So we visited Austin this past week.... (Dallas, Round Rock: for sale, motorhome)

[CravenClan]

So we visited Austin this past week, and it was GREAT!!!! The trip was long, my kids were a their witts ends, and we were tired, but we loved it and did not want to go home!!!

Via internet searches, we found areas, before we came to check it out, my main one we wanted to see was the Dripping Springs area, for a few reasons. Schools, being first, and the fact that it was a bit further out, we wanted different than what we are used to here. That was definately different than So. Cal!!!! It was the first area we hit coming in, we ventured all the way up to the Georgetown areas as well, but in the end we ended up back in Dripping Springs!! As we drove through the area, we saw so much green, it is really beautiful, and very different from home, in many ways!!

The first day we were lost a few times, my husband has been to many more cities than myself, and said it was very confusing to drive around there!! Th one thing i noticed right of way was that, here we are used to being able to see things, like housing tracts, stores, places to eat, they are so easy to spot, because we do not have the same scenery as Austin. So the first day, after being lost, and not being able to really see a whole lot of things, i was a little discouraged!! I am HORRIBLE at any sense of direction, and am not much a fan of change, so these 2 things together, i was a deer in the headlights!! (we saw a lot of those too!)

As we got up I35, towardsRound Rock and Georgetown, I knew right of way it was not going to be what we were looking for, not after what we had seen in the Dripping Springs areas..It reminded me of the 15 going through Corona to Orange County, just freeways and stores, both new and old centers all clumped together, it reminded me of home, and that was not what we were looking for in a way of change.

We drove in a motorhome, and we stayed at a place right near Lake Travis, it was nice as well, the people were very nice and helpful there as well. We did get a taste of the fire ants though!!! The rain woke us up in the night, and in the morning my husband went out to get everything unhooked, he got a few bites (like 10) and he has a lot of allergies, they welted up nicley on him!! I got one, when i grabbed a flier on a house for sale, it was not a pleasant feeling!!!! Thene again, I checked the weather (not that it mattered) and i thought it would be warm, it was then the rain came, thank god i had brought some jeans and rain jackets for the kids!! But we are from So. Cal, so i ended up in thongs the whole trip, along with my daughter in crocs, i will have to be sure i have some closed toed shoes when we move!!! hahaha

We are BIG boating people, we LOVE to go to the river (Arizona) so we checked out Lake Travis and Lake Austin, they seeemd nice. We ate at the Huls Hut, that was cool right on the water, and the food was great!! The fried ice cream was to die for, the best we have ever had!! I will say it was nice to see how FRIENDLY everyone was, lots of smiles and hellos, people would strike up conversations so easily....it was refreshing and exciting. My husband and i were talking about having to put on our smiley faces. Here i think everyone is so busy and consumed with their own lives, they forget to smile and be happy....so we were really excited about that!!! I had a guy tell us, that Lake Travis was a little crazy, lots of boaters who are not really experienced, so there are alot of accidents and deaths, that he would not take his kids on Lake Travis, that there were planty of other lakes to go on...Maybe anyone with thoughts on that could fill us in. We are experieinced boaters, 20+ years for my husband, I am the boat backer inner, not the boat driver!!!

We drove through Westlake, very pretty, way out of price range, but nice to see. We kinda found Cirle C, I went through some houses at Meridian, they were nice as well. I saw a shopping center down from there that had a Target and stuff, would that be the one closet to Dripping Springs? Again, i was so turned around, it was not even funny!!! I saw a HEB at 290 and something, there was a closed down Albertsons accross the street, I think i saw one closer to DS, but I can't remember. We went into a Randalls, it was really nice, it had a huge tree with out door seating in the front of it, but since my husband is still sleeping, i can't remember where it was!! Bee Cave was nice, i did not really see any houses there, but then again, we did not really look, i think i had looked on the internet, and they were pricey as well. My husbadn just said it was Jollyville, where the Randalls was.....We ate a Salt Grass steakhouse, it was GREAT as well!!! We like to go to Laughlin, and we always eat at a steak house at the Ramada, it is wonderful. I had seen an advertisement for a Salt Grass in the Golden Nugget, there as well, but we had never been. We are a steak and potato family, no sushi here. We also ate at the Salt Lick BBQ, it was good too. Different that what we are used to here. I saw the potato salad, and it was kinda brown, so i assumed they just make it different than i am used to making, but it was AWESOME! I ate a lot of it!!! and i am not a big fan of coleslaw, but it was yummy as well!!!

We did not see any horrendous drivers, I saw a lot of people that did not use turn signals, but traveling around did not seem to be bad. We did get on I35, at a peak travel time, that was not much fun, but i have seen way worse here!!! My husband would not have to travel that way often, so it does not affect us much. I did see some tailgaters, and i could not tell if everyone was driving fast, or it was just that we were in a motorhome, everyone seems to be passing you by no matter what!!!

Lastly, we did visit Steiner Ranch, it was beautiful, but as soon as i came out of the Welcome Center I knew it was not for us. But we did go up to the models at LakeWood something, they were nice, and we saw 3 other CALIFORNIA couples looking there. So when it was all said and done, it reminded me of OC, remember all you Steiner Fans, this is just my OPINION, so please do not be offended!!! A couple other people we met, said it was a "california community" and i could definatley see and feel that. So we did not want to make a move out of state, to something that was going to be what we are trying to get away from here. I remember a post and one commented, about Steiner Ranch, something like " I like the cookies, but i don't like em all up in my koolaid" I get that now!! Also my husband reminded me out of 3500 miles of dring, as we passed SR, it was the only place we got cut off, from someone coming out of there!!!! So in short, it was not for us, we are more laid back, we have nice things, but are not the "showy" type.

I met a lady on this forum that lived in Belterra, and i actully met up with her, she was so nice and i was nervous about going to her door, even though she did invite me, but i did and am glad i did!! We have a couple kidos about the same age, and she was just a nice person!!! I met another lady in Belterra at the park, she was nice as well, 2 little boys, and she was from Dallas/Ft. Worth area. She said Austin is night and day compared to any other part of Texas, it took her a while to get used to, but she likes it now. We also ate at the Nutty Brown Cafe, good as well.

All in all our trip was great, we did not want to come home, and not because California is on fire, but just that we felt at home there. As we left, out of the few people we did meet, i told my husband, if only half the people were that nice, we will LOVE IT there!!!! I wish our house was sold, and we would be outta here!!!! It can't sell fast enough, I see another price drop coming ourway!!

Thanks to all the nice people on this forum, answering questions and being kind, it was a great experience, even though we are beat today, we can't wait to get back there!!!!

[Trainwreck20]

I had a guy tell us, that Lake Travis was a little crazy, lots of boaters who are not really experienced

Definitely stay off the lake, or at least the popular areas of the lake, on holidays - labor day, memorial day, 4th of July. DWI in boats is an ongoing problem, although they have been honestly trying to get it under control the last few years.

I saw a HEB at 290 and something, there was a closed down Albertsons accross the street, I think i saw one closer to DS, but I can't remember

The closest HEB is the one at the 'Y' in Oakhill (which is the 290 intersection you talked about). The closed Albertson's was just bought by HEB, but they are not going to reopen it. That whole area is going to be subject to some pretty massive construction over the next few years as the new toll road is built, so no telling what it will end up looking like. There is a new HEB supposed to be going in somewhere around DS in the near future, but I don't know any details.

[tanyagail]

There is also a nice HEB Plus in Escarpment Village off of Slaughter and Escarpment that I usually go to as a Belterra resident. Right on my way home off of MoPac and Slaughter. Then just take Slaughter to 1826, 1826 to 290, to Belterra. Also a nice Waterloo restaurant with outdoor seating and play structure for the kids. A bunch of other restaurants, a Starbucks, Austin Scoops, Cost Cutters, Hollywood Video, and UPS-type store in Escarpment Village too. Really close for Circle C folks but I find it very accessible for us in Belterra too.

I know what you mean when you say it feels like "home". We visited from WI and drove all over visiting SR, Canyon Creek, Cat Mountain, Bee Cave, NW Austin, Hyde Park...) and fell in love with Belterra. Moved in a few months ago and don't regret a minute.

Feel free to PM if you have more specific questions re Belterra!

Tanya

PS the new HEB (and Home Depot) will be in Dripping Springs itself--next to the Sonic, I've heard. I'd say Belterra is about half-way in between Oak Hill and Dripping? At least it feels about that.

[McJ]

When you were in the Dripping Springs area, did you check out Highpointe?

[llkltk]

We bought in Meridian. It's a great community. Way closer to downtown than Dripping Springs. My Dad said he could never live in Dripping Springs because he hated the name of the town, hee hee.

[CravenClan]

Tanyagail......I was on your street, i met Millie and went by her house!!!! We loved Belterra!!! I am looking at the lots available on your guys street...and we will go from there. I saw Escarpment, I could not tell you how to get back there, but Iit probably takes time to get used to, then i am sure it will be fine.

I would go to escarpment as well, for the starbucks, it said there was one about 6 miles from DS, but i am not sure if we ever saw it or not....

We did look at HighPointe, Pulte was good, we liked the big one, but i have 4 kidos, and would like to have a guest room, for my eldest son when he comes to visit. Along with an office, i am an AVID scrapbooker/sewer.....we would have to convert the 3rd garage, as Pulte does no changes. Wilshire was nice in HP too, but i thought for the price (high) we would rather live in Belterra in the Highland homes. Pulte has some GREAT lots coming up, they were beautiful and lots of oaks....but i still felt at home in Belterra. Plus we have a 5 yol, 3yol, and 8 month old, and considering one more, so the elementary school, is close and we would be very familiar there, after having a gaggle of kids go there!!!

So we had never been to a Sonic til we hit Texas, and i sure will miss In N Out burgers!!!!!!!!

[Trainwreck20]

There is also a nice HEB Plus in Escarpment Village off of Slaughter and Escarpment

Actually, I think it is called an "HEB Green". They have a wider selection of organics and central market style food, but they don't have the garden center, outdoor furniture, clothes, music, etc. like the HEB Plus's do. Btw, I love that HEB. It is walking distance from my house and they have a variety of coffee and made to order breakfast tacos. Can get my taco and coffe for about the price of the fancy coffee at Starbucks . With the weather like this, we walk down there sat. and/or Sun. morning.

FYI, Craven, Escarpment hits Wm Cannon, which comes out just east of the HEB at the 'Y'. Sonic is not usually too bad. Whataburger is also fairly local and maybe worth a try .

[love roses]

I'm glad you enjoyed your trip, and know that you've picked Belterra, but I just have to ask, Did ya'll actually drive ALL the way to Georgetown, and then leave 35, or just stay on 35 and hook a u turn? Georgetown isn't all strip centers, especially if you drive off it a little ways.
Yes, Lake Travis is a pretty dangerous place to be on major holidays. Avoid it like the plague, or drive extra defensively. I can't tell you how bad some of these people are on the water, many of them drunk. Especially the guys racing cigarette boats, and jetskiers. Any other time is usually fine. If we take the boat out during a holiday, we almost always end up at Buchanan. There is nearly noone there during those times, and I'm not exaggerating (lets keep this lake a secret ). Yes, there are some families out in their ski boats, but not too many, and NO racing cig boats! Mainly because off the main body of the lake, you have to watch out for a few stumps.

[CravenClan]

Thanks Loveroses, My husband is a very safe boater, we have seen alot of drunks here, on the holiday weekends in Lake Havasu AZ. Infact about a month ago the owner of my sons' preschool was out there boating with friends, and a 10 yol girl on her lap. They were hit head on by a drunk, the little girl was killed and our dear Malinda was critically injured. She is recovering now, but it will be a long road of reconstruction, as her jaw and nose was broken, along with ribs and arms. Not to mentio the healing of her heart, as she is a true pioneer for children in our community. We stopped the big holidays a few years back, we never took our little ones either. Most times it is not only the drinkers, but the inexperienced boaters, who have more money than sense...they buy a huge boat, for their first boat, and it is all over from there, especially if you add booze!!

As for Georgetown, i stopped at the Target there, Wolf something?? While i liked the RR outlet center, looked nicer, like we have here in Cabazon, I just felt like going up there, felt too much like we have here at home. I really like DS, the out a ways, and the area. Not to say it won't grow, because i am sure it will, just hopefully sllloowwllyyy!!!

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by CravenClan

My husbadn just said it was Jollyville, where the Randalls was.....We ate a Salt Grass steakhouse, it was GREAT as well!!! We like to go to Laughlin, and we always eat at a steak house at the Ramada, it is wonderful. I had seen an advertisement for a Salt Grass in the Golden Nugget, there as well, but we had never been. We are a steak and potato family, no sushi here. We also ate at the Salt Lick BBQ, it was good too. Different that what we are used to here. I saw the potato salad, and it was kinda brown, so i assumed they just make it different than i am used to making, but it was AWESOME! I ate a lot of it!!! and i am not a big fan of coleslaw, but it was yummy as well!!!
!

What a fun post, I can definitely feel your enthusiasm. The randalls you are talking about is balcones woods/jollyville. That area is one of the borders to great hills which is to the southwest.

There are much better places than the salt grass steakhouse (austin land and cattle and sullivans are my two favorites) so you have a lot to look forward too.

I dont really like the sides at the salt lick, but the sauce is awesome. If you ever eat rudy's extra moist it is much moister than salt lick bbq. But I definitely do like the salt lick.