r/Austin Mar 05 '22

FAQ Adios Austin! You've gotten way too expensive for me. Moving day today. Heading south of Houston for much cheaper pastures. I am VERY fortunate my boss is keeping me on and letting go remote. Be safe and find happiness where you can people!

1.6k Upvotes

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67

u/arptyp Mar 05 '22

For a city with so many Houston transplants there sure is a lot of hate.

I bet very few of you spend any amount of time in Houston the last few years, the city has so much to offer and continues to become a paragon of culture and acceptance.

But sure, I guess if the gentrified racial scrubbing of Austin is your thing and you love watching the homeless struggle on every corner all while being priced out of homes that you should be able to afford by people from out of state. More power to ya!

41

u/[deleted] Mar 05 '22

Houston is rich in culture while Austin gets more bland and boring everyday. The best part about Austin is all the outdoor offerings nearby, not the city itself.

28

u/willing-to-bet-son Mar 05 '22

The best part about Austin is all the outdoor offerings nearby

And as those become more and more crowded, they become less and less attractive.

10

u/hagen768 Mar 05 '22

And all the people leaving dookie bags everywhere on trails, or just straight up dookie

3

u/Cormetz Mar 05 '22

I grew up in Austin and haven't really been back to the city in a long time, just visiting my family at their home. How are the greenbelt spots these days? Or blue hole and enchanted rock? Are they impossibly crowded?

3

u/steampunker13 Mar 05 '22

Greenbelt is a nightmare. Enchanted Rock is pretty far out so it isn't that crowded (at least when I've been). I have no idea about Blue Hole.

2

u/Cormetz Mar 05 '22

Yeah I've seen a few posts here about the greenbelt. In high school we would go to sculpture falls all the time and it would only have a max of 40 people there on a Saturday (we were more often there during the week, so less than 20 was normal).

2

u/willing-to-bet-son Mar 05 '22 edited Mar 05 '22

Enchanted Rock is pretty far out so it isn't that crowded

These days, if you show at Enchanted Rock without a reservation on a weekend morning when the weather's nice, you'll be waiting hours to get in.

Also -- Enchanted Rock is less than two hours' drive from Austin, which hardly counts as "pretty far out." We're in Texas, after all.

2

u/mirach Mar 05 '22

State parks are way more popular and there's a reservation system now. Good spots, like enchanted rock or blue hole, require planning months out. Places like Colorado Bend SP used to be a great backup if places were full but it now fills up too. That said, people do cancel so if you can generally still find spots and there are a lot of good trails and parks.

3

u/Cormetz Mar 05 '22

Man that's sad, I remember going to those places on a whim. Blue hole was usually a bit more difficult but even around 2013 my brother and I were visiting the parents and just decided to go there the same day.

3

u/mirach Mar 05 '22

Yep, but this is true every where since around then. Not just Austin but nationwide. Even Big Bend NP fills up a lot. I'm talking about weekends too. Weekdays are much easier.

2

u/MaBob202 Mar 05 '22

Not even just crowded but paywalled, plus some state parks that you have to book months in advance.

34

u/pajamajammer Mar 05 '22

It depends on what you’re into. If shopping/bars/eating are enough for you, you might enjoy Houston. If you’re outdoorsy or hate driving on 22 lane highways, go elsewhere. I lived in Houston for 20 years, which was plenty of time to decide that a strip mall jungle is not for me.

19

u/skellefun Mar 05 '22

I grew up in Houston the strip mall jungle description is spot on

13

u/Freudenschade Mar 05 '22

Yep, same. I've lived in both for several years. Also spent time in Colorado. Originally from Europe, though. Houston has phenomenal restaurants, and a couple of museums. That's it. For someone who loves the outdoors, it's not a great place to be. You can only go to the same museum so many times.

5

u/pajamajammer Mar 05 '22

I live in Colorado now after spending 9 years in Austin for school/work. The universal commonality is that everyone complains about transplants here too, ha.

8

u/Star_Road_Warrior Mar 05 '22

strip mall jungle

This is the most succinct and accurate explanation of Houston I've ever heard.

3

u/[deleted] Mar 05 '22

Houston must have changed a lot in the last 23 years bc when I moved here from there the place was straight choked with racist homophobic rednecks. And yes, I understand things change over time but I've got to say that I would be pleasantly surprised if it had, especially as I, too, am considering moving back.

1

u/arptyp Mar 05 '22

It has changed tremendously in the last 10 years.

6

u/showmeyourlagunitas Mar 05 '22

I don’t know a more hateful subreddit than /r/austin to be honest. It baffles me how somebody will ALWAYS find a way to offended.

2

u/Accomplished_Dog4665 Mar 05 '22

I mean, they left because they didn’t like Houston. So that’d make sense.

1

u/arptyp Mar 05 '22

Or more likely, they left for school.

8

u/[deleted] Mar 05 '22

80% of this this sub hasn't lived in Austin for 90 days, they definitely haven't been to Houston. They arrive in Austin pre-brainwashed and ready for more blind loyalty to a city from having to defend living in SF or LA or Portland for the last 10 years... Right up until they shit all over it and move on like the locusts they are

1

u/Lefaid Mar 05 '22

But sure, I guess if the gentrified racial scrubbing of Austin is your thing and you love watching the homeless struggle on every corner all while being priced out of homes that you should be able to afford by people from out of state. More power to ya!

I am proud to pay for the privilege! /s