texas - girl on my own

Snoopy1

Hey
I'm thinking of visiting texas next year, dallas and san Antonio.
Has anyone been?
Is it mad to go on my own?
Appreciate any advice

athtrasna

Just a holiday or on a J1?

Absolutely loved San Antonio and Austin, was really pleasantly surprised. Would go back in a heartbeat and happily on my own. Didn't make it to Dallas though so can't help with that.

GatsbyGal

Snoopy1 wrote: »

Hey
I'm thinking of visiting texas next year, dallas and san Antonio.
Has anyone been?
Is it mad to go on my own?
Appreciate any advice

Can I ask why Texas? I used to live there and no I wouldn't really recommend it. I'm not sure what you would be expecting from there. I will say San Antonio is nice but only for its River walk and the Alamo. Austin is an OK city too especially if you visit while SXSW annual music festival is on around March I believe. There would be a great buzz in the city at that time especially on sixth Street where most of the clubs/venues are situated. Dallas has really good rooftop bars and an excellent farmers market and off course the book depository and JFK's assassination site in downtown.

Will you have a car? Texas is so huge and the transportation system leaves a lot to be desired. For me personally when I visit a city or place I like to see a lot of greenery and pretty scenery, great architecture and interesting streets. Dallas is just a concrete city. It does have a huge park, its name escapes me now, but it just wouldn't be anywhere as beautiful as your typical ordinary park in Europe or even NYC's central Park or Boston common in Boston.

So, what would it be that attracts you to Texas? If it's excellent food and nightlife then you'll love it but otherwise I'd give it a miss.

Snoopy1

It's a holiday.
Just thought texas would be a different place e to do. I've done all the usual city's
I like sightseeing and shopping and would love to see a rodeo
I won't have a car.

ronn

Snoopy1 wrote: »

It's a holiday.
Just thought texas would be a different place e to do. I've done all the usual city's
I like sightseeing and shopping and would love to see a rodeo
I won't have a car.

I was in Dallas last year, car is a must, lovely place and lovely people,
The Dallas forth worth stock yard rodeo I went to, brilliant. Not for the faint hearted or Squamish,

DoYouEvenLift

If you're outgoing and social then going anywhere on your own will be great. Going with friends and travelling is great too but on your own you're totally free and decide absolutely everything you want to do with your short time there.

athtrasna

Snoopy1 wrote: »

It's a holiday.
Just thought texas would be a different place e to do. I've done all the usual city's
I like sightseeing and shopping and would love to see a rodeo
I won't have a car.

You really would need a car

Snoopy1

I definitely will not be having a car. I plan to do day tours to fort worth and the rodeo.
Ive been away on my own many times, just worried about Dallas being safe

McSween

I applaud you for venturing further than Boston and New York. There is way more to USA than those two cities, great as they are.

How long is your trip going to be? You can visit Fort Worth as mentioned. Also there is Southfork and the JFK Grassy Knoll

_Brian

I've worked in Dallas on a few occasions and can confirm it's a dull spot with very little to offer. It's officially the last place on earth I'd ever visit again.

What was mentioned by the poster above can be seen in an afternoon. The JFK exhibit is slightly interesting, south fork was shockingly run down and depressing.

UncleChael

Texas is a great spot, especially Dallas fort worth.The people are very friendly and there is alot to do. I would say its very safe OP, like everywhere there is places to avoid.

I also agree with what everyone above has said OP, about needing car, it's a shame you cant rent one for a few days because the place is just so damn big!

Snoopy1

I was going to do 3 nights in Dallas (by the time i get there it will be night time) then 5 nights in San Antonio.
I want to do shopping for 2 days in san antonio.
In Dallas was planning a tour of dallas one day then up to fort worth and the rodeo the next.
San Antonio a tour one day then maybe up to the vineyards or something
I dont want to rent a car as ive never driven on the other side, and i wouldnt feel very comfortable on my own

InTheTrees

It sounds like your mind is made up; At least go to Austin too, its the one city in Texas that people actually recommend visiting.

ProudDUB

Snoopy1 wrote: »

I was going to do 3 nights in Dallas (by the time i get there it will be night time) then 5 nights in San Antonio.
I want to do shopping for 2 days in san antonio.
In Dallas was planning a tour of dallas one day then up to fort worth and the rodeo the next.
San Antonio a tour one day then maybe up to the vineyards or something
I dont want to rent a car as ive never driven on the other side, and i wouldnt feel very comfortable on my own

Rent a car. Thousands of tourists do it every year. They get on perfectly ok, so why shouldn't you? I understand you may find it daunting, but it's not as hard as you think. I lived in the US for nearly 20 years and I moved back here in 2011. I never drove in Ireland prior to moving back here. I was absolutely terrified at the prospect of driving on the "wrong" side of the road. But it was fine. Being by myself, made it easier. I wasn't distracted by anyone else and I could concentrate 100% on my driving. As long as you do that, you'll be fine.

Driving in the US is generally less stress free than it is here...as there are far fewer buses, cyclists & pedestrians than there are here. You'll feel very, very proud of yourself once you have done it. It will also open up America much, much more to you than if you have to rely on public transportation (which is crap in Texas) and tour buses all the time.

Snoopy1

I might rent a car for san Antonio as that's where I'll be doing all the shopping.
I thought about Austin but I'm not really into night life so wasn't sure what else was there
I'm planning to go next October, what will the weather be like?

cee_jay

OP if you are heading to Texas, make sure you take in a few nights (at least 2!) in Austin. Sixth Street is so much fun! Austin is probably one of my fav cities in USA - it really is not to be missed.

InTheTrees

Also avoid the summer months. Especially if you're going to be a pedestrian.

Snoopy1

I might rent a car for san Antonio as that's where I'll be doing all the shopping.
I thought about Austin but I'm not really into night life so wasn't sure what else was there
I'm planning to go next October, what will the weather be like?

A2LUE42

October, the weather should be OK. If you are going to do Dallas, Austin and San Antonio you really should be driving. But you can fly from Dallas to Austin too.

If you are planning to shop in San Antonio, best bet is San Marcos on the way down. Make sure you check the times for the Alamo being open and what times the tours run on the river-walk.

Oh.. and DO NOT go over the border to Mexico, unless you have all the paperwork for the visit and return in place.
It happens frequently enough that people don't realise they will have issues getting back across.

Snoopy1

How near the border is it

Mars Bar

It takes all of 5 minutes to get a hang of driving on the other side of the road. It's the signage that's the pain in the arse!

A2LUE42

Snoopy1 wrote: »

How near the border is it

About 150 miles. Gulf of Mexico, yes. Mexico itself as a single female in a US plate car, Not advisable.

If you wanted to do a drive that would take you somewhere different, I'd be more inclined to do the eight hour trip to New Orleans. Or have it included in your flight itinerary as an overnight stopover or two day stop over.

Snoopy1

I would be very worried about new orleans on my own.

coylemj

Even Austin which has a relatively pedestrian-friendly city centre has no sidewalks in the suburbs. I had to drive the 200m to the 7-11 to buy a pint of milk when I was there a few years ago on a work project. The gardens of the houses came right down to the edge of the road - no footpaths. You're nobody in Texas without a car. You can do downtown Austin on foot but cities like Dallas and (especially) Houston were not planned with pedestrians in mind. Cheap gas(oline) means the car is king. The heat in summer is also a factor, you need a/c everywhere to protect you from the 40C heat.

OP, driving on the right is dead easy, you get used to it very quickly. Just make sure you understand the local rule about 'turn right on red' and you'll be fine.

ProudDUB

Snoopy1 wrote: »

I would be very worried about new orleans on my own.

Why? New Orleans is one of America's great cities. It has more history or character, than all of Texas put together imo. You'd be mad to let any "I'm gonna be murdered in my bed" paranoia, or post Katrina scare mongering put you off. Yes, it is poorer than the big cities up north, or out west. Yes, some of the dodgier neighbourhoods are quite close to the city, but over all it is very, very tourist friendly city. It is well worth a visit, much, much more so than Dallas/Ft Worth, or San Antonio are imo.

If all you are just going for a couple of days, to see the touristy stuff like French Quarter, Garden District, do a bayou or Mississippi cruise etc etc, you don't have a thing to worry about, even if you are a sole female traveler. Bourbon St is not everyone cup of tea. Some people think its great craic. Some people think it is the epitome of sleeze. But if it's not for you, there are plenty of other places to see and things to do. New Orleans is also very compact and easy to see on foot. It also has a great street car system. You'd get away with having no car there no problem.

InTheTrees

There's nothing to worry about in New Orleans.

I'd take a week in New Orleans over a month in texas.

new Orleans is totally unique in the USA. Its one of the very very few cities that hasnt destroyed its old historic city centre and the architecture is absolutely amazing. A kind of french carribean. Its like being in Havana.

Plus the fact that the people are incredibly friendly, the food is amazing and the music is everywhere all the time. And there's so much to see and do. Plus the shops are world class.

InTheTrees

coylemj wrote: »

You're nobody in Texas without a car.

Yes you are...you're target practice!

Snoopy1

InTheTrees wrote: »

Yes you are...you're target practice!

Thanks for making me feel a whole lot better

InTheTrees

Snoopy1 wrote: »

How near the border is it

Dont even consider crossing the border from southern texas.

One of the most violent parts of mexico is around the border area of southern texas. I dont think it gets much coverage in europe but there's been an ongoing drug gang war for many years now. Read the wiki.

"By the end of 2013, the estimated number of killed in the Mexican drug warfare was topping 111,000 people.
Through 2012, the number of killed by November was at 18,161.[224]
Through 2013, the number of killed by November was at 10,929.[225]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Drug_War

InTheTrees

Snoopy1 wrote: »

Thanks for making me feel a whole lot better

Sorry.

Its not really that bad. Almost though.

Snoopy1

Slightly scared now

ProudDUB

Ah they are only messing.

Don't even think of going on a day trip to Mexico. Texas itself is perfectly fine. But you really don't want to be dealing with any of the carry on that goes on at or near the Mexican borders. Once upon a time, a day trip across the border to Nuevo Laredo or Tijuana was great craic....a vertitable right of passage for anyone visiting southern Southern California, or southern South West Texas. Not anymore unfortunately. If you stick with the bigger cities up north, or along Gulf, you'll be grand.

Don't forget that Texas is effing HUGE ! For example, Amarillo and Houston are nearly 600miles/1000km mile apart. If most of your experiences of the US are the cities in the North East like New York or Boston, it's hard to appreciate just how big it is out west. Just because some mad crazy carry on is going on with all the drug gangs, near the Mexican border, it doesn't mean that the rest of the state is unduly affected by it. The distances are just too great.

Snoopy1

Just to clarify I am going nowhere near the border!!!!

InTheTrees

Sorry to be so negative.

Yes, I was messing about the target practice. Not about mexico though. The area around Neuevo Laredo (Close to san antonio) is specifically mentioned in the US State Department warnings. Its pretty serious.

"Coahuila: Defer non-essential travel to the state of Coahuila except the city of Saltillo, where you should exercise caution. Violence and criminal activity along the highways are continuing security concerns, particularly along the northern border between Piedras Negras and Nuevo Laredo. The state of Coahuila continues to experience high rates of violent crimes and narcotics-related murders. Criminal organizations continue to compete for territory and coveted border crossings to the United States. Violent crime, including murder, kidnapping, and armed carjacking, continues to be a concern. "


http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/alertswarnings/mexico-travel-warning.html

A2LUE42

coylemj wrote: »

Even Austin which has a relatively pedestrian-friendly city centre has no sidewalks in the suburbs. I had to drive the 200m to the 7-11 to buy a pint of milk when I was there a few years ago on a work project. The gardens of the houses came right down to the edge of the road - no footpaths. You're nobody in Texas without a car. You can do downtown Austin on foot but cities like Dallas and (especially) Houston were not planned with pedestrians in mind. Cheap gas(oline) means the car is king. The heat in summer is also a factor, you need a/c everywhere to protect you from the 40C heat.

OP, driving on the right is dead easy, you get used to it very quickly. Just make sure you understand the local rule about 'turn right on red' and you'll be fine.

And the 4 way stops.

athtrasna

Definitely get a car, the best shopping near San Antonio is the big outlet centre towards Austin. As you're not a nightlife person I think you might enjoy visiting the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, it was one of the highlights of our Texas trip. Much more interesting than the JFK Presidential Library in Boston IMO

Snoopy1

ProudDUB wrote: »

Ah they are only messing.


Don't forget that Texas is effing HUGE ! For example, Amarillo and Houston are nearly 600miles/1000km mile apart. If most of your experiences of the US are the cities in the North East like New York or Boston, it's hard to appreciate just how big it is out west. Just because some mad crazy carry on is going on with all the drug gangs, near the Mexican border, it doesn't mean that the rest of the state is unduly affected by it. The distances are just too great.

Yea ive done some west ones. Been to San francisco, Vegas, Denver and Phoenix on my own.

wahesh32

I'm a Texan currently living in Dublin. I was born in Houston, but spent about 8 years in Dallas. I wouldn't really recommend Dallas (or Houston) for a visit. They're generally considered nice/cheap cities to live in, but they don't really have any character at all. You will absolutely (without a doubt) need a car.
In Dallas, things would revolve around shopping (generally in huge shopping malls) and eating out. There's a couple of semi-walkable areas with a lot of unique pubs and character. Lower Greenville can be nice for drinking/walking, so can Deep Ellum (which is the artsy area of Dallas with lots of unique places, but can be VERY shady at night). Uptown has all the posh bars. Dallas also has a few nice museums in a museum district near downtown. Dallas also has an amusement park (6 flags over Texas) which is generally overpriced(but if you like roller coasters, you'll have a lot of fun). Fort Worth might be worth a visit, and is right next to Dallas. The Historic Stockyards in Fort Worth are kind of fun if you're looking for that "Cowboy Texas". Downtown Dallas is really only made for people to work, it's quite empty on the weekends.

I've never lived in Austin, but have been there several times. It's considered the liberal/european style city in Texas (but Texas is SO conservative, that doesn't really mean much). The 6th street area is nice with a lot of pubs, but is generally crowded with college students from University of Texas. I personally don't like Austin all that much, but it seems to be the city to live/visit in Texas for a lot of other people.

I might suggest Fredricksburg as a day-trip. It's a small town (10k people) that was once a German settlement. They still speak an old version of German there. It's a few hour drive from Austin. Another tiny town that may be fun to visit is Luckenbach, Tx (if you're a fan of country music)

I've only been to San Antonio a few times. The Riverwalk is a nice area to eat/walk around, but outside of that there's not much.

These cities are generally quite safe, however you must understand that segregation between rich/poor is very stark in the Midwest US. The crime rate can be extremely low in about half the city, but the other half of the city will have 3rd world rates of crime/murder. The homelessness in these areas can be quite shocking. For instance, you should never go to the southside of Dallas (by south I mean south of Interstate 20). Just make sure you're aware of the "no go areas". A lot of those areas you shouldn't even drive through on a sunny morning. I don't mean to scare you away, I just want you to be aware.

Snoopy1

Fredricksburg, was listed as on of the tours from san antonio.

Im re-thinking everything now, everyone is saying Dallas is crap

MeMeJK1

Scrap Dallas and come to Austin instead! You won't regret it. And as long as you are staying somewhere relatively central you are fine without a car. It's very walkable.
Austin has a young crowd. Lots of students. People are friendly and welcoming. You won't have issues meeting people.

Snoopy1

I'm 35 so students are too young and I don't drink
I probably should have titled this thread middle aged woman on her own in texas

SusanneKn

Glad to have come across this post.
Myself and another friend are meant to go to Texas as well.

We will be renting a car.
While we both like "Cowboys", history and outdoor actives such as horse riding/ hiking, I am into country music too. So would Tennessee be a better choice after all? After reading this thread I am kind of gone off Texas.

InTheTrees

SusanneKn wrote: »

Glad to have come across this post.
Myself and another friend are meant to go to Texas as well.

We will be renting a car.
While we both like "Cowboys", history and outdoor actives such as horse riding/ hiking, I am into country music too. So would Tennessee be a better choice after all? After reading this thread I am kind of gone off Texas.

For Cowboys i'd go to somewhere like Montana or Wyoming. Thats where the cowboys are.

Check out "guest" or "dude" ranches.

http://www.duderanch.org/

Quin_Dub

Snoopy1 wrote: »

I'm 35 so students are too young and I don't drink
I probably should have titled this thread middle aged woman on her own in texas

I go to Texas 4 or 5 times a year and have been doing so for about 15 years.

Austin is a nice town - Yes there's great Music/Nightlife , but it's also just a nice town.. There's tours of the Capitol buildings or a Segway tour of the downtown area which is pretty fun. If you're outdoorsy there are lots of bike trails, hiking routes etc. very near which are gorgeous. Or go out to the lake on the Colorado river and rent a boat or jet-ski.

San Antonio is good too - river walk is nice and the Alamo is interesting (although tiny compared to what you'd expect).

Although I've personally never been I've heard good things about Fredricksburg as a place to visit.

For shopping San Marcos Outlets is the place to go - There are actually 2 Outlet malls side by side , it's massive - Tanger Outlet and Premium Outlets

As a lot of others have said , you'll be very limited without a car... Texas is easy to drive in.. Big Wide, multi-lane roads for the most part , with massive car parking spaces so I'd say go for it.. Much easier experience than driving in Europe for example on the RHS for sure...

Gal44

Hey Did you decide on a destination? all the info on this thread is really interesting! hoping to head that way later this year myself