Aesthetically pleasing areas of Texas? (Midland, Alamo: hotel, house, buy)

[catman]

I love Fort Davis (I know you already know that, Cathy4017!)...but property values have shot up there recently. Too many people found out about it, probably. That's where I'd live in TX if I had my druthers.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by catman

I love Fort Davis (I know you already know that, Cathy4017!)...but property values have shot up there recently. Too many people found out about it, probably. That's where I'd live in TX if I had my druthers.

Yep, LOL!! Just like I do. There are times when I wish I had seriously considered that whole area instead of moving to NM.

Then, I consider all of the downsides--isolation, lack of services, etc--and then it doesn't look quite the same.

I'd love the highest parts of Davis Mountains Resort, if it were not for having to have wells/septic systems and the like. There are areas that are as high as 6200 feet, and I imagine vastly better in the summer than the rest of Texas. Some are so remote that they have water hauled in to storage tanks and such.

I can't get all of the coons up one tree......

[jaxart]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

The Big Bend area includes Alpine, Fort Davis and Marfa--as well as Marathon and other tiny places.

OHHHHH!! I had no idea. When I think of Big Bend country it's the remoteness of the Nat. Park that comes to mind, not the surrounding distant towns.

But I agree that the Davis Mtns. provide a "modicum" of escape from the otherwise hotter areas closer to the Rio Grande. I've been in Presidio at exactly this time of year (Easter weekend) when it was already over 100F in the afternoon. The only other times I've been there were during deer hunting seasons in the late fall/early winter.

Not sure why any of that is more desirable than here in south central NM?

[ladarron]

Hill Country

[TT Dave]

I would say that the Hill Country is the most aesthetically pleasing to me.

[Mark Senior]

Tyler, considered one of THE most beautiful areas of the state. With roses,pines, oaks etc, plus the dogwood and azales trails coming up in the next 2-4 weeks with a 10 mile driving trails, largest municipal rose garden in the country, having said all that, PARTS, of the hill country are a close second but much difference between the two.

[solytaire]

Originally Posted by Mark-Tyler is Special

Tyler, considered one of THE most beautiful areas of the state. With roses,pines, oaks etc, plus the dogwood and azales trails coming up in the next 2-4 weeks with a 10 mile driving trails, largest municipal rose garden in the country, having said all that, PARTS, of the hill country are a close second but much difference between the two.

what he said...except that Im not too fond of the Hill Country for whatever reason...

[City_boi]

Hill Country, bar none! The Westlake area of Austin is beautiful.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by jaxart

OHHHHH!! I had no idea. When I think of Big Bend country it's the remoteness of the Nat. Park that comes to mind, not the surrounding distant towns.

But I agree that the Davis Mtns. provide a "modicum" of escape from the otherwise hotter areas closer to the Rio Grande. I've been in Presidio at exactly this time of year (Easter weekend) when it was already over 100F in the afternoon. The only other times I've been there were during deer hunting seasons in the late fall/early winter.

Not sure why any of that is more desirable than here in south central NM?

I think I just get homesick for Texas at times. I miss the food and good restaurants more than anything.

I have never seen a town of this size (Alamogordo, 35-40K) with so many bland, tasteless restaurants......or just outright stinking LOUSY.

Even the backwater West Texas burg in which I grew up has vastly better eating places than what you can find here. All I really need are one good Mexican restaurant and one good steakhouse.

Fort Davis and Alpine are the same way. Even though there are not many places to eat in either town, what they do have is GOOD.

I have to go to Ruidoso to get decent food, or I cook at home. I cook more at home here than I have ever done in my life, and it's a good thing that I can make my own decent food, because that's what I end up having to do.

Even my favorite Casa de Suenos (Tularosa) was a major rip-off the other night. If there had not been a long line behind me, I would have said something.

The winter and ski season here this year has been great, but it's only going to happen periodically. Good winters every 3 years or so isn't going to cut it.

I'm really beginning to think that half the year in Texas and half the year in Colorado might be the way to go. I'm going to go look at some places (CO) after the weather moderates, and will continue to look for a place in A/FD. If I never find a place there (A/FD) I can live with, going back and forth between Alamo and CO will be OK.

[jaxart]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

I think I just get homesick for Texas at times. I miss the food and good restaurants more than anything.

I blame it on the trend to food service companies rather than restaurants making up their menus from scratch. I suppose in more remote small towns it's more likely the restaurateur still does their own, but most populous areas are now serviced by food service companies.