Which east TX city is better?

[CandyApple]

Alrighty folks, I've pretty much got my list of places to check out, with some slight tweaking in the works before I make campground reservations. I've got to cut one to three cities off the list so that I have enough time to visit all the cities I need to, and it's one(s) in east Texas that have to go, since there's no way I'm knocking the beach off the list. :)

I'll be visiting Austin, Portland (near Corpus Christi), Port Neches/Port Arthur, and (maybe) Port Lavaca.

The ones I need help with are: Jacksonville, Marshall, Nacogdoches, Mount Pleasant, and Denison. What sucks about each, what's good about each, how do they compare to each other, and which one(s) will most suit me?

The cheaper the rent, the cheaper to buy a house, (for a decent place) the better. I want somewhere beautiful and friendly. And it should have a somewhat varied economy, meaning if the only place to work is the local coal mine and that shuts down... I don't want to be SOL.

Besides that, basically I want to be able to live without a car, so an area where you can get to everything via foot/bicycle/bus is important. Due to the possibility of transit strikes I'd prefer to rely on my bike than a bus, so I'd rate being able to get somewhere via bike higher than via a bus. I prefer a compact area to a sprawly/rural area.

I'd like to live somewhere that you don't need to be a member of the church to be part of the community/socialize. I like Dungeons and Dragons and similar stuff, so an active gaming community is a plus. Activities at the library like story time, mommy groups, anything that adds to the opportunities to socialize is good.

Places where there's lots of things to learn/do are great. I.E. I'd like to take yoga, dance, singing, cooking classes, foreign language classes, crafts, outdoor skills, etc. with my daughter so that we can learn together. They don't have to be "classes" per se; groups, or friends doing that kind of stuff together would be good.

Being able to get specialty foods like goat milk/goat cheese is a plus.

I need lots of opportunities to play outside, so parks, benches, hiking trails, etc. are good. Anything that encourages walking around town is good. I.E., a long winding road with lots of traffic, blind curves, deep ditches lined with poison ivy and no shoulder would NOT be conducive to going around town. I'd especially like a place with a lake/etc. that's good for swimming. I think that would be much more fun than a concrete swimming pool.

Another plus would be being able to get a cheap room for a month while trying to figure out which house/apartment to rent.

Theater, music stuff, etc. is a plus.

Any difference between the quantities/types of dangerous/annoying critters in these towns? Snakes, mosquitoes, alligators, etc.?

Lots of gated communities, condo associations, extensive deed restrictions, etc. are a MINUS. (I don't want to need a keycard to get into my neighborhood, and I don't want to have to get a permit to paint my house purple!)

Good/cheap internet is a plus. Work at home jobs/other jobs that you can work while watching your own kids (besides daycare!) are a plus. What kinds of jobs are there where it's feasible to bring kids along to work are there, just generally, anyway? I really don't know.

I have more questions, but I'm starting to fuzz out a bit. Plus my kid keeps distracting me before I can type them!

[NHYRNUT]

Sounds like your looking for that place there, Oh directions directions where did I put them. Oh here they are. OK Look up at night than just follow the 2nd star to the right and straight on til morning. If I remember correctly Mt. Pleasant is about 2 hrs from Dallas. It was mainly a farming community back when I passed through there. With about 10 K population. But that was 10 years ago or more. But that is all I know of this little town. As for the others I don't know anything that would be of help to you aside from finding the links to the towns for you. If you need those I can help.

[Panterro]

Save yourself the trouble and just goto Rockport. Portland is nothing just an extension of Corpus, want to save on rent maybe look at Robstown.

Victoria tx is a nice place, a bit far out from where your looking.. but Corpus is a nice place reguardless of what many may say. A bit weathered, and run down.. but I think that will change over time as many changes are already being made there.

Aransas Pass is a nice little town, I would live there or Rockport.

[kimbercuddles]

Originally Posted by Panterro

Save yourself the trouble and just goto Rockport. Portland is nothing just an extension of Corpus, want to save on rent maybe look at Robstown.

Victoria tx is a nice place, a bit far out from where your looking.. but Corpus is a nice place reguardless of what many may say. A bit weathered, and run down.. but I think that will change over time as many changes are already being made there.

Aransas Pass is a nice little town, I would live there or Rockport.

Hi Pan! I'll put my 3 cents in, also. I agree, Corpus is okay and the people there are very down-to-earth, which makes it a very welcoming city. My favorite is Port Aransas...it's a real beach community and it's extremely casual. We used to go deep sea fishing quite frequently (from San Antonio) and that's where we would stay...everyone had a great time.

[PDXnative]

Hey Pan, welcome back. we missed you. You still in the Casino business?

[Panterro]

Nope, PDX, I am back in El Paso. Have a family member in need back here. So I was asked to come here and help take care of him. Looking at moving again in a year or two, once we can get some assitance. I may move to the Texas Gulf Coast next time.. or upto your area.. dont knwo yet.

[kimbercuddles]

Originally Posted by Panterro

Nope, PDX, I am back in El Paso. Have a family member in need back here. So I was asked to come here and help take care of him. Looking at moving again in a year or two, once we can get some assitance. I may move to the Texas Gulf Coast next time.. or upto your area.. dont knwo yet.

Hey Pan...I heard the water's weird up there in Oregon... Let me know if you need any info on our area...it's sweet.

[Panterro]

Your in Florida right?

[kimbercuddles]

Originally Posted by Panterro

Your in Florida right?

Yep...in Navarre. Right between Pensacola/Gulf Breeze and Fort Walton Beach. I'm guessing you might have driven right past us if you took Hwy 98 to Fort Walton.

[Panterro]

I sure did.. I know where you are now, I'm pretty sure I have pictures of your city on my camera, there was a park I stopped at to let the kids play. I think it was in your city. In My news paper of the area the wife found a nice 3 bedroom 2 bath home there for 750 a month. I also recall the nice new super Wal Mart out there too on 98.

Its very pretty country out there. Let me get them pics off my camera and link them for you to see if I was close.

[kimbercuddles]

Originally Posted by Panterro

I sure did.. I know where you are now, I'm pretty sure I have pictures of your city on my camera, there was a park I stopped at to let the kids play. I think it was in your city. In My news paper of the area the wife found a nice 3 bedroom 2 bath home there for 750 a month. I also recall the nice new super Wal Mart out there too on 98.

Its very pretty country out there. Let me get them pics off my camera and link them for you to see if I was close.

Sounds like you were in Navarre! We love it here. That's too cool that you guys were in our neck of the woods!

[Panterro]

yes It was the place.. I just looked on Google Maps, and thats the place we stopped and stayed. the Park there is awesome. I will share the pics soon in the Florida area of the forums. The hand prints on the walls there in the play ground and the area its self is one I would consider living. The only problem I have is Florida is not a right to work state.. but would live in Navarre FL. in a heart beat.

[kimbercuddles]

Originally Posted by Panterro

yes It was the place.. I just looked on Google Maps, and thats the place we stopped and stayed. the Park there is awesome. I will share the pics soon in the Florida area of the forums. The hand prints on the walls there in the play ground and the area its self is one I would consider living. The only problem I have is Florida is not a right to work state.. but would live in Navarre FL. in a heart beat.

I'm really glad you enjoyed visiting here...we go to the park probably about once a week and over the bridge to the gulf very frequently. The hand-prints in the park are unique, I agree. I really haven't found anything about this place that I don't love...it suits us and that's what matters. Looking forward to the pics.