North Shoal Creek

Over the past three to four years nearly all of the older shopping centers in the area have been refurbished. Dozens of stores have moved in, making the current selection diverse, almost entirely local, and all within walking distance. There's lots of fun stuff in the area, like the Alamo Drafthouse, several coffee places and interesting shops. There's not a lot as far as music venues, but there are a few local breweries just on the other side of 183 and they give tastings and tours daily or weekly along with other events.

This neighborhood is located at the start of one of the best bicycling routes to downtown which is about a leisurely 40 minute bicycle ride. There's lots of other commuting options, like the soon to start metroRapid buses, the Redline, other buses, and Mopac. When its not rush hour I can drive to downtown in less than 15 minutes.

The FreshPlus is a local grocery store chain, one of I think three in the city. They sell a variety of organics, natural remedies, and a large beer selection. Yes, I enjoy beer. Its best after a bike ride though. My one complaint is that they are could use some more parks. The nearest park is about a mile south along Shoal Creek.

I've seen the neighborhood grow and change over the past few years and it keeps getting better. There are always people walking around; Its a walkable part of town. Folks are friendly and the rent's not to damn high.

North Shoal Creek is located just above Allandale but is more affordable. Everything is convenient to get to in North Shoal Creek — restaurants, the post office, grocery stores, schools, local shops and public transit. I don't find myself driving very much. The houses are mostly ranch-style houses built in the 1960s and 70s. It is also located near Burnet Road, Lamar Blvd, 183 and Mopac so getting anywhere is really easy. It's a great neighborhood for retirees, young couples and small families. It's not as trendy as Crestview or Rosedale but I imagine that one day it will be as the city grows. It's also currently not as expensive as those areas.

Metrorail, buses, roadways, and bike trails make getting around North Shoal Creek easy. A great spot for commuters with families. It’s a nice middle-class suburban neighborhood, with a little more interesting businesses and restaurants than you could expect to find in a generic suburb in middle-America.

Here, you can find Bikram yoga, pilates, acupuncture and Chinese medicine, as well as a standard grocery store and a gluten-free bakery. You can also find a good array of restaurants, including Thai, Persian, Indian cuisines.

As far as nightlife, it’s fairly tame: Slick Willie’s Family Pool Hall, Alamo Drafthouse movie theater, and plenty of bars and great restaurants where you can get burgers and other standard American fare.

North Shoal Creek is an older neighborhood in the northern part of Austin that mostly has well-maintained homes and well-kept yards. It is also home to a number of apartments and condominiums so it is a good place for a student of the University of Texas to live, as well as a fine place for a family. Homes range in price from $125,000 to over $300,000 and the neighborhood stands out in Austin for being on the quiet and rather boring side.

It's bordered by major highways and is close to bus and rail lines for Capitol Metro, so it's easy to get anywhere in the city. Most of the homes here were built in the 1960's and 1970's and it is a mix of people of all ages and many races. It is served by the Austin Independent School District, and there are a few private schools nearby as well. There are several good places on the border of the neighborhood to get a bite to eat or have a drink, with several delis and bakeries and there's even a karoake bar if you feel like getting your groove on.

This is a quiet little spot on the north side of Austin, amounting to not much more than a suburb. In visiting the area, you will find a slightly older, yet clean and well-maintained residential neighborhood. There isn't a lot else to be found within it, but the houses are mostly upscale, with a lot of older tree growth and plenty of shade.

The bike lane up and down Shoal Creek offers a safe path for cyclists and joggers that runs the length of the neighborhood and even extends through a good portion of north Austin as a whole.

Getting around isn't difficult, as you have easy access to a major north to south back road. You might encounter typical traffic pattern problems making it across town during the busier parts of the day, but no more so than you would find in any given location.

For the most part, you’ll be able to fulfill all your shopping needs locally..The biggest downside, by far, is that aside from the basic stores and a great local park, there just isn't much else going on here. If you are considering something more classically residential than typical city living, then look no further. This is pretty standard suburban fare.

The North Shoal Creek neighborhood is one of those north central Austin neighborhoods that provides a nice place for families to raise their kids, somewhat affordable housing and isn’t too far from the heart of all the action. The fact that it has been known by several different names (Northtowne, Northtowne West, Allandale Estates, Allandale Place, Northwest Terrace and Cottages of North Shoal Creek) reflect the lack of definition this neighborhood has sometimes experienced.

Located above Anderson Lane, North Shoal Creek is just a bit too far north to retain much of Austin’s funky and unique character. Its borders are W. Anderson Lane to the south, Highway 183 to the north, MoPac Expressway to the west and Burnet Road to the east. Most of the homes were built in the 1960s and 1970s, and the residents are largely young and old families, who are attracted to the pleasant and slower pace of this neighborhood. Housing prices are still affordable here, and a modest home can be found in the high $100s to low $200s. Many older homes are being bought and remodeled, so some renewal is occurring as well. Area schools include Pillow Elementary, Burnet Middle School and Anderson High School.

While some may consider the North Shoal Creek neighborhood bland and boring, with W. Anderson Lane to the south there are some interesting shops and entertainment establishments to be found in The Village Shopping Center and Northcross Mall. Alamo Cinema and Drafthouse is there, Terra Toys, a local (i.e. non-chain) toy store as well as some interesting restaurants. There is also a lovely newly remodeled branch of the public library system in the neighborhood. For those interested in checking out the roller skating scene, Playland Skate Center is found here -- and it's not just for the kids!

Like the rest of Austin, this area is relatively safe when compared to other big cities like Chicago and Detroit. The biggest crime is property, with little violent crime occurring. There are tons of adorable, unique homes in North Shoal Creek, but of course you’re going to pay more for those than for the cookie cutter tract homes. Whether or not that’s worth it all depends what your priorities are. Trudy’s tex-mex restaurant is here, which is the best place in Austin for a Mexican martini, which is essentially a super concentrated margarita in martini glass, and you get a whole shaker full to enjoy. The only school in this area is Pillow Elementary, which gets relatively positive from both parents and review boards. Overall this place is quiet, safe, and a great place for families, but there’s something about being so close to the Highway 183/1 crossover that just makes me feel claustrophobic. You’ll definitely need a car in this area, so you’ll be well acquainted with Austin’s lovely winding stretches of concrete and its bi-level super-short merging lanes. Ugh. I hate driving, though the drivers in Austin aren’t nearly as bad as in some other huge cities, so thank goodness for little miracles.

In the far northwest corner of central Austin (Meaning that it is still inside the 183 loop) North Shoal Creek is a charming off the funky beaten path community that is highly suitable for buying one's first home. The vast majority of the houses were built back in the 1960s, so the architecture and the interior design echo to a more colorful decade. This isn't one of the trendier neighborhoods in the "keeping it weird" Austin, but it has there are several hot spots carefully placed along the main streets of Burnet Rd. and W. Anderson Ln. Also, should you feel like living it up in Austin;s hot spots, you only need to drive a few miles down Burnet Rd. or down Hwy 1.

Local hangout spots include Cover 3 and Waterloo Ice House where residents can enjoy some cheap draft beers and friendly crowds several blocks away from home. The Village Shopping Center has the Alamo Drafthouse and several department stores and shops at the corner of W. Anderson Ln. and Burnet Rd. and nearby are a series of different restaurants including serving everything from Indian dishes to Korean cuisine. One of the Austin Public Library branches is on Steck Ave and Shoal Creek Blvd. has several fitness and medical offices including a pilates studio and and acupuncture center. The residential streets in North Shoal Creek are green and clean enough for residents to enjoy walking outdoors and basically everything they need is within walking distance. Though not as trendy as the communities due south, this is a neighborhood where young professionals can buy their first home or start a family.