Please give me 10 reasons why NOT to move to the Austin area. (Spring: construction, swimming)

[manbehindthecurtain]

Originally Posted by fil

I just don't understand why people here keep defending the town. It's like if you live in the City, ATL, Dallas, wherever, people don't think twice about if their city is cool or not. In Austin, I've bumped into a noticeable amount of people that make claims about how cool and hip this town is.

My friend taught me a saying in reference to this topic the other day: "The cult is strong."

[Trainwreck20]

It's like if you live in the City, ATL, Dallas, wherever, people don't think twice about if their city is cool or not

LOl....go check out the Houston vs Dallas smackdown or whatever thread....there are some serious 'chips on the shoulder' issues over there .

[TheHarvester]

Originally Posted by fil

In Austin, I've bumped into a noticeable amount of people that make claims about how cool and hip this town is.
It's weird, almost sophomoric in trying to "act" cool.

Excellent post. Your concluding remarks above are spot-on. I write this as one of the incessant defenders of that sophomoric "we're cool" BS. It's just another city. I love it, someone else likes it, another person doesn't like it, and someone else hates it. So what?

You really nailed it. As much as I love Austin, I have to agree with you that there is no city more infatuated with itself in the USA, at least none that I know of. Most "great cities" know they are great and don't need to talk about it all the time. It's as if Austin has a collective inferiority complex and feels the adolescent urge to pump itself up.

[austin-steve]

It's as if Austin has a collective inferiority complex and feels the adolescent urge to pump itself up.

All cities do this, especially via Chamber of Commerce, etc. to encourage more people and more jobs. Without growth, cities stagnate. It's the duty of a city to promote itself and proclaim how wonderful it is to the world. Anything less would be a mistake.

The degree and manner by which individual citizens express pride and love for their city is another matter. Those gushing with pride and ferver for Austin are abound.

The self proclaimed "coolness" aside, a simple glance at the list of events, activities, festivals, music scene, camping, hiking, water sports, restaurants, nearby destinations, etc. available to all stripes and flavors of people living in and around Austin is a formidable set of data. Against which US city of comparable size do you wish to compare Austin?

Austin is in fact very cool.
Steve

[austin-steve]

Every state has laws prohibiting access to smaller waterways.

We own property on Cypress Creek in Wimberley. People are welcome and allowed to float or canoe upon the water but may not set foot on the private land beneath and adjacent to the water. We have "Keep Out" signs because otherwise you wouldn't believe how rude and inconsiderate people are. Would you let someone have their kids run wild in your private back yard, crap behind your tree, and leave their trash behind? It's private property. Just because a navigable waterway runs through the property doesn't mean property owners therefore have a duty to share it with the public.
Steve

[TheHarvester]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

All cities do this, especially via Chamber of Commerce, etc. to encourage more people and more jobs.

Yes, the CoC of a dying town of 5,000 people whose children have all moved away still has some kind of slogan to pimp their place as the best on earth for everything you need.

Originally Posted by austin-steve

The degree and manner by which individual citizens express pride and love for their city is another matter. Those gushing with pride and ferver for Austin are abound.

Or abundant. But yes, that's where Austin is a bit over-the-top. But as one of those pimps for my home, I loved your following comments:

Originally Posted by austin-steve

The self proclaimed "coolness" aside, a simple glance at the list of events, activities, festivals, music scene, camping, hiking, water sports, restaurants, nearby destinations, etc. available to all stripes and flavors of people living in and around Austin is a formidable set of data. Against which US city of comparable size do you wish to compare Austin?

Austin is in fact very cool.

YES!!! (holds up lighter as if at a rock concert)

[Trainwreck20]

private land beneath and adjacent to the water

Buried in the huge post I had earlier, but the land beneath the water is not private, either. Wade fisherman would be perfectly legal (although a little daft). If the stream is dry, hikers are allowed to hike the stream bed, as well.

[Driftwood1]

Again, regardless of the Law (this is hotly debated on their local mssg boards btw) , the residents and landowners will NOT make you feel welcome, and may indeed threaten..but I dont much care about that (this happens all over the country) so much as the propaganda the area puts out with depictions of gleeful river play and fishing, etc etc, when in fact, unless you are a waterfront landowner, you will not be enjoying the rivers "as depicted" .. I know, and I would guess, the realtors know, that these little flyers people pick up when they visit the area are a bit misleading as far as river use goes ..






What airlines have a "strong" presence at AUS?

[Driftwood1]

#11. ABIA , I think they should drop the "I" because this airport is a far cry from International. For nearly every International destination you will be stopping in Houston or Dallas on the way (or NY or DC etc .. ) You wont be flying direct to Europe. Not a huge annoyance, unless you have kids, or your work involves alot of travel..

At least on the National level , more and more direct flights are popping up though..

[TheHarvester]

Driftwood: It's technically international because of direct flights to Mexico. It only takes one flight per day. And a customs agent or two. So, yeah, it seems a bit of a stretch for ABIA but it fits the literal definition of an international airport.

And about the water recreation, there is so much you can access outside of Wimberley itself, all you have to do is take a short drive to San Marcos to go tubing down that beautiful river, or go to Blanco State Park, or to Canyon Lake, or go rafting on the Guadalupe above or below the lake. I don't think it's misleading to say there is a lot of water access around here, I've certainly never had a problem finding any. But I've never tried to go swimming in Wimberley so that's the thing you know more about.