Need info on San Antonio

[bigbrother05]

I have tried other forums, so am posting here. Have lived in Germany for the last five years.
Have been offered a job in San Antonio. Any info, good or bad would be appreciated.
Urgent

[Wickerman]

1. Lived there 14 years

Its hot in the summer (duh) and usually warmish in the winter. It can get humid cold in winter, which sucks bad. The cost of living is very low. You can buy a decent house for about 25% less than you can in my current state of Minnesota.

Politics are moderate. Not hard to find Liberals. Not as liberal as Austin, not as bad Right by far as Dallas or Houston.

Diverse community. Whites are in the minority but, of course, run most stuff. Decent sized African American comunity and Asian populations. Mostly Hispanic.

A lot to do and you are 2-3 hours from the coast, an hour and change to Austin and 4 or 5 hours to Houston and Dallas or something less.

Could do a whole lot worse. I would still love there if it were in the cards.

Good Luck.

[txindy]

14. I love that freudian slip!

"I would still love there if it were in the cards. "

Ooooh, really? Hmmm, do tell!

[Wickerman]

15. Ha!

that is funny!

My darling daughter still lives down there and if my wife would move and employment, etc., we'd be down there in a heartbeat. :loveya:

Damn Freud! Catches me every time.

[alarimer]

2. Have you tried the Texas forum?

I live in Corpus Christi, 140 miles south of San Antonio. I don't know that much about places to live, schools, etc.

[pearl]

3. Hey Big Bro

I am a native Texan living in Chicago. I'm about to move to
Marble Falls near Austin and San Antonio for Cost of living issues.
Sure, Texas is a Red State but the Counter culture there, especially SA, Austin is incredibly strong because they have to be. Hopefully, we can find our way to the "kool kids" The music and food down there are heavenly. The hill country rocks.

[Dr. Jones]

11. Chicago?

How can you STAND the cold!! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Marble falls is nice.

[lrrys]

4. SAN ANTONIO

Have lived in Houston all my life and dearly love San Antonio.
 One of the oldest cities in the Southwest, San Antonio has 4
Spanish Missions
(two of which are still in use by the Catholic Church) that
date back
to the 1500's.  These are open for tours when services are not
being held.  There is The Alamo, site of the famous battle in
1836. The Daughter of the Republic run a research library on
Texas history on the grounds of the Alamo that is open for
anyones use.  The Cathedral in the city center holds the
crypted remains of the Alamo defenders.  Also, the
Riverwalk....a wonderful and exciting dining/shopping area on
the San Antonio River.  Plenty of nightlife to suit your
taste.  Great Mexican
restuarants, the "Market" full of all kinds of
Mexican crafts. 
Some very good Steak houses if that's your taste.   
The zoo is average for a city this size.  An hours drive to
Austin (and 
the nightlife on 6th street) and only 3 hours by car to
Houston and maybe
5 hours to the Mexican border.  Downtown streets are cramped
and crowded
but to me, that's a small bit of "old city" charm. 
Seaworld is just outside of San Antonio.  Rolling hills,
scattered brush, and mesquite trees.  Home of the San Antonio
Spurs.  If my wife didn't have 27 years
teaching at the same school here in Houston, we'd have moved
there long ago.

[newyawker99]

18. Hi lrrys!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Bridget Burke]

5. I've never lived in San Antonio but have visited several times.

It's a big city--the 3rd largest in Texas--with sprawling suburbs, malls, etc.--but the center of the city can be quite charming. At the edge of the Hill Country, San Antonio & environs are not as flat as much of our state. Here's some historical background:

www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/SS/hds2.html

And here's some tourist information. San Antonio has "old" roots (for Texas) with early settlements by the Spanish/Mexicans & by Germans & other Central Europeans. There's a very good art scene & excellent food. Nearby, you can visit some pretty countryside--or drive over to Austin.

www.sanantoniocvb.com/

Let's hope some DU'ers add info on living in SA. I wouldn't mind living there, myself.

[Thtwudbeme]

6. I would move there in a minute

I have only visited a few times; most recently last summer....I just think that is one cool as hell town!

Lucky you!

[Saphire]

7. moved to SA 7 years ago, and I will not leave. The minute I arrived

in San Antonio, I felt the whole city said "beinvenidos" to me. It's said to be the smallest big city if the world. Family values are very strong here, cost of living is low, weather is great ( hot,hot,hot in summer, but mild in winter.) Lot's to see and do. It is a military town, and growing north towards Austin.

[txindy]

12. Plus it seems to understand how to handle growth.

I look at San Antonio and I see a city that plans it's roadways and builds highways to the expected (not already existing) growth spots. I look at Austin and I see the opposite. They play catch-up all the time there. Horrible planning. Still a great place, though.

So, I frequent both.

[EstimatedProphet]

8. My mother and sister live there

I love it. SA is happenning. Lots to do, even the Mexican fast food taco shacks beat hell out of the upper-end Mexican places in most cities. It's a very friendly town for its size (well over 1,000,000). It has its faults-crime is growing, for example-but the good things outweigh the bad by a long shot.

[Avalux]

9. I live in San Antonio.

Can give you lots of info; would be helpful if you could provide some specific question. I'll PM you. :hi:

[Dr. Jones]

10. I'm surprised more people haven't mentioned the RIVERWALK.

The RIVERWALK is the most popular (and beautiful) attraction in San Antonio. You can stroll along the Riverwalk, eat at outdoor cafes, or take boat rides. The Riverwalk actually runs underneath the city streets which is interesting - you have to descend the steps to get down into it. I love the architecture and the fun ambiance. It's especially nice during Christmas with all the lights strung through the trees...except I noticed this year that the Riverwalk Parade is growing increasingly more corporatized, DAMMIT. It was sponsored by Ford and everywhere you looked, every damn camera angle, and on every damn boat, was the damn FORD logo. Not to mention other massive in your face advertising and sales pitches from the hosts and frequent company "guests."

Oh, and while you are visiting the Riverwalk, be SURE to visit La Villita, a quaint little "village" of shops and one restaurant just behind the Riverwalk Ampitheatre. There's also another restaurant in that immediate area called The Fig Tree. One time I saw that ouside the entrance, they actually HAD a fig tree growing there with fresh figs. I couldn't control myself, and grabbed one of those luscious fruits. To my chagrin, and to my eternally shabby luck, out comes the owner looking mad as hell. I said "sorry," and actually, the guy became quite friendly and said it was okay. Phew.

Anyhow, San Antonio is HOT AS HELL during the summertime, frequently getting into the low 100's. SO HOT you really can't stay outside for very long. Last time I was there (I live in Dallas) it was so damn hot around the Alamo, we literally had to dodge into the shops every few minutes to cool off.

Live in the Western suburbs...that's supposed to be the "nice" part of San Antonio. I found that generally, wages are low and good jobs are virtually non-existent in San Antonio - that's the main reason we didn't relocate there. But if you're making $35-40/yr, you can do pretty well there with a house and all.

Good luck!

[Saphire]

16. New Toyota plant going in on the south side...a few good paying

jobs around. If your into making lots of money, then SA is not the place to be. If your into good family values it is the place.

[Buns_of_Fire]

13. city-data.com has a lot of statistical information...

http://www.city-data.com/city/San-Antonio-Texas.html

I'd move there in a minute. Hell, I'd move almost ANYWHERE in a minute.

[Yollam]

17. About as nice a city as you'll find in Texas.

Beautiful Hill Country, nice people, not as right-wing as other places. Summers are very long and hot, and there is almost no winter. But it's a reasonably short drive to Corpus Christi and the beach. I was born there.