cheap motel on light rail?

I%26#39;m planning a trip to Houston on government business. My employer won%26#39;t pay more than $95/night and won%26#39;t pay for a car, so basically I%26#39;m looking for help figuring out which of the cheap chain properties in the TMC/Astrodome/Reliant area are closest to the Fannin light rail line. I know the area somewhat, but moved away before light rail came to town. Thanks for any tips you can offer!

cheap motel on light rail?

cheap hotels in the reliant area are much less than desirable. Try somewhere in the Med Center.

cheap motel on light rail?

texas7, thanks, i know what the contrast between the neighborhoods and properties is like, but my maximum is $95/night.

You might take a look at some of the previous Houston posts where people are looking for reasonable but decent and safe lodging near the med center. There have been some very affordable suggestions made on those reviews. I can%26#39;t think of the names or locations but some of those posts were quite specific.

You might be able to find a room in a nicer area for that price. There is both a Marriott Residence Inn and Courtyard downtown about a block from the rail line. There is a Crowne Plaza downtown about five blocks from the rail. My employer has a contract with them for visiting people at a rate of $85 per night. Your $95 is higher than the current State of Texas government rate so I would ask all of those place about their government rates. The Magnolia downtown often has specials so you can try them as well. If you move towards the Medical Center you can try the Holiday Inn and the Marriott. Whatever you do, do not stay near Reliant. It is definitely not safe at night. Many of the smaller hotels there are nothing but fronts for prostitution.

thanks, houston1836! will check those out.

Westin Park Central

Traveling to Dallas in early November on business. I will be staying at the Westin Park Central for three nights. Does anyone have any suggestions on places to eat or things to do during the evening hours that are in the area. Also, what is the weather typically like in early November.

Thanks for your help.

Westin Park Central

I stay in this hotel when I am in Dallas on business as well. The hotel is perfectly adequate, but there isn%26#39;t much in the surrounding area of interest. You%26#39;ll probably need to drive down to Uptown Village, the Knox/Henderson area, or Deep Ellum to find some interesting restaurants, shopping and nightlife. What sorts of things do you like to do? Dallas has just about everything if you know where to look.

I would recommend sampling some of the the local tex-mex. Dallas does tex-mex better than anywhere else. Mi Cocina is one restaurant that comes to mind. There are multiple locations around the metropolitan area.

The weather in early November should be very nice. I would guess average highs that time of year are in the upper 60%26#39;s or low 70%26#39;s. It will likely be sunny as well.

Westin Park Central

I agree that you should try MiCocina. I absolutely love the food and the atmosphere. You can%26#39;t go wrong. Be sure to order a MaboTaxi beverage!!

lip gloss

Romantic night in Waco

What is something romantic to do in waco for dinner and for the night? maybe a park or something like that.

Romantic night in Waco

Well, I guess you didn%26#39;t like the suggestions I had in your first thread. :-)

Can you give more information about yourself and what you%26#39;re wanting? College student/ retiree? First date/ Pop the question/ wedding anniversary? Everyone has different ideas of ';romantic';, what%26#39;s yours? Some like jacuzzis, others like a blanket under the stars. Champagne or beer or no alcohol? What%26#39;s your budget? When you say ';night'; do you mean ';overnight'; or just ';after dinner';? Do you live in Waco or are you just coming in for a particular evening?

There used to be horse drawn carriage rides from the Hilton, but they don%26#39;t do those anymore. Cameron Park is nice, and you could have a picnic there. I wouldn%26#39;t feel all that comfortable there after dark, but that may just be me. I think the Suspension Bridge is nice, and it%26#39;s close to bars and restaurants.

What time of year?

web development

River Parade & Lighting Ceremony

We will be in San Antonio for Thanksgiving. Staying at the Marriott but will most likely not have a room with a balcony. I guess I should buy tickets for the river parade (?) I like the idea of reserved seating for something like this, since it sounds like there are going to be a lot of folks there. Anyone have suggestions regarding where to try to sit?

River Parade %26amp; Lighting Ceremony

I can%26#39;t recommend a seating location, but I would not wait too long to purchase your tickets. Call 210-227-4262 for tickets and ask them for a recommendation. They might be able to assist you in finding a good location.

River Parade %26amp; Lighting Ceremony

I%26#39;ve always liked somewhere along the river extension, particularly around the split directly in front of the Riverwalk Marriott (between the entrance to Rivercenter Mall and the Turning Basin at the Convention Center). If you get seats where the extension forks at this point, you%26#39;ll get to see each float three times (once when it comes up the extension and turns into Rivercenter, once when it returns and goes into the Convention Center turning Basin, and once when it returns from the basin and heads back down the extension). Anywhere else along the river extension will give you two chances to see each float. Anywhere else along the route and you only see the floats once as they pass by.

Also, the bathrooms (and food court) at Rivercenter are easily accessible from this point and there is ample parking available within a short walk if you get there early. Another plus for this location is that it lies fairly early in the route, so many of the upstream viewers will still be waiting for floats when the end of the parade passes you, meaning the traffic getting out will be a bit better for you.

Heed the previous post%26#39;s warning about getting tickets as soon as possible, the most desirable front row seats go really fast.

Hobby to Galleria

Hey guys...is there any other (cheaper) way to get from Hobby to the Galleria area hotels then a cab? I thought there might be a cheaper shuttle bus service.

Also, are there any places within walking distance of the Galleria that are worth seeing/eating at? I can only do food court stuff so long!

Hobby to Galleria

There are lots of restaurants around the Galleria area, other than fast food. You will be happy with what you find!

Hobby to Galleria

There are a couple of airport shuttle companies that drop you off at the Galleria. I can%26#39;t remember their names though, I think one is called Texas Super Shuttle or something like that. (Sorry...). Although I don%26#39;t think they%26#39;re much cheaper than getting a cab.

There are lots of things to see/do in the Galleria area. Lots of shops, restaurants, hang out places. You can also walk to the Williams fountain (used to be the Transco fountain). There is a food court inside the Galleria but why eat there when there are lots of other choices nearby.

Renting a car will be cheaper.

Can%26#39;t go wrong eating in the Galleria area, some of my favorites are

Piatto Ristorante(Post Oak @ Alabama)Contemporary Italian

Grande Lux Cafe (Post Oak @ Westheimer) Canyon Cafe

Kenny and Ziggy%26#39;s New York Deli , Kona Grill to name a few. I would steer clear of Morton%26#39;s Steakhouse sorta pricey and food just so so . Hope this helps. Call your hotel maybe they can suggest or have a shuttle.

Hotels near U of Houston?

I might be going to Houston for the UCF @ UH FB game on Oct. 28. I%26#39;ve never been to Houston before-- What is the best area for hotels that would be convenient to get to and from the game?

Looking at a map, it looks like UH is pretty cloe to downtown? How far is the Medical Center area or Galleria district from the school?

I would be flying on Southwest so I would be coming in at Hobby. Thanks.

Hotels near U of Houston?

Are you going to have a car?

There%26#39;s one hotel on campus which is run by the Hotel Management students. It%26#39;s extremely nice, but also extremely expensive.

The area around UH is pretty awful. But football games aren%26#39;t really that popular in town, and UH has plenty of parking, so you should have no issue staying off campus.

Downtown is a good idea but relatively expensive and will probably not have free parking. The Galleria area would probably be your best bet if you don%26#39;t mind a slightly longer drive to campus (maybe another 5 minutes from Downtown on the freeway), although the rush hour traffic there is awful.

The Medical Center area is very nice as well. The neighborhood itself shuts down at night, but Rice Village is close (and safe) enough to walk to and is much more active. Make sure you check the map on any ';Medical Center'; hotels though as the area gets a little sketchy south of Braeswood (not really ';Medical Center'; but many hotels still say that). A lot of the nastier motels on South Main have been shut down and/or demolished over the past few years, but there are still a few.

Hotels near U of Houston?

I think there is a residence inn in WEst University that might be nice. What price range are you looking for?

We%26#39;ve had season tickets to the Uof H games for 20 yrs, my husband is a alum. U of H is in a rough part of town so don%26#39;t stay too close.

Actually Hobby airport is closer to campus than the Galleria and I know the Hobby Hilton Hotel is okay.You%26#39;ll save a little money by staying closer to Hobby than Galleria or Med center.Remember it%26#39;s a 2:30pm kickoff ..........GO COOGS.

4 day cruise in November

Anyone have advice about planning a cruise in November, short 4 day cruise on Carnival Ecstasy going to Cozumel and back. What kind of weather should we expect....and will we be able to go snorkeling or para-sailing? Thanks for your tips and advice

4 day cruise in November

Good news is that you should be outside of the window for hurricanes.

4 day cruise in November

Thanks, that helps. Sounds like the weather is around 80 year round. Any tips to prepare ourselves for the cruise....which I now believe will be 5 days. Thanks!

We have been on several cruises out of Galveston. Normally, the sail day out and back in is cool and cloudy. Once you get closer to Cozumel, its very warm and nice. On the last cruise, howver, the sail day in to port was warm and sunny for the first half of the day. Enjoy and try to get on as early as possible, we loved ea ship we were on!

OK, since it sounds like we won%26#39;t be in our room much, we%26#39;re leaning toward an interior room on the Riviera deck. I%26#39;d rather spend my money on excursions and shopping. Is this a good idea?

Thanks for your help.

I agree with using the savings for other things on the trip!

You may want to look at www.travelzoo.com for cruising specials, they also have last minute deals if you ever do a last minute getaway.

I have friends who took an interior room and wished they had gotten a windowed room. After their advice I got a windowed room and have to admit I did like knowing I could wake up in the a.m. and see out the window and know what the weather was like. Also it%26#39;s nice if you are in your cabin for a bit to be able to enjoy a view as the cabins are quite small

IF YOU GET TO COZUMEL, yes, you can go snorkeling and parasailing. I just returned from a cruise on the Ecstasy and were supposed to go to Cozumel (4 night cruise from Galveston). At check-in, the rep told us we weren%26#39;t going to Cozumel because the ship had a propulsion problem. That we were going to Progresso. I thought, where the heck is that? Oh man!! Progresso was bad. Nothing to do. The water was murky. Beach had lots of seaweed. It was sad! It would have been better to shop right after you get off the ship, then return to the ship and swim in the pool. Carnival gave each of us a nice $50 credit! That%26#39;s it! I am very dissatisfied with them. They could have at least given us the option of cruising at a later date when the ship was fixed and going to Cozumel or they could have offered maybe 75-80% of our money back. I wrote a letter, but haven%26#39;t heard from them. If you want a trip to remember, I would travel with Royal Caribbean!!!! I haven%26#39;t heard of them having problems with older ships like Carnival.

Carnival is cheap! If you want to have a cheap vacation, go far it! But if you don%26#39;t get to Cozumel, don%26#39;t be surprised!

You might want to check the reviews on cruise critic for this ship and this itinerary. I think Carnival has had many problems with these older ships. It may not be the cruise experience you are looking for. If you live near enough to drive to the port and get a really good deal on the cruise, and your expectations aren%26#39;t high then this cruise is ok. If this is your first cruise and want a good experience, you might want to rethink.

If it doesn%26#39;t cost too much more I would go with a window of some sort. I was really glad we got one and a couple of friend who each got windowless rooms both said that they loved their cruises but if they had it to do over again - they would get windows.

Have fun----should be a great time of the year to visit Mexico.

Need info on Riverwalk

My family and I are considering visiting San Antonio next summer although I hear alot of great things about the Riverwalk honestly I am not sure exactly what it is, is it just hotels, bars and restaurants on the river? Excuse my ignorance, I really couldn%26#39;t find alot of info on the web about it, anyways any information and recommendations of great hotels/resorts would be great, thanks!!

Need info on Riverwalk

is summer the only time you can visit? summers down here are just terribly hot and miserable. right now we%26#39;re averaging 100 degrees every day and it%26#39;s rained (at my house) about once in the past year. the BEST time to visit San Antonio is anytime from November through March. January is usually perfect down here - highs around 70 and lows in the 40%26#39;s. (although they drain the riverwalk during this time!) but, i digress.

The riverwalk is just like you said.....hotels, bars, restaurants, shops......with a man-made river going through the middle with small boats/barges that carry people around (for an extra fee)..... it%26#39;s fun, but to me it%26#39;s only fun for a few hours....(like an afternoon or evening).....nearby is the Alamo (worthy of about 30 minutes to see some history)....just read some of the posts in this forum and you%26#39;ll get more opinions about downtown...the riverwalk...and other things to do in this part of the country......

Need info on Riverwalk

I just returned from the San Antonio Riverwalk and here is what I suggest.

Stay only a couple days on the Riverwalk since in my opinion there isn%26#39;t that much to see that%26#39;s worth while. I recommend you stay at the Drury Inn Hotel. They give you alot of extras like free breakfast, 3 free drinks per person everyday between 5:30 pm and 7pm. free popcorn and sodas for the kids. Free High Speed and Wireless internet. Pillow-top beds, etc.. Take the SATRAN shuttle or a Taxi to your hotel, I think a taxi would be cheaper in your case, around $22-$25 dollars. You can rent downtown probably alot cheaper than at the airport.

While on the Riverwalk eat at County Line BBQ.

Have a drink and their tortilla soup and taco combo at the Guadalajara Grill (lavillita.com/guadalajara/index.htm) and pick up the coupon books inside near their front entrance for discounts on other riverwalk places.

Rent a car at the Hertz inside the downtown Marriot at bowie street via Orbitz. I only paid $55 for 2 days using Orbitz. Drive up to New Braunfels area and stay at the closest Drury Inn to that place. While near New Braunfels go river tubing at the Comal river (texastubes, if not there then their are other tubing outfitters in the area). You can take your kids to the Schlitterbahn water park also in that same area. Then have a picnic over at the Landra Park also in that area.

Also check out the Guadalupe River tubing. It%26#39;s not as good as Comal river but it%26#39;s more natural. Comal river is where most people go due to the drought conditions in the area.

You can also go hike around the Natural Bridge Caverns also in the New Braunsfel area (naturalbridgecaverns).

Taco Cabanas (a taco chain) is also a good cheap place to eat. I also had a BBQ Pork sandwich at Daisy Duke%26#39;s near the Guadalupe River tubing places that was pretty good. I ate at Barnacle Bills fish place but didn%26#39;t think much of it.

I would also drive up to Austin/ San Marcos area for a few days to check out their rivers (www.78666.com/river/), (pecanpark) for more info and ideas.

Hope this helps.

My husband and I go at least annually and we%26#39;ve taken our 3 kids once as well. We usually priceline a 4 star or higher Riverwalk location hotel and land something in the $100/night range. We typically get the Hyatt although we once got the Fairmont and both are great. We will generally stay for a few nights and enjoy the restaurants, relaxing walks along the riverwalk, and nightlife. We like to eat at Paesanos which is near the Starbucks. First timers must do the riverboat tour which gives you a tour and history on how the riverwalk came to be, and this is a great family ride. You can even book a dinner tour on the boats. There is one mall right on the riverwalk and another one one block off it downtown. Next you can tour surrounding San Antonio by taking the trolley. It is very inexpensive (I think around $1 for an all day pass) and it stops all over town. The Alamo is one easy walking block from the Riverwalk and is great to take the kids to, and along the way there are more shops and things to browse. The Trolley will also take you the to the Farmers market which is a few blocks down, but too far to walk, from the Riverwalk. Lots of great Mexican and Texan crafts and wares are for sale here, and there a lot of great restaurants, especially Mexican, to dine at. At night it is all lit up and makes for a nice stroll with lots of other people and mariachis around. The year we took our 3 kids (11, 5, 3) we stayed on the walk at night and went to Six Flags and Sea World by day, both of which are short 20 min drives from there. We did that in mid-June and it was pretty hot then. I%26#39;d go early June as possible and avoid July/Aug. However, both Sea World and Six Flags have nice waterparks contained within them as part of normal admission if you go that route.

thanks, news! great info! i%26#39;m glad you posted that. i guess since i work downtown i take the riverwalk for granted sometimes, and i needed to think about what it%26#39;s like for first-time tourists....and it is all that you said and a bag of tortillas fritas. i%26#39;m just so tired of this heat and drought we%26#39;re having that it%26#39;s making me insane.....any other SA locals feel the same? : - )

early june is not bad as the summer is tolerable then (by mid-july and especially now (Aug.22nd), it is like stepping on to the surface of the sun when you walk outside in the afternoons). but early june is good.

I hear ya TexasHam. It%26#39;s making us crazy too, and we moved here from the southwest coast of Florida where there%26#39;s serious heat AND serious humidity months of every year! We whine every weekend recently that it%26#39;s too hot to even go out now. And our poor yards...dying of thirst. Walking across our unsprinkled backyard sounds like we are walking across a field of potato chips! Crunch crunch crunch. When will it end?

It is nice to go back to the Riverwalk with fresh eyes. We hadn%26#39;t seen it in a while when we were transferred back here and I was so surprised that it appeared to be so romantic, especially in the early evening. It really is nice to stroll and just look and people watch. Sit at one of the outside cafes, have a drink and watch the world walk by. Along the way there%26#39;s some neat shops to explore in La Villita. I walk the river weekends, going in with my husband as he works a half day Saturday, and Saturday morning they were having canoe races in the spur that heads off toward the Marriott. It was hysterical...obvious non-canoers and more than a few ended up in the drink. I watched with baited breath as canoe after canoe unintentionally T-boned another as they made their turn by the Marriott to head back to the finish line. Fun for us and them. Occasionally there%26#39;ll be mariachis along the river too. Whatever, without any doubt, it is the best people watching I%26#39;ve ever had...all walks of life represented. All manner of dress...ooo la! And all this under a canopy of big old trees overhanging the narrow river banks and pretty little bridges.

Although the river is a pretty sight and fun to stroll, there is more to San Antonio than that. Head out to the outlying missions. 4 (I believe?) others aside from the Alamo. San Jose is especially beautiful. Walk a few of the streets in the historic King William district with beautiful homes dating from the mid 19th century. El Mercado...the market mentioned above is always interesting. Further afield...New Braunfels and historic Gruene with Gruene Hall, a live music venue with some terrific music. We sat Sunday afternoon in the 100 degree heat in Gruene Hall, the 15 fans whirring overhead, screened windows and had an unbelievably good time listening to the group playing. They were fantastic...it was very tolerable in the hall with the fans, the other people watching were such fun...as much fun to people watch there as it is on the river, with everyone from locals, cowboys, people in from Austin, and lots of tourists! We left there renewed, feeling very happy to have the good fortune of living in this part of Texas. Now that%26#39;s something of a miracle after all this extreme heat and what it has done to our moods!!

If you are interested in a resort you%26#39;ll be staying out from the river, but no so far out that you can%26#39;t get in to enjoy it. Hyatt Hill Country is especially nice and fun for the entire family with it%26#39;s lazy river and assorted pools. Walking/jogging path, golf, horseshoes, bikes, beautiful grounds. Disclaimer...my husband works for Hyatt, but not that one, and I have no interest in filling their rooms. :%26gt; It really is a fun spot for a family! Westin also has a resort out in the northwest side and in all honesty, it%26#39;s a beautiful hotel with some terrific restaurants, but they don%26#39;t have the river that kids and adults love, giving Hyatt the edge, IMHO.

There are any number of places to chose from on the river, from smaller more intimate and elegant...La Mansion and it%26#39;s sister hotel, the Watermark which has a terrific spa and a terrific restaurant, Pesca, as well, whether or not you are staying at that hotel, down through 2 Marriotts, Westin, Hyatt, Hilton etc, and on to suites hotels La Contessa, brand new, Ameirsuites etc. Or choose something historic such as the Menger. There is something for everyone. Come on down!

Planning to visit the area in February or March next year to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.

During this time period are there certain ';tourist'; places closed for the season? Would it be warm enough to do the tube ride down the river then?

Has anyone stayed at the Hotel Valencia? Comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated as I need to make reservations soon and am not sure where to stay. WeI don%26#39;t want to stay in the riverwalk area the entire week. Thought about Hill Country Inn %26amp; Suites (now Salado Creek Villas?) or Wynnwood townhomes after 2 nights on the riverwalk. We have flexible timeshare options so I%26#39;m hoping to use them for the trip.

Also, when is spring break in this area? I noticed some of the hotels have no vacancy in early March.

Thanks!

Lafawnduh, most tourist places will be open except for Seaworld and Fiesta Texas - both of which are open for the week of spring break, which is usually the 2nd or 3rd week of March. (San Antonio gets pretty crowded on spring break, so avoid those two weeks in March.) It%26#39;s still a little chilly to be tubing down the river at this time (but i%26#39;ve seen some March weather when you could tube as it was around 90 outside...but that%26#39;s not typical). You might consider coming in April - it%26#39;s usually warm enough to tube down the river, and the theme parks will be open on the weekends. Also, if you come in late April, you can experience Fiesta: http://www.fiesta-sa.org/

I would also drive up to Austin/ San Marcos area for a few days to check out their rivers (www.sanmarcos180.com), (pecanpark) for more info and ideas.

there%26#39;s lots to see and do in San Antonio besides the Riverwalk, if your there in the summer and have kids consider 2 days at SeaWorld and a day at Feista Texas. Definely try Rudy%26#39;s BBQ, Buckhorn Saloon, Boudro%26#39;s on the Riverwalk, or Mi Tierra.

There%26#39;s the tower for a view of San Antonio, the Alamo, Botancial Gardens, Governors House. I%26#39;m not sure which Mission we go to but it has a marraci band doing mass on Sunday morning and welcome center w/a nice presentation about the missions. There%26#39;s a couple of silly but fun things for kids a clown museum, World Records museum. We go to San Antonio a couple of times a year, we really love it. It%26#39;s got a great history and very family friendly.

The Riverwalk is mostly a tourist shopping center- it does have a comedy club, movie theater, and IMAX and lots of bars and nightlife. There%26#39;s a good bit of live music day and night.

lip gloss

connecting database

In for SXSW - where to stay?

My film (51 Birch Street) will screening at SXSW and I%26#39;m looking for a good but inexpensive place to stay. I have reservations in the Austin Motel for the 10th to 14th, but they%26#39;re booked after that and I need a place from the 15th to 18th. Any insider tips?

Many thanks

In for SXSW - where to stay?

Howdy! So you need a place to stay from March 15th to 18th in Austin? Yikes, that%26#39;s a tall order - very busy in Austin, mostly because of SXSW but there are also high school basketball championships, NCAA swimming sometimes, and the rodeo is in town that week. I%26#39;m not that much of an ';insider'; when it comes to Austin motels, so I can only give a list of places that might have some room at the inn. Try Extended Stay America on Sixth and Guadalupe -- it%26#39;s a residence suite that gets good reviews at this site. I don%26#39;t know about prices, but the Hilton at the Airport has a reputation for vacancies -- hopefully because of its location, but it%26#39;s not that inconvenient from downtown.

My main advice is to check the Austin hotels tab as soon as you can. If you have trouble finding a place in Austin, check in Round Rock, San Marcos, and Bastrop. Or show up at the Driskill and tell them you%26#39;re Steven Spielberg -- you kinda look the part! -- and maybe they%26#39;ll give you a suite. Oh, and wait for some of the San Antone posters to ring in -- since they stay in hotels here more often than I do, they may have some better ideas.

Good luck with your film -- very interesting subject matter! I%26#39;ll try to see it.

In for SXSW - where to stay?

Here%26#39;s the site for the film festival brochure:

http://2006.sxsw.com/pdf/06_film2.pdf

There%26#39;s some hotels there with deals, though they seem to have printed the ';tourist menus';. I bet the Mansion at Judges Hill gets overlooked by a lot of folks, and it%26#39;s a very nice hotel for the price.

I stay at my sister-in-law%26#39;s. Sorry that%26#39;s not much help. Friends use La Quinta on Ben White, but I think it%26#39;s about $100 per nite.

I checked out the film brochure and saw a couple of less-expensive possibilities. The Homestead on South First is in a good location as is the Holiday in Town Lake and the Doubletree at MLK and 35.

What will make a difference is whether or not you%26#39;ll have a car. There are some hotels on Mopac (Loop 1) that might have room at that busy time of year, but I wouldn%26#39;t stay there without a car. Parking isn%26#39;t a huge issue in Austin. You can usually find a spot on the street or in a pay lot.

Good luck with the film!

many thanks for your help, everyone. and, yes, i will have a car.

ttlms, you are a local expert, to be sure, and very generous with your time and knowledge. i founded and co-host an online discussion forum for doc filmmakers (www.d-word.com), so i appreciate people who do that.

looking at the guidelines, it seems i shouldn%26#39;t post my email address. but you obviously found my website and it%26#39;s posted there on the contact page. if you email me, i%26#39;d be happy to keep you posted on screening info at sxsw, which is probably inappropriate to post here. i may need the occasional advice, and i certainly can use a local expert and film fan to help me spread the word about the screenings to friends. (same to you, of course, austinite)

dbblock,

I%26#39;d like info on the screening. There are a few films I%26#39;m trying to catch this year, and as best I can tell the schedule isn%26#39;t up yet. My email is duksta@austin.rr.com.

As far as hotels go, there are a few in reasonable driving distance that look fairly inexpensive. You can check them out on this site to read reviews:

Amerisuites Austin Arboretum (anything in the Arboretum area will work--there you%26#39;re about, oh, eight miles from downtown)

Bradford HomeSuites

Comfort Suites North

Extended Stay America/Arboretum

Extended Stay Austin/Southwest

Fairfield Inn and Suites Northwest

Hilton Garden Inn/Arboretum

Holiday Inn Express/Sunset Valley

La Quinta Southwest at Mopac

These are all chains, so if you%26#39;re looking for an ';Austin'; motel, you won%26#39;t find it here. There are a few funky choices within driving distance, but they might be full. These hotels are all along the west side of town off of Mopac, which in my opinion will get you downtown faster than IH35--the throughfare of death, especially with all the tourists in town. And once you%26#39;re on Mopac, it%26#39;s a straight shot to downtown.

I wouldn%26#39;t go farther north than 183/Mopac or further south than 290/Mopac without allowing for more ample driving time.

Let us know if you need more help!

Tthanks for the kind words! And you%26#39;re so lucky to be staying at the Austin Motel even for part of your visit -- I can%26#39;t tell you how cool that part of Congress Avenue is. Reminds me of when I stayed at the Riverside Tower in NYC for Xmas 2002, and discovered Xabar%26#39;s.

Just noticed that dbblock%26#39;s film got picked up by a distributor and is getting released in NY this month. Way to go Doug!!! Hope it gets a wider release soon!

Is the Water light blue like in Cancun?

Thinking about a trip here and haven%26#39;t seem much info on the beaches (nice sand) or the water color.

Spoiled by the Carribean

Any help?

Is the Water light blue like in Cancun?

The water and sand are the nicest in the state, but if you%26#39;ve been spoiled by the Carribean, you%26#39;ll want to go elsewhere. Florida panhandle beaches are probably your only option stateside. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Is the Water light blue like in Cancun?

totally! all water at texas beaches is a lovely greenish-brown color where you can%26#39;t see your feet in knee deep water. yuck! and if you%26#39;re really lucky you%26#39;ll get some nice tar on you from the oil drilling going on in the gulf. avoid texas beaches....i%26#39;m sure i%26#39;ll have some locals get angry at me....but texas beaches stink.

ohhhh please don%26#39;t say that! Next weekend I will be traveling 11 hours to come to SPI... Tell me your exagerating!

i didn%26#39;t mean to scare you....but i%26#39;m pretty accurate with respect to the water....you may get lucky and it may clearer than what i%26#39;m describing, but don%26#39;t count on it. the good thing is that the sand on the beaches and the atmosphere of SPI is really nice. i personally spend more time walking up/down the beach and hanging at the hotel pool/bar, then actually swimming in the ocean. you%26#39;ll have a good time, and if the water is better than what i%26#39;m describing, you%26#39;ll be pleasantly surprised.

Oh, I think TexasHam is having a bad day. While the water at SPI is not like Mexico and the sand isn%26#39;t as white as Florida, it sure beats the beaches of North Dakota (or Indiana). If you want to look at live pictures of what the water looks like currently go to www.spadre.com and see pictures of the gulf and bay.

As long as there isn%26#39;t a big storm churning things up in the gulf, the water should be a nice blue green. The tar of late hasn%26#39;t been a big problem either. Spent 2 weeks there last month with daily walks on the beach and not once did I get tar on my feet...the water was also the clearest I have seen it in a long time.

Don%26#39;t worry, rrhodes, you will have a good time and enjoy the beach and water, too.

Redrhodes, beach water will be similar to Cameron or Holly Beach to give you a frame of reference. Like THam said the island%26#39;s amenities are great and you should have a fun time. I%26#39;ve never been to Destin, but after all I%26#39;ve heard, If I lived in LA, I think I head east next time. Plus you could hit New Orleans on you%26#39;re way.

Maybe someone who%26#39;s been to both can help us out. I%26#39;m also interested to hear how the crowds compare. My guess is that SPI is less crowded.

yep, i was having a bad day yesterday, and i%26#39;m sure the water at SPI will be just fine. it%26#39;s just that once you%26#39;ve been to Cancun and get spoiled by white powder beaches and the crystal clear water where you can see for 200+ feet, it%26#39;s tough to go to any beach after that. you%26#39;ll have a great time, and i%26#39;m sorry if i painted a bad picture. : - )

Well, ok I%26#39;ve been to the Bahamas, I%26#39;ve been to Playa Del Carmen, I%26#39;ve been to Destin (everyone where I live goes to Destin!), I%26#39;ve been to Gulf Shores...I%26#39;ve also been to Holly Beach and Galveston many times when I was little. I%26#39;ve never been to South Padre Island and since my half-sister lives in San Antonio we decided to meet up here. So...of course I%26#39;m not going for the water...but it has always looked so beautiful in magazines and brochures, I%26#39;ve always wanted to go. And the in the pictures the water always looks a beautiful torquise-blue, so yeah, I%26#39;m a little dissapointed to hear the comments. But it isn%26#39;t all about the water and I actually don%26#39;t go in much, I really just like relaxing on the beach, watching the kids play. But I will definitely let you know my thoughts when I get back. I%26#39;m just glad to hear the area is beautiful!

was in so. padre two weeks ago....stayed at suntide ii. my first thought on looking out at the water from our balcony...was that the water was a beautiful blue!!! and the sand in that area was nice and clean. our friends were staying on down at bahia mar.....YUK! the black sand was icky!!! if i knew how to post a picture i would.....i took a gorgeous one of the water. go and ENJOY :)

We just returned from SPI last Thursday. Like yourself, I had the same questions about the water. I never trust the brochures and always wonder if they have been ';color enhanced';.

I am from Dallas and have been to Galveston several times, which is disappointing. I agreed to give SPI a chance in hopes that it was nicer than Galveston. Where SPI is not like Cancun, it is definitely the best beach in texas. The water was lovely....blue green color. This past week, I could see my feet when waist high in the water. It was very clear. The water temperature was great.

The water in the bay area is a beautiful turquoise color. We did a dolphin watch cruise and the water in the bay was so lovely.

We had such a great time in Padre. We stayed at La Copa. Great rates and the hotel is right on the beach. We are already booked to go back in October. I just submitted a review for La Copa and posted some pics of the water. I promise these were not ';color enhanced';. Hope you have a great visit! We drove 9 hours and it was worth it!!

Where oh where to stay?

Hubby and I want to go for 3 days Oct 26-29 for our 5th anniversary and willing to spend up to about 125.00/night or so off season.

We don%26#39;t want a dump, obviously....

Likes: beachfront, for sure. A place with a party kind of atmosphere, with an outdoor bar/lounge would be nice. A nice restaurant either on premise or nearby would be nice. A king size bed and jacuzzi tub would be great.

We probably won%26#39;t really cook, but I guess a microwave and fridge (mini is fine) would be cool.

Help? I%26#39;d love to stay at the Radisson, but they%26#39;re pretty pricey. Bahia Mar has gotten terrible reviews, Holiday Inn Sunspree same thing....

Where oh where to stay?

OK. you probably won%26#39;t find the place with everything you want under the same roof. First of all, only places like the Radisson and the Sheraton have their own restaurant and neither one of those is anything to write home about. Most of the properties are condos and motels neither of which have onsight bars. The Wanna Wanna bar is associated with a motel (whose name escapes me for the moment, but you can look it up). There are plenty of bars on the island, they just don%26#39;t have sleep overs. As far as I%26#39;m concerned, the best bang for your buck is a condo and they come in all price ranges, however, even in off season $125 is on the low end. But you can save money by getting a few groceries and buying your own liquor and sitting on your own balcony and watch the waves roll in....that%26#39;s the best part about SPI anyway. Do a google search for SPI condos and see what the rates are for the time you want to go, then you can get back on here and inquire about specific ones. Don%26#39;t even consider the Bahia Mar...it%26#39;s day has come and gone.

Relocating to Houston in December 2006

I am relocating to Houston in December 2006. I will be employed at a hospital in the Texas Medial Center.

I am looking for nice, safe, and affordable areas to rent an apartment or townhome.

I%26#39;ve read that areas inside the loop would be best for a short commute to the TMC.

Does anyone know any good apartment/townhome locators?

Thanks in advance Houston!

Relocating to Houston in December 2006

Sounds like midtown might work really well for you. You could even take light rail to and from work. Sounds if you are a single person so check this out:

http://www.houstonmidtown.com/

The selection boxes at the top left - select Midtown Houston - and then Links to Midtown Living.

Also, affordable areas - what price range are you looking to spend each month? Might help posters to offer suggestions. Midtown is a revitalized area and probably a bit more pricey than areas outside the loop. Do you like nightlife - in the middle of everything? Or are you not into that and prefer a more suburban area?

Relocating to Houston in December 2006

There are a bunch of nice new apartments in the Heights area. there is also a good bus line that runs down Heights avenue. It%26#39;s an easy communte to the medical center (no highways). The Heights is very neighborhoody and pretty safe. I lived there for 5 years and I liked it. I also worked in the med center.

Ah! You will love the medical center area. It is near Rice University and Rice Village (fun shops, good places to eat). I ';just'; moved here to Houston 18 months ago, and still feel very new, but I absolutely love the Rice / Medical Center area. When I moved here, I just looked at apartments.com and that website was great (I thought).

Preferrably, I would like to rent for no more than $900.00/monthly.

I would really like a good commute and neighborhood combined into one.

Are there any suburbs within relative driving distance (during rus-hour) of TMC

I am particullary interested in townhomes, but apartments are an option as well.

Thanks for the imput!

For $900 a month you can probably get a small but nice apartment in Midtown, Montrose, West University area which are all very near the med center. These areas are the hottest places to live within the loop right now - close to all the restaurants, nightlife, shopping etc.

Other than that - you%26#39;ll probably have to drive 15-20 miles to get to the suburbs. Pearland is a good commute to the med center and have some nice apartments at hwy 288/518 area. But that is a booming area and traffic is getting to be a bear. Clear Lake is about 20 miles. Traffic on 45 South isn%26#39;t too bad compared to the other highways. These area are true suburbs.

You could try looking at www.har.com for townhome prices in the areas listed above.

Welcome to Houston!!

What are the reviews on Pearland? Is this a reasonable commute to The Medical Center?

Does anyone know of any reasonably priced rental townhomes in the innerloop (max $1000/month)?

Commuting from Spring would be a long commute, right?

Thanks in advance.

Pearland would be a reasonable commute to the TMC, Spring would not.

You may also want to look at www.houston.craigslist.org for housing. There are rental townhomes listed, apartments and home also.

no alcohol and nothing really expensive

neither of us would like to drink and notihng really over the top and expensive. Just something rather nice that is moderately expensive.

no alcohol and nothing really expensive

Got it! Now I can help more!

Okay... first, let me tell you that it%26#39;ll work better if you keep all of your posts (about this trip anyway) in one thread. :-) To reply to my post (or submit questions about something I%26#39;ve mentioned) just hit the ';reply to this post'; button underneath your original post. :-) People are probably beginning to wonder what%26#39;s up with Waco being romantic!! LOL

Something really nice to do pre-dinner is a walk through the Cameron Park Zoo. Yes, goofy, I know, but everytime I take my kids there I see Baylor students hand in hand looking very happy and think it%26#39;s a GREAT date place. It%26#39;s a great little zoo with a bunch of nice, new exhibits. www.cameronparkzoo.com It will be closed Sat. Oct. 28 (unless you want to attend the ZooBoo party).

The Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo is going on now through Oct. 14th (don%26#39;t know when you%26#39;re planning to come). It%26#39;s not a candlelit venue (LOL) but all couples have to eat funnel cakes and win a stuffed animal once in their relationships! www.hotfair.com

Do you like to hang out in coffee houses? There are a few:

Common Grounds (www.commongroundswaco.com - although I see the link is currently not working)

Beatnix (www.beatnixcoffee.com - near The Northwood Inn)

Texas Tea and Coffee (www.texasteaandcoffee.com - actually in McGregor which is about 15 miles from Waco, but very nice and worth the drive)

All of these have live music at various times, but laid back atmosphere.

There%26#39;s the usual suspects... movies, window shopping (our mall is kinda dinky... I%26#39;d go to the shopping center out at Hwy 6 and IH35).

If you like sports, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame (www.tshof.org) is open in the afternoon. The Mayborn Museum (www.baylor.edu/mayborn) has a few exhibits worth walking around on the first floor... the museum is great for kids (or kids-at-heart) but has some interesting exhibits for the ';more mature'; and a really nice atmosphere.

I%26#39;d still recommend The Northwood Inn for dinner if you can swing it. It%26#39;s definitely romantic. Diamond Back%26#39;s is nice too but not as intimate. There%26#39;s another restaurant called 1424 Cafe and Bistro (1424 Washington Ave in Waco... no web site) that is nice/casual. It%26#39;s a converted house with a patio and Christmas lights... quiet... limited menu but good food... but be prepared for a wait!)

There are lots of parks to walk around in, but I wouldn%26#39;t recommend those for after dark. The Waco Suspension Bridge is neat... a good place to stand and talk, while watching the river flow by.

I%26#39;ll keep thinking, and I%26#39;ll ask some of the high school/Baylor students I know if they have any ideas.

no alcohol and nothing really expensive

Here%26#39;s another thought... what about a drive-in movie? There aren%26#39;t any drive-in theaters left in Waco, but there is one in Gatesville which is about a 45 minute drive away (through McGregor where the Texas Tea and Coffee coffee house is)

www.drive-ins.com/theater/txtlast

That would definitely be memorable!

Great Waco info, Owl! And kudos for hanging in there.

programming

Travel from Dallas International to Fairmont Hotel

Hi everyone!

We are flying in from Connecticut on October 27th-October 29th, and we are staying at the Fairmont hotel in Dallas.

I found out that the hotel is 25 miles away from the airport, and being that we don%26#39;t need a car for the weekend, I was wondering what most people use for transportation to the hotel from the airport.

Have thought about getting driven there by a town car, there are 3 of us in our party, and we usually do this from the Orlando airport to the Grand Floridian at Disneyworld, and it seems to be the best and easiest way to get there.

Please, all suggestion are welcome

Travel from Dallas International to Fairmont Hotel

Arriving by Town Car is good since you%26#39;ll have someone dedicated waiting for you. A cab, for comparison%26#39;s sake, is about $40-50.

lip gloss

specialty/ unique shops

Going to Austin next week and interested in shopping in one-of-a-kind stores and shops; I don%26#39;t want to go to national chains or huge shopping malls. Looking for clothing, music, book, food, random knick-knack stores.

Also interested in seeing live music in the alt-country or honky tonk genre-- any suggestions where to go?

thanks.....

specialty/ unique shops

Hi, hope you enjoy your trip.

- soco (south congress) a few vintage shops, boot/western wear, antique knick-knacks, good tex-mex food

-sola (south lamar) some trendy clothing stores around west mary,

-westgate%26amp;south lamar back home furniture (cool accessories), great grocery store called central market, local restaurant hyde park bar and grill

-2nd street shopping district very hip stores, clothing, home, etc. good wine bars

-lamar and 6th. whole foods (very nice) lots or local stores, waterloo music, by george clothing

hope this helps!

specialty/ unique shops

http://www.ibuyaustin.com/index.php

Look here. It%26#39;s the Austin independent business alliance website.

Howdy! Might want to go to Allen%26#39;s Boots on South Congress. Might be more of a Texas store than an Austin store, but good place to get boots as well as jeans, blouses, and western apparel.

For books don%26#39;t miss The Book People. It%26#39;s huge! It%26#39;s right across the street from Whole Foods (Sixth Street and N. Lamar). And don%26#39;t miss Whole Foods. It is not your ordinary grocery store. It%26#39;s Whole Foods%26#39; headquarters and the store is amazing.

Lots of cute shops near this area too. Try Ecclectic just a few blocks north on Lamar (from Sixth). Great gifts and the coolest hand-painted furniture. Wildflowers has great linens. Can%26#39;t remember specific names but there%26#39;s lots of shops between those two stores on N. Lamar.

From Whole Foods, if you up Sixth Street, you%26#39;ll find some art galleries, a cool furniture store, antiques and other shops.

My favorite furniture store is My Living Room which is on the south side of the Congress Bridge (right after you cross the bridge from downtown).

If you want Mexican art and gifts, there%26#39;s a great place right next to Las Manitas (great Mexican food for breakfast or lunch). Don%26#39;t remember the name but the restaurant is around Second and Congress. Everyone knows it, just ask!

Have a great time!!

The Mexican specialty and gifts shop next to Las Manitas is Tesoros, at 209 Congress.

www.tesoros.com

Thanks to everyone for their input-- sounds like I have a great trip to look forward to!

Thanks to everyone for their input-- sounds like I have a great trip to look forward to!

Irish want help planning 2 weeks after Houston wedding

We are going to a wedding in Houston early February and would like to see a bit of Texas, maybe hire a car and travel around, within a radius of 300 miles. So far I believe Galviston and San Antonio are great places to visit. All suggestions welcome and hotel recommendations too. What will the weather be like on the Gulf in Feb. Look forward to getting some help planning our trip and hearing your views....thank you from Ireland

Irish want help planning 2 weeks after Houston wedding

February along the Gulf Coast could be mild to frigid. It really can be that diffent, and the temperatures can fluctuate by the day. With the moist air here, it can make conditions feel worse than they really are. It will not be cold like in Ireland, but you at least need a coat. You might even want to bring shorts.

You%26#39;ll just miss the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, it is schedule for Feb 27-Mar 18.

There are lots of previous posters for travel around the state, and with 2 weeks, you%26#39;ll be able to see quite a bit. Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Galveston are all within a 300 mile radius of Houston. You would need to rent a car to visit the cities mentioned, they are only about 3-4 hours apart each, except Houston-Galveston, which is about an hour, maybe and hour and a half. If you do venture up to Dallas or the Hill country, the weather can be much colder, so think about that also.

Irish want help planning 2 weeks after Houston wedding

In Galveston, I would consider Moody Gardens Hotel, The San Luis, or The Tremont. Between Galveston %26amp; Houston is the Kemah Boardwalk - and NASA Johnson Space Center - both busy tourist spots.

In San Antonio - Hill Country Hyatt or the Westin La Cantera. Austin is very nice as well and not a long drive from San Antonio so I would defiintely try and see some of Austin as well. It is the state capital and a University city. So you have a mix of poltical types, artsy types, young and lively students etc.

The weather can be extremely warm for February or you can get a cold snap where it is blustery cold and damp. You sort of have to come prepared to either. Hopefully you%26#39;ll get the warm!

Have a wonderful time here!!!!

Texas7 and knr, many thanks for all that information. We will definitely rent a car and try and get to Austin. It seems like the weather could be like Ireland in summer, anything from 10 to 22 degrees. There is a rodeo in San Antonio which we may try and get to, do you know anything about it? Will it be difficult to get hotels and should we book now? I really appreciate your help and will check back on previous posts on Texas. Greetings from rainy Dublin!

Texas7 and knr, many thanks for all that information. We will definitely rent a car and try and get to Austin. It seems like the weather could be like Ireland in summer, anything from 10 to 22 degrees. There is a rodeo in San Antonio which we may try and get to, do you know anything about it? Will it be difficult to get hotels and should we book now? I really appreciate your help and will check back on previous posts on Texas. Greetings from rainy Dublin!

I am a big fan of booking hotels in advance, especially if you know you will be there. Of course, you want to make certain the cancellation policy is reasonable. In San Antonio, there is a S.A.V.E rate, not sure if will be in effective at rodeo time though. Another good place to look for discounts is travelzoo.com.

Definitely book hotels in San Antonio in advance; the city hosts a lot of conferences/seminars that use up a lot of the hotel rooms, in addition to the tourists (that seem to be year round these days).

In addition to the previous suggestions for San Antonio, I also recommend visiting the Spanish Missions, the Mercado, and the Governor%26#39;s Mansion - you%26#39;ll feel like you%26#39;re in Mexico without having left Texas. In Austin the Texas Capitol, Museum of Texas History, and the campus of the University of Texas.

And if you like shopping, there is a huge outlet mall in San Marcos on the way between Austin and San Antonio. With the Euro being so high compared to the US dollar you can find amazing bargains.

In Austin I would recommend you stay in the central part of the city - close to downtown and the sights I suggested above. Some nice hotels are the Doubletree Guest Suites on 15th street (walking distance to the capitol, the museum, university). The Omni on 7th street is nice too.

Other less pricy ones: Courtyard Austin Central and Drury Inn. Both are on I-35, close to the Texas highway 290 intersection.

just a few suggestions for a good food and music:

Houston eats:

Mai%26#39;s (downtown) for the best spring rolls

Michaelangelo%26#39;s for good Italian,

Bistro Vino for romantic Italian dinner (more expensive),

Cheescake Factory (there%26#39;s one in the Galleria Mall for the best cheescake,

China Garden for good Chinese

Thai Pepper for good Thai food

Pappadeaux%26#39;s for the crawfish etoufee - excellent

Pappasito%26#39;s has decent Tex-Mex (good fajitas) as well as Cafe Adobe (excellent seafood enchiladas)

Houston outs:

go to the Big Easy bar for great blues rock, get there early for a booth

Mia Luna%26#39;s in the Rice Village (off of Kirby Lane) (great place to hang out - many bars and places to eat all in walking distance) for appetizers and spanish music

grab a beer at The GingerMan - beers from all over

all of the places above are an easy drive from the galleria area (great place to get a hotel in Houston)

Austin eats and music:

for breakfast food = Kirby Lane, Magnolia Cafe, Taco Express, Katz%26#39;s Deli

for Lunch = Castle Hill Cafe, Home Slice pizza, Shady Grove (great atmosphere),

dinner = County Line for barbeque or drive out to the Salt Lick for great barbeque and atmosphere, Kyoto%26#39;s for Asian (request floor seating and take off your shoes for great vibe - then go downstairs to the jazz club in the basement - The Elephant Room

watch who%26#39;s playing at Stubb%26#39;s , Saxon Pub , Antone%26#39;s and Continental Club for good blues and rock music

check www.austin360.com

Chuy%26#39;s for good Tex-Mex

Eddie V%26#39;s for seafood

Sullivan%26#39;s for steak

Wink (expensive) for great food - also have great steak

of course 6th and 5th street for the club/bar scene and music

when driving from San Antonio to Austin, stop in Lockhart for some of the best barbeque in Texas (Smitty%26#39;s, Kreuz%26#39;s and Black%26#39;s are all excellent)

I%26#39;m not real familiar with the San Antonio area for food - maybe someone else can help with that, but I would definitely stay on the riverwalk there

hope this helps you a little!

you%26#39;ll have a blast in Texas

Houstonturtle,

Thank you for your good advice, I am in the process of checking hotels in San Antonio and Austin right now. The outlet malls are a great attraction for me, now to convince my hubby that retail therapy is good for the heart!! Best wishes from Dublin...sunny as we speak but don%26#39;t hold breath!!.

nonnativetexan,

Wow, thanks a million, you have me sold on Texas, can%26#39;t wait to get there. It%26#39;s great to have some local knowledge. The wedding is in the Galleria area so we will probabaly stay there but after that we are on our own and will be checking out your recommendations. Really appreciate you taking the time to reply to my post.

Greeting from Ireland.

Houston vs. Dallas

Hello Texas, My family and I are considering to move to Texas with the next year or so. I would like to know the difference between Dallas vs. Houston and which one of those cities is a better location to move to. Here is what I%26#39;m looking for:

1. Job Market:

First off, how is the job market in general? I%26#39;m working on my degree in both video production and graphic design. My mom is in the banking industry and has her real estate licsence and my brother is into the music scene and visual arts. Does Houston or Dallas have a Job market for all these things?

2. Which city supports the Arts more? This includes visual arts, music and film

3. Which city has better opportunity for starting a business?

4. Which city is better where cost of living is concerned, especially home prices?

5. Which city has better weather?

I know both cities are hot, but which one is more manageable?

6. Which city has the worst crime?

7. Which city has the best entertainment and more things to do leisure wise?

8. Which city is popular with celebrities?

9. Which city has a more diverse population and diverse culture?

10. Which city has better school districts?

Houston vs. Dallas

Oh my! You have asked the $6million question, and one that will probably elicit a lot of emotional response... There is a stereotype that folks who love Dallas dislike Houston, and folks who love Houston dislike Dallas - so depending on who you talk to you%26#39;ll get a different answer.

There are websites that can provide you with the answers to your questions.

For Houston, try: www.houstontx.gov.

For Dallas, try: www.dallascityhall.com.

You will see that both cities are international, world class cities with a lot to offer their residents: good arts, good schools, good entertainment, good jobs, etc.

Having lived in both cities (as well as Austin), I can tell you that each city has its own character. My personal impression is that Dallas is new and shiny, while Houston is vibrant and colorful. And as you can guess, those 4 adjective can have different meanings to different people. I personally prefer Houston, although I cannot say anything negative about Dallas either. It%26#39;s simply a personal preference.

\My suggestion is for you to visit both cities for a day or two before deciding where you would like to settle. As you drive around town and maybe walk in some of the neighborhoods you%26#39;ll get a feel for the cities and which one might be more suitable for your and your family%26#39;s preferences. This will be much more valuable than any statistic that the visitor bureau can put out...

Houston vs. Dallas

I agree with the previous post - you will get different opinions from different people, depending on their own experiences. I have lived in Houston, lived in Austin and spent alot of time in the Dallas area -I%26#39;m not sure if you have considered Austin too, but here are my thoughts on the three major Texas cities:

1. Job market: for the specific jobs you mentioned, there is a market for real estate in all three cities. If you are studying video production/graphic design, there are universities in all three cities, UT in Austin being the best public University in Texas. As far as music scene - hands down, Austin is known as the live music capital of the world

2. as far as supporting the arts, the bigger cities have the better museums (Houston, Dallas and actually Fort Worth has an excellent art museum) There are film groups in all cities, but Austin has a large population of Independent filmmakers - an annual film festival, the annual South by Southwest (www.sxsw.com) in Austin is attended by thousands of filmmakers and other artists (Houston has an annual film festival as well). So, to answer your question - all the cities support the arts very well - but Austin is a destination for many musicians, filmmakers and artists.

3. as far as starting a busniess, obviously the more people that live in your city, the more money you stand to ';potentially'; make. Houston is the fourth largest city in the US. On the other hand, Austinites love to support local businesses, especially if they are ';artsy';.

4. Home prices: Houston has the most affordable housing of the three big cities in Texas. You can find affordable apartments in any city.

5. weather? bottom line is, Texas is hot from late April to mid September. But we have mild winters. Houston is more humid, being close to the Gulf. Dallas tends to have the highest temps in the summer, but only by a few degrees or so.

6. Crime? Dallas, Tx actually has a higher crime rate than Houston, which amazes me - but it%26#39;s true. But, you can find safe areas in either city.

7. entertainment: all the cities have plenty of things to do - not an issue

8. celebrities? the only city in Texas where celebrities are consistently known to visit (and live in) is Austin.

9. Houston is the most diverse - it%26#39;s a much more international city.

10. overall, Dallas has the best school districts in Texas. But, there are great districts in Houston and Austin as well.

I agree with the above posters. They both gave very accurate and a non-bias information about the two cities.

I will go to www.city-data.com to compare all the Texas cities in great detail. City-data offers statistics on the things that you have mentioned above.

For school ratings and performance scores go to www.tea.state.tx.us This is the Texas Board of Education website.

You could find the ratings of all the school districts within both cities.

I will say that both cities have the things that you are looking for. I think that you should definitely visit them both before you make your decision. That way you will get a better understanding of what the atmosphere and culture is like in both places.

By the way, welcome to Texas!

As someone who has studied political science, I can tell you that Houston probably is the least attractive aesthetically speaking, however, that in itself lends itself to lower, more affordable housing and one of the best job markets right now. Houston all has a high percentage of new business start-ups that are successful. That is the key to that question - how many ';successful new business start-ups are there. A lot of cities can boast a high percentage new business start-ups but how many of those succeed.

University of Houston Clear Lake %26amp; Main Campus both have degree programs in your field of study. University of Saint Thomas has a communication program in their Liberal Arts school that includes video production. Most students at St. Thomas get internships at television stations or radio stations.

have you considered Austin?

Houston defiantely better than Dallas. I would rather climb thru a sewer in Houston than go to a party in Dallas. Dallas is by far the worst city in America.

San Antonio - Austin would be my choice.

Houston%26#39;s general ';feel” to me is one of a large city - lots of traffic, plenty of bad areas, etc. I%26#39;ve never lived there and I%26#39;m sure there are lots of wonderful areas, but I just don%26#39;t care for the vibe.

Dallas makes me think of the stereotypical rich Texan-oil baron. I have a sister that lives in McKinney and the old section has a wonderful home town feel, but too much of Dallas reminds me of upper-middle class burbs. I don%26#39;t see the soul.

Soul is exactly what I like about SA and Austin - SA has a working class Latino herritage vibe that I enjoy even though I%26#39;m neither. And Austin has the college/liberal idealism vibe that I enjoy even though I%26#39;m neither.

Food for thought.

I have a friend that lived and worked professionally in Dallas and then moved to Houston. At first she was not very impressed with Houston; however, once she learned what Houston has to offer, she won%26#39;t leave.

In my opinion, anything I can do in Houston can be done in Dallas. I have spent plenty of time in Dallas, but I still favor Houston and call it home.

5. Which city has better weather?

I would say Houston has better weather, because it doesn%26#39;t fluctuate much. Dallas may ice over in the winter and flood in the summers. Besides major tropical storms, Houston can be very predictable.

6. Which city has the worst crime?

Every city has crime. Let us know where in Houston you are looking and you can get a truthful answer.

9. Which city has a more diverse population and diverse culture?

Houston, diversity is what makes Houston so great. You can drive down Bellaire and start at 1930%26#39;s Bungalow homes and finish end up in the Vietnamese part of town. That%26#39;s just one example.

This is a topic that can really generate a lot of strong emotions!

I was born and raised in the Dallas area, but have spent many years of my adult life in the Houston area. I have to say that I love them both! If I was to choose now between the two - putting aside the fact that my entire family is in Dallas, I would choose Houston. We just moved out of Houston in August and I miss it terribly.

It is much more diverse than Dallas. At one time in the mix 90%26#39;s Ft Bend county, was considered the most ethnically diverse county in the nation!

Crime is reportedly better in Houston, but I know both cities have their problems.

As far as the careeer interests, I would think Dallas might have a slight edge for you, but both cities have plenty of opportunity in all your mentioned areas.

Weather? Houston wins that one. Yeah, its hot and humid in the summer, but I love the fact that it rarely freezes. I%26#39;m a shorts kinda person. Plus I love the beautiful landscaping that the year round warm weather affords.

I would think Houston would win the cost of living award. I know when I compared what it cost us to live, as opposed to what our families spend in the Dallas area, we definately had the better deal.

As far as the arts go, both cities have plenty to offer.

Good luck.

Young family relocation to Houston (city) - need advice

Hello again. I posted about checking out and maybe moving into the suburbs of Houston (SUgarland/Woodland/Cypress, etc).

I want to keep my options open.

Are there any areas WITHIN Houston city that are suitable for a family with young children (10, 6, 4)? I do not plan on enrolling them in private schools. Which areas would have ';acceptable'; schools for them? I%26#39;d like your advise. I would like to check out those areas as well as the outer areas

Thank you!!

Young family relocation to Houston (city) - need advice

Kingwood is a beautiful community with great schools. It has over 200 miles of running trails etc. Check it out. It is about 25 miles from downtown and the commute is not as tough as Katy or the Woodlands....plus its not too far from the large airport which I have found comes in very handy.

Best of luck to you in your family. I hope you enjoy the Houston area.

Young family relocation to Houston (city) - need advice

You have hit on the eternal dilemma for many inner-city Houstonians. I have a 4-year old and I live ';in Houston.'; I will do my best to help as I spent the last few days disucssing this very topic with several other parents. The most obvious neighborhoods within Houston that are ';nice';are The Heights (my neighborhood), Bellaire, West University, Memorial, Spring Valley, Oak Forest, Garden Oaks, Montrose, Braeswood and Meyerland. First option is to live ';inside the Looop'; (as I do) and consider HISD. For your 4 and 6-year old there are many good elementary schools if you are in a nice neighborhood. We are hoping our daughter gets into the Vanguard program within HISD. Your kids would have to test into the schools and even then the schools are very urban. I have friends that moved to the Memorial area in order to take advantage of the Spring Branch ISD schools ( most, but not all, are excellent). It is certainly one of the more expensive areas of the city. I personally never want to live outside of Houston, but I also understand that parents often sacrifice things for their kids. We will do whatever we can to stay ';in town,'; but I can%26#39;t guarantee that we will never flee to the burbs for the ';free'; public schools. In many ways it is hard to answer your question without knowing what is important to you and your budget. The neighborhoods I listed above all have distinct peronalities and different people would be more ';at home'; in some of the neighborhoods than others.

Thank you. I will look in those areas as well!

Hi!! I would never move my children within the houston city limits. There are alot of suburbs right outside of Houston that are great for kids and an easy commute. Try Spring, Tomball,The Woodlands etc. Those are very nice area and great for children.Klein school district is great and located in Spring, and The Woodlands is just beautiful.

Checkout:

Rice University Area

Bellaire

The Heights

West University

Memorial Drive Area (Spring Branch School District)

These are great areas for families who do not want to live in the suburbs. Checout www.HoustonNewcomerGuides.com for detail information about Houston neighborhoods. You may also want to checkout www.tea.state.tx.us for school performance reports and profile information.

FYI Bellaire and West University ARE NOT CITY OF HOUSTON!!!!!!!!! They are there own incorporated cities. check out www.westu.org and www.ci.bellaire.tx.us. It steams me when people call these cities ';Houston'; they are not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Deezick - that%26#39;s why Kirby hasn%26#39;t been fixed in forever.

tamlyn - check out the Cinco Ranch area it%26#39;s outside the Beltway 8 loop.

Deezick, other than having their own police force and tax system, I consider Bellaire and West U. to be part of Houston. They are part of HISD. Tamlym was most concerned about schools. The only thing I notice about going into West U. or Bellaire is the color of the street sign.

well they are completely seperate from the City of Houston. Both have their own police, fire, EMS, public works etc. The tax rate is lower in both cities . Kirby Dr, by the way is in the City of Houston. The City of West U. starts on the western curb of the street.

True, West U and Bellaire are HISD. Many kids in both cities go to private schools. Residents in both cities will quickly tell you they do not live in the City of Houston.

My daughter is an associate principal in the Spring Branch system, but lives in Cypress. She%26#39;s pleased with the schools in Cypress--and the homes cost less.

networking

help! Relocating to Houston

Can anyone suggest a nice safe area of Houston to live in temporarily?

I%26#39;m relocating there with my husband, dog and 5 month old baby. We need temporary accomodation and I haven%26#39;t a clue where to start.

We don%26#39;t want to be too far away from all the action, but not so close that it%26#39;s crazy city living.

thanks

help! Relocating to Houston

The Clear Lake area (also known as the Bay Area) by NASA JSC is very safe and nice. It is a great community. NASA. Good seafood. Palm trees. It is a drive into downtown (at least 30 minutes depending on traffic), but it is a wonderful, safe place to live. I would highly recommend it, especially with a 5 month old baby. You would be close to the Kemah boardwalk and closer to Galveston (30 minutes) if you live in the bay area.... (some ';cities';/burbs in the bay area: League City, Seabrook, Kemah, Clear Lake City,...)

help! Relocating to Houston

Although your baby is only 5 months old, the school district in Clear Lake (Clear Creek Independent School District) is one of the tops and it has been for years. Something about that area has a small town feel once you live in it.

It is about 20 miles south of downtown Houston. Not sure what side of town your employer is on but that may make a difference in what side of town you choose to live on.

For the north side of town, look at The Woodlands or Kingwood

for used homes go to www.har.com

for new homes go to www.hotonhouston.com

I just moved here recently from Alabama and boy what a shocker! I got this book/guide to Houston. There are a few guides but only one of them is free-I searched for a while!

They have a website, www.houstonnewcomerguides.com and you can order all of them and it%26#39;s free for one of them or all five! I was looking at west Houston but went ahead and ordered all of the books and because of one of them, moved just south of downtown and the medical center. A lot of hospitals here a great but Houston has the world%26#39;s largest medical center! I%26#39;m very accident-prone so we decided to stay close :)

Check out that website and they have people in the book who can help with temporary housing. Like I said, we lived in Alabama and I ordered all of their books and got them within a couple of days.

Good luck!

Thanks everyone - most appreciated.

We%26#39;ll check out the Clear Lake area. I%26#39;ll also look at the new comers website. V useful!

TorCW

Just curious--does the %26#39;TorC%26#39; stand for Truth or Consequences, NM?

I don%26#39;t know where your employment will be, but The Woodlands is a very nice, community-style area in which to live. It%26#39;s about 40 miles north of Downtown. There are great shopping areas, a wonderful school system (Conroe Indep. School Dist.), hike-and-bike trails, close to lakes and a national forest, two major hospitals, and trees.

The Woodlands is a fairly young population--most people have school-age children. There are a fair amount of people that commute downtown to their jobs--we do have commuter buses that take subscribers to various locations throughout Houston. TX housing costs ($/sq ft) are some of the lowest in the nation. You will find that people here are very friendly.

Hope that will give you another option to think about.

Good luck.

I agree with Clear Lake - fantastic area to live in - although a bit far from Houston. No reason to go into Houston accept for job or theater/museums.

except :-)

There are several ';corporate'; apartments around town. If you are truly looking for temporary accomodations then they might fit the bill.

Although I think The Woodlands are nice I would never live there for my lifestyle. I am much more of a city person. Join the rest of us that live inside of Houston. You can forget the commute if you live inside of the loop. It just depends on your budget and who you would rather have dinner with in your free time. People who live inside of the loop tend to be a bit more ';blue state.'; I am married and have a young child, so it is family friendly as well. If you like the burbs then all of the above are very nice. You should also add Kingwood and Katy to your list. I personally would choose Kingwood if we were moving to the burbs b/c the commute is the easiest.

There are lots of good corporate apartments in the Houston area, but it really does depend on what part of town your husband will be working in. Houston is really spread out, its well more than 50 miles from one side of the city to the other. Depending on where it is, commute times could be a really big deal.

big bend in the fall

coming to BB in the middle of september--what can we expect for temperatures? How full are the backcountry campsites (in the chisos)during this time? What is estimated time (55 yr.old flatlanders with backpacks not use to the heat but who hike alot in the Tetons/Wind River/Yellowstone) from Chisos lodge to boot canyon (is it really only 4.5miles). Would only have two nights in backcountry--any suggestions? Any information is appreciated!!!

big bend in the fall

Weather can be all over the map, but probably plenty warm. I%26#39;ve been rafting during the Thanksgiving break. Crowds should be light. It sounds like you%26#39;re experienced hikers; hiking time should be what ever the norm is for you.

big bend in the fall

We are also considering canoeing the Rio grande--any suggestions for vendors and section of the river?

I like Far Flung adventures http://www.farflung.com/tx/

I%26#39;m also thinking about going in Sept, probably the last week. August and September are supposed to be the slowest months according to their site.

I have only been once before at the end of April and it was incredibly hot then! I didn%26#39;t stay in the backcountry when I was there, we did the Basin instead and it was wonderful!

Hi Meanjean

We visited Big Bend 3rd week of september last year and it was a real highlight. We%26#39;ve been to all western NP%26#39;s and BB is in our top ten. We stayed in the Chisos Mountain Lodge at $ 104,-- without a reservation but were very lucky to have a room because of a cancellation. The campsides are close to the lodge and they still had free spots. The area is breathtaking and wildlife abundant. Did not see one of the 50 mountainlions though but they probably saw us! It was great weather too. It was between 80 and 90 and nights were cool not cold. Maybe make a reservation to the campground (if possible). We visited the park by car making short hikes and I am not much of a hiker but liked it very much. Always bring enough water and let the ranger know where you are (making long hikes). Don%26#39;t speed. We drove accidentally (yes, accidentally!!) 60 mph, 45 allowed, and were stops. No ticket though. The officer was forgiving. wow. BB is one of those places we whished we had a tent instead of staying in a hotel.

Have fun!

Tet{;o)-

Kiddos are back in school so crowds should be much smaller. Heed the speed limits (45 on all of the roads which is ridiculous) I was not as lucky as Tet, 6am on a Monday in October, not a soul in sight, I%26#39;m doing 75 (on purpose) I%26#39;ve got hundreds of miles ahead of me, come over a rise, travel a hundred yards and lights come on, cost me over a hundred bucks!

Sorry to hear Octoboy, maybe it was my wife%26#39;s smile........

And yes, 45 Miles on deserted widespaced roads is foolish.

Drove from BB to Marathon, we were the only and yes at 45 mph!

Hey MJ...if you%26#39;re still around I would like to know how your outing to BB went. I am headed that way on Saturday, with a 2-day stop-off @ Balmorhea State Park (Davis Mountains).

Last year we went to Cloudcroft, New Mexico and then on to Mt Lemmon in Arizona...great outing....a bear ravaged our campsite...no bear warnings or bear bunkers. I forgot to put our ice chest in the car and he broke into it and drank all of my cokes and all of my coffee creamer...I guess he didn%26#39;t like my husband%26#39;s brand of beer because he didn%26#39;t mess with it.

Hey, my daughter is working in one of your favorite areas. She works at Signal Mountain Lodge (Grand Teton). Last year she worked at Togwotee Lodge (Grand Teton). The year before that she worked at Going To The Sun Lodge (Glacier NP). I have no idea where she gets her adventurous trait from (hehe).

Anyway, if you%26#39;re still out there hit me..I would love to hear about your visit. And let me know if I need to take along some bear spray. My daughter says I should always have it with me in case I run into a jerk. I reckon it doubles as an Anti-Jerk Deterent as well as an Anti-Bear Deterent (hehe)

lip gloss

1 week in Irving

Hey there I will be visiting from Vancouver....I have a few questions ..

1: I know that the Cowboys are not playing the weekend I get there

Nov 11 thru to the 17 , is there any college ball being played that weekend

2: where would be the best place to watch NFL all day Sunday,

3: I heard that Spankees was the place to be on Saturday..can someone tell me why this would be?

4: is it cold that time of year?....

Thanks r

1 week in Irving

1. SMU plays Houston on the 11th. A%26amp;M plays Nebraska on the 11th (3 hour drive, don%26#39;t know if you can get tickets)

2. Don%26#39;t really know, but Champs on 114 %26amp; MacArthur or Cool River further south on MacArthur have big screens everywhere.

3. Don%26#39;t know

4. November is ';iffy'; can be warm or not. Check the weather forecast before you come. Generally, unless you%26#39;re planning to do a lot of outdoor activities a lightweight coat is all you ever need around here. I know people around here who wear shorts year round and don%26#39;t own a real coat.

1 week in Irving

nice I am coming fron Canada so I will most likey find it down right balmy....Thanks

theatre district

I thinking about coming to Houston in a few weeks to surprise a friend that%26#39;s performing in a play at TUTS (theatre under the stars I think). I%26#39;ve never been to Houston and have no idea what the city is like. When I go to New York I know I can get a decent hotel in the theatre district and everything...theatres...restaurants...is within easy and safe walking distant from my hotel. Is this true of Houston? I have no idea where TUTS is located so finding a hotel close by is challenging. Is it downtown, uptown...? All I know is it is on bagby street (Hobby Center For The Performing arts). Also, what airport would be best for me to fly into? Any suggestions on hotels, transportation, restaurants would be greatly appreciated.

theatre district

I went to www.thehobbycenter.org for some general info, and there were hotels partners listed for preferred rates. They are: Four Seasons Hotel, Hotel ICON, and Sam Houston Hotel. Some of the other downtown hotels are: The Lancaster and Doubletree at Allen Center.

Either airport (IAH-Bush or Hobby) will be acceptable. Hobby is closer and you may be able to fly Southwest for better fares, so I would advise to start there.

Houston has light rail service in parts of the city. www.ridemetro.org will give maps.

Welcome to Houston!

theatre district

All of the above mentioned hotels are quite nice. I would also add the Magnolia. If you are on a tighter budget then look at the new Marriot Courtyard (in a historical building) and also the Crowne Plaza. Downtown is much better than it was before the rail opened. There are certainly several good restaurants downtown. One of the better ones is actually in the Hobby Center iteself, Cafe Artiste. One caveat, some of the trendier nightlife has moved to midtown and left several vacant buildings. There are still plenty of places to go and downtown Houston is as safe as most large cities. I feel comfortable walking downtown, but it is not nearly as busy as NYC. Other restaurants to consider dwontown are the one in the Lancaster, Zula, Vic and Anthony%26#39;s and Quattro in the Four Seasons (really good).

Thank you all for your advice. It will make it much easier for me to plan my trip. I%26#39;m really excited about seeing Houston!

Wouldn%26#39;t stay in Courtyard Marriot or Crown Plaza - it is too far to be ';safe'; walking distance to the theatre district. Hotels are nice - but desolate area at night. Better off with with the Magnolia, Lancaster or Hotel Icon. Busy, well-heeled area and safe to walk to the theatre district and entertainment venues.

Texas7-- thanks for the advice. What about the Doubletree Hotel at 400 Dallas st? Is it close enough to the Hobby Center to walk and would it be safe to do so at night, after the play-- around 10:30? Also, how easy is it to get a cab in Houston, especially at that time of night? Is it like other big cities where you can just flag a cab from the street?

Doubletree is closer but still a bit of a walk from all the action so it would be a bit desolate as you got near your hotel in the evening. There are cabs but you don%26#39;t see them like you would in New York where there is one every few minutes. You usually have to call for one.

a quick school question

for a lot of real estate listings I see alternately

';Northside'; and ';Northside ISD';

Are these the same school district? Or are the different? There are too many zip codes in SA, and I%26#39;m getting completely lost!! I%26#39;m starting to panic....

a quick school question

Northside and Northside ISD are the same district. The ';ISD'; is an abbreviation for ';Independent School District';. Unlike other areas of the country, in Texas you%26#39;ll find that major metropolitan areas will have multiple school districts, generally organized by geographic areas, but tthe school district boundaries can overlap governmental or municipality boundaries. That%26#39;s essentially why they are independent., they are not run by a city or county entity.

For instance, in the San Antonio area, there are multiple school districts such as Northside, Northeast (as opposed to Northside), San Antonio, East Central, Alamo Heights, Comal, Harlendale, etc.. Each is entirely distinct and operates independently from the others

My sister lives in San Antonio, but her children attend schools in the Alamo Heights ISD.

a quick school question

okay - that makes sense.

In one area I%26#39;ve been searching, I see ';Northside';, and then ';NorthEast ISD';. The NE ISD - is this a good school district? I read the previous threads on this topic, but then someone told me it was a bad school system. (I don%26#39;t usually take this person%26#39;s advice but i thought I would check and see if anyone else has an opinion)

Also: I like the Stone Oak area and want to live there, but will the bussing problem be resolved by the time I need to send my oldest to kindergarden (2008)? I read that they are building new schools - but I am reading some conflicting reports on the dates...should I just stay away from Stone Oak?

thanks for all your help!

Within most districts there are better and worse areas. For example in NorthEast the schools that feed Roosevelt and Robert E Lee High Schools might be considered less desireable. If you%26#39;ve read my previous threads you know I%26#39;m an advocate of Alamo Heights school district. Smaller community - one highschool, one middle school, two elementaries and one early learining center.

thanks Octoboy. Unfortunately my realtor does not appear to have a good grasp on the school situation.

Do you know where I might be able to find more information on the bussing situation in Sone Oak? Should I call a particular school district to get the dates nailed down?

here%26#39;s some info on that: neisd.net/boundaries/…20Reagan_Bush.pdf

it has more to do with capping the middle and high schools until others are built. as far as i know, it won%26#39;t affect your little one at all.

also, here%26#39;s an interesting post from the past about the 78258 area (despite my rambling)..

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60956-i76-k637366…

thanks - i%26#39;ve been trying to read all the old threads that might be relevant.

I%26#39;m just trying to narrow things down as much as possible - there is an overwhelming number of houses for sale, and it%26#39;s been getting really hard to focus. It seems to me that all the schools in the north central/northwest sections are nice.....I hope I%26#39;m right about that!

You might find all the information you need at neisd.net the for the Northeast Independent School District. By the way they had the highest number or exemplary schools in the San Antonio area. The Northside website is nisd.net.

I would call the NE school district to find out about the new schools and the bus situation. Sometimes changes occur in the middle of the school year due to overcrowding etc.

Northside is building a ton of new schools as well.

Just a thought - I work for a large public school district and virtually all of the information on the website has a distinctly pro-district bias. Everything is true, but ...

that is exactly why I ask these questions Octoboy. I found that reading the school districts%26#39; websites was not going to tell me about the problems they have, etc.

I have found it%26#39;s always better to ask people%26#39;s opinions... :)

And now I%26#39;m waffling between Stone Oak and a couple homes in the Helotes area. *sigh* we%26#39;re coming to SA for house hunting in a week!

I have never been to SA before, so we are planning on trying every asian restaurant we can. We%26#39;ll be hitting all the sushi bars and Chinese places, so I%26#39;ll report our findings when we get back.

:)

A lot of factors have to be considered when choosing a school...Tradition,teacher to student ratio,gang activity,.sports programs,solid music program,etc...For these reasons and more Alamo heights is a great choice...If you desire a newer home,I would look at the Boerne area...For a little more affordable,look at Reagan HS area...Good Luck.....3 solid choices...

difference between vista