I'm looking to move to Texas next summer - Dallas vs. Houston

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by Redlionjr

Just curious, but why do you say that that's slowly changing for you? I'm asking because me and my wife are stuck in between staying in Houston or moving back to Atlanta or even relocating to Dallas. I've been to Dallas several times throughout my life but never lived in Dallas for a long period of time to really grasp how it is NOW. Dallas I knew on that level was in the early 00's and 90's. But i'm really curious as your experience and comparison to all 3 cities. I know me and my wife are leaning heavily to moving back to Atlanta just don't have any immediate family there. Houston is the most convenient because of family but job opportunities within my company are less appealing here in Houston than in the locations in DFW and Atlanta. DFW is a possibility because of my job opportunity there and the fact that we'll still be in Texas. But we're still kind of stuck on where we want to go. Would love to hear your input since you actually lived in all 3.

Well I had grown to like Houston, I was familiar with it, I knew a lot of people, I knew the places to go to have fun, etc. I had a good social life down there, I just really hated my job. So to fairly suddenly relocate to Dallas was a bit of a shock to the system. Job's a lot better, but I had to now restart my social life, get used to the area, and all that. As I've started to see more of DFW, go out and do stuff, meet people, and all that jazz, Houston and Dallas have become more even in appeal to me.

One thing that stands out about DFW is that nice suburban areas seem to be more plentiful than in Houston. I really liked Katy, Cinco Ranch, Richmond, and Sugarland, but there are some areas nearby closer to downtown that were once nice but have gone way downhill. I know some have worried on here that the crime issues in Alief are just gonna spread west. I've heard some of the area between Katy and Energy Corridor north of I-10 aren't that great. The Woodlands is really nice but to the south you have Spring which I've heard has been declining a lot, then south on 45 you get to Greenspoint and a whole of other sketchy areas til basically 610. But in Dallas you can just head north from downtown and find a good to great place to live. Much of Richardson, pretty much all of Plano, Allen, McKinney, Frisco, Prosper, The Colony and a lot of other places. It's a very impressive expanse of continuous, nice suburban area. In Houston it seems like you have to be a little more selective. Of course those aren't the only good areas, and there are area that leave a lot to be desired. Atlanta's kind of in the middle. You head north on 400 and it's all nice with just a few pockets in Sandy Springs and Roswell right off the freeway that have some crime problems, but other than that you can throw a dart in N Fulton County and East Cobb and end up in a great place. Houston reminds me more of Gwinnett where some areas where really nice but have gone downhill and you have to keep driving outward to get to the good suburban areas (like Suwanee).

I know it really doesn't help you make up your mind, but I like all 3. I'll always be biased towards Atlanta and I hope to return there, but that's largely due to all my family being over there still. Plus it is the prettiest of the 3, has the least extreme summer climate, and is very close to the Appalachians. But both Dallas and Houston are soooo much easier to get around. Every time I go home I'm quickly reminded how much a pain it is to drive around Atlanta. 2 lane roads that change direction 20 times, only one bypass, no suburban grid, no good alternate routes, it's just more of a hassle to drive than here.

[Johnhw2]

Originally Posted by asknow123

Many of the good Houston restaurants originated in Austin and DFW, that's how


Name some Houston restaurants that you think are good


Houston gets a lot of chain restaurants, that's true...

ted

Pappasito's, Carrabba, Salt Grass, Brennan, Pappas BBQ, Pappas Seafood, Pappadeaux, Churrasco are just a few of the Houston good to eat places that originated in Houston. There are tons more. Houston beats Dallas
in non big chain restaurants originating there. Both are good food places but your ignore on Houston is showing

[Surfer Guy]

Originally Posted by Johnhw2

ted

Pappasito's, Carrabba, Salt Grass, Brennan, Pappas BBQ, Pappas Seafood, Pappadeaux, Churrasco are just a few of the Houston good to eat places that originated in Houston. There are tons more. Houston beats Dallas
in non big chain restaurants originating there. Both are good food places but your ignore on Houston is showing

I love all of the Pappas restaurants. That's one great thing about Houston, I must admit. Out of all of them, I'd say the Pappas Delta Blues Smokehouse is my favorite.

It's amazing how they get all different types of cuisines right. Pappas restaurants are a bit expensive though.