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Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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Both DFW and Austin describe what you're looking for. Obvious points are Dallas is more diverse and mature, Austin is much more scenic. However Austin is only 3 hours drive from Dallas so it makes a great weekend destination. Anything else would only be echoing posts from previous posters.
I noticed you mentioned Raleigh/Durham. I have family in that area and I must say DON"T EVEN BOTHER!!! Yes the IT industry is there with good employment and a strong college element but it meets very little of your criteria. It is just as vanilla as Colorado Springs minus the scenic mountains. Downtown Raleigh rolls up it's sidewalks at night. There is some diversity there but not in a way where you could experience it as the whole RDU area is like a giant suburb in search of a city. Chapel Hill is a very pretty college town but Austin has it over CH X 100! Singles scene in Raleigh is non existent to nill. The area is much more condusive to families.
Do yourself a favor and give the RDU triangle a miss, it's really boring. I'm sure you would find Dallas or Austin a lot more stimulating.
Both DFW and Austin describe what you're looking for. Obvious points are Dallas is more diverse and mature, Austin is much more scenic. However Austin is only 3 hours drive from Dallas so it makes a great weekend destination. Anything else would only be echoing posts from previous posters.
I noticed you mentioned Raleigh/Durham. I have family in that area and I must say DON"T EVEN BOTHER!!! Yes the IT industry is there with good employment and a strong college element but it meets very little of your criteria. It is just as vanilla as Colorado Springs minus the scenic mountains. Downtown Raleigh rolls up it's sidewalks at night. There is some diversity there but not in a way where you could experience it as the whole RDU area is like a giant suburb in search of a city. Chapel Hill is a very pretty college town but Austin has it over CH X 100! Singles scene in Raleigh is non existent to nill. The area is much more condusive to families.
Do yourself a favor and give the RDU triangle a miss, it's really boring. I'm sure you would find Dallas or Austin a lot more stimulating.
Good feedback...thanks a lot! Someone in another thread (not mine) recently mentioned that DFW had a MUCH better IT market than Austin and that Austin's IT market was largely nonexistent. So maybe DFW wins by default?
This is an informative thread. I plan on visiting on Easter 2010 until the 11th. I am doing this as a way to leave NYC and hopefully get a good view of Dallas. Fort Worth area. I am in college for my ccna (networking) and my friend is trying to get me out here to start new because he left the bronx and he isn't coming back. I have the same questions as the thread starter. I am so done with cold east coast women. I shouldn't sound so bitter I'll admit. However, If you are from NYC/east coast then you probably can empathize (even a little) regarding our beautiful evil sistahs. I don't wanna go all Tiger Woods with this, so my friend suggested I visit him and his girl in TX (dallas/arlington/ft.worth area) and realize that ALL AREN'T parasites. With that being said, is it safe to say Dallas isn't any different than NYC and east coast locations that breed ABW's or is dallas/arlington/ft.worth area the type of place i can embrace some human friendliness? I only say that because wherever I go people can "tell" I'm from NYC from the "infamous" NYC attitude (which I realize now is more of a defense mechanism due to being in such a stressful, untrusting enviroment; ie NYC) Don't mean to beat a dead horse but I am hoping that dallas or even texas might give me more of a reason to smile when my alarm goes off in the morning. Just turned under 30 last month and any and all input is appreciated. Thanx.
Austin stinks. You will see nothing but white people and "The Good Ole' boy system" everywhere that there is a bit of diversity. The city is communist because it is a political town.
Try Dallas. You will get world-class culture, less politics, and more depth. Sports teams, shopping, and parades. Interesting bits of nature is found in certain spots.
Why waste time driving to Austin. When you can drive 3 hours north of Dallas to the Oklahoma Mountain Ranges, hill country, and cabins? Turner falls waterfall is only 1.5 hours away too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by caphillsea77
Both DFW and Austin describe what you're looking for. Obvious points are Dallas is more diverse and mature, Austin is much more scenic. However Austin is only 3 hours drive from Dallas so it makes a great weekend destination. Anything else would only be echoing posts from previous posters.
I noticed you mentioned Raleigh/Durham. I have family in that area and I must say DON"T EVEN BOTHER!!! Yes the IT industry is there with good employment and a strong college element but it meets very little of your criteria. It is just as vanilla as Colorado Springs minus the scenic mountains. Downtown Raleigh rolls up it's sidewalks at night. There is some diversity there but not in a way where you could experience it as the whole RDU area is like a giant suburb in search of a city. Chapel Hill is a very pretty college town but Austin has it over CH X 100! Singles scene in Raleigh is non existent to nill. The area is much more condusive to families.
Do yourself a favor and give the RDU triangle a miss, it's really boring. I'm sure you would find Dallas or Austin a lot more stimulating.
I always thought the people of Dallas were very civilized and friendly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TrynaLearn
This is an informative thread. I plan on visiting on Easter 2010 until the 11th. I am doing this as a way to leave NYC and hopefully get a good view of Dallas. Fort Worth area. I am in college for my ccna (networking) and my friend is trying to get me out here to start new because he left the bronx and he isn't coming back. I have the same questions as the thread starter. I am so done with cold east coast women. I shouldn't sound so bitter I'll admit. However, If you are from NYC/east coast then you probably can empathize (even a little) regarding our beautiful evil sistahs. I don't wanna go all Tiger Woods with this, so my friend suggested I visit him and his girl in TX (dallas/arlington/ft.worth area) and realize that ALL AREN'T parasites. With that being said, is it safe to say Dallas isn't any different than NYC and east coast locations that breed ABW's or is dallas/arlington/ft.worth area the type of place i can embrace some human friendliness? I only say that because wherever I go people can "tell" I'm from NYC from the "infamous" NYC attitude (which I realize now is more of a defense mechanism due to being in such a stressful, untrusting enviroment; ie NYC) Don't mean to beat a dead horse but I am hoping that dallas or even texas might give me more of a reason to smile when my alarm goes off in the morning. Just turned under 30 last month and any and all input is appreciated. Thanx.
I currently live in Colorado Springs and work for a small software company as a Business Analyst. I am a 31 year old single male.
My company is closing their physical office and we will all telecommute within 6 weeks or so. I'm thinking that this is a perfect time to check out another city and possibly start over somewhere while maintaining employment and looking for another job (not terribly confident in the future of things at my company - hopefully they turn things around).
Problems with Colorado Springs (for me):
Colorado Springs is nice but pretty family oriented and is probably one of the LEAST diverse places on the planet (which gets OLD). Not a great place to meet single women from what I've found. Bar scene is really weak (nothing classy) and lots of military dudes patron the downtown bars on the weekends (not my scene). Not that I'm huge into the bar scene these days, but it's nice to get out every once in awhile. There also aren't many jobs in my field here right now.
My Wish List (in no particular order):
1. Ideally, I'd like to find a place I like and settle down there instead of starting over again and again. Note: I've started over a couple of times in my life, moving from my hometown of Cleveland to Tampa and then to Colorado Springs. Note that I did not choose Tampa or COS per se - they were simply the only other option with my employer at the time.
2. Good jobs in the IT industry (I'm a Business Analyst) and professional jobs in general with a decent economy overall.
3. Good place for singles (and attractive ones at that). I'd like to meet the right girl sooner or later. By singles, I don't necessarily mean college kids, but young professionals a few years out of school (mid-20s and up). This would include places to MEET these single professionals and hopefully not amongst a bunch of 21-22 year old drunk frat guy types.
4. Reasonable cost of living. This is the main reason I'm looking at Texas instead of SoCal right now (I've always been drawn to SoCal - mainly for the beauty & weather). I want to be able to live comfortably making $80-90k and eventually buy a nice house and not live paycheck to paycheck.
5. Better than average weather. Colorado is actually pretty nice in this regard and not as cold as a lot of people seem to think (usually). However, one thing I hate is how brown and dead things look here for 7 months once the deciduous trees lose their leaves and the grass turns brown. Even when it's a beautiful blue sky/unseasonably warm day in January, this bothers me.
6. Reasonably friendly people overall. I grew up in Cleveland where people are not overly friendly to strangers in general. Everyone who lives there most likely grew up there and people are somewhat standoffish. This type of environment makes it difficult to meet new people that you aren't forced to interact with (coworkers, etc).
7. CULTURE and diversity. I live in a very un-diverse town currently with non-chain restaurants few and far between. I'd like to find a place with a variety of activities and types of people. Somewhere where one does not have to actively SEEK culture - it's just there!
8. Traffic - I realize this will be a problem in most "better" places to live, but since this is a wish list, I thought I'd put it on there anyway
What I'm thinking of doing in April or May:
Driving down from Colorado and staying in a couple of cities for a week or two each. Working from coffee shops during the day, checking things out, etc.
What I'm looking for from you:
Thoughts on which cities might be good/bad fits based on what I'm looking for and even neighborhoods that I should be investigating when I visit if you know any. It can be very difficult to get a good feel for a place before living there, so I'm looking for help here. Right now I'm kind of thinking Austin & Dallas, but not really sure. I've never been to Texas but have been impressed by the number of cities in Texas which make the "best of" lists year after year which seem to have decent economies. Texas isn't a requirement by any means, but I haven't seen a lot of other cities elsewhere that might be a good fit for me based on what I'm looking for (maybe Raleigh, NC - not sure).
I'll be checking this thread often and really appreciate any advice/assistance with helping me find somewhere that's a good fit!
Thanks in advance!
O/P i moved from Colorado Springs as well. While i have love for colorado Springs since its where I grew up, it is a very stale town (city wise). Georgeous yes, Clean yes, Perfect summers, yes. COLD Winters, Hell Yes, but not as bad as parts up in the far north or northeast.
Texas is a great place as it has alot of different cities to choose from. Just one thing, if you're kind of bummed out in Colorado springs, i really don't think you will find Austin vastly different. Not a jab against austin but to me, it felt like a Colorado Springs but with slightly better nightlife. You say you want to stay away from the 21-22 year old crowds and downtown Austin's 6th street is flooded with people in that age group.
Dallas is another option. Huge and many different night districts to choose from. Big city atmosphere and nice urban setting. The main thing about Dallas is that its a shopper's paradise. It has alot of malls and upscale shopping areas to choose from. Also, the entire different Dallas/Ft Worth metroplex offers a different beat everywhere. Ft. Worth definitely has a jumpin' downtown and offers that cowboy western flavor you'd expect out of Texas. In between Dallas and Fort Worth, there are giant suburbs that have their own thing hapenning. Dallas's suburb of Frisco is so awesome. Picture everything you could ever need: Walmart, SuperTarget, shops, grocery stores, Mall all in one shopping area. That's Frisco.
Have you ever considered Houston? That's where i moved to from Colorado Springs. Houston is like Dallas but way more diverse and is definitely where Texas meets the world. Many restaurants to choose from as well as new bars and things opening up. The downtown area has grown and feeling more urban everyday. Houston also has the best mall in Texas, The Galleria with close quick access to beach atmospheres. Other great suburbs Houston has are The Woodlands, Sugarland, Pearland, Cypress, and Katy. The main thing that may take some getting used to is the extreme humidity temperatures in the summer. The pleasant winters, springs, and fall months more than make up for it. Contrary to what many people in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio say, the humidity in Houston is not much different than the extreme heat temperatures each of them experience.
O/P i moved from Colorado Springs as well. While i have love for colorado Springs since its where I grew up, it is a very stale town (city wise). Georgeous yes, Clean yes, Perfect summers, yes. COLD Winters, Hell Yes, but not as bad as parts up in the far north or northeast.
Texas is a great place as it has alot of different cities to choose from. Just one thing, if you're kind of bummed out in Colorado springs, i really don't think you will find Austin vastly different. Not a jab against austin but to me, it felt like a Colorado Springs but with slightly better nightlife. You say you want to stay away from the 21-22 year old crowds and downtown Austin's 6th street is flooded with people in that age group.
Dallas is another option. Huge and many different night districts to choose from. Big city atmosphere and nice urban setting. The main thing about Dallas is that its a shopper's paradise. It has alot of malls and upscale shopping areas to choose from. Also, the entire different Dallas/Ft Worth metroplex offers a different beat everywhere. Ft. Worth definitely has a jumpin' downtown and offers that cowboy western flavor you'd expect out of Texas. In between Dallas and Fort Worth, there are giant suburbs that have their own thing hapenning. Dallas's suburb of Frisco is so awesome. Picture everything you could ever need: Walmart, SuperTarget, shops, grocery stores, Mall all in one shopping area. That's Frisco.
Have you ever considered Houston? That's where i moved to from Colorado Springs. Houston is like Dallas but way more diverse and is definitely where Texas meets the world. Many restaurants to choose from as well as new bars and things opening up. The downtown area has grown and feeling more urban everyday. Houston also has the best mall in Texas, The Galleria with close quick access to beach atmospheres. Other great suburbs Houston has are The Woodlands, Sugarland, Pearland, Cypress, and Katy. The main thing that may take some getting used to is the extreme humidity temperatures in the summer. The pleasant winters, springs, and fall months more than make up for it. Contrary to what many people in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio say, the humidity in Houston is not much different than the extreme heat temperatures each of them experience.
Hope this helps.
Thanks a lot C2H! Very useful info. No, I haven't really considered Houston. I know someone who grew up there (20+ years) and they thought Dallas would be a better fit for me. I also don't think there are as many jobs in the IT industry in Houston as in Dallas. Perhaps I'll do a little more investigation though.
Any particular reason, or just because it meets most of my criteria in the first post?
The thing that's nice about DFW is that both cities sound like they're pretty close and probably fairly easy to move between without feeling like you are moving to another metro area altogether, leaving your friends behind, etc. I imagine taking a job in one city versus the other isn't the end of the world either, as they seem closer together than say a typical Colorado Springs & Denver commute (70ish miles & 1+ hour from most parts of town without rush hour traffic). Most people don't do that commute for long before getting burned out.
I'm just thinking that DFW would have more options for moving or working between the two (and surrounding suburbs) as one's situation changes over time. True?
Last edited by jkozlow3; 03-06-2010 at 08:52 PM..
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Thinking of Dallas
. I plan on visiting on Easter 2010 until the 11th. I am doing this as a way to leave NYC and hopefully get a good view of Dallas. Fort Worth area. I am in college for my ccna (networking) and my friend is trying to get me out here to start new because he left the bronx and he isn't coming back. I have the same questions as the thread starter. I am so done with cold east coast women
. I shouldn't sound so bitter I'll admit
. However, If you are from NYC/east coast then you probably can empathize (even a little) regarding our beautiful evil sistahs
. I don't wanna go all Tiger Woods with this
, so my friend suggested I visit him and his girl in TX (dallas/arlington/ft.worth area) and realize that ALL AREN'T parasites
. With that being said, is it safe to say Dallas isn't any different than NYC and east coast locations that breed ABW's
or is dallas/arlington/ft.worth area the type of place i can embrace some human friendliness
) Don't mean to beat a dead horse but I am hoping that dallas or even texas might give me more of a reason to smile when my alarm goes off in the morning. Just turned under 30 last month and any and all input is appreciated. Thanx.
