Great place to live - 11/12/2017

we have been living here for over 28 years. We love it. The city has lot to offer to any visitors and residents. We love the climate if you can withstand the hot summers where temp reach 100F or above on some days mainly in July and August. Unlike some other folks, we have not developed any allergies.! It is the only major Hispanic city in USA with 55%. The city has expanded quite a bit over the past three decades and now the 7th largest city in USA. Traffic congestion has gotten bad over the years but they are building and expanding the roads. The cost of living is not bad. The Tex Mex cuisine and the many restaurants are wonderful. Many parks and outdoor recreational areas within 2 hour drive. Corpus Christi and other beaches along the gulf are within 3 hr drive. Many nice golf courses for year around golf. You need to visit and stay here for a week to discover all the nice things about San Antonio.

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Heat & Allergies - 9/9/2017

Moved here from the PNW 4 years ago. The allergies are killing me 10 months out of the year. And the heat is unbearable in the summer. I miss the cold & rain of the PNW was much. We are currently working on moving back, and I cannot wait to get out of here. However, we live in the 78258 zip code, which is absolutely beautiful. Rolling hills, red roof tops...it almost seems like we live over seas. The views are beautiful. The public schools in this zip code are rated top notch, 10 out of 10. But, houses are pretty high, and property taxes are outrageous. I don't see how anyone makes ends meet here because of the high prices of property taxes. And I have no idea where that money goes, because the streets are full of cracks and holes... The winter months are comfortable, but short lived. If you don't mind the heat, don't have allergies, and you have plenty of money, this zip code is a lovely place to live and raise children.

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Cultural, Unique, Educated, Family-Oriented - 8/29/2017

San Antonio is one of the most, if not the most, unique and culturally infused city in America. No other city of its kind... anywhere. It is important to note, culture does not necessarily translate into diversity. SA is less culturally diverse than Houston and Dallas, but still multicultural and highly integrated. The city's rich, diverse history is impeccably preserved and interwoven with Texan heritage and Mexican culture, while maintaining an independent identity as an amalgam of mutual respect, much like that of the entire state. You see this in every day life from the shared history and humility which defines San Antonio. There is a symbiotic and respectful relationship among Hispanics, Whites and Blacks. We are not "Black," "White," "Brown," we are TEXANS. SA is all-inclusive. I say that with the utmost honesty and truth. I have been a transplant, a newcomer, I have lived in multiple locations within SA, and it didn't take long for SA to grow on me. San Antonio is very much a family-oriented city comprised of professionals and hardworking people who take pride in their community. SA is a modern city with an old world veneer. Steadily growing. Currently the 7th largest city in the US, 2nd in TX (metro). San Antonio's driving economic source is tourism and the hospitality industry. Second to none. Military presence is large and revered due to the numerous & heavily populated military bases (Air Force, Army) and world renowned SAMMC, formerly BAMC Catholic missions throughout the city display the origins of refuge offered by religion and the foundation on which SA was built. Ritualistic annual festivities such as Fiesta, NIOSA (Night in Old San Antonio), Battle of Flowers Parade are all taken very seriously in their rites; however they are celebrated with pride. Families and individuals alike can take part in the entertainment and array foods, drinks, incomparable festivities/parties and philanthropic events... Food: wonderful TexMex and authentic Mexican food... TX Hill Country (Kerrville, Boerne, Fredericksburg): offers beautiful scenic sites in a natural setting where one can enjoy a multitude of activities on the rolling hills and rivers... Guadelupe River: tubing/canoeing/rafting... Coastal beaches within driving distance (within +/- an hour and a half)... The city of New Braunfels lies adjacent to SA where a large German population resides and in which the rich culture is maintained. New Braunfels features the famous, Schlitterbahn - a giant water park incorporated in the natural setting of the Guadelupe River. Fredericksburg is also nearby where German heritage still celebrates its original settlement. It's renowned for its peaches and tasty food... Museums galore from Institute of Texan Cultures, McNay Art Museum, Witte, to the fantastic Children's Museum, much, much more... One of a kind, Majestic Theater, resides in the heart of downtown. Further culture and art includes the SA Symphony and Orchestra and Performing Arts... Breckinridge Park, SA Botanical Gardens, SA Zoo, Sea World, Fiesta Texas... Historic King William District, Pioneer Baking Mill, Pearl Brewery & District... For sophisticated, high-end retail shopping and entertainment, one can visit The Quarry Market and/or Alamo Heights (centrally located, just north of downtown). Whether it's a movie you want to catch, shop, dine or golf, you can find it here. Additionally, there is La Cantera and/or The Rim, offers huge retail outlets and more shopping. Market Square (next to downtown) is a 3- block market where one can purchase hand crafts, apparel, and novelty items. Fun shopping, entertainment, and family activities galore... The Riverwalk: self explanatory! Stunning atmosphere, fun and lively shops and multitude of restaurants flank the sinuous river. The cobblestone streets above are lined with shops, hotels, entertainment venues, museums, fine dining, and historical sites... Old Catholic missions are beautifully preserved and can be toured by visitors... San Antonio is a growing metropolis that is very livable and highly navigable with excellent highways (as most Texas roadways & interstates are). Although laid out not in a grid, but in a circular pattern as thoroughfares wind around & outward from the focal point, the center of town - downtown SA and famous Riverwalk. Last, but not least, it is home to the San Antonio Spurs, the city's adored NBA professional sports team. To be fair, San Antonio's less-than desirable qualities would be the intense year round heat, higher cost of living, and being such a family-oriented city, it does not lend itself as well to the more independent, young, single professional seeking nightlife or commraderie. San Antonio may not be suitable for one's personality, but one would be hard pressed not to find it a unique and livable environment for a city its size and lively atmosphere. As a native Texan, Houstonian by birth, former resident of Austin, and long-time resident of San Antonio, I am happy to call San Antonio home. After relocating back to Texas from New York, it took me a year or two initially, but San Antonio quickly grew on me. While I am biased to some degree, I have resided outside of Texas as well, including Oklahoma and New York for a total of 12 years combined. San Antonio is incredibly difficult to describe, because words don't do it justice. It doesn't fit into just one category. It is multidimensional - It is a gem. That said, each city in Texas is so different from one another, because the state is so huge and covers a massive area. Personally, I love the great state of Texas, because Texas is like 5 states in one. Every region is like a state in its own right offering diversity and a variety of opportunities and can meet almost anyone's needs.

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Not for driven professionals, allergy sufferers or - 10/27/2016

Thank GOD that I’m not the only one with these same thoughts! I thought I might be going a little crazy here. Glad to see that my insanity is justified! Let me preface this by noting that I am a college-educated, Hispanic male who has been here for a year, moving from another major market in Texas. This is a great place to VISIT, but it’s death to LIVE here. I was hoping to be here to start a “new beginning” and be closer to family. As I’ve seen in another response, this place is NOT for driven professionals. There is zero urgency here to get things done in a timely manner. Efficiency is bizarre to the culture here that touts the “manana” attitude. If you’re looking to thrive and get recognized for your hard work, please ask your employer to keep you North of here! There are so many ads that declare that “There is so much culture here…” NOT the case! There is so much Mexican culture here. If you’re into that, that’s great. I grew up with it all of my life. If that’s your thing, you will love it here. But for those of us who desire a little more diversity, we are out of luck. For a town this size, there is nothing to do here! Just last weekend I had my wife Google “Cool things to do in San Antonio.” The first time through the River Walk is fun, but then what? Yes, there’s the Alamo… an important part of Texas and American history….but then what? There is no other culture here! I find it hilarious that half of San Antonio Magazine’s ads are things/places OUT OF TOWN in the New Braumfels or Austin areas! I had a blast accidentally stumbling across an Indian (non Native American) Culture Festival but only got to catch about the last 30 minutes or so. Have to wait another year for that to happen. I would love to see an Irish, English or European festival as well. There is a relatively small movie chain here that does a really good job. Santikos. It has been my saving grace from the rest of this city. The Palladium has more comforts and presence than any theater that I have been to! If you are thinking about moving here, say farewell to decorum. There is really only one area of town that I actually halfway enjoy. The La Cantera area. Yes, the “boots” (North Star) mall is closest to the airport, but I assure you that La Cantera will give you the greatest of San Antonio’s upper-end wares. The other 80% of the town is just “dirty”. That’s the only way to explain it. When my friends have traveled here, that’s the most polite way that they have described the “non-touristy” parts of the city. And for the guys, La Cantera/UTSA area of the city (NW) has the only semblance of hot/fit girls in the city. Elsewhere they just simply do not exist. Most (not all) of the natives are disgustingly obese (men and women). If you’re into a “thicker” more exotic looking girl….this is your paradise. I do blame, in part, the “culture” of the city. If you like to stuff your face and drink stupid amounts of alcohol…again, you have arrived. Restaurant portions are in sizes that could feed a family of five! There is always a party/vacation atmosphere. There are three “festivals” in town that pretty much everyone takes off for and converges to Downtown to be a part of. No lie…there’s even a Friday that SCHOOLS TAKE OFF FOR to enter into the spectacle! Just cements my point on the “lack of drive” in this city stated above. Also, people watching is on point! Again, as a Hispanic male watching my hermanos attempt to emulate to be educated and “put together” when I come around is funny and frightening at the same time. I’m all for making yourself better, but please don’t try to emulate a culture that you have never experienced or been a part of. LIVE it first and then assimilate. If you have lived in any major metropolitan area ANYWHERE in the country, I warn you this city will be a downgrade! I have not worked hard all of my life since I was sixteen to come here and downgrade everything. I come from places that have Big 12 and SEC institutions for education and sports and this city doesn’t even place in comparison. The climate here is unbearable. It is a miserable hotbox here 9-10 months out of the year! Disgustingly warm humidity. I needed no more than a track jacket for the other months. NOT a good trade for this guy who LOVES the cold! Rain is scarce…until it does, and then there are floods. Here is what BEWILDERS me the most! The locals have known about the flood areas for over a hundred years! And when it DOESN’T rain…. they’re NOT FIXING the most flooded areas! I’m talking Interstates and major roads to get around town are shut down! But they pour MILLIONS if not billions into renovating the Riverwalk or conference centers! Take care of your people SA! It’s not rocket science! Speaking of roads, OH-MY-GOSH, the drivers here! I have no words. I have never had more people pull out in front of me! Even in rural areas! I have lived in Dallas, Austin and Houston and have never experienced the level of stupidity in drivers that I have here. Congestion is tolerable… it’s part of growth, but you can’t fix stupid. Never have I seen a more dismal lack of self-preservation than I have here. Maybe they’re hoping that the law in Texas of you hitting them in the back of the car means you’re always at fault will get them a check. Pad your policy if you decide to live here. Pack your Zyrtec! Allergies are GNARLY here! I literally got off the plane, picked up my luggage, and as soon as the front door to the parking garage opened I was sneezing and coughing for days! I should have taken note of all of the allergy centers and doctors while driving around town. If you are an allergy specialist or doctor this city is a GOLD MINE! At the time of this writing, this place is now infested with deadly mosquito-borne diseases. Zika and now West Nile are at the forefront. Today, there are 17 cases of Zika and 2 cases of West Nile (dshs.texas.gov). It will only get worse because it NEVER gets to freezing here and these incurable and FATAL diseases are NO JOKE! I have never disliked a place more in all of the US. I too am counting the days until I am able to leave. I am saving every last dime to break the strangulating chains of San Antonio. My best advice, go ANYWHERE North of here!

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Seeking new place in Beautiful Pueblo Colorado - 9/17/2016

I plan to move to Pueblo Colorado. It's long over due, but Who or where do I look for to find the least expensive 1 or 2bdrm rental homes? A previous post i read sounds a lot like what I am looking for. I have lived in SA Texas all my life and it's nice, but it's just too hot. Time for a change. :)

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It's a dump! San Antonio is the biggest move mista - 8/3/2016

If you don't know anyone when you move here, but you read great reviews about this place and all the fun activities....it's a lie! It's expensive, people are rude! I've yet to have one good customer service experience. There's a sense of pride for those who are from here because they will ask if you are from here, where you went to school etc... Tell them you just moved here and magically, they can't hear you! I've been all over the United States and Canada...the worst drivers are here. It's just really a very selfish place. It's a dump. Drive through here, it's dirty and crowded all the time. Veterans coming here for the VA... Move to Austin or outside Austin. Austin nightlife is fun and it's easier to meet new people. People aren't greedy there and it really gives you that Southern Texas reputation even though it's busy. Yep traffic is a nightmare, but people aren't rude. Austin is the melting pot that our country is famous for and that is a wonderful thing! People are open and generous with their time and energy! It's a real city! San Antonio is a big small town with a small town mentality, small town vibe, with small minded people. Keep driving through it! Oh and worst Mexican food ever! This place just disappoints. Lease up am moving. It's just drainsville. Austin...sorry I passed you by. Won't make that mistake again. Don't believe me? Come check it out! Texas has Austin, Dallas, Ft. Worth...all great cities with great people...San Antonio isn't one of them...looking for a friendly church here, good luck!

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Truely one of america's worst cities - 7/31/2016

When rating a city there are several factors and those factors should also change based on a persons marital or familial status. I'm single so maybe those others posting who are single can relate better to my posting but most of the criteria won't matter based on the qualifiers. Firstly, Climate: San Antonio has a terrible climate for 6-7 months of the year and even when it's not a suana the air quality and dew point both are awful. Infrastructure: The highway system here is abysmal as are the roads. Windshield time takes 2-3 hours of your day away that you'll never get back. Recreation and culture: There is little to no recreation and the culture is the worst of any big city in the nation.....that is unless you're a mexican or chicano. This place is behind almost all cities in america in everything. There is one grocery chain that is as big as a shopping mall, so between commuting and grcoery shopping and a full time job you have no free time except sleep..or eating. People: The single worst thing about this place. They are morons, they can't drive, they are disgustingly obese, they are bigots, they are mentally ill, they are irrational, they are ignorant, they are ill-mannered and ill-tempered, and are just downright mean and nasty people who are waiting around to die so jesus can take them away to heaven. I've been to 3/4 of the united states of america and can rate many cities on here and except for death traps like St. Louis and Detriot, San Antonio has to be the worst big city in America. I literally have nothing positive to say about San Antonio, and if you're in the military and are about to get transferred to this dive..........all I can say is we thank you for your brave service.

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Variety of cultures and recreation - 7/27/2016

Many city parks all over town, most with walking and bicycle trails, some with skateboard parks. Several state parks up to two hours away in any direction, the gulf coast about 3 hours southeast, Austin is two hours north. Theme parks: Sea World on the NW side (new dolphin swim attraction), Fiesta Texas Six Flags on the north side, Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels about an hour NE of town. ****** Culture: very diverse. Used to be primarily Hispanic heritage, and the parades are Hispanic still, yet restaurants include Eastern heritage now. I can honestly say that growing up in a city of diverse ethnicity has helped me realize that people are people no matter the color of their skin. I've grown up having friends of various cultures and so have our children.

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Keeps growing and growing and growing - 7/27/2016

I've lived in San Antonio for 45 years and have seen tremendous growth in my lifetime. Economy: What used to be primarily a tourist and military city has expanded to several business industries, so the economy has more variety. Texas is a red state, business friendly, so new businesses have been moving in for the past several years. The school districts in San Antonio are constantly building more schools to try to keep up with the population explosion.

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Variety of education available - 7/27/2016

Public Education: high stakes standardized testing for children, though there's been pressure to reduce it in recent years, and rely more on class test scores. Texas doesn't use common core in the curriculum at this time. Some will spend an exorbitant amount of money for a house in a certain school boundary. I don't agree with this decision. All public schools are teaching the test. It's just in a rich neighborhood. Christian schools are great! There's no standardized testing and the kids get recess, the attention they need, and learn what's necessary to succeed in life, not just for a test. Homeschooling is very popular, too, because so many parents have concerns about the quality of public schools. Colleges and universities: Several, including a medical and dental school.

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One of the most affordable places to live in the c - 7/27/2016

I don't know why this city isn't ever on the lists of lowest cost of living? Just look at housing online and you'll see what I mean. Those who move in from out of state buy so much more house than what they had before, they feel like they're in a mansion, so to speak. Gas prices are the lowest anywhere, even in the state. It makes it difficult to afford to move out of town or state, given there's only so much you can get for your own house.

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Very humid! All year long! - 7/27/2016

Humidity makes the heat in the summer feel hotter (100+ temps feel a few degrees  hotter and heat exhaustion is a real threat) and the cold in the winter feel colder, to the bone colder. Summer swim teams are big here! Just about every neighborhood with a junior Olympic size pool has a summer swim team. There are opportunities for year round swimming for those kids who are interested. A common myth is that winter clothing isn't necessary. Usually, the people wear coats only in the morning and night outside, not needing them on sunny afternoons. I recommend thermals for days that get to freezing temps, because it will feel like it's in the 20's. Those days don't happen too often. Even those from snowy climates admit that it feels cold here at those times. It's extremely rare for it to snow here, but we do have ice storms which will close schools and some businesses. We don't have any snowplows. We get 3' of rain each year and the common joke is that it's all at once. We have droughts with water restrictions, severe floods, then weeks later back to restrictions. I recommend the best times to visit are between October through May. The climate is the main reason we want to move. My family loves to play in the snow and enjoy being outside in the summer.

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Hate San Antonio - 2/23/2016

This place is the worst place ever!!!! The roads cannot keep pace with the amount of people here. It is dirty every where... Don't buy a house here...the builders can't get good workman ship. No good jobs....The only place you will find nice people is at resturants -- and this is because they want your money.

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San Antonio - 1/1/2016

Excellent weather and a large city with a small-town feel.

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San Antonio is rat poison for the soul. Go to Aust - 12/22/2015

Been stuck in San Antonio for almost 15 years and it is another world down here, a very small, ignorant, uneducated world. Abandon all hope ye who enter here. It feels like Summer all year around. Those cute snow boots I bought from Jersey almost 10 years ago have still gone unworn. DRIVE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Most people in SA don't formerly learn how to drive and they come straight from Mexico. There is a MASSIVE drunk driving problem due to all the illegal Mexicans that never gets addressed. You will constantly see lives cut short down here due to drunk driving and many other accidents caused by the sheer stupidity of these people. If you value your own life I'd advise you to be off the streets by 1 a.m. every morning and midnight on the weekends if you can help it. It's ridiculous. There is a big problem with recycling too. I always tell people you'll know when you're in San Antonio when you start seeing mounds of trash everywhere. Beer bottles outside neighborhood parks and plastic everywhere all along the highways. It's a hideous sight, not to mention all the dead animals you'll come across on your travels. Seeing roadkill here is almost as common as seeing 20 year old Lupita walking down the HEB grocery aisle with her 9 kids and another one on the way. Holy hell. There is also a major problem with unchecked growth. I'm not racist just keeping it 100. Mexicans multiply like rabbits and they get pregnant at very young ages, so the city is constantly growing and this creates a butt load of construction all over the damn city. Traffic is already horrible but the city is under constant construction always at rush hour. Apartments and other subdivisions are getting put up EVERYWHERE and anywhere they can which just makes the city look even more like a ghetto. So now they finally have to do something about the roads which the city has been putting off for ages. It's a mess. If you are young, a professional, or both, then you're screwed if you move to SA. The job market is super limited due to a number of factors. SA is a city that prides itself in ignorance. Most of these good but albeit uneducated people just want to live paycheck to paycheck, drink, smoke, eat tacos and Whataburger, party, and wear "GO SPURS GO" t-shirts. Education, diversity, and building a better future is not a big deal to the sect of Mexicans that live here, and the job market reflects that. HOWEVER, Mexicans look out for each other here more than anything and if you're not in the "clique" then you stand a small chance competitively. A Spanish speaker will get a job over an English speaker even if the person who only speaks Spanish isn't as qualified. As a young person myself, one of the worst things about SA (and there's a lot of bad things) is the social/dating life. Dear God it's terrible, and SA has been rated one of the worst cities for dating and relationships, mostly if you're not a Mexican. You'll just have to go to Austin to have yourself any kind of healthy social life. Why? Mexicans in SA are extremely lacking in diversity and tend to have a lot of family and friends all in the same place since they never leave and they're very cliquish. Due to this most of them are already in close relationships with each other and they pair off with each other at young ages (which usually ends up in teen pregnancy). Now enter people who are new to the city looking for new friends to make and new relationships to build. That creates a problem. It's like a new kid going to a new school but there's no other new kids to make friends with at any point. All the other kids have just so happened to have been there their entire lives and already have their own exclusive groups. And strangely and hypocritically enough, SA Mexicans tend to be very prejudice towards other Latinos and extremely prejudice towards blacks. Some are prejudice of whites but many are more accepting since many try to emulate whites a lot, which is beyond bizarre. So overall, if you're not already in their group or if you're not Mexican or white, you won't be accepted into the fold very easily. This is very true for black people though, especially black females. If you are a black female you will have a hard time finding positive relationships in SA. Mexicans are very family oriented people and many Mexican women seem to not like black women for reasons I'm sure have to deal with insecurity. If you're black and have a Mexican boyfriend his mothers and sisters will most likely give you hell, and because Mexicans stick together this will ruin any kind of relationship you have. I've seen this happen at least 3 times. It can go either way with a black guy and a Mexican female, but it's something about black females some mexicans here do not like. I've found out a lot of mexican guys will find non mexican women attractive but are afraid to do anything about it due to fear of their families' disapproval, so they just stick with each other almost all the time while considering you as their side piece. This overall makes for a very horrible dating experience and just a bad life experience. Bottom line is the only place worth living in Texas is Austin. You'll have a much better quality of life there in all areas. Take heed.

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Worst Place Ever - 12/3/2015

I have had the misfortune of living in San Antonio for 2-1/2 years now. Too hot, too crowded and too ignorant. It is estimated that 40% of the drivers here don't have driver's licenses and since that means they've never been formally taught HOW to drive, the drivers here are horrible. One out of every ten cars uses turn signals. And it is also estimated that 60% of the drivers here don't have insurance. So when you get in an accident, and you will, good luck. Drivers are aggressive and mean as they pull out of the many mega church parking lots down here. Hypocrisy abounds. The Hispanic women all dress like prostitutes. I've never seen so many stillettos and painted on eyebrows. Recycling is not mandated, and there is litter everywhere. I don't think Hispanics care too much about littering. And since the city is suffering from unchecked growth, subdivisions are going up EVERYWHERE. House upon house, 10 feet apart. But the roads haven't changed much for decades, and the traffic is horrendous. (Congestion AND horrible drivers. Most of the money at the school's go to FOOTBALL which is a big deal down here. And Texas doesn't keep a record of football related injuries. How convenient. My son's school has a Jumbotron and pays the coach six figures. I only wish the same amount of money is allocated for academics. the state of Texas just announced that it is sueing the federal government for trying to place SIX Syrian refugees in Dallas. And yet in San Antonio, there are illegals EVERYWHERE. More hypocrisy. I'm not even going to dwell on the crime rate, which is super high here. So why would anyone want to move here? I have absolutely NO IDEA. I am counting the days till I can get out of this hell on earth.

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Not for Hard Working Professionals - 9/11/2015

San Antonio is simply a city of vacation and festivals. I moved here thinking that I could find employment * I am a experienced and licensed professional. Everyone here has a really slack attitude regarding work, recruiters don't call or come to interviews on time, companies don't want to pay you and there seems to be a complete disregard for people trying to get ahead in life. I will say there are a million programs to pay or supplement your housing, food, living expenses etc. It's almost like San Antonio wants you to not work hard, just chill out and get welfare of some sort. I am leaving immediately.

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Spurs, Riverwalk, Corrupt Cops, Meth - 8/4/2015

Enough said.

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Hot, hot, hot in San Antonio, TX - 8/4/2015

San Antonio is a great place to live if you don't mind the weather in the summer. For me, it's simply too hot and I'm looking at moving. But, if you can handle the heat, there is lots to do, great people, lots of job opportunities and home prices are still very reasonable.

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crime - 3/30/2015

very bad. to many non citizens. drugs.

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