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can someone comment on denver's nightlife and hangout spots? i lived in austin near downtown and it's packed and bustling. i don't expect denver to be as active but wonder if it has plenty to do, or if it's more chill with less bars and clubs?
Austin's downtown is no better than any other sunbelt downtown. Austin is hot as hell and humid beyond get up in the summer. The traffic in Austin is abysmal. Austin is not as liberal as people from Texas play it off to be...if San Diego was located in Texas then it would be labeled as a liberal heaven due to it's surroundings when in fact it's a fairly conservative city. No matter how hard it tries Austin is a southern city in it's heart. Go with Denver.
Austin does have a Ban The Box law. Austin is the only city in Texas that has such a law. Id bet Texans think the city is progressive lol. You worded it very well.
I am presently chatting with a fellow lets just call him Steve (not his real name.) From The Alamo. Has the same exact view that Austin is "too damn liberal." He then goes to describe groups of people in not very tolerant words. I think he would die if placed in our states lol, or New England, or "other nearby areas" (Baltimore etc.) He can be found in the new movie Hell Or High Water. Which pretty accurately shows Texas, for a fictionalized motion picture.. Point: My real-life experience bears out your comparison, but some areas and people have not yet gone full left politically. And, from what I am hearing about a good economy in Austin, I am not sure that's a bad thing.
This fellow also tells me that "All the jobs are in Dallas Fort Worth" area but I dont have any evidence except his word. Describes Austiners as "hippies." Thats the only word I feel comfortable repeating.
What the heck is "ban the box law"? Are you talking about a bag ban? If so, Austin isn't the only Texas city with one, Larado, Fort Stockton, Brownsville and few other places have them too.
can someone comment on denver's nightlife and hangout spots? i lived in austin near downtown and it's packed and bustling. i don't expect denver to be as active but wonder if it has plenty to do, or if it's more chill with less bars and clubs?
I think Denver's downtown has more residents than Austin. For those that ssay Austin isn't liberal, it certainly is compared to Texas. It's not San Francisco, but it's certainly not Alabama. It is the most hated city by Texas residents but I think most loved around the country.
"can someone comment on denver's nightlife and hangout spots? i lived in austin near downtown and it's packed and bustling. i don't expect denver to be as active but wonder if it has plenty to do, or if it's more chill with less bars and clubs?"
Why wouldn't it? Much bigger city. Much bigger downtown. Check out LoDo. Denver is a more active downtown than ANY in texas for sure!
"can someone comment on denver's nightlife and hangout spots? i lived in austin near downtown and it's packed and bustling. i don't expect denver to be as active but wonder if it has plenty to do, or if it's more chill with less bars and clubs?"
Why wouldn't it? Much bigger city. Much bigger downtown. Check out LoDo. Denver is a more active downtown than ANY in texas for sure!
Meh. It kind of dies out pretty fast in the Central Business district after 7-8 and if you aren't into bars, that takes a decent chunk out of what's happening around LoDo.
I'd place it as about on par with other cities it's size.
Unless you grew up in a mountain town on the south island, the weather in both places is going to be a shock. An Austin summer is a sweaty hell to endure, and while a Denver winter will have some fine days, there are also times where it will be science fiction cold. Austin has milder winters, Denver has better summers, though it can snow as late as May and as early as September in Denver though generally the snow does not stick for too long. Austin will have significantly better water recreation activities - swimming, sailing, SUP etc. Denver is close to the Front range, so spectacular hiking, skiing, rock-climbing are nearby.
Denver is a bigger city than Austin and mostly feels like it. Denver will have better high cultural amenities and more big city things - professional sports, zoo, theme parks, major airport etc, and while Denver's public transportation is not great, it is much better than Austin's. Denver is the big city for a huge swathe of country and by far the most populous city in its state. There are about a million more people in the Denver MSA than the Austin MSA. Austin is the fourth largest city in its state. ITO Texas comparisons, Denver, the biggest city of the western plains, feels more like a smaller version of Dallas, the biggest city of the southern plains. Both Austin and Denver are liberal in their cores, getting more conservative in their suburbs. Traffic is awful in both cities, but it would be tough to live in either one without a car.
That said, there are a few things that Austin does significantly better than Denver: food and nightlife. While downtown Denver has improved leaps and bounds in just the last five years, it has quite a long way to go before it reaches the levels of liveliness of downtown Austin, especially at night. Downtown Denver is much bigger than downtown Austin, and except for a few pockets is mostly abandoned after working hours. Downtown Austin is small - less than two square miles, but it hops every night of the week, and to my mind, can get unpleasantly insane on the weekends. 78701, the zip code of downtown Austin has the most liquor licenses of any zip code in the ENTIRE United States. There are 300 or so bars, clubs, music venues in this small area. LoDo in Denver would be the closest but compared to what the locals call "Dirty 6th" or Rainey Street or Red River, it is kinda sedate.
For a city its size, Denver's food disappoints. To pick a random, but telling example, Denver gave the nation Chipotle, Austin gave the nation Whole Foods. Central Texas has a much longer growing season than the western plains, so more and better farmer's markets, better locavore scene, and also great vernacular food: Tex-Mex, the best beef BBQ in the world. Austin is also a little more diverse than Denver. There's some good Mexican food in Denver and some great Mexican food in Austin. Asian food is mediocre in both cities. Both are vegetarian friendly.
For festivals, particularly music festivals Austin will be better, but the Red Rocks amphitheater just outside Denver is one of the most beautiful outdoor music venues in the world. I have lived in Austin for over a decade now, and have spent on average two weeks in Denver and Boulder over that same time period. I used to not like Denver but it has improved significantly in terms of liveliness. In either city, you would want to live central. My favorite neighborhoods in Denver are Highlands, Capitol Hill and Cheesman Park, all pretty urban and fun. The Austin equivalents would be central East Austin, South Congress and Clarksville. Both cities are overpriced for what you get in terms of housing.
I think it would depend if you want a bigger city with a four season climate or a smaller and livelier city that will get a dusting of snow once every five years or so. They are both over-discovered and I would not call either of them good bang for your buck cities, so if money is a concern, I think the suggestion of Louisville above is a good one and if you want a warm climate affordable small city that punches way above its weight in terms of many of the thing you say you want: New Orleans. Sure it can get a little grimy and has some nasty sections, but in terms of charm, architecture, food, music, a sense of place, it can't be beat and is much better for urban living than either Denver or Austin. Also if you like Denver, look at Charlotte: a not dissimilar city close to the parents in Raleigh? Good luck with your move.
Last edited by homeinatx; 08-19-2016 at 10:19 AM..
Denver also has THE BEST concert venue on Earth! Red Rocks! Part of the City of Denver! Nothing comes close! Austin is good, but not on Denver's level!
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