What is the best area with mountain views AWAY from colleges?

[mimimomx3]

I'm going to go out on a limb and love on college kids for a minute...they may slam doors and party by the pool on vacation, but all the college kids I know are really hard workers! It's tough to get into UT Austin, and even harder to stay there. We hire UT students as babysitters and they are serious bunch. I think their reputation has really settled down in recent years, and the Animal House days of partying (toga!) are not so much any more. I don't hear any loud wackiness coming from the (mostly) student apartments in the Far West areas.

[southaustingal]

A friend of mine who travels to various Texas towns says Fort Worth seems to have retained its character and seems more "Texas" than any of the other big Texas cities (except for El Paso, where she hasn't been).

If you want to live among Texans, Austin ain't yer town. You'd do better to move out, out far, maybe Junction, Texas, to be among the natives. A couple weeks ago, I rode my bike around the block, and in eight new houses, only one had Texas plates, and I'd lay money that those folks aren't originally from here.

About the college kids, I think you're describing high school kids more than college kids, at least in Austin. Everything you describe about their behavior sounds like the high school kids, especially if you live near a high school. We used to live by Bowie, and we saw more of what you're talking about there than anywhere else in the city (not counting the time in East Austin with domestic disputes, break-ins, and general disordiliness from the regular population).

[love roses]

You'll only find "real texas" outside of the bigger cities. Even smaller cities like Tyler are becoming little hotspots for people moving in from out of state. Fort Worth probably does retain it's Texas roots. places like Lake Jackson, West Columbia, Brazoria, Alvin, Kerrville, La Grange, Smithville, Waco, etc...would also be what you'd look at for where there are still more natives than transplants.