What I Love (and Hate) About Living in Austin

There are instances when I definitely adore residing in Austin: when I’m paddleboarding on Town Lake, when I’m drinking a frozen margarita at Maudie’s, when I’m hanging out in hip East Austin under string lights.

That being stated, there are sure factors I’m fewer fond of: the sweltering summers, the isolation, the deficiency of walkability.

I have lived in Austin for just about two many years. Here’s what I have appear to appreciate and dislike about it:

What I adore about Austin

The People

By and massive, Texans are exceptionally awesome persons: generous, funny, and sincerely type. When I had Covid, several neighbors introduced me tortilla soup and walked my canine. Folks say hi to you on the road here, even if they never know you. Austin is by much the friendliest put I have ever lived.

The Food stuff

An additional positive – the food stuff. Austin’s food stuff scene is flourishing: you can discover great TexMex, Thai, Vietnamese, and of system, barbecue. Some of my favored 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-raised Michigander, I desperately need to have to are living near drinking water (that was one of the items I observed toughest about dwelling in Colorado). Luckily, Austin has a lot of it: Town Lake, Barton Springs, and Lake Travis, to title a number of.

The Winters

The winters here are pleasant – the temperature hovers all around 70 degrees, and the skies are ordinarily crisp and blue. However we do have the odd snow day, the wintertime weather conditions is really mild.

Live Music

I’d be remiss if I did not mention Austin’s internationally renowned reside songs scene. I adore how you can stroll into a random bar on a Tuesday and listen to an extraordinary efficiency for the price tag of a Shiner Bock.

The Doggy-friendliness

In Austin, you can deliver your pet dog practically any place — I carry my pup nearly in all places I go. My neighborhood CVS is even pet-welcoming.

What I Loathe

The Crowds

Owing to its big popularity in current yrs, Austin feels insanely crowded at times. Parking is difficult to come across, eating places are packed, and the weekends especially can be frantic.

The Superior Charge of Dwelling

Austin is very high-priced. To acquire a plot of land – not even a property – in my neighborhood, expenditures a million pounds.

Inadequate Walkability

Unfortunately, Austin is not a walkable metropolis. Bisected by two highways, Austin is a extremely car-dependent metropolis for walkability, it ranks 42nd in the US, concerning Las Vegas and Pheonix. As a person who loves to walk, this is a large draw back.

The Allergic reactions

Central Texas has been termed the “Allergy Capital of the Planet.” There is even a daily allergy report on the area news, where formal pollen counts for ragweed, grass, and mould are measured. I never ever had allergies in my lifetime right up until I moved here — ugh.

The Heat

The summers in Austin are brutal. Temperatures can reach 110 degrees (or better). After this year’s scorching summer, 90 degrees bizarrely feels fairly great to me.

The Isolation

Austin is near to only a several towns: Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Earlier this yr I manufactured the slip-up of driving to New Orleans, which took 10 several hours. At times I come to feel so envious of the East Coastline – think about driving a couple hrs and currently being capable to access Boston, Philly, and NYC? Sigh.

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All this to say, I have been really happy in this article. I’m not guaranteed if it’s my for good dwelling (I’m not positive I have a without end residence, time period), but I program to remain at the very least a handful of extra a long time. And get pleasure from many more lake days and frozen margs.