Austin, Texas routinely rates at the top of various national surveys as one of the best cities in the nation to live, and for good reasons.  Located in the Hill Country of Texas, Austin is almost as well known for its natural beauty as for its live music scene.  Despite the expected rise in property values due to all the attention paid the city, Austin is still relatively affordable to live in compared to other hotspot cities like San Francisco or Seattle. 

Nature lovers can enjoy the surrounding hills, parks, canyons, lakes and of course the Colorado River that flows right through the city of Austin, surrounded by miles of bike and hiking trails known as the Green Belt.  The main park of the Green Belt, Zilker Park, is also home to a fresh spring water pool called Barton Springs that’s often referred to as the soul of the city itself.  For more summertime fun, residents can drive south for tubing on the Comal or the Guadalupe.

Austin is home to plenty of dressed-up fun that involves shirts and shoes, of course.  The famous 6th Street is the home of year-round drinking and live music, and has shown to be so popular that the nightlife has expanded onto Red River and up to 4th Street.  The entire downtown entertainment district is home of the annual South By Southwest festival in March, which has three parts, the interactive festival, the film festival, and the music festival.  For music fans, there’s also the outdoor Austin City Limits festival in September, and good live music downtown any night of the week. 

Austin is the cultural home to more than live music, as well.  The University of Texas at Austin provides opportunities for education inside the classroom and out.  Check out the Harry Ransom center for an array of cultural artifacts and the new Blanton Museum of Art.  Sports fans find themselves most welcome in Austin, of course.  Not only does the city have a minor league baseball team up north in Round Rock, the UT Longhorns are perennial favorites here.  Longhorn football outstrips many professional teams in popularity, but the university has a full roster of sports to enjoy year-round.  If you like movies, Austin is also home to the Alamo Drafthouse, a theater chain that perfected the art of combining dinner and movies into one experience. 

The main draw to the city is its people, who are known for their combination of intelligence, good-humor and a laid-back attitude. The main industries in the area are education, politics, technology, and entertainment, so the town bursts at the seams with youthful energy.  It’s no wonder that one of the favorite recreational activities in town is simply going out to eat at the various restaurants around town and simply chatting with friends.  With such a congenial crowd of people, it’s hard to go wrong, though the ongoing competition between restaurants for the best salsa and best house drinks or beer helps.