Your Experience Moving to Georgetown (Round Rock/Cedar Park, etc.) (Houston: renting, Home Depot)

[Northanna_2001]

Dh and I are seriously considering retiring to the Georgetown area. We know so little about it except that the area is really pretty. We are 62 and newly retired from the federal government; we currently live in Eastern New Mexico. We'd like to live closer to family who live in Dallas, Houston, Leander). It is quite scary to make such a big change but I am hoping to get some information on other people's experience in moving to that area from other states, etc. What you like about that area. How you have like the local people. Your disappointments and what you love about the area. I'm hoping to find friendly people and lots of fun, social events. I make jewelry; we have a black labrador dog; I love reading; my husband likes hiking; we go to Unity Church. As a tourist also, what restaurants / locations / activities do you recommend? If you moved to Sun City, what has been your experience? Feel free to email me.

[winkosmosis]

I've never lived there but it's beautiful, just like the whole rest of the TX Hill Country.

Round Rock is only partially in the Hill Country... I wouldn't bother.

[LoneStar N LibertyHill]

Hi, I live one town over from Georgetown, but we rented for a year in Georgetown before deciding on where to buy a home. If you can, I would recommend renting before buying, that way you can get the flavor of the areas before settling on one place. I really liked Georgetown, small but not too small, cute shops downtown, you got the San Gabriel park, not too far from Round Rock, which you can almost find anything there that you find in Austin, except for the little odd things Austin is known for and it's music scene. Even got the bats in Round Rock, coming out at sunset from the McNeil underpass. But don't move close to that area, it stinks to high heaven when it starts warming up. If your into baseball, we have the Round Rock Express that has a nice stadium, and the tickets are not too high. Georgetown restaurants, The Monument has great food, most of it is from local, then you have your Chilis, Applebee's, Cotton Patch, The Wildfire located off the town square(excellent food), Zio's - Italian, mexican & barbecue restaurants galore, I Hop, Longhorn Steakhouse fixing to open, Montana Mikes (steak place). There is a pretty new movie theater in Georgetown, but if you go down I35 toward Round Rock there is a discount movie theater, good prices and the place is pretty nice. If you want to eat and hear live music, there is a restaurant in my neck of the woods - Liberty Hill called Dahila's on CR 1869 off of Hwy 29. This time of year they have the music on Friday & Saturday outdoors, they make their own Sangria. Georgetown had the Wolf Ranch shopping center. About the only things missing from Georgetown is a Whole Foods grocery store - love that place.

I don't know too much about Sun City. I know they made a lot of promises of things they were going to have at first and a couple of years later they decided not to incorporate everything they promised. It is a growing community though and doesn't seem to be hurting as far as residents. My husband has a cousin that lives there, but we never visit or talk to them. Georgetown is growing, but it doesn't seem to be growing too fast. You have your WallMart, Home Depot, 2 main grocery stores. About 30 minutes north of Georgetown you have Salado, which has a lot of cute little shops, well last time I was there it did, haven't been there in years.

I am from Dallas and I would not move back there, at least not in the city. We have been here 13 years, hard to believe it has been that long now. I would send you my e-mail address, but I hate for everyone to see it. Maybe you know some way to respond where it will come to my e-mail. I don't think I've ever used this forum before, even though I was registered on it. I'm 58, don't work outside the home, but my husband still works.

Would love to hear back from you. If you got any questions, feel free to ask.

[doctorjef]

You might do better to post this in the Austin sub-forum. I lived in Austin 22 years. IMO all the Williamson County burbs are dreadful. If you really must, move to Georgetown. It's a real town with charm.

[austin_newbie12]

Originally Posted by LoneStar N LibertyHill

Even got the bats in Round Rock, coming out at sunset from the McNeil underpass. But don't move close to that area, it stinks to high heaven when it starts warming up.

Whoosh, I find (found) that so scary. I had heard Round Rock was really neat. I am a single woman and I don't know a soul there. I need to find a place so I can meet people, get a job and have fun. I am in my early 60's but am far from old nor do I wish to give into it. Lots of energy, happiness and laughter to look forward to and hopefully share.

I welcome all comments and assistance anyone cares to share with me. I am on a budget but not opposed to living in the downtown area if it's more fun. I like to be on the go. Weekends or whenever. Thanks

[clarksvillemom]

I have friends of friends parents who live in sun city and love it. I also know seniors who love downtown Austin living. Go visit sun city

[10scoachrick]

newbie, I found your post over in the So. Fla. forum and there may be a case of "from the frying pan into the fire" at play...
You said: " It is so hot always and humid. The people ....... They do NOT know how to drive."

'We' have two kinds of hot here in Austin...hot and dry and/or hot and humid(I didn't see the 'humid' part for the first four years...record-setting drought pretty much since we moved here...some serious humidity this year, however).

As for the driving, take a spin through the Austin threads on driving and you may get the idea that it's not ALL THAT different here. While the average age may be a bit lower here in Austin, it has its own 'personality' regarding driving habits.

Good luck with your decision!

[austin_newbie12]

Thanks so much for your reply on Georgetown...that is one place I plan on looking into also...being from Boston, I sort of want the city again but like the charm u mention....

[austin_newbie12]

10scoachrick,you're reply made me chuckle...I agree with all u said..heat, humidity, etc, however I am hoping there is also some culture & charm there with people that speak English and/or smile, say hello if they r your neighbor just some place I can feel like I live there..where I am at now I just don't fit....per se...

[TexasHorseLady]

austin_newbie, you'd probably be happy in Sun City or any of the other retirement neighborhoods in Georgetown, and Sun City is definitely active (several of the agents in my office live there and they've got lots of activities going on all the time to participate in). If you'd like a neighborhood with more of a mix of ages, though, there's quite a few that might fit, as well. You might want to consider any of the areas near downtown, or there's a neighborhood right next to San Gabriel Park that is one of my personal favorites. It's all a matter of what you're looking for, but you can live in Georgetown and still be a short drive to Austin. As someone else said, Salado is just up the road, too (for some reason I've always thought of Salado as the upscale Taos of Texas, but keep in mind I haven't been to Taos in probably 20 years).