Pros:
- Great shopping in the Domain
- Shops included chains and local/trendy fashion spots such as Banana Republic, JCrew, Lacoste, Lucky Brand Jeans, Luxe apothetique, charming Charlie, Zara
- Walking distance to lots of restaurants
- Able to see more, when driving into the city
- New hotel to stay in and try
- Room rates were cheaper
- Easier to shop and take purchases back to the hotel
- Safe – lots of security in the area
- All shops, restaurants and hotels are close together
Overall:
If you're lucky enough to find a great taxi driver, you can have the best of many worlds. In other words, if you stay in the city, you probably wouldn't leave it – by staying outside of the city, you get more variety out of your visit. Staying outside of the Austin, we were able to see so many things, but relax in a nice hotel at the same time. It was great to have a low-key but trendy place to come back to after being in the city all day.
Cons:
- Had to taxi into and out of the city every day
- Can’t say I stayed in Austin, because we were nine miles away
- Didn’t go to as many restaurants or clubs Austin is known for
Overall:
If you’re on a tight budget, spending money on taxiing back and forth might hurt a bit. Especially if you plan to go out every night; in this case it would be much smarter to stay in the city – simply because taxiing back and forth two times per day would get a little ridiculous. Also, there are SO many things to do in the city that it’s hard to get to everything – staying outside the city doesn’t give you the opportunity to regroup or freshen up for a bit, and then keep on exploring. Once you’re in the city, you should plan on being there all day.
I must tell you though; all of my pro experiences outweigh the cons, because we met a great cab driver on the first day. He was more like a tour guide than a taxi driver. Look for the cab drivers interested in repeat business, often indicated on the back of their vehicles. Each day we were given a tour of the city: we drove through the hills neighborhoods where all the great houses are, by the University of Texas (go Longhorns!), SoCo, 2nd street, 6th street, Zilker Park (home of the kite festival, which we missed by one day), the Capitol Building, Governor’s house and the list goes on. Our driver was so knowledgeable and very helpful when we asked him questions and restaurant suggestions. He was very dependable and honest. I know that’s not something you find every day, but next time you’re in Austin, know there are great cab drivers out there!
Staying outside of the city turned out to be a great thing for me because I learned so much more about the area. Next time I will stay in a hotel more in the heart of it all. I know more about the area and feel comfortable walking everywhere (especially knowing it’s one of the safest in the U.S.). Austin, TX is a very accessible city and the people are friendly, so don’t be afraid to ask where their favorite restaurant or shopping street is; you might just find the next hidden gem.
