Shannon

I'm thinking about moving from the Chicago area to Austin. One of my favorite things to do is line-dance, although I have to drive an hour just to find a country bar around here! I heard that Texas is not big on line-dancing. Does anyone know of any country dance bars where people actually do line-dancing? Please tell me what the best country dance bars are for a 30-something married couple.

One more question - Do people who live in Austin wear cowboy hats and/or boots when they're out and about, or are they only worn in the country bars?

Thank you!

Ally

Shannon,
I live in Austin, but I don't have a country bone in my body so I can't tell you about line dancing...but I can tell you the best country bar is probably The Broken Spoke.
As for 'country attire', some real country folks wear the big hats, boots and belt buckles all the time (even wear their hats on the car!) but that dress is not the 'norm' around town..only out in the farm areas.

Christie

If you're thinking of moving to Austin so you can be in a "country kind of place" then you are in for a shock. Since the technology boom began in the mid 1990's, Austin is full of dot.com techies, college students, and political types. You'll have to get out in the rural areas surrounding Travis County to find country folks.

If you would like to live in a place where people wear cowboy hats all the time, like to dance, be called "ma'am," and still have the employment opportunities of the big city, then I would suggest Fort Worth. There are tons of country bars, and some of them (like Billy Bob's) still do line dancing.

If employment opportunities are not important to you, then I would suggest Stephenville, Lubbock, or San Angelo.

Shannon

Thank you so much for your information! My husband is a computer techie, so he'd fit right in if we moved to Austin. Ft. Worth sounds like my kind of place, though! I'm more interested in the country scene. I'm going to do a little research to see what the employment opportunities are like.

I would love to hear more about what it's like to live in either Austin or Ft. Worth. Anything about it - climate, (is Ft. Worth as humid as Austin in the summer?), people, etc.

Thanks again!

MJ

I work in FT. Worth, and it is a great town. As far as your country urge goes check out the Stockyards. It has been upgraded and is now relatively safe. And the world famous Billy Bob's is nearby. But like Austin this is not a line dancing town, two stepping rules (which as a guy I don't mind, particularly when the ladies wear Colorado Rockies jeans).

Other things in town. Humid but not as bad as Austin. Arts, terriffic scene. Hang out place, Sundance square is good. All in all there is a lot to reccomend about this town.

OliveOyl

Oooh boy, you don't know humid!!! Ft. Worth is hot, yes, but rarely would qualify as humid.

Shannon, in all honesty, I think you need to visit both places and take a good hard look for yourselves. I'm having a hard time picturing a move from Chicago to Ft. Worth, despite your desire for country!!

Austin is wonderful and still rated as one of the best "small" towns in which to live. Pretty Hill Country begins just outside. Ft. Worth has got some great folks and better museums than Dallas, but gosh, that Chicago-->Ft. Worth thought still makes me cringe!! It could be real trouble down the "line"!

Christie

If your husband is the high-tech field, he will fit right in in Fort Worth, too. The entire Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area is growing very quickly and there are lots of high-tech companies that have plants, headquarters and large branch offices here, especially in the Telecom Corridor area of north Dallas. (I happen to work for one of the companies there.) Dell Computers just signed a contract to build a large facility north of Fort Worth, and Fed Ex has a hub there, too. The job market here is really good right now, and it doesn't show any signs of slowing down. Last I checked, unemployment in the metroplex was about 2%.

Yeah, it gets hot here in the summer. That's part of living in Texas. But the good thing is that every building, home and car has air conditioning, so we deal with it. Humidity really isn't a problem in either Austin or Fort Worth. (Houston is another story...)

I agree with Olive that you need to come down and visit before you just up and move. Maybe you two could make a Texas tour this spring?

Shannon

I'm getting great information from you guys! Thanks! I would definitely visit before I move to see which city I like the best. I've been there twice (from Dallas, through Austin, all the way to South Padre), but that was about 8 years ago and only 1 night per town.

OliveOyl - I'm curious, why are you having a hard time picturing a move from Chicago to Austin? Would it be a culture shock for me?
Even though I'm from the Chicago area, I'm really not a big city person. I recently moved to a small town on the outskirts of the suburbs and I don't like to go anywhere near the city. I keep moving to smaller and smaller towns because I want the country atmosphere.
Thanks to all of you for your thoughts!
Please keep the opinions coming!

OliveOyl

Shannon, I have more concerns about Chicago-->Ft. Worth, than Chicago-->Austin, but perhaps these are just my biases and I shouldn't try to transfer those feelings to you.

We've lived in the 'burbs of a few large cities. True, we often didn't take advantage of what the city had to offer, but it was always there to do when we wanted, and the good things that go with the city spread into the suburbs as well...the good restaurants, good shopping and when something great culturally comes to the city, it's not hard to get in to enjoy it. Sometimes you just don't realize how important the proximity of those things are until you move away and you no longer have them! I'm living proof of that. I still go back to Dallas several times a year.

Ft. Worth is less than an hour from Dallas, but time zones away, otherwise. The two are night and day. There are some extremely country areas of Ft. Worth...EXTREMELY, and I'm not referring to sparsely populated.

As I said earlier, Ft. Worth has the best of the museums in the Metroplex (DFW area), it's got a very good zoo, I've been to the ballet there and that's the first place I saw "Cats". But it is very very small town in many many respects, and may be a bit difficult for you to embrace after the first blush wears off. There are some large areas immediately surrounding the city that are downright depressing. Not slums, just worn and tired.

To my thinking, Austin has the best of everything. First, it's got the tech boom going on (but this undoubtedly means housing is less affordable there than FW). A 2nd BIG plus is UT, a huge campus....50,000 kids when our daughter was there and everything a good university brings to an area has come with UT's development. It's a first rate school too, should you be interested in more courses. (FW has TCU, but this isn't the same animal at all.) It's far less country than Ft. Worth, but country is just outside the city limit to the west too. Music scene around 6th St is very well known. Austin is every Texan's "hometown". Austin and the Hill Country is where we headed (we're in FL now, which is why I know humid and that Ft. Worth isn't) when we wanted to get away, and about the only place we could head from DFW unless we wanted to get on a plane. It's a beautiful area...hills, creeks, small towns, easy to get to and a beautiful drive away...really pretty. It gives you the best of both worlds and though it'll still be a transition, it won't be as much of a transition from Chicago as FW would be.

You'll love the winters (DFW can get plenty of cold and ice, esp this winter, but haven't we all) and summers shouldn't be too ungodly from what I've heard of summer in Chicago.

Give both cities a try for as long a period as you can...if you've got a two week vacation, take it there, and do it in the summer. If you can stand the summer you'll be fine with it the rest of the year, climate wise. Good luck with your decision!

Shannon

Austin sounds like it has everything I want and need, and Ft. Worth could be a great weekend trip for a change of pace.

Thanks to all of you for giving me a much better idea of what it's like in Texas! I really appreciate it!

Christie

Don't be too high on Austin too quickly...

Wait until you've experienced rush-hour traffic in a town of close to a million without a single circular loop freeway...

Wait until you pay $1000 a month of a one-bedroom apartment and are happy to have found one at all. Or, worse yet, wait until you have to drive an hour each way to work because the only housing you could find is in the next county and you have to fight traffic...

Sure, Fort Worth does have some run-down areas, but so does every other major city in the USA, including Austin. There, the east side of I-35 is the ugly part.

If you're not interested in higher education for yourself, then UT has very little to offer except the traffic and some good football games.

You really ned to look at both cities before you make a decision. Seriously, stay a week in both places if you can!

OliveOyl

Every major university gives back to its community, whether it be educational benefits, or, and this is what I was referring to primarily, the cultural events, lecturers, entertainment available to everyone in the area, to say nothing of the restaurants, clubs, bookstores etc that rush into that milieu. And do you think Austin grew because of it's pretty location? It grew easily into the major tech center it is with a ready supply of talent coming right out of school...the same one Michael Dell came out of. It didn't steal that "Best Small Town" award, it deserved it.

Shannon

It would be nice to be close to Austin (or Dallas) and have all the big city things close by, but we would be looking for a house in one of the smaller towns in the area. I've been reading a little about Georgetown, Pflugerville, Round Rock, among others. Are you familiar with any of these towns? What are they like?
I'm interested in hearing more about Ft. Worth, as well. I know that it is supposed to be very different from Dallas. I was wondering if one you would mind elaborating on that. What are the people like?
Once again, thank you for all your info!

Christie

I have a dear friend from college who is a Williamson County Sherrif Deputy, so I'm through Georgetown fairly frequently. The town itself is pretty nice, but it has growing pains due to a HUGE retirement community (Del Webb's Sun City) that sprang up there. The schools are desperately needing a bond election to be passed, but the retirement community residents keep voting the tax increase down. If you're not concerned about schools, it's a pretty swell place with low crime.

Round Rock has a reputation for trailer parks and hicks, but that is changing as new homes are being built and educated people from Austin are moving out to the suburbs.

In my experience, people in Fort Worth are pretty nice. It's much more laid back than my home in Dallas! We like to eat out in Fort Worth because the service isn't rushed and everyone is just more friendly.

For some nice suburbs of Fort Worth, look at Weatherford (LOTS of cowboys here!) and Burleson. My favorite Dallas suburb is Waxahachie.

Bex

Would like to add the tech boom in Austin is leveling out. A number of of start ups have gone belly up in recent months. Agillion is laying off half its work force (100 employees). I understand Dell has a hiring freeze and is cutting back on overtime. Michael's down to his last 6 billion LOL! In our business, things are slowing too.
Im not trying to scare you into rethinking your plans, just be ready for what awaits you. I do love my city and wouldn't live anyplace else. Well maybe St Lucia buts thats another story *G*.
Also check www.statesman.com for local news, business, employment etc.

Shannon

Thanks for all the input. I feel like I have a much better idea about each place. Lot's to think about!

SharonM

Not into country music OR in-line dancing, but was channel surfing this weekend and saw some folks at a nightclub in Austin called the "Dallas" and guess what? They not only had line-dancing but offered mini-lessons as well! Maybe it's worth looking into?
Good luck!

texasgirl

hi, i'm jumping in late here, but living in fort worth, must do so. i love austin _ the restaurants, the music, the overall vibe _ and if i could afford to live there with a good job in my field, i would. barring that, i like fort worth because it actually admits it is in texas. the difference between it and dallas is immense. fort worth embraces its past; it preserves its old neighborhoods and you'll see real cowboys and old oil money all over town. Yes, it's small _ maybe 500,000 _ and it seems even smaller because people tend to be genuinely friendly. At the same time it's not as country as some portray it; its museums are far better than anything dallas has to offer, for instance. Dallas has great shopping and restaurants and it's fun to go over for the day or the evening but there's no there there; it seems that it could be anywhere in the country, except in texas.

Alexis

Yes, its true. Austin traffic sucks terribly. When five o'clock hits, you don't move in certain parts of Austin. Once it took my boyfriend and I forty-five minutes to drive 6-7 miles. On a shopping trip north to Georgetown near Christmas, it took us 2 hours to travel thirty miles on I-35, the major highway in Texas. And, when my boyfriend and I moved here, apartment capacity was almost 100%. I'm 19 and my boyfriend 21, our one bedroom apartment is $570/month, is pretty big, well maintained and about 2 miles south of downtown. (The closer you get to downtown the more expensive apartments and houses are!!!) My boyfriends parents are moving here in the summer, and they got a very nice 2 bedroom apartment in North-Central Austin for 1300/month, with running trails with wildlife, a creek and numerous other amenities. Parts of Austin can be quite beautiful.

Anywhere you go in Texas is going to have line-dancing, cowboys, and trucks. Austin has over 100 venues for live music, and almost every night you can find country, rock, blues, jazz, house, punk or whatever you want in Austin. I'm personally not a big club person, but Sixth Street is blocked off every weekend for all the students getting plastered. I've heard that the clubs on Red River are better. Still, there is the cross-dressing homeless guy who loves to preach, complain and entertain on sixth.

That is another element of Austin life. Guadalupe, or "the Drag," is the most popular in Texas for the young and homeless to convene it would seem. My boyfriend once tried to buy several 40 oz.s of Schlitz for a group of "Drag Rats" from 7-11, as they didn't have their Texas state IDs. Of course, you aren't deprived of your usual drunk old homeless guy asking you for a buck. It happens at least once a week, even though I don't go out much, but I don't mind. The last guy first offered to sell us a joint for a dollar, and then played us a song on a tiny harmonica.

My favorite place in Austin though, is Zilker Park. There are many trails, a great kids playground, Barton Springs, which is a HUGE warm-spring fed natural swimming pool which eventually leads into Town Lake. You can rent a canoe or kayak here as well. The water is quite clean, and I love watching for fish and turtles. There are also ducks and swans who truly expect you to feed them.

Austin is environmentally concerned, and there is kind of a hippy/alternative vibe to it, despite the explosion of the tech world and the flood of new money around. There are many natural/organic food stores, uhm, hehe, bohemian shops, and a wide range of ethnic cuisine in Austin. (Mexican is king though, Austin must have about 100,000 various resturants with their own interpretation, ranging from mediocre Tex-Mex, to authentic traditional, to fine dining.) Consider this: You can't buy rolling papers at quick stores in Austin. Why? There is a head shop on every corner. Marijuana is widely used.

Round Rock is about 15 miles north of downtown Austin - and in my experience - is a working class to affluent suburb with good schools. Georgetown is about 15 miles north of Round Rock. Another option is Bastrop, which is southwest I believe, but I really don't know much about it.

Check out www.austin360.com for tons of information and events in Austin. Yet again, the traffic sucks. Really, really bad.

brian

Why on earth would you even consider moving to ft. worth? Austin and Houston are the only towns in which to live in Texas. Austin and the surrounding area has everything you need. Besides, if you move to ft. worth you'd be close to dallas....aahahahahaaahaha!