Anyone from Denver move to Dallas (Houston, Austin: wedding, buying, camping)

[USNomad]

Originally Posted by oping00

I think I would like denver better since I enjoyed my visit there, The only thing it seems that dallas or houston has going for it is lower COL and job market. Thats good if you want a suburban family life, I think life is more than eating and shopping.

^^^
Yup.

[Aceraceae]

Originally Posted by USNomad

^^^
Yup.

Are you saying the only thing suburban families in DFW do is eat and shop?

[USNomad]

Originally Posted by Aceraceae

Are you saying the only thing suburban families in DFW do is eat and shop?

Not necessarily; it appears that soccer games are big here. But, when I moved here, locals told me that eating and shopping are the top things to do in DFW. I've found some truth to that.

I also was agreeing that 1) I too enjoy Denver, and 2) one of the big selling points to DFW is the cost of living and jobs.

But since you asked, if you don't mind, please tell me what exactly to suburban families in DFW when they are not eating and shopping?

[USNomad]

Originally Posted by Aceraceae

Are you saying the only thing suburban families in DFW do is eat and shop?

But since you asked, if you don't mind, please tell me what exactly do suburban families "do" in DFW when they are not eating out and shopping? (sorry, typo on my last post)

I've explored DFW (and Texas) extensively, and it seems that for a metro of this size, activities seem a bit limited and sometimes, your at the mercy of the weather conditions. Best thing i've done is to have found some good friends to hang out with or catch flights out of here on weekends.

[NP78]

Originally Posted by USNomad

But since you asked, if you don't mind, please tell me what exactly do suburban families "do" in DFW when they are not eating out and shopping? (sorry, typo on my last post)

I've explored DFW (and Texas) extensively, and it seems that for a metro of this size, activities seem a bit limited and sometimes, your at the mercy of the weather conditions. Best thing i've done is to have found some good friends to hang out with or catch flights out of here on weekends.

What exactly do you think suburban families do in Denver?

The suburban family of 4 living in Parker, CO is doing pretty much the same thing as the family of 4 living in Allen or McKinney. In both cases, they likely live in tract homes in planned subdivisions with HOA's and neighborhood parks. The kids play with neighborhood friends and attend various activities (soccer, gymnastics, etc.) on the evenings/weekends. A couple of times a year they may travel to visit family since they are likely transplants from another part of the country (true for both Denver and Dallas).

They may occasionally go to the museum, zoo, theme park or other attraction in the city.

Denver does provide better access for occasional camping, skiing, and hiking trips and personally (as I noted upthread) I prefer Denver for those reasons, but the reality is that family life for a suburban family is just not that different.



(disclaimer: I have never lived in the suburbs of DFW or Denver, but I have lived on the Front Range and I live in Dallas now with friends and family in both suburban areas)

[holldog99]

Originally Posted by NP78

What exactly do you think suburban families do in Denver?

The suburban family of 4 living in Parker, CO is doing pretty much the same thing as the family of 4 living in Allen or McKinney. In both cases, they likely live in tract homes in planned subdivisions with HOA's and neighborhood parks. The kids play with neighborhood friends and attend various activities (soccer, gymnastics, etc.) on the evenings/weekends. A couple of times a year they may travel to visit family since they are likely transplants from another part of the country (true for both Denver and Dallas).

They may occasionally go to the museum, zoo, theme park or other attraction in the city.

Denver does provide better access for occasional camping, skiing, and hiking trips and personally (as I noted upthread) I prefer Denver for those reasons, but the reality is that family life for a suburban family is just not that different.



(disclaimer: I have never lived in the suburbs of DFW or Denver, but I have lived on the Front Range and I live in Dallas now with friends and family in both suburban areas)

Suburban life is very much the same. When you have little kids, it's hard to afford skiing. A lift ticket to Vail is around $120 and childcare for a day is about the same. Parking is $20. Driving up there and back is $40 in gas. Plus, if it's a weekend, you may be on I-70 for up to 3 hours heading home. Of course, there's Eldora and Loveland for more affordable skiing, but they don't have a nursery for the little kids. You'd have to find someone in the suburbs to watch them, and you'd probably have to leave early so that you don't get stuck in the 2-3 hour traffic and be at their house to pick up the baby too late. I can't speak for family life with older kids, but ski equipment isn't cheap and they'd probably outgrow it every year. There's trade-in programs and such, but we never got there.

Hiking is more do-able. We limited it to the front range- usually going to Deer Creek Canyon. Hiking with babies and little kids is more like wandering 100 feet into the woods, though

We did do camping with the kiddos, which was fun, but we can do that here.

So, yes, suburban life is similar in both places. School-sports-Costco-Target-Ballet-church-home...repeat, repeat, repeat

[Wittgenstein's Ghost]

Originally Posted by holldog99

Suburban life is very much the same. When you have little kids, it's hard to afford skiing. A lift ticket to Vail is around $120 and childcare for a day is about the same. Parking is $20. Driving up there and back is $40 in gas. Plus, if it's a weekend, you may be on I-70 for up to 3 hours heading home. Of course, there's Eldora and Loveland for more affordable skiing, but they don't have a nursery for the little kids. You'd have to find someone in the suburbs to watch them, and you'd probably have to leave early so that you don't get stuck in the 2-3 hour traffic and be at their house to pick up the baby too late. I can't speak for family life with older kids, but ski equipment isn't cheap and they'd probably outgrow it every year. There's trade-in programs and such, but we never got there.

Hiking is more do-able. We limited it to the front range- usually going to Deer Creek Canyon. Hiking with babies and little kids is more like wandering 100 feet into the woods, though

We did do camping with the kiddos, which was fun, but we can do that here.

So, yes, suburban life is similar in both places. School-sports-Costco-Target-Ballet-church-home...repeat, repeat, repeat

It seems like the issue, at least for outdoor lovers, is that you don't have the option here. There are tons of day hikes on the front range that are in beautiful places that make you really feel like you're in the wild. There are tons of things you can do with kids of almost all ages on the weekends that are cheap or free that allow you to really dive into nature. I went snow shoeing in Estes Park this January, and I can't count how many young kids I saw out there with their families, bundled up and either riding in a kiddie backpack or snowshoeing themselves. In DFW, stuff like that isn't really an option. Sure, you can hike and camp, but it isn't even close to the same experience.

[brainofjjj]

Originally Posted by Wittgenstein's Ghost

It seems like the issue, at least for outdoor lovers, is that you don't have the option here. There are tons of day hikes on the front range that are in beautiful places that make you really feel like you're in the wild. There are tons of things you can do with kids of almost all ages on the weekends that are cheap or free that allow you to really dive into nature. I went snow shoeing in Estes Park this January, and I can't count how many young kids I saw out there with their families, bundled up and either riding in a kiddie backpack or snowshoeing themselves. In DFW, stuff like that isn't really an option. Sure, you can hike and camp, but it isn't even close to the same experience.

Having lived all over one thing that bothers me about being in TX is the lack of open public land. TX is towards the bottom with only 4.2% public while CO has 43.3%...wow!

[NP78]

Originally Posted by brainofjjj

Having lived all over one thing that bothers me about being in TX is the lack of open public land. TX is towards the bottom with only 4.2% public while CO has 43.3%...wow!

Agreed. Definitely one of the things that was difficult for me to get used to after spending the majority of my life in Wyoming (56% public land) and CO. Not necessarily that unusual for states in the Plains and Eastern U.S., but a big change to anyone who is used to the public lands and open spaces of the West.

[ufcrules1]

Originally Posted by holldog99

I didn't get a chance to read the above...

We moved from Littleton 3 weeks ago. My husband is working in downtown FW.

You said you were going to be in Dallas. Right? I didn't have time to read through all the posts :-)

As a Coloradan, here's my impressions. And, I am in Fort Worth, but have spent a few days in Dallas and seen many of the suburbs (frisco, coppell, irving, arlington, grand prairie, and more suburbs over here in Fort Worth)
- The traffic in Dallas is like nothing I have seen anywhere. Like, it doesn't freaking move. All the time. I was warned about the traffic, but now I know; it is insane. It is something to get used to for sure!
- That said, the highway system here is way better than Denver's. It makes sense. The lanes are wider. The entry and exit ramps are better. The tollways, of course, are amazing.
- Fort Worth drivers are slower and less aggressive than Denver's. Denver's drivers are similar to Dallas drivers.
- 40 degrees here feels like 20 degrees in Denver. I think it's the humidity or something. I get cold to my bones.
- I have considered buying rain boots and an umbrella- possessions that I did not have or need since I studied in England in the year 2000. It's been raining/sleeting/snowing the majority of the time that I am here, which makes these Fort Worth drivers even slower.
- The food here is amazing. In Denver, there's kale and quinoa on everything. Here its butter and grease. It tastes amazing and I have intentions of some sort of detox in my near future. But there's also good "healthy" restaurants here too... so yummy.
- In Denver, you were wearing a designer when you put on lululemon pants or a North Face hoodie. Here, they shop at Nieman Marcus and wear a lot of Tory Burch.
- I miss the mountains like crazy and I had to discover the compass on my dashboard. Sometimes I just daydream about the mountains. I can't believe how much I miss them
- People are friendlier here. They don't "vent" or complain. They're very positive and pleasant. They seem less rushed and more willing to have a conversation, in both Dallas and FW.
- Everyone else seemed to speak on the economy, but it is working out for our family. My husband gets paid more, the houses are cheaper, there's no income tax, but there is high property taxes. I can't speak for utilities yet. But, you don't just get your electricity from one company here. I had 317 choices in my electrical plan and sometimes get people at my door trying to get me to switch companies.
- My husband is the only guy in his office in dress shoes. Everyone wears cowboy boots.
- Football is enormous, and the stadiums are huge for high school.

Just my take! Good luck with your decisions!

Wait until you get to the summer time. You will see nothing but clear blue skies most of the time. It doesn't rain often at all.