. When the time comes and we get ready to move, FBG is one place we're considering. If it doesn't work out with any employment prospects, we'll probably leave the state. We're looking for cooler weather and a town/city with more distinction, history, and culture than where we are now.

[cinnamon_toast]

Not sure there's much highbrow culture but we we do have a little hippie artist scene and for music of course there's -- Luckenbach!!

[Pooua]

San Antonio is highly walkable. I got lost and walked all over it!

Seriously, though, SA is designed for pedestrian tourists, and it has lots of stuff to see and do. It just doesn't have so much employment opportunities. It is also about the Southern-most limit for blueberries bushes in Texas; blueberries require freezing weather to produce fruit.