Another Houston vs Austin thread, mixed in with some Chicago, New York, and San Francisco thrown in the mix.
When did people other than aggies start hating on Austin. Yes, Austin is slightly overrated, but its a fun town.
I lived in Austin for 7 years, back in Houston. Honestly, Houston is better in every way and anything I want to do in Austin I can just take a 3 hour road trip for (SXSW, film festival, etc). That being said, Austin being #1 as the top overrated city for tourism is ridiculous.
It cracks me up when people that haven't lived in Houston in 10+ years make these judgments about how superior Austin is. If the only time you lived in Houston was your childhood in the suburbs a decade or more ago, you don't know current Houston well at all.
The ebb and flow of popular opinion constantly contradicting itself for attention is always so entertaining. This isn't an endorsement of Htown, it's a way to slam what has been previously touted as popular opinion. Whoever wrote this seems like a real tool.
I'd much rather visit Austin than live there. Houston is laid back and people in general are friendly.
this x10000000 i couldn't stand "Houston" growing up.... out in spring. when i moved back after school and a jaunt in austin and started living ITL i realized i had no effing clue how much i'd love actually living in Houston. the only thing austin has Houston beat in is natural beauty and the music scene. the author nailed it when he called austin a "legend in its own mind."
#10 Buenos Aires: I never had an opinion, but I'd have picked Rio on reputation anyway. #9 Asheville: I never knew this was some kind of tourism destination. #8 Berlin: I can understand that. It reminds me of my trip to Italy -- Milan was probably the least interesting of the towns I visited because it was so modern and sterile. Probably a better place to live in than to visit. #7 Chicago: I've lived in Chicago, and disagree with him. But, I won't automatically dismiss Detroit (which I have not visited). I visited Cleveland once, and found it to be much better than its reputation, so I'll have to see Detroit for myself before I accept its reputation. #6 Costa Rica: Been to neither Costa Rica nor Hawaii, but I suspect he's not appreciating the sundry motivations people have for traveling. That everyone speaks English in Hawaii is one of the reasons I don't find a visit very compelling. #5 Colorado: Not my cup of tea anyway. #4 Vancouver: Haven't been, but pretty skeptical. More generally, isn't the nearby natural beauty of a town part of the appeal of that town? For Asheville, Vancouver, San Fran, etc, they should get credit for the mountains and beaches and countryside nearby, where he seems to only credit the urban blight. #3 The Caribbean: Eh, I don't go on vacations for beaches. #2 San Francisco: Sounds like he still likes the Bay Area, so it doesn't seem that much of a knock on San Fran anyway. #1 Austin: I think he exxagerates Austin's reputation/self-image. I agree with "mildly entertaining" and disagree with the "fever dreams of greatness." Austinites like their town, but it's still just a town. It's not big enough to support the cultural assets we have in Houston. It doesn't seem fair to me to even compare the two. Austin has some pretty countryside,moderately nicer weather, and conveniently concentrated college-age girls. If that's what you want, Austin wins. Of course, Houston is going to have more and better museums, restaurants, and events, if that's what you're looking for.
I have lived in both as an adult, prefer Austin, but there are a lot of things I miss about Houston too. DD
If it's Metro Detroit, that's one thing but the actual city can't be argued for at this point, even if it is underrated.
Me too. I miss the ethnic food, the friendly people, and people who know how to drive. I just can't stand the weather, the traffic, and having to drive 50 miles to visit people or go somewhere.
All of Austin would fit in one quadrant of houston. However at least Austin has some zoning otherwise you end up with a monstrosity like Washington where you can't even walk bar to bar. Austin is just a small town, but for nature stuff it is better than Houston, but the airport sucks if you want to go anywhere. Their food selection is not as good.
Bogus Denver is hardly bland, there is a ton to do in downtown denver, not to mention it is probably the beer mecca of america. And Air quality problem And Vail has exactly one strip mall. I live in Vail, it's hardly suburbia. He also acts as if Vail is the only ski town in Colo. And complaining about the drive to these ski towns? You can get to most of these places within 2 hours. Coloradans are some of the most laid back people I have ever met, saying they are uptight is absurd I know, I feel like when a lot of people knock Houston, they are from the suburbs and know very little about actual Houston. I was arguing with a co-worker last week about Houston, he said it was too boring with nothing to do, but he also never left the Cy-Fair area
Houston is big. Austin is small but has a lot of neat stuff but you will experience them all in a week. Houston is so big that I guess you can find out new things to do more often.
I've lived in both places and I do agree that Austin is somewhat overrated, but I still wouldn't put Houston ahead of it, especially as a tourist destination. I'm just in shock that this article didn't try to shove Dallas in our face as the best place to visit in Texas.
This is a terrible, terrible article. The Caribbean, while not totally safe (like Jamaica), is FAR safer than Mexico. What a joke. And did he seriously suggest Detroit? Costa Rica is nothing special, Belize however would be a more appropriate suggestion over Hawaii. Utah is beautiful, but Colorado has A LOT more than listed. There are casinos, Boulder is a beautiful college party town, and getting to Aspen is not difficult. Then finally, Austin at #1? Awful. Austin is a bit overrated, and Austin is getting a bit up its own ass, but give me a break. Austin is a great place to visit. Only thing he got right is that Houston is very underrated. I've lived in both Austin and Houston, if you're actually IN Houston (rather than the suburbs) then you know there is a TON to do. Being inside the loop is a blessing in terms of city access. But to dog Austin because it's not Houston? Weird.
Austin tries to outlaw plastic bags. That's just stupid. I love Austin but it's cute appeal is wearing thin year by year. Houston is where big people go to get real jobs, eat real food and meet real people. Because of that, I agree with the article. Austin is still great, but for my personal taste in fun and meaning in life in general, Houston has so much more to offer. Chicks are hotter in Austin though. But easier and often more interesting in Houston. Just throwing that in.
