What I Love (and Hate) About Living in Austin

There are situations when I certainly adore residing in Austin: when I’m paddleboarding on City Lake, when I’m consuming a frozen margarita at Maudie’s, when I’m hanging out in hip East Austin underneath string lights.

That getting claimed, there are certain matters I’m fewer fond of: the sweltering summers, the isolation, the lack of walkability.

I have lived in Austin for virtually two several years. Here’s what I have arrive to enjoy and despise about it:

What I like about Austin

The Men and women

By and substantial, Texans are incredibly awesome folks: generous, funny, and sincerely kind. When I experienced Covid, various neighbors brought me tortilla soup and walked my pet. Folks say hello there to you on the avenue listed here, even if they really do not know you. Austin is by significantly the friendliest place I’ve ever lived.

The Food stuff

Yet another favourable – the foodstuff. Austin’s meals scene is flourishing: you can find exceptional TexMex, Thai, Vietnamese, and of course, barbecue. Some of my favorite places are Uchiko (sushi), Odd Duck (new American), and Loro (Asian/barbecue fusion). I have also developed to Appreciate frozen margaritas, ha.

The Drinking water

As a born-and-elevated Michigander, I desperately need to have to stay close to h2o (that was one particular of the points I found toughest about living in Colorado). Luckily, Austin has lots of it: City Lake, Barton Springs, and Lake Travis, to identify a few.

The Winters

The winters in this article are delightful – the temperature hovers all over 70 levels, and the skies are commonly crisp and blue. Even though we do have the odd snow day, the winter season climate is incredibly mild.

Dwell Music

I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out Austin’s internationally renowned stay music scene. I enjoy how you can walk into a random bar on a Tuesday and hear an outstanding effectiveness for the cost of a Shiner Bock.

The Pet dog-friendliness

In Austin, you can deliver your puppy just about any where — I carry my pup just about all over the place I go. My neighborhood CVS is even puppy-helpful.

What I Hate

The Crowds

Thanks to its massive popularity in new several years, Austin feels insanely crowded at periods. Parking is tough to discover, dining establishments are packed, and the weekends especially can be frantic.

The Substantial Expense of Dwelling

Austin is very expensive. To purchase a plot of land – not even a household – in my neighborhood, expenses a million bucks.

Inadequate Walkability

Unfortunately, Austin is not a walkable city. Bisected by two highways, Austin is a pretty motor vehicle-dependent metropolis for walkability, it ranks 42nd in the US, between Las Vegas and Pheonix. As an individual who enjoys to walk, this is a substantial draw back.

The Allergic reactions

Central Texas has been known as the “Allergy Money of the World.” There is even a every day allergy report on the neighborhood news, wherever official pollen counts for ragweed, grass, and mildew are calculated. I never had allergies in my lifetime until eventually I moved below — ugh.

The Heat

The summers in Austin are brutal. Temperatures can achieve 110 levels (or larger). After this year’s scorching summer, 90 levels bizarrely feels fairly interesting to me.

The Isolation

Austin is close to only a handful of towns: Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Before this calendar year I manufactured the mistake of driving to New Orleans, which took 10 hrs. From time to time I come to feel so envious of the East Coastline – envision driving a several several hours and becoming ready to entry Boston, Philly, and NYC? Sigh.

All this to say, I’ve been fairly delighted in this article. I’m not absolutely sure if it’s my for good home (I’m not sure I have a eternally house, interval), but I system to continue to be at minimum a couple of additional years. And enjoy a lot of a lot more lake days and frozen margs.