yoginibare

Although there is a huge shopping mall and lots of high end retail, this should for all circumstances be considered the suburbs. Close to Hwy 183 for commuting, but there is normally traffic and you have to get over to Mopac to get where you're going in town. For the extra trouble of living so far out, I would not consider the price worth it, especially since it's not all that cheap. For fun, I love the Lake Creek Alamo Drafthouse and the events they do. I wish the Drafthouses would do more special events like they used to.

There seems to be a lot of poverty in this area, although it is not necessarily a poor part of town. The neighborhoods nearby are cute and seem to be well maintained, but so much of the commercial areas and shopping centers seem dirty. There is always a ton of foot traffic near the HEB and the library, and some homeless people as well. I wouldn't mind living in this area, but I would want to live in a cleaner part than that right off of Rundburg.

Lots of cute little houses and apartments. Someone has even come through and built some ultra-cool duplexes and condos. On the #3 bus route and close to the hip Burnet road area. Also close to Lamar. Nice coffee house at Woodrow and Koenig. Hwy 2222 is a convenient way to either Mopac, Lamar or I-35, so it makes your commute easier. Backs up to a Dart Bowl for retro fun. Close to a high school. Pleasant neighborhood to go walking in.

This part of West Campus is full of college students and close to a lot of fraternity and sorority houses. If you are into that type of thing and want to be walking distance from UT and major bus routes to downtown, then this is the place for you. If you are looking for someplace secluded and quiet, look elsewhere. Lots of places in West Campus are built into hilly terrain. Be careful when buying here because they can have foundation and/or structural damage. Lots of condos available in this area too, if you are willing to pay a premium for location.

Guadalupe is the main lifeline of the University of Texas at Austin. You'll find lots of awesome restaurants like Madam Mam's Noodle House, Kerbey Lane, and a dozen other places too numerous to be listed. Fun vintage clothing stores abound, as do eclectic shops like Toy Joy. Colorful, exciting, but also home to huge museums like the Ransom Center and the Bob Bulluck history museum. Not the safest street but, as a women, I have walked out alone at night. Good luck trying to find parking during school hours. A must see for tourists.

Braker lane suffers because it is part residential and part high-traffic thru-way. It could be an easy way to get across north Austin, but it is hampered by school zones and residential areas. Likewise, all the traffic makes it a little bit noisy for the homes just off Braker. Braker has a post office, and some light industrial areas as you approach Metric. Braker at Lamar is close to the huge Chinatown shopping center, a Mecca for Asian cuisine.

Most people either don't know where Burnet is or write off the entire town north of UT campus as uncool. When I first moved to the Burnet area, I was really surprised by how many cool things there are up and down the street. There has to be at least 10 thrift and vintage shops within a mile of each other, ranging from high end to run of the mill. Cool eateries like the Omlettry and Wok N Roll have tons of street cred at a reasonable price. Just off the road is a public library that used to be an old movie theater. The Burnet Road Self Storage used to be a drive-in movie theater. Lots of 1950's kitsch chic. Although when I first moved here, it was super cheap, it has recently gotten more expensive as developers have moved in and flipped houses.

People go downtown and often overlook the cool clubs that are not on the 6th street strip. The Red River clubs usually are more laid back, less glitzy, and just as cool as their 6th street cousins. Stubbs is an Austin classic, and Emo's is a big favorite as well. Be careful walking around as you get close to Trinity St. where the homeless shelter is, try to stay close to the main drags on Red River, 6th and 5th. There are also a few good restaurants here as you go farther north towards the capital.

6th Street is Austin's mecca for college kids and tourists. Featuring lots of bars, live music, and entertainment, there are tons of things to do downtown. Festivals like South By Southwest heat up this hot spot even more. However, if you live in Austin and are not of college age, you might quickly tire of the downtown drinking lifestyle. There are more laid back places on 6th street closer to Lamar, like Mother Egan's. So, basically, you graduate from the college joints at 6th and Congress to the older people joints at 6th and Lamar.

It is hard to find an affordable neighborhood in Austin, but this one has it all. Close to schools (Pflugerville ISD), just down the Yager Lane from any shopping you could want, lots of greenbelt and walking trails nearby, and a local church even has a disc golf course. Plus, the price is right. The neighborhood may have a "lived in" look, people for the most part take good care of their yards and houses. There is some light automobile crime, mostly from high school kids. Close to a bus line and also to a park and ride to the main #1 bus line.

Try to take an alternate route from this street if you can. Sometimes the road is torn up from construction and sometimes it gets flooded (which causes more construction). Although it seems like a convenient through street, it's usually better to take an alternate route. The neighborhoods in this area are pretty decent, and there is an HEB and some retail close by. A lot of the retail is kind of low-end, but there are some good restaurants (I like Pompeii on Nacogdoches). I always get stuck at a light on this street when I try to use it to cut through. Also, beware the major potholes that will make your teeth rattle!

You used to get good views of treed hills, but it has built up so much that it has lost a lot of its appeal. Without the good views, this road really doesn't have a lot of appeal. Close to a grocery store, somewhat close to other shopping, but not totally convenient. The traffic light at Evans and 281 can be HORRIBLE during rush hour, which can start early and end late for this part of town. I know at one point there was supposed to be a big golf course put in on Evans Rd, but plans for it have been off and on for a while and I am not sure if it is happening anymore. Lots of new subdivisions have popped up in the area, but, without the views, I don't really think it's worth it anymore. There are lots of older neighborhoods in the city with less traffic.

The north part of San Pedro is by 410 and the San Antonio Airport, but it is absolutely horrible with road construction. Plus, getting on and off of 281 from San Antonio can be confusing. The construction has been going on as long as I can remember and it never seems to get finished. North Star Mall is a good mall with upscale stores, and has the famous giant cowboy boots out front. There is other big box shopping in the area. Farther south on San Pedro is downtown and some cute shops and restaurants. Parts of San Pedro between 410/North Star Mall and the downtown area can get a little shady. Used to be the most upscale shopping area in town, now there are much nicer places to go to if you want to shop.

Golf for dad, shopping for mom, and a Six-Flags themepark for the whole family. What more can you ask for? There is upscale department store shopping, but also a huge sports and outdoors store for the guys as well. You are close to lots of chain restaurants, but also within driving distance of old hill country favorites like Rudy's BBQ. Located right off Loop 1604 and near I-10 gives you access to the rest of the city. A good place to vacation, and it still has the hill country atmosphere.

King William St. is only part of the overall King William Historic District of Downtown San Antonio. These houses are old, wonderfully restored mansions on beautiful treed lots. Truly a treat to walk through and see. During Fiesta celebrations in April, King William has parades and a street faire with food, confetti, eggs, and lots of fun. This place is definitely for people who want the downtown life. Sightseers can visit here to or from the awesome San Antonio riverwalk. King William is also close to some nice art galleries, and there are often cultural events going on here or near here.

Although it has been built up a lot, there are still a lot of little neighborhoods off of Culebra that I would be scared to go to after dark. There is a lot of shopping there now, but I generally don't like to be in this area because I have trouble getting around. Although it has easy access to the loop, it still seems like a long drive to get the rest of town. If you are looking to settle down in this area, I would recommend searching elsewhere.

Thousand Oaks is a good through-road from I-35 to Hwy 281. It has a public library, lots of decent apartment complexes, grocery stores, and lots of decent (but not upscale) little restaurants. There are also some schools convenient to parts of Thousand Oaks, and two post offices are close by. The road is very twisty at times, be careful and slow down! There are also a lot of lower-middle-class subdivisions off of Thousand Oaks with decent schools around.

This is an upscale part of town, but very cute! Lots of little shops and restaurants, and cute older renovated houses. Very close to downtown without being swallowed by downtown. You'll find Central Market for gourmet organic groceries and you are close to the Quarry shopping center, which has a movie theater, bookstores, and lots of upscale home and clothing stores. There are all sorts of little shops and restaurants to discover. Plus you are close to beautiful Brackenridge Park. Singles will find a decent nightlife here, as well.

Stone Oak used to be in the middle of nowhere, but now it is growing, growing, growing! Lots of nice new houses close to shopping, schools, and, most importantly, a great hospital. Easy to get to Hwy 281 or Loop 1604. Lots of upscale restaurants of all types... Mexican, Sushi, Thai, Chinese. They just opened up a huge new shopping center at 281 and Stone Oak that has all the retail you'll ever need. Plus there are tons of places to shop up and down 1604. Nice place for families or retirees who need to be close to medical facilities.

Wetmore Road is what remains of the little town of Wetmore, Texas. It is now totally a part of San Antonio, but I still thinks its very interesting. The town of Wetmore used to be little more than a stop on the railroad. Now, the old Wetmore Store is a pretty decent restaurant/BBQ joint with live music. There are not a lot of amenities along Wetmore compared to other roads, but it is unique and it has easy access to Loop 410, Loop 1604, and Highways 281 & I-35 (via Thousand Oaks). It's a little more industrial but there are some good residential neighborhoods off of it. Plus, very very easy access to the airport.