I just moved to your fine city. How do I make the most of it for the next few years? It seems pretty cool so far but I've only been here a week. Hiked north of the city and wandered around downtown a little bit. Haven't purchase a home yet but I'm thinking somewhere in the north west part of town.

Where are the best local taco spots?? Best watering hole?

Thanks

(08-22-2017 01:51 PM)ncbeta Wrote:  I just moved to your fine city. How do I make the most of it for the next few years? It seems pretty cool so far but I've only been here a week. Hiked north of the city and wandered around downtown a little bit. Haven't purchase a home yet but I'm thinking somewhere in the north west part of town.

Where are the best local taco spots?? Best watering hole?

Thanks

You must be military. I graduated from UTSA about 3 years ago. Most of the time I spent it around UTSA or so, so I do not know much about the NW part of the city. One thing though, you will love San Antonio. I loved the time I spent there and wouldnt change it for anything.

Great tacos in San Antonio...?

(08-22-2017 01:51 PM)ncbeta Wrote:  I just moved to your fine city. How do I make the most of it for the next few years? It seems pretty cool so far but I've only been here a week. Hiked north of the city and wandered around downtown a little bit. Haven't purchase a home yet but I'm thinking somewhere in the north west part of town.

Where are the best local taco spots?? Best watering hole?

Thanks

I used to live in NE SA. I35 and Judson. There may be some nice homes in the Monterrey Village that will have great views of the city. We thought it was a great location as its near the Forum, movies theaters and also a not so bad trip to downtown.
However, not sure what you are looking for.
Don't know about tacos but Bangkok cuisine restaurant on Pat Booker Rd is excellent.

Not UTSA fan but a TECH Bulldog who was born in SA and have lived here many years. I live in the far NW part of SA. It depends on what you are looking for in a home and how much you want to spend. I think the far NW is the best place to live. The traffic is not as bad as the rest of the city however it is getting a little worse lately. You might even consider Boerne or just outside of Bexar county. That way you avoid the Bexar county taxes and maybe even city taxes. My neighborhood is very convenient as I usually don't even have to get on any major roads to get or do just about anything I need. If you are military the far NW will be a little challenging for your drive to and from work. I am retired military but when I was active, I just went to work a little bit earlier and going to work was easy. The city roads are concentric rings (1604, 410, inner loop 35, 10, 37 and 90) with other roads slashing through the corners of the city into downtown (I-10, I 35, 90, I37, 281). As far as Mexican food, there are very few bad places to go. Housing in SA is relatively cheap compared to most other cities in the US but is catching up in cost. I always used to tell young troops who moved here, "If you can't find something to do in SA on the weekend, you have other problems."

(08-22-2017 04:59 PM)WWDog Wrote:  Not UTSA fan but a TECH Bulldog who was born in SA and have lived here many years. I live in the far NW part of SA. It depends on what you are looking for in a home and how much you want to spend. I think the far NW is the best place to live. The traffic is not as bad as the rest of the city however it is getting a little worse lately. You might even consider Boerne or just outside of Bexar county. That way you avoid the Bexar county taxes and maybe even city taxes. My neighborhood is very convenient as I usually don't even have to get on any major roads to get or do just about anything I need. If you are military the far NW will be a little challenging for your drive to and from work. I am retired military but when I was active, I just went to work a little bit earlier and going to work was easy. The city roads are concentric rings (1604, 410, inner loop 35, 10, 37 and 90) with other roads slashing through the corners of the city into downtown (I-10, I 35, 90, I37, 281). As far as Mexican food, there are very few bad places to go. Housing in SA is relatively cheap compared to most other cities in the US but is catching up in cost. I always used to tell young troops who moved here, "If you can't find something to do in SA on the weekend, you have other problems."

Not to derail the thread, but thanks for your service. I wasn't in, but my dad was in the Army for 20+ years, and all of his brothers were in the service as well. My younger brother was also in the Marines. Seems like I'm the only male in my family who didn't serve at one point or another. It's a good way of life though, with many benefits. Respect.

Welcome.

You might want to checkout the San Antonio subreddit. It might be the best place to ask questions and talk to locals online.

This is my favorite food in the city:

1) 2M Smokehouse (BBQ) - You have to get in line 15 minutes before they open. Best BBQ I've ever had (probably).

2) Pollos Asados Los Norteños - Grilled chicken, rice beans, tortillas. Awesome.

3) Chris Madrid's - Burgers.

While you are here, you need to check out the Hill Country, maybe Fredricksburg and Enchanted Rock. Go tubing in a river. Go to Schlitterbahn (a water park in New Braunfels). Go up to Austin for some live music/food (really good BBQ up there).

After many years of being gone from home I'll be trading my life in D.C. for beautiful San Antone next year. It's been a while since living in the 210 but I'd recommend catching some minor league games.

Minor League Baseball - Missions
Minor League Soccer - San Antonio FC
Minor League Hockey - Iguanas...wait scratch that Rampage.

Don't forget about the Alamobowl and Seniorbowl.

(08-22-2017 06:17 PM)Volkmar Wrote:  

(08-22-2017 04:59 PM)WWDog Wrote:  Not UTSA fan but a TECH Bulldog who was born in SA and have lived here many years. I live in the far NW part of SA. It depends on what you are looking for in a home and how much you want to spend. I think the far NW is the best place to live. The traffic is not as bad as the rest of the city however it is getting a little worse lately. You might even consider Boerne or just outside of Bexar county. That way you avoid the Bexar county taxes and maybe even city taxes. My neighborhood is very convenient as I usually don't even have to get on any major roads to get or do just about anything I need. If you are military the far NW will be a little challenging for your drive to and from work. I am retired military but when I was active, I just went to work a little bit earlier and going to work was easy. The city roads are concentric rings (1604, 410, inner loop 35, 10, 37 and 90) with other roads slashing through the corners of the city into downtown (I-10, I 35, 90, I37, 281). As far as Mexican food, there are very few bad places to go. Housing in SA is relatively cheap compared to most other cities in the US but is catching up in cost. I always used to tell young troops who moved here, "If you can't find something to do in SA on the weekend, you have other problems."

Not to derail the thread, but thanks for your service. I wasn't in, but my dad was in the Army for 20+ years, and all of his brothers were in the service as well. My younger brother was also in the Marines. Seems like I'm the only male in my family who didn't serve at one point or another. It's a good way of life though, with many benefits. Respect.

Thank You My whole family to include my wife served with the exception of my mother.

You're going to want to live in the north part of SA. Stone Oak is too crowded, if you have a lot of money Dominion is great, Boerne has great neighborhoods, if you don't mind the drive. Shavano Park is okay, Helotes Hill Coubtry is cool, Living out by La Cantera is cool, Menger Springs, Cordillera Ranch, Fair Oaks, etc North side for sure. Stone Oak is good as long as you use backroads.

(08-22-2017 08:48 PM)SApuro Wrote:  After many years of being gone from home I'll be trading my life in D.C. for beautiful San Antone next year. It's been a while since living in the 210 but I'd recommend catching some minor league games.

Minor League Baseball - Missions
Minor League Soccer - San Antonio FC
Minor League Hockey - Iguanas...wait scratch that Rampage.

Don't forget about the Alamobowl and Seniorbowl.

My brother lives in Faitfax Station & is an attorney for the ATF. He loves it there minus the traffic & the metro.

(08-22-2017 09:44 PM)Lizard Breath Wrote:  

(08-22-2017 08:48 PM)SApuro Wrote:  After many years of being gone from home I'll be trading my life in D.C. for beautiful San Antone next year. It's been a while since living in the 210 but I'd recommend catching some minor league games.

Minor League Baseball - Missions
Minor League Soccer - San Antonio FC
Minor League Hockey - Iguanas...wait scratch that Rampage.

Don't forget about the Alamobowl and Seniorbowl.

My brother lives in Faitfax Station & is an attorney for the ATF. He loves it there minus the traffic & the metro.

Many love D.C. because it always has plenty going on. Too much of a grind for my liking.

Boerne and Fredericksburg have already been mentioned... add to your Hill Country "to-visit" list Kerrville, Comfort, Hunt. Great areas for hiking, and cycling (on- and off-road). All of these are north & west of San Antonio proper.
Welcome to Texas. And don't worry, It will cool off by October.

(08-23-2017 07:13 AM)SApuro Wrote:  

(08-22-2017 09:44 PM)Lizard Breath Wrote:  

(08-22-2017 08:48 PM)SApuro Wrote:  After many years of being gone from home I'll be trading my life in D.C. for beautiful San Antone next year. It's been a while since living in the 210 but I'd recommend catching some minor league games.

Minor League Baseball - Missions
Minor League Soccer - San Antonio FC
Minor League Hockey - Iguanas...wait scratch that Rampage.

Don't forget about the Alamobowl and Seniorbowl.

My brother lives in Faitfax Station & is an attorney for the ATF. He loves it there minus the traffic & the metro.

Many love D.C. because it always has plenty going on. Too much of a grind for my liking.

Me too

The traffic is awful here too. 1604, which is outer loop is a joke. Two loops that go around the city, 410 inner loop & 1604 outer loop. The city is booming & infrastructure sucks. Depends on your price range. Good gated neighborhoods in Stone Oak & Dominion is probably the best. That's where Greg Pop , manu, George Strait live among others. 600-25million.

I like a place called Terra Mont right behind La Cantera our outside mall, and utsa & Valero HQ. It's also across from Medtronic, & the Rim which is a really upscale area.

(08-23-2017 07:30 AM)Lizard Breath Wrote:  The traffic is awful here too. 1604, which is outer loop is a joke. Two loops that go around the city, 410 inner loop & 1604 outer loop. The city is booming & infrastructure sucks. Depends on your price range. Good gated neighborhoods in Stone Oak & Dominion is probably the best. That's where Greg Pop , manu, George Strait live among others. 600-25million.

I like a place called Terra Mont right behind La Cantera our outside mall, and utsa & Valero HQ. It's also across from Medtronic, & the Rim which is a really upscale area.

I've been looking at the New Braunfels area. Traffic bad out that way?

(08-23-2017 07:40 AM)SApuro Wrote:  

(08-23-2017 07:30 AM)Lizard Breath Wrote:  The traffic is awful here too. 1604, which is outer loop is a joke. Two loops that go around the city, 410 inner loop & 1604 outer loop. The city is booming & infrastructure sucks. Depends on your price range. Good gated neighborhoods in Stone Oak & Dominion is probably the best. That's where Greg Pop , manu, George Strait live among others. 600-25million.

I like a place called Terra Mont right behind La Cantera our outside mall, and utsa & Valero HQ. It's also across from Medtronic, & the Rim which is a really upscale area.

I've been looking at the New Braunfels area. Traffic bad out that way?

Naw, not too bad at all. Just on 35 during rush hour

Also, prices of homes are going up fast. Buy now or you'll be paying about 25 % more in a few years

Thanks for the great info everyone! More responses than I was expecting. I will definitely have to check out all of the places you recommended. I'm looking forward to getting out an exploring hill country. I am in the military so I have a pretty moderate budget, but it sounds like I moved at just the right time.

Thanks again everyone!

(08-23-2017 07:55 AM)Lizard Breath Wrote:  

(08-23-2017 07:40 AM)SApuro Wrote:  

(08-23-2017 07:30 AM)Lizard Breath Wrote:  The traffic is awful here too. 1604, which is outer loop is a joke. Two loops that go around the city, 410 inner loop & 1604 outer loop. The city is booming & infrastructure sucks. Depends on your price range. Good gated neighborhoods in Stone Oak & Dominion is probably the best. That's where Greg Pop , manu, George Strait live among others. 600-25million.

I like a place called Terra Mont right behind La Cantera our outside mall, and utsa & Valero HQ. It's also across from Medtronic, & the Rim which is a really upscale area.

I've been looking at the New Braunfels area. Traffic bad out that way?

Naw, not too bad at all. Just on 35 during rush hour

I live out that way. I love it, it's a great area with lots to do between SA and Austin. Traffic is only bad during rush hours (as stated) or if there's an accident. Unfortunately there's not a lot of roads that cross Cibolo Creek because of the flood issues, so if there's an accident, IH-35 can become a parking lot. When my youngest move's out for college we're going to downsize our house, but we're staying in the area. Garden Ridge, New Braunfels, Gruene, all have high end homes with large home lots. Good area to look at.