Help with neighborhoods please (Houston, Galveston: apartments, for rent, crime)

[LizApp]

So have so many questions I don't even know where to start. First off we live in East Texas in the middle of nowhere and are looking to try something different. It looks like my husband has a possible offer in the Bellaire area. We have been considering apartments in the Museum District. Looking to spend between $1500-$2000 a month for rent for a two bedroom. We have a 5 year old daughter and a small dog. I am a stay at home mom and I homeschool are daughter. When I say we want to try something new we want to be able to be walking distance to parks, places to eat, gym and maybe a grocery store.

When we set out looking for a job we were hopping for him to live and work downtown area. But now it looks like if we live downtown he has a bit of a commute as best I can tell on Google maps.

I have been to Houston a few times but mostly in passing to Galveston. So never really been downtown.

So for the Questions.
1. Do many people raise their kids downtown? I assume most people want to live in the burbs. But we have done that and are looking for a new experience. We live on 30 acres now and no kids around. I would love to be able to find a good homeschool group or even just be near a park to get her around some kiddos at anytime.
2. I am trying to think it all though as far as bring our dog with us. She is great house broken in all with the bladder the size of an elephant it seems like. But the idea of taking her out in the cold every morning to go pee is already a bit of a turn off. However we love our dog a ton and its hard to image being at the park and her not being there. Do many people that live urban life styles have pets?
3. How safe is living downtown? I know the city will clearly have more crime than where we are now. Every person I tell we might move to Houston thinks its very dangerous and can't seem to understand why would consider such a thing.

I am open to any other suggestions as far as good downtown neighborhoods. I really am going into the blind. Hope to get to go down next weekend so I can take a look at things myself. But would love to know what areas we should look at. I know people have kids in places like NYC. So I don't see why we can't get by and really enjoy ourselves in Houston.

[houston-nomad]

People DO raise their kids downtown; I know a couple of families. But it's rare. And they drive their kids all the way to Bellaire to go to a public school there. Seems a little backwards to me. I don't think downtown is great for families; it's hot and noisy to walk with all the pavement and cars. You won't find other families easily.

Museum District is much nicer; you can still take the rail downtown to Discovery Green park, and walk to the Children's museum and Hermann Park/zoo. There's a nice grocery store not to far, in Montrose. Lots of restaurants in Montrose, too. In fact, you should probably look at Montrose apartments while you're at it. Bellaire & West U also have lots of families, parks, amenities.

Some apartments allow dogs. You could also look for a townhouse with a small yard.

[LizApp]

Thanks. So do you think in the Museum District or the Montrose area we will have more luck bumping into families? Since we homeschool our daughter I am to worried about being in the best school district. I would like to be closer to the parks and museums since they are more likely to be where homeschool and learning activities will happen. As well as just going to those things on our own.

[jojobeans2]

Originally Posted by LizApp

1. Do many people raise their kids downtown? I assume most people want to live in the burbs. But we have done that and are looking for a new experience. We live on 30 acres now and no kids around. I would love to be able to find a good homeschool group or even just be near a park to get her around some kiddos at anytime.

You can live in a more city-like suburb... the houses and schools are closer together, parks in and around your neighborhood where families go to bbq and play - the communities are really nice for raising kids. You living on 30 acres sounds like you're in the countryside, not the burbs :P

[14Bricks]

The museum district/ Herman park/ rice area is nice. Also check out midtown, you could always ride the train to the Herman park/museum district. There's a Randalls in midtown(depending on where you stay) that's walkable. There's also lots of bars and restaurants in the area. There's actually some apartments that sit on top of some restaurants around Gray and Bagby.

[LizApp]

Originally Posted by jojobeans2

You can live in a more city-like suburb... the houses and schools are closer together, parks in and around your neighborhood where families go to bbq and play - the communities are really nice for raising kids. You living on 30 acres sounds like you're in the countryside, not the burbs :P

You are very much so right we are in the country right now. We have another house closer to town now that we lived at for six years before it was more the burbs.

Since he would be working in the Bellaire area is that a pretty safe area? We have been to Bellaire a lot for the Asian food. Pretty much that is all I have ever seen of Houston and at that probably only five or six blocks I guess. Montrose still sounds really neat and like a urban change for us. But honestly the house we have drove by on Bellaire seem like that should just be considered as downtown from where were coming from. Were city noobs big time aside from traveling but then its all mostly been outside of Texas. But visiting I know will be very different than living.

[LizApp]

Originally Posted by 14Bricks

The museum district/ Herman park/ rice area is nice. Also check out midtown, you could always ride the train to the Herman park/museum district. There's a Randalls in midtown(depending on where you stay) that's walkable. There's also lots of bars and restaurants in the area. There's actually some apartments that sit on top of some restaurants around Gray and Bagby.

Thanks I will keep researching those areas. A coworker of my husbands is moving down to take a new job this week and got an apartment in midtown. I am not sure how much time we will have between when we will know if our move is final or not. But I am egger to hear back with what he has to say. Although he's a single guy vs. our little family.

[houston-nomad]

In Houston, "downtown" really means the skyscraper district. So if you mean you want an urban feel, you probably want to be "in the loop," meaning inside loop 610. Including Bellaire, so you might want to check that out, and be really close to where your husband will be working. In most places in the loop, you can find walkable neighborhoods, lots of families, parks, etc. "Downtown" itself, ironically, is not really the place to be.

[LizApp]

Originally Posted by houston-nomad

In Houston, "downtown" really means the skyscraper district. So if you mean you want an urban feel, you probably want to be "in the loop," meaning inside loop 610. Including Bellaire, so you might want to check that out, and be really close to where your husband will be working. In most places in the loop, you can find walkable neighborhoods, lots of families, parks, etc. "Downtown" itself, ironically, is not really the place to be.

Ok I understand now. Yes inside the loop I think is exactly what were wanting. I just want to be walking distance to some things mainly. Thanks again.

[jojobeans2]

When you say Bellaire, do you mean the area or the boulevard? You said Asian food, which has caused me to believe you meant Bellaire Blvd and Beltway 8, which is different than Bellaire neighborhood which is on the 610 west loop (which is what the other posters are talking about)