Should I move from Michigan to Texas? (Houston, Austin: home, campsites)

[Mark Senior]

Originally Posted by Campeador

The OP is from 2008, so it's unlikely that he's STILL contemplating his move!

It is interesting to hear from folks from Michigan/ other midwestern states regarding their experiences moving to Texas though. As with any move, I think if a person is content with his/her job, it goes a long way to helping with overall happiness.

What I miss most is outdoor recreation and access to pretty country. I like TX just fine, but natural beauty here is really limited. I love Big Bend, but that's 8 hours away. Might be time to explore the piney woods of east TX.

Yep, Northeast Texas, Tyler to Texarkana, for SOME fall colors. not like the Northeast, starting usually, early November, depends, then Tyler for azaleas, dogwoods, lush vegetation, starting usually late March, for the Azalea Trails, driving trails, two of them about 10 -12 miles in total. Thousands come from DFW but not crowded. They Tyler Rose Garden, largest MUNICIPAL Rose Garden, not private, in America.

Then go on any to the DEEP Piney Woods, Carthage, Jasper, back to Nacogdoches, even the Big Thicket farther South in East Texas.

[Sunderpig2]

Originally Posted by Campeador

The OP is from 2008, so it's unlikely that he's STILL contemplating his move!

Wow. As I've said before, there really needs to be some kind of sign or flag on this forum for posts that originated x number of years ago, as potentially irrelevant or being "stale data" due to the lapse of time. Maybe 1 year? I usually look at the date of the original posts, and avoid commenting and propping up the old ones. I must have overlooked that this time. Again, a flag or symbol of some kind might help.

[tikitwo8765]

As someone who moved from the north, I can relate to a lot of this. Sometimes I feel like I'm in a different country.

[Campeador]

Originally Posted by Sunderpig2

Wow. As I've said before, there really needs to be some kind of sign or flag on this forum for posts that originated x number of years ago, as potentially irrelevant or being "stale data" due to the lapse of time. Maybe 1 year? I usually look at the date of the original posts, and avoid commenting and propping up the old ones. I must have overlooked that this time. Again, a flag or symbol of some kind might help.

I agree! It could be much more conspicuous. On the other hand, as TX is still receiving lots of transplants from the midwest, NE and California the topic might be of interest.

[Campeador]

Originally Posted by Mark Senior

Yep, Northeast Texas, Tyler to Texarkana, for SOME fall colors. not like the Northeast, starting usually, early November, depends, then Tyler for azaleas, dogwoods, lush vegetation, starting usually late March, for the Azalea Trails, driving trails, two of them about 10 -12 miles in total. Thousands come from DFW but not crowded. They Tyler Rose Garden, largest MUNICIPAL Rose Garden, not private, in America.

Then go on any to the DEEP Piney Woods, Carthage, Jasper, back to Nacogdoches, even the Big Thicket farther South in East Texas.

Thank you for that info. I'll do some exploring. When I lived in Austin, I recall enjoying the Bastrop area (pre-fire). Is Tyler anything like that? (e.g. hilly and with nice pine forests).

[cBach]

Originally Posted by BobTex

Huge job market now on the upper coast with oil refinery construction and LNG plants although it is not desirable to live that close to the job so commuting will be probably neccessary. Pay for unskilled construction workers in the high teens with advancement schooling to learn skills.

Just a heads up ... only you can answer the question about whether you should leave but 12 dollars an hour sounds pretty dead to me in 2007.

This is correct.

If you want high paying jobs consider going north of CC on the coast. The Lake Charles, LA, area is experiencing a job boom right now with thousands of jobs that are $70K+ and it is probably about 30-40% black there. Good Cajun/Creole culture and low prices.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by NOTAM

if you are young, i would consider AUSTIN. much more manageable a city than Dallas, and plenty of jobs.
all of Texas' big cities have low unemployment. there was a big article about how Texas cities are the best for employment in the whole country.
i would not recommend Corpus unless you speak Spanish, or are comfortable with a highly hispanic community. one of my girlfriends who lives in Flour Bluff, in Corpus, had a hard time finding jobs because MANY require you to be bilingual

Austin has lowest percentage minorities of those cities and OP was very interested in a diverse city.

[Mark Senior]

Originally Posted by Campeador

Thank you for that info. I'll do some exploring. When I lived in Austin, I recall enjoying the Bastrop area (pre-fire). Is Tyler anything like that? (e.g. hilly and with nice pine forests).

Yep, many oaks, I mean, huge oaks, not like other parts of Texas, and enough pine trees, more pines to the Northeast, East and Southeast of Tyler proper, many just outside of city limits in those three directions, and really south and southwest as well. Have you been to this part of the state at all, East of Canton? This area is not as hilly as west of Austin, certainly not all flat.

Oh, some hills, especially between Tyler and Jacksonville and Northeast of Tyler, East Mountain, looks a little like the Hill Country, East Mountain is a tiny place around Gilmer, all that area looks like you are out of Texas, also, Tyler may look like to you, you are out of Texas.

[Campeador]

Originally Posted by Mark Senior

Yep, many oaks, I mean, huge oaks, not like other parts of Texas, and enough pine trees, more pines to the Northeast, East and Southeast of Tyler proper, many just outside of city limits in those three directions, and really south and southwest as well. Have you been to this part of the state at all, East of Canton? This area is not as hilly as west of Austin, certainly not all flat.

Oh, some hills, especially between Tyler and Jacksonville and Northeast of Tyler, East Mountain, looks a little like the Hill Country, East Mountain is a tiny place around Gilmer, all that area looks like you are out of Texas, also, Tyler may look like to you, you are out of Texas.

I've driven from DFW to the Ouachitas of Arkansas via Texarkana (I 30) and from Austin to Houston (and a separate trip to New Orleans from Austin), but have not been in that rather large chunk of land between those routes.

How are the national forests (Sabine, Sam Houston, and Davy Crockett)?

Might be a good midway point to meet up with some friends from New Orleans (I'm in FW).

[Mark Senior]

Originally Posted by Campeador

I've driven from DFW to the Ouachitas of Arkansas via Texarkana (I 30) and from Austin to Houston (and a separate trip to New Orleans from Austin), but have not been in that rather large chunk of land between those routes.

How are the national forests (Sabine, Sam Houston, and Davy Crockett)?

Might be a good midway point to meet up with some friends from New Orleans (I'm in FW).

Yes, that is a large "chunk" of land between the areas you've been thru, I guess just thru. Davy Crockett, Sam Houston National Forests you would see the pine trees I was talking about, but not many of the huge oaks. I would think Sabine would be more of the same. I've never been to that forest as far as I can remember, the official park area. You would miss most of the other items I talked about in the previous posts. But as midway point to meet your friends from New Orleans, yes probably somewhere in the Sabine National Forest? I would think several other posters on here could share much more on this, good luck.