I've been out of state for a few years but finally being called back to the mothership within the next few months. What's the best/coolest area for a guy my age these days?

Let's pretend I decide to rent instead of buy for a while: I would prob be renting in the $1500-2000 range (currently in Chicago so my rent budget may be way inflated).
Work will be based 281/Bitters area but I'll be flying in/out of SAT pretty frequently as well.

Thanks in advance!

What do you enjoy doing in your free time now?

Ragoo said:

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What do you enjoy doing in your free time now?

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Live music, running, traveling. I always tend to live where I can walk or ride to a decent number of restaurants/bars.

The the pearl area would be really great. The 281 corridor up to 410 has pretty much every thing you need.

Get your mind right...I'm betting the Chicago dating scene is about 100x better than SA's.

Look at The Rim area also.

Stone Oak is probably your best location for traffic. You can Uber to SAT from there for less than $15, and the drive can be as quick as 10-15 minutes if you catch an early morning or late evening flight. But the 9-5 traffic is a nightmare, and the culture of the area is changing. A lot of upper class (read snobby) Mexican nationals are moving into the area, coupled with a more "suburban" feel than you probably want.

The Pearl will give you what you are looking for in terms of age and activity. The rent is about the price you are used to and the walkability of the area is amazing. Lots of young professionals, but you have to be willing to do the commute. It's longer distance than Stone Oak, but you should be going opposite of most traffic so it might not be as bad.

The Rim is an ok alternative, but the traffic from there to Bitters/281 or SAT is the worst in the city. We moved from Stone Oak to a few acres north of Helotes because I was doing the 281 through I-10 route on 1604 three to four times a day for work. Wife now works from home and I have a nice hill country drive to work with little traffic. I wouldn't do that commute again. Hope that helps.

Super helpful. Thanks everyone!

I have a meeting at Hotel Emma this week so I'll check out the area

Boy, SA has really embraced this whole scooter thing huh?

Definitely the Pearl.

Pearl has banned scooters I believe, may not have gone into effect yet.

Tobias Funke said:

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Boy, SA has really embraced this whole scooter thing huh?

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Yeah, you would think it was the end of the world with the way some folks are reacting to it.

Sadly, Raffles has closed.

Scooters all over the downtown area. A nice way to go day drinking.

Like everyone mentioned, the Pearl area. Area continues to get bigger as they keep building.

You could also do the Southtown/Blue Star area if you want live in apartments or townhomes. Nice restaurants and bars.

Burdizzo said:

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Sadly, Raffles has closed.

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Wrinkles?

There's some very interesting places in San Antonio no one talks about. Southtown seems interesting and there's some places scattered through town where you can have horses inside 1604. Pearl is hip, gets all the pub, but i'd talk to realtors who have been around for 30+ years if you want to do something more off the beaten path

borski99 said:

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There's some very interesting places in San Antonio no one talks about. Southtown seems interesting and there's some places scattered through town where you can have horses inside 1604. Pearl is hip, gets all the pub, but i'd talk to realtors who have been around for 30+ years if you want to do something more off the beaten path

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Well lets not keep it a secret anymore. Where are these "very interesting places no one talks about?"

Southtown is really going strong right now with the young professional/single crowd. St.Mary's, Blue Star, king William, all along s. Alamo there is a ton of food and activity and lots of rental scooters.

I have a shack in Southtown/King William and I'd trade it for a shack near the Pearl if I didn't have so much blood wrapped up into the place.

That said, it's still a good option.

Burdizzo said:

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Sadly, Raffles has closed.

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savage - is ur boy trying to go GILF huntin'?

if I was you, check out Big Tex or Southtown Flats.

Krobocop

I meet your same requirements and have enjoyed living at the Quarry for a year and a half now. Up and down Broadway has some great hangouts, 3 miles down 281 to the Pearl, a mile to the airport, and 3 miles north to 281/Bitters. Everything is pretty easy to get to from here.