Are there any no car needed cities in Texas?

[Austinite101]

It seems like the people saying you can't live in Texas without a car are the same ones who live in the suburbs with 3 SUVs in their parking lots. I live in Central Austin and have never needed a car, nor am I suffering from lack of food options. Actually, it's the exact opposite. Central Austin is densifying so fast that I often have too many choices - if there's even such a thing.

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by ctk0p7

I thought it was a joke also. Making a little poke at the almost staggering choices of chain restaurants in Suburbanville USA. Anyone choosing a car free lifestyle living in Central Austin would have thousands of great local owned places to eat within walking distance. I guess it's all about personal choices. Worst case scenario if you did live in that area and needed a car, you could always use car2go, or public transportation.

While I understand and respect the pros and cons of suburban v. urban living, not all Texas suburbs are just chain restaurants and big box stores. I live in Round Rock, and we have great local Ethiopian, Cuban, interior Mexican, eastern European, southern, Italian-American, Greek, Tex-Mex, BBQ (Jack Allen's), Indian, Japanese, Thai, Cajun, American, the famous Round Rock Donuts, Pizza, Caribbean/Latin American...and then there's the local Austin chains - Chuys, Torchy's, soon-to-be Hopdoddy Burger bar, Hat Creek Burger. All in addition to standard chain fair. Local business is encouraged and thrives. But I'm not going to lie...I love having all matter of retail big and small, chain and non-chain without traversing all over the place. I used to live in NYC for over 25 years and frankly it was a grind. Fine when I was in my 20s, not desired when I turned 30. I'm 40 with children and there's no way I'll ever return to living in a densely populated area. I like my solitude and tranquility. We sold our first suburban house and moved to another suburban house that's even farther out.

Also Texas suburbs do have character. Before the great migration from XYZ states, these places were little towns where there was still a general store and only one elementary, high, and middle school. People should check out the downtowns of these cities sometimes. Many of them also have a very active local scene, but admittedly it's not for single young people because single, young people aren't really the demographic the city is aiming to attract. There are outliers, but from my observation the targets are people with families or older people.

BTW, Austin, we don't have three SUVs. We have Nissan Altimas, one of which isn't driven much since I take the Metrorail If there are 3 SUVs, it's because children are involved and it just makes more sense. Personally I hate them (except the Xterra) and will never drive one.

[First24]

The only city I'd attempt a car-free life in is D-A-L-L-A-S.

[smarino]

I haven't owned a car in 40 years, and lived in San Antonio, Galveston, Daytona Beach, Reno, Tucson, St Petersburg, Hilo, Savannah, Knoxville, and lots of other places not known for having great public transportation, or for being old style walking cities. It's very doable, and I assure you that I live a "normal" life, whatever that is. Met my wife 13 years ago in Hilo, and when we moved to the mainland we sold her car and get to and from work, buy groceries, etc by bus, walking, biking, and the occasional cab.

It's a compromise, like everything else, but it's a feel good thing because we're not adding to the earth's pollution, and we actually enjoy living carless. It requires planning where you're going to be working, where you'll be living, where the stores and entertainment are, etc. When we moved here to St Pete recently, we marked on the transit map where the things were that we needed, along w/ where the late night buses ran, where the grocery stores were, where the schools my wife would be working in, and all that. Then we looked for housing in those areas. It sounds simple, but it took 64 years of living for me to get this formula together, and it does require at least a semblance of good public transit and a city that isn't TOO sprawled out.

[Mimoso48]

I get around fine in san antonio with no car. It seems that the people that say life without a car is impossible have lived in the suburbs their whole lives.