Been here enough times to write a review
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9/19/2017
I enjoy Austin compared to other cities I've lived in and visited. I can safely say I like it better than Denver, Minneapolis, San Francisco in terms of weather and vibe of the people. To me Austin and Denver are very similar, but the weather, people, and outdoor activities are superior.
First the cons - For a rapidly expanding city, the traffic here is on par with Washington DC or L.A. It's awful, and there's no public transit to break it down like they have here in Denver. They also banned Lyft and Uber last year which makes things even more chaotic.
Austin does seem rather cliquey and insular like a Denver but people don't seem to be as trashy and a little friendlier (most Texans are just nice people in general). 6th street to me was the most cliquey place I've ever visited. I did not get approached even once by a girl, and that happens pretty frequently to me without making too much effort. When I went out in East Austin that was no issue at all. Dating-wise it seems like there's a lot of dudes here.
That said, Austin has a great bar scene and there are areas to go out in outside the city that are hip like East Austin. They are close to cheaper residential homes and developments as well. Denver doesn't really have that - you don't want to go out in a place like Arvada which is a mix of white trash and Mexican gangs.
A few more comparisons to Denver: Austin has a WAY more professional and robust tech scene which is tiny up here. So having better connections for employment, or just to talk about tech seems to be better in Austin. It's a city filled with smart people and the higher ed scene is quite strong.
Outdoor activities: I've come to realize I'm more of a water person, and Austin is great for this. The parks have amazing vegetation and are amazing. Denver has good parks, but lack of trees and very little water. This also ties into the weather which Austin has a hot spring and warmer winters which Denver doesn't have as much (it can like this year but it's not consistent.)
I compare AUS and DEN because they are very similar in ways, but Austin is just too small for my tastes. I know that I would fit in there better than here. Both cities are rapidly expanding and need to get smart about rising costs and infrastructure issues.
N598 | Denver, CO