http://www.travelandleisure.com/afc/2007/city/austin Austin is 4th for After Dark (#1 for singles scene), 2nd for People overall, 2nd for Characteristics, 3rd for Food.
I love Houston, but I'm so glad I live in Austin! Austin deserves its rankings. I just wish we could have controlled growth west of town. It's really gotten nuts. They're building gigantic suburbs out in the Hill Country that simply have no adequate way to get into Downtown. Anyone crazy enough to move out there is going to spend a lot of time in traffic. Where I live seems closer in all the time.
Same with where I live. Agree w/ the new 'West Side'. Diriving down 71 and 620.... I understand the attraction to the area but can't believe no one's planned a highway or two w/ all of the construction.
Sometimes i think Austinites sit around on the web waiting for this online music/nightlife/singles rankings things to be posted. There's a thread about this like once a month on every Texas based BBS I frequent.
It's the Top 25 urban tourist destinations. It doesn't surprise me that Houston's not on the list (although it certainly surprises me that Minneapolis is.)
Houston isn't topping any lists for people looking to travel or find leisure in that is for sure. Other than affordability, Austin has Houston beat. Houston does have a big rap scene that is envied around the nation though.
Austin isn't weird anymore. Sorry, but that place is looking more and more like Houston every time I visit.
Agreed, although it is a combination of Houston and Dallas to me. Austin has Houston's urban sprawl & traffic (on a smaller scale, but growing fast) while it has a portion of the population that is preppy/yuppie nouveau riche snobbery just like Dallas. The Austin I lived in and loved in the late 70s and early 80s is dead as a doornail.
Austin is extremely overrated. The traffic sucks, there's nothing open after 10 pm except bars and dance clubs, you're forced to deal with the arrogant residents, etc. The city has an overwhelming (and inexplicable) attitude of superiority about it and it shows the first time you come to the city.
Exhibit A. By the way, I've been in Austin since the fall of 2003. This isn't coming from someone who has never lived in Austin. Don't worry though, soon as I graduate, you'll be rid of me.
thats bullsh!t. they have a theater and museum ranking. you're telling me houston couldn't pull a top 25 spot in those things?
Oh it's very explicable. No doubt this would end up as an Austin v. Houston thingie again. What is it, Hostonian's just can't handle any other Texas city receiving deserved recognition? Does it ever make you stop and wonder? Many many people still love Austin. And sorry, but other than the traffic, this city is way better than the hippie days of the 70's, and the apparent love of the city by T&L readers seems to support that. Given that, I look forward to the day that Austin's restaurants (v a s t l y improved over the last 30 years) and culture rival Houston's. It'll take many more years on the museums and performing arts, but UT's helping.
No kidding, FOOD?! Austin's restaurant scene is a sad joke. I didn't like living in Austin, but I'll readily admit it's a nice place to visit.
I'm sorry that I don't think your city is the greatest city in America. I've lived here for 4 years so I've had a large enough sample size. It's great for some people, sure. However, I'm not interested in dealing with the self righteousness that oozes all over the city. Also, as my idea of fun involves more than heading out to bar hop and get wasted, Austin isn't exactly the best place for me. I don't have a problem with other cities getting recognition. I didn't say that Austin shouldn't be ranked at all. I love that Austin has a lot of public parks and that's something I wish Houston would improve on. I simply said Austin is overrated. If you have a problem with me having an opinion about that, I'm sorry.
Which of Austin's current top restaurants have you visited, or even heard of? Austin restaurants don't yet compare to Houston's imo, but if you're thinking of Austin restaraunt scene from 10 or even just 5 years ago, you're sadly outdated.
That could be where my opinion is warped, I'll admit. I tend to look at it from the perspective of living in the city as opposed to just visiting it.
So true. I've had at least a half-dozen friends of friends, old acquaintances, etc. follow up the "Where do you live?" "Houston." with "Oh, I'm sorry." It's a nice place to live & I'll probably be moving back there soon, but jeebus, get over yourselves. It's also really sad to see, as Deck mentioned, the westside of a town so proud of it's green cred & smart development turn into yet another sprawled out, water thieving, stripmalled suburban metropolis.
