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There are many, many state parks within an hour of Austin. On top of state parks, there are several lakes, city parks, swimming holes, and hiking trails that are worth checking out. I will list a few, but there are just so many places to recommend:
Zilker Park
Barton Creek Greenbelt
Barton Creek Pool
Kayaking on Town Lake downtown
Butler hike and bike trail
Walnut Creek Metro Park
Emma Long Metro Park
McKinney Falls State Park
Balcones Canyonlands
Perdenales Falls State Park
Tubing on the Blanco or Guadalupe River
Jacobs Well
Lake Travis
Canyon Lake
Lake Buchanan and Inks Lake
Lake LBJ
Lake Georgetown
I can keep going, but I think you get the point. There are limitless outdoor activities and places to explore within an hour of Austin.
The bus network is great here and there are many night owl routes that cover the densest and most lively parts of the city. Light rail, however, sucks. There is one line that runs 30+ miles but only has 9 stops. The 8 stops in Austin are in convenient locations, but not the most ideal. The downtown stop isn't in the best location to have a downtown stop. The areas surrounding these stops have grown quite a bit in density. If you are concerned about like in near a rail stop, my first recommendation would be Plaza Saltillo, which is next to downtown. Next I would recommend Highland area, which is developing quickly and densley, and will probably be one of the most popular areas in the city in the next 5 years.
If you aren't concerned about rail, I would look at living in areas close to downtown, with good retail nearby such as SoCo, (South Congress Ave), S Lamar, Allendale, North Loop, Hyde Park, The Triangle, E. Riverside Dr/ E Oltorf St area, (area I live in), Mueller, or N Shoal Creek. The Riverside Dr area is definitely the most affordable listed, (78741 area code), and you are within 3-5 miles of downtown. Some may caution against this area, due to it's higher crime rate for Austin standards. However, coming from a city like Phoenix, or any other city that has real crime or dilapidated areas, it is a nice area that is dense, diverse, has good food, several bars and concert venues, overall has fairly low crime, and is close to downtown.
Lastly, yes please don't move anywhere without a job lined up. It is just not a safe financial decision, unless you are a millionaire. Even then, it is still not smart.
My parents did the move without jobs, but they also have a ridiculous amount of money saved. Like 40+ years of extensive financial planning and never having debt.. I am nowhere near that type of position. I'm hoping it works in my favor now that I'm currently employed and not in a desperate situation for a full-time paying job in my field, as I was two years ago graduating from college (I got hired right away, but I was losing hair over it), but we will see I guess.
Phoenix doesn't really have night owl routes that serve more lively, vibrant neighborhoods. They are a fantastic idea to reduce drunk driving and Uber/Lyft trips as those get pretty expensive. I was telling my friend who works for our transit agency the other day that this one night owl route would get rid of a significant amount of drunk driving. Arizona has the most expensive DUI fines and harshest punishments in the US, not that I disagree with them, but we should be providing more options to avoid that situation.
I will definitely look into those neighborhoods and those parks, thank you for providing so much information.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eddie gein
Just about everybody I've ever met that moved from Phoenix to Austin had one consistent complaint. And that was that there was little public land in the Austin area compared to Phoenix. This is not to dispute what you have pointed out regarding Austin, but Phoenix area has most of the same things with the exception of having to travel further for lakes. It has plenty of nice parks, some greenbelts, and it has a river (so to speak) in town now at Tempe.
So I think in this area it's at best a draw........... and if you expand your area out further from the city Phoenix might have the advantage. Although Austin might be closer to the beach, it's not much closer if you include Rocky Point.
It's true that outside of the West, no one really compares to us on public lands. Our federal parks program is outstanding and is mostly focused in the West, for obvious reasons being that the West is newer in the nation and was able to be saved much more easily than from already established Eastern cities. Also we have the Grand Canyon so, no one really tops that. It's a World Wonder. Tucson has better outdoor recreation than we do, but Tucson is nowhere near the same league. It's just not the same.
Tempe is a great suburb, there's a reason I live here. If I stay in Phoenix, I would stay in Tempe. Or Downtown Phoenix at best.
My parents did the move without jobs, but they also have a ridiculous amount of money saved. Like 40+ years of extensive financial planning and never having debt.. I am nowhere near that type of position. I'm hoping it works in my favor now that I'm currently employed and not in a desperate situation for a full-time paying job in my field, as I was two years ago graduating from college (I got hired right away, but I was losing hair over it), but we will see I guess.
Phoenix doesn't really have night owl routes that serve more lively, vibrant neighborhoods. They are a fantastic idea to reduce drunk driving and Uber/Lyft trips as those get pretty expensive. I was telling my friend who works for our transit agency the other day that this one night owl route would get rid of a significant amount of drunk driving. Arizona has the most expensive DUI fines and harshest punishments in the US, not that I disagree with them, but we should be providing more options to avoid that situation.
I will definitely look into those neighborhoods and those parks, thank you for providing so much information.
It's true that outside of the West, no one really compares to us on public lands. Our federal parks program is outstanding and is mostly focused in the West, for obvious reasons being that the West is newer in the nation and was able to be saved much more easily than from already established Eastern cities. Also we have the Grand Canyon so, no one really tops that. It's a World Wonder. Tucson has better outdoor recreation than we do, but Tucson is nowhere near the same league. It's just not the same.
Tempe is a great suburb, there's a reason I live here. If I stay in Phoenix, I would stay in Tempe. Or Downtown Phoenix at best.
At your age, if you have a hankering to try out Austin then I would go for it. You can always come back to Phoenix. As people have said, Austin has a lot of great things going on especially for people in your age range. And the outdoor thing is a bit different than Phoenix due to no mountains but the hill country is pretty neat.
Austin beats Phoenix by a long shot in my opinion. Job opportunities, weather, proximity to other major cities, education, things to do.
Not sure I follow:
Jobs- Phoenix has more fortune 500's and 1000's than Austin and plenty of regional offices for major employers like Raytheon, Intel, State Farm, Uber, Amazon, and Honeywell just to name a few.
Proximity to other major cities- Well first off, Phoenix is a major city, the big 4 sports, super bowls, annual college bowl games, multiple nascar stops, major college sports, etc.. is all right here and no road trip is required.
To other cities:
Austin is 80 miles to San Antonio
Phoenix is 100 miles to Tucson
Austin to Dallas or Houston is about 200 miles
Phoenix to Vegas is 280 miles
Phoenix to LA/San Diego is about 350 miles
Education: Let's be real this is UT versus ASU, both are great, very large, state schools and both metros have other options like GCU in Phoenix metro and St. Edwards and Concordia in Austin.
City focused things to do: As for sports, the nod clearly goes to Phoenix with both WAC and PAC12 college sports in the metro plus the big 4 sports and countless other sporting events annually like spring training, Arabian horse show, Phoenix open, Fiesta Bowl etc... Major concerts I'd give Phoenix the win as well with a lot more large venues that exist in the area for recent or upcoming major shows like Paul McCartney, Rolling Stones, Metallica, U2 to name a few. I fully agree that Austin has more live music day in and day out, which is what the city is known for, I'd argue Austin does this far better than almost any other city including the big Texas metros.
Outdoor focused things to do: I have to go with Phoenix, I love the mountains and the major lakes all around the Phoenix area personally. While the hill country near Austin is very nice but I have to give the edge to Phoenix with Sedona just up the road, Flagstaff a bit past there, and endless open space all around the valley itself. You can literally pedal from downtown Phoenix up South Mountain and put in a 2,000' road ride climb and be back downtown for beers at one of the breweries in a few hours or take your mountain bike there and hit some of the 100 miles of singletrack in the same park.
I enjoy Austin, it's a great city to visit and I see why so many people love living there, but my vote is for Phoenix. It continues to fly under the radar as one of the largest cities in the country.
I am looking for similarities and differences between these two cities. I am a Phoenix native and thus know a lot about desert living, and what Arizona has to offer, but I know nothing about Texas. I drove through Texas on the I-10 once, all the way through, and that's the closest to what I got of sightseeing over there.
What I can gather on a surface level investigation of Austin is that it is a liberal, capital city of the big state of Texas, has expensive rents, and some pretty hardcore traffic. Phoenix is a moderate (suburbs are conservative, not Phoenix proper), capital city of the big state of Arizona, has moderate rent (not cheap, rents are rising significantly), and traffic is pretty easy for most metropolitan areas.
As far as outdoor recreation, city amenities, affordability, and things like this, how do the two compare? If I were to hypothetically move to Austin, I would be a single young adult in their 20s, looking to create a new social life and have an affordable place to live, ideally close to Austin's "walkable areas" if that even exists in Texas to begin with. So things like schools don't matter. More about a good nightlife, decent transit, etc.
Which one is better, and why?
Three commonalities. State Capitals, hot in the summer and above average Latino populations. Beyond that, not much else in common.
Better in NO ways ever, except if you are looking to get to California faster and having Professional Sports teams. Lack of water, no greenery and Huge dust storms besides unbearable heat for 9 months are problematic.
First of all, my personal preference is Austin, just due to the fact that I prefer the climate and am closer to family. Although, Austin is not far from Phoenix as far as heat during the summer months. Aside from that, I wouldn't mind living in either city.
Outdoor recreation: Either - Both metros offer a lot during of outdoor activities. Both are popular for hiking and mountain biking. I give Austin the edge in this due to the plethora of water recreation, making you able to enjoy the outdoor activities during the summer months. Those who prefer desert climate, landscapes, and mountains, may prefer Phoenix's outdoor activities more than Austin.
Amenities: Phoenix - Both offer the typical shopping amenities, museums, and such. Phoenix offers much more in the way of sports with just about all of the professional sports being located in the Phoenix area. Austin will get its first professional sports franchise with Austin FC in the MLS, in 2021. Both cities have a large college campus in its metro area. Although, Austin has two, with Texas State in San Marcos.
What is nice about Austin is it is within 3 hours of America's top ten largest cities, San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas. Austin is also only a 3 hour drive from the beach in Galveston or Corpus Christi. Phoenix is much more isolated. So there are many more Amenities within a short drive of Austin, than there are in or around Phoenix.
Affordability: Phoenix - Austin is a very expensive city both to own and to rent. I know you mentioned wanting to live in a walkable area. There are a couple in the Austin area, (downtown, inner East Side, West Campus, The Domain, Highland, and to a lesser extent Mueller and E. Riverside Dr.). However, these areas are expensive, with the exception of E. Riverside Dr, which is fairly reasonable overall. The housing market here is very expensive, especially for TX, with the average home price quickly approaching 400k. Sure the wages overall may be higher in Austin than in other areas, but it doesn't make up for the over-inflated COL. Phoenix seems to be much more affordable overall.
Traffic: Phoenix, (probably) - Honestly, I have only driven through Phoenix a few times on I-10. But every time I have driven through, I have been stuck in traffic. I am sure this isn't a fair representation to traffic overall in Phoenix, but I haven't experienced typical traffic patterns there. I will say, Austin traffic sucks. Typical rush hour times are from 6:30am-9:30am, 11:45am-1:15pm, and 3:30pm-7:00pm. There is traffic in most places almost all day, every day, and if you have to drive more than five miles on a regular basis, you will experience heavy traffic more times than not. Even on weekends, traffic downtown is terrible up until 2:30am. There are no convenient ways to get around traffic either, like there are in Phoenix. Austin doesn't have a traditional grid, and aside from a very few arterial roadways, most roads come to an end, or turn in a different direction after a few miles.
Entertainment/ Nightlife: Austin - Austin by far is one of the most fun cities in the US. Many people call it overrated, but that is because they have only experienced Dirty 6th. Dirty 6th is fun, but it only represents a portion of nightlife in the city. There are many more concentrated areas across the metro that offer nightlife. Also, not only is there consistent nightlife across the area, but there is always live music somewhere, a festival going on, or an event to attend. Every weekend in Austin has something exciting to offer. Not to mention, there are a plethora of very good breweries across Austin, which has made the city be recognized as the top beer destination in the WORLD.
Economy: Austin - Austin, no doubt, since the turn of the century, been one of the hottest, if not the hottest city in the country for growth, job opportunities, and overall economic development. When you hear the word boomtown, the first city many people would think of is probably Austin. There are countless job opportunities in this city that pay well, from government, to IT, to corporate jobs, and even in construction. With that said, the job market is very competitive.
With all of that said, I know Phoenix has been growing quickly as well with many new job opportunities. Phoenix has gained 300,000 people in just 20 years, with the metro area gaining many more.
Overall: Either - The Phoenix metro area is over twice the size of Austin and will have more amenities overall. That is just the reality. But for a metro area of just over two million, Austin packs a hell of a punch and can hold its own against Phoenix. I think it will come down to personal preference. Both cities are mild in the winter months and just downright hot in the summer months. Even though Phoenix is hotter, Austin is more humid, making some days feel like you are living in a Sauna. The climates are also different overall. Austin is a green, lush city, with rolling hills, and with many creeks, rivers, and lakes nearby. Phoenix is a desert metropolis with mountains, canyons, and a beautiful desert landscape. Austin is more entertaining for those who enjoy nightlife, beer, and festivals. Phoenix is better overall for a family, or if you are laid back and don't like to get out much, as long as you can stand the summer heat. For the outdoor explorers, both are great options and it comes down to personal preference.
Some good points but describing Austin as VERY expensive is overstating. Its NOT the expensiveness of the west or east coast, Miami or Chicago. Housing is pricier than most mid-America towns but then there is no state income tax, cheap gas, reasonable food prices. Wages are pretty good for many.
Location: Live:Downtown Phoenix, AZ/Work:Greater Los Angeles, CA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by walker1962
Better in NO ways ever, except if you are looking to get to California faster and having Professional Sports teams. Lack of water, no greenery and Huge dust storms besides unbearable heat for 9 months are problematic.
9 months? You have no idea what you're talking about. We have about 3 1/2 months of intense heat, from June 10-September 25. What about that other 5 1/2 months? From March 1 to June 10, our highs are typically in the 70s to 90s, but dry 90s, not Texas or Lousiana 90s. And with mornings between 50 and low 70s.
Then Sep 25 to Nov 30, highs are typically between 70 and 95 (but again, dry is the word), with mornings from the high 40s to low 70s.
No, it isn't. Perhaps from July to September, but even then, it's still closer to NO than to PHX.
Lets look at mean dewpoints throughout the year:
Jan PHX=35°F AUS=37°F MSY=42°F
Feb PHX=33°F AUS=39°F MSY=44°F
Mar PHX=35°F AUS=46°F MSY=50°F
Apr PHX=33°F AUS=54°F MSY=56°F
May PHX=35°F AUS=63°F MSY=65°F
Jun PHX=39°F AUS=68°F MSY=70°F
Jul PHX=58°F AUS=69°F MSY=73°F
Aug PHX=61°F AUS=69°F MSY=73°F
Sep PHX=56°F AUS=65°F MSY=69°F
Oct PHX=44°F AUS=57°F MSY=60°F
Nov PHX=38°F AUS=46°F MSY=52°F
Dec PHX=35°F AUS=38°F MSY=45°F
As you can see in terms of dewpoint (absolute humidity), Austin is only marginally drier than New Orleans with the exception of Nov to Feb where it is noticeably drier.
From April through June and in Sept&Oct, Austin is a swamp compared to Phoenix
I've been to Austin year round and I lived in Houston, i.e. similar humidity to New Orleans. Forget the "mean" dewpoints. ANYone who has spend ANYtime in a gulf coast city knows what is and what is not heavy humidity. Austin is not arid by any means but it definitely is not a place you are going to be soaking wet in ten minutes. Given its latitude, it gets more northerly weather systems on occasion than gulf coast cities, thus, lowering humidity.
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