To Lubbock Or Not to Lubbock: Can You Help Me Decide? (San Antonio: cheap house, college)

[PopsNegro]

I'm needing to move my mom/self someplace new as she's older and we're finding Colorado too cold and crowded and the new housing in particular, way too expensive. We lived years ago in Amarillo in the base-era; it was a bit hot in the summer but we had no a/c then and aside from the constant tornado warnings and hail it seemed pretty okay.
What I wonder about Lubbock is whether I'll feel like I've forsaken any nature or recreational life for a low cost of living. I see from the maps and my own searches that there's little in the way of interesting topography for hiking or even natural lakes or rivers to fish. Do people there even own mountain bikes or is it an oxymoron?
And maybe even more worrysome for me is the thought that I'll feel as if I'm missing-out on a hip place to be, if you know what I mean. The other places we are considering are all trendier areas, like St George or SLC in Utah, or Boise, ID. (Albeit if I'm completely honest, Mom would possibly prefer to move to Las Vegas for the cheap houses and food; the thought of the LV lifestyle doesn't appeal to my sensibilities at all.)
Any guidance or ideas would be much appreciated.

[rr2005]

Lubbock has many positives, but offers very little in the way of hiking and fishing. I would recommend that you look into San Angelo. Housing costs and cost of living in general are very low there and it has much more to offer in the way of fishing/hiking/biking opportunities. The weather there is generally warmer than the Lubbock area, yet it doesn't get nearly as humid as other areas of Texas. I noticed you said your mother is getting older---San Angelo is becoming a popular place to retire. Medical facilities are adequate, although probably not as high quality as the ones in Lubbock. Good luck in your search!

[TT Dave]

San Angelo would be a good choice out here in West Texas. However, based on your criteria I would certainly recommend the Hill Country region in central Texas. There are lots a great lakes, rivers, etc. in that part of the state for all kinds of outdoor activities and areas for camping, hiking, etc. The chain lakes area just west of Austin would be a great location, or perhaps the New Braunfels or San Marcos area between Austin and San Antonio. I've gone tubing down the Guadalupe river many times over near Kerrville, northwest of San Antonio. That entire region is also one of the most scenic areas in the entire state.

[Westerner92]

I'm an outdoors enthusiast living in Lubbock. Driving, lots of driving is what you'll have to do. Even though the scenery immediately around Lubbock isn't great, it's actually relatively close to plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities compared to many places in the country. There is some beginners mountain biking in the canyons just to the east of Lubbock. One of the premier triathlons in the nation is held at Buffalo Springs Lake. Lake Alan Henry (about an hour SE of Lubbock) is a pretty good for fishing and water sports. Palo Duro Canyon and Caprock Canyon are about a 90 minute drive. The Sacramento Mountains are a 4 hour drive. The Texas Hill Country is 5-6 hours, as is Big Bend which I'm going to this weekend. Northern New Mexico is 6-7 hours, and Southern Colorado is a little farther.

Lubbock is the cheapest of the cities you're looking into, and I might argue that it's tied with Boise as far as "hipness" goes, since they both have significant college populations and aren't bastions of Mormonism like the Utah cities. I think Boise might be the most to your liking.

[doctorjef]

Kerrville in the Hill Country would represent a small city - much smaller than either Lubbock or San Angelo - that would put you in better striking distance of lots of outdoor recreation and in the midst of some very nice scenery. Medical facilities would be somewhat limited but San Antonio is pretty close for major medical events.