San Antonio, dream retirement town

"If I owned Hell and Texas, I would rent out Texas and live in Hell."

General Philip Sheridan
 
My son was a city planner in San Antonio for several years. He really liked the city. He was offered a huge salary increase and more responsibilities by the City of Alexandria, Virginia. He moved there and lasted just one year. He has just moved back to San Antonio and regrets ever leaving. He likes the weather (most of the year), the people, and the Mexican food.

On the other hand, I tend to defer to REWahoo's postings.
 
Jake46 said:
My son was a city planner in San Antonio for several years. He really liked the city. He was offered a huge salary increase and more responsibilities by the City of Alexandria, Virginia. He moved there and lasted just one year. He has just moved back to San Antonio and regrets ever leaving. He likes the weather (most of the year), the people, and the Mexican food.
Click to expand...

Jake, I know you're almost old enough to start collecting SS but I thought you'd be able to hang on to your full cognitive abilities for at least a few more years. This is depressing...
 
San Antonio is probably one of the best places to retire in Texas. That doesn't mean it's a good place to retire. It's just one of the best places in Texas.

I won't repeat REW's list. I will add the comment that trying to go anywhere from San Antonio is a pain. If you drive, it's two days for anywhere out of Texas. If you fly, you will always have a layover and frequently have to change airlines. The alternative is a ~5 hour drive to Houston IAH.

San Antonio is a tourist town. A short visit would be fun. There isn't a lot there after the touristy stuff except a bunch of military bases.

SA has a decent climate but is very hot in the summer. Before buying a house, figure out where the flash floods hit so you don't flood or get isolated for a week during heavy rains. :D
 
LOL! said:
My parents retired to San Antonio. It's pretty much been a no-go zone for me since.
Click to expand...
-
I see what you mean, the only reason to stay out of Texas is that I have distant in-laws there.

AT&T, we know you are the same varmints formally known as SBC, don't get me started; and you allow your name to be used on a stadium with a losing team? Shame shame on Texas.:bat:

OTHO:
This thread is either incomplete, deliberately misleading, and/or the following items really are myths:

What about gully washers, messy oil wells, Enron! and NASA?

There will be further research needed. Bring on more reports from the field, Enuf.
 
CuppaJoe said:
-

What about gully washers, messy oil wells, Enron! and NASA?
Click to expand...

NASA? Except for their scattering debris over half the state I don't see what you mean. Good thing I was in ground safety.
 
And what about armed retired Texas Rangers acting as security at the front door of every restaurant and store? What about the exhaustingly long walk from the parking lots to the Pappas restaurants? I admit being able to get a margarita at Taco Cabana is a draw, however :)
 
I have never been to San Antonio but would like to visit and have thought of using it as a FIREbase if I liked it. It seems like it would be OK, especially if you avoid the hottest summer months. San Antonio climate averages:

Average Weather for San Antonio, TX - Temperature and Precipitation

I was in Houston recently (August) and it is just so spread out and completely non-pedestrian, non-biker friendly. I had a "Houston moment" when I went jogging and ended up getting lost, then walking down one of those frontage roads and finding out I was still two exits away from my hotel. And yes the humidity can get pretty bad there.

I speak Spanish and love Mexican food and I am sure that would help in San Antonio. What is it like to live in San Antonio without a car? How is biking and the bus system? I prefer to rent a car from time to time in my FIREbase and then not worry about storing one during my travels (say, 8 months per year).

I am leaving on another international trip tomorrow and one thing I noticed is that it is so easy to get ready this time -- I sold my car last month and now there is no car to clean, get ready, cover with a car cover, explain to a relative how to drive it once each month, reducing the insurance, etc., etc.

Kramer
 
kramer said:
What is it like to live in San Antonio without a car?
Click to expand...

In all seriousness, you probably wouldn't enjoy it. It is similar to Houston in that it is a horizontal city comprised of endless suburban sprawl - the inner loop around the city is 54 miles long. The outer loop (1604) has never been measured.

kramer said:
How is biking and the bus system?
Click to expand...

It isn't a bike friendly city. Better than Houston, but as you know, that isn't saying much. The bus system is reasonably good.
 
REWahoo said:
It isn't a bike friendly city. Better than Houston, but as you know, that isn't saying much. The bus system is reasonably good.
Click to expand...
What do you mean it isn't bike friendly. There are hogs all over the place and everyone is very considerate when they pass a Bandito. :angel:
 
2B said:
What do you mean it isn't bike friendly. There are hogs all over the place and everyone is very considerate when they pass a Bandito. :angel:
Click to expand...
We'll there is that, yes. But there aren't many bike lanes and the general public tends to be less than hospitable toward sharing the road with any biker not wearing Bandito tattoos.
 
Yeah, the city I enjoyed the most was Austin. I was just hoping for a less expensive version.

I visited a lot of American cities as part of my job while I was working, and I enjoyed Austin the most of any of them.

Austin seemed bike-able if you lived near downtown or near UT. And there were lots of good bus routes around UT.

Kramer
 
Austin may be the only really bike friendly town in the state. Having UT and its 50,000 students located downtown make bike travel almost mandatory.
 
CuppaJoe said:
AT&T, we know you are the same varmints formally known as SBC, don't get me started.
Click to expand...
Yep, these varmints are the reason I moved to Dallas 14 years ago from St. Louis; traded snow for dust......:p
 
kramer said:
... I sold my car last month and now there is no car to clean, get ready, cover with a car cover, explain to a relative how to drive it once each month, reducing the insurance, etc., etc.

Kramer
Click to expand...
Hi Kramer

Best of luck on your latest adventure. We sold my BMW convertible in June and we are driving our SUV to Mexico next month to leave it there. This decluttering is very cathartic.

As you know, we live in bike-friendly Vancouver. With the SUV in PV, we will be able to travel to bike-friendly suburbs. The savings from shedding that one car amount to $150/mo and we don't really miss it that much.

It is odd how we have to get rid of stuff and then get used to it and then finally feel the burden lightened.

Thanks for being the pioneer on this.
 
kcowan said:
Hi Kramer

Best of luck on your latest adventure. We sold my BMW convertible in June and we are driving our SUV to Mexico next month to leave it there. This decluttering is very cathartic.

As you know, we live in bike-friendly Vancouver. With the SUV in PV, we will be able to travel to bike-friendly suburbs. The savings from shedding that one car amount to $150/mo and we don't really miss it that much.

It is odd how we have to get rid of stuff and then get used to it and then finally feel the burden lightened.

Thanks for being the pioneer on this.
Click to expand...
kcowan, great to hear that you are enjoying the lifestyle!

My mom and my sister's family recently returned from Vancouver and my mom was just raving about how nice it is there in the summer.

I really felt funny the first couple of weeks without a car but now I don't really think about it.

I can easily get anywhere in the community where I am staying by bus/train or bike. So far, the main drawback I have found is that it is harder to come back from somewhere late so usually I plan to get together for lunches instead of dinners. And if I am going somewhere where I can't be sweating, that mostly rules out the bike. I am getting a hair cut today but I can't really ride my bike there (helmet hair, sweat). Of course, it is not too far so I will just walk.

Kramer
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Billy's short story
Replies
8
Views
2K
peteyperson
P

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom