Moving to San Antonio in a couple of years (Houston: homes, neighborhoods)

[BlueClouds]

My husband and are planning a visit to San Antonio and Austin in 2018. We are thinking of moving in a couple of years since it's more affordable (housing) and we have family in Houston also a couple of friends who will be moving to Texas in the future.
Looking for recommendations for neighborhoods to visit that have:
1. organic, GF restaurants and / or markets
2. holistic / natural health docs, dentists, practitioners, clinics
3. Yoga studios
4. Art galleries
5. Food trucks
6. community gardens

[ktulu7]

Just by the things you list as priorities here, I already feel like you'd be happier in Austin than San Antonio, culturally. Not that you can't find those things in San Antonio, BUT it is a larger focus in Austin, and I just get the feeling the overall culture of San Antonio won't be as close to what you may be looking for, as the culture in Austin is.

[fritos56]

For what you put, you would be better off in Austin more than anywhere else, though you may find some of this in the Dallas-Fortworth area.

[StormNinja]

Wild Wild West, Where Stop signs in the city have bullet holes.

[Rustybolt]

Mistake one: Housing in Austin isn't affordable compared to San Antonio. If you count living in outlying towns like Kyle or Buda, maybe so...but then you aren't living in Austin. Now, that said, all the other comments are true...Austin is all holistic, harmonic, natural, yoga, gimme my namaste and whatever. San Antonio has all that Austin has, but just in different proportions and without the ridiculous property costs, traffic, and neuroses. I grew up in Austin and have wonderful memories of what was, but that town doesn't exist anymore and call San Antonio home now. I still love to visit Austin and frequently do. San Antonio has traffic too (with 2000 people moving here a month), but it still functions. I like the vibe here better. Edgy enough to keep you entertained, but slow enough to keep you make it a little less crazy.

[ashbeeigh]

Ask the same question in the Austin forum and you'll get all the answers you want. What is affordable for you? And come and visit before deciding to move. You say a visit in the 2018. Is that soon or later in the year? The Austin forum will also direct you to visit in the summer (basically now until October) to get a feeling for what the area is really like.

[TXEX06]

I'd visit Southtown when you come to San Antonio. You can find everything on your list within a mile of each other. Brick Market also hosts regular holistic markets and vegan/GF markets. Tons of local art in Southtown, so much that you can't visit each opening or event. You'll have to sacrifice one art showing for another. Homes in Southtown aren't not cheap, but still very affordable compared to Austin standards.

[Cuero]

All good replies. If those are your priorities then Austin is more likely to be what you're looking for. While San Antonio has some of those elements it's really limited. Visit both places, try Southtown in San Antonio, and see for yourself.

[BlueClouds]

Thank you everyone for the helpful info. We can look at places like Buda for more affordable housing options.

[Kthnry]

Originally Posted by BlueClouds

Thank you everyone for the helpful info. We can look at places like Buda for more affordable housing options.

If you live in Buda, you will be facing a long drive and ugly traffic to get to the crunchy granola amenities. It would be a bore to drive half an hour each way for a yoga class and a GF smoothy. San Antonio has a smaller scene, but it's compact and it's more affordable to live in the middle of it, within walking distance or a very short drive.