TrainedEye

Heat is definitely an issue, but I don't think it's quite as bad as some of these folks are making it out to be. Keep in mind that in Texas EVERYTHING is air conditioned. It's true that walking around outdoors in the dead of summer can be downright brutal, but you'll be nice and cool anytime you're inside because the AC is always running anywhere you go. The key thing that non-Texans have to learn is that when it's extra-hot, you just don't spend time outdoors. It simply isn't safe to do so. Kind of like the opposite of living in say North Dakota where you dig in for winter. All that said, there usually are breaks to the heat even mid-summer. The last two summers have been record-breaking, but obviously that's not the norm. The heat is, however, one of the main reasons why it's highly advisable to bring a car with you if you move to Texas. Even though the central part of Austin is pedestrian-friendly and many parts of the city are bike-friendly, walking and riding any significant distance in August is not a good plan. One last heat-related note: your first early-season football game at Royal Memorial will be your introduction to the misery of Texas heat. If you can make it through one of those, you know you'll be okay for the long haul!

My advice is to bring a car if there's any way for you to do so! If you don't own one or just can't, sure, you can make it work as a pedestrian in Dallas. But it ain't easy. The Highland Park/University Park area near SMU is quite walkable (though brutally expensive as far as I know), but you'd really be hemming yourself in by counting on that area to meet all your needs. Plus there are downright sketchy neighborhoods bordering the nice areas near SMU. As for transit, the DART rail is a pretty nifty option, but its service area is extremely limited. And the bus system is lousy. It's actually very extensive, but the routes are a mess. In my experience you can't get anywhere on DART buses without tranferring two or three times. Also keep in mind that it gets very, very hot in Dallas as early as May and can stay that way into October. Walking around in 103 degree heat can be not only exhausting but also downright dangerous. Plus the DFW metroplex is the definition of urban sprawl. If you really want to experience the city, you'll need a vehicle to get out and about to visit the places worth visiting. There are *lots* of fun things to do in DFW, but none of them are remotely close to one another. So to reiterate, bring a car if you can. You'll be glad you did. And congrats on SMU! Great school with a nice campus in a beautiful neighborhood.

I wouldn't put much stock in anything Gyro says. Though the gushing about Austin is partially deserved (I did my undergrad there and lived there for about four years after I'd finished; I loved it the whole time), the suggestion that Austin is an "oasis...of decent human behavior" is probably the silliest thing anyone's ever written on this forum. How exactly is Austin more "diverse" than, say, Houston or Dallas? And in what way does Austin exhibit more "decent human behavior" than San Antonio or Lubbock? I've spent a considerable amount of time in many of the major cities in Texas and don't find Austin to be that different from any of the others apart from its cultivation of really nice outdoor recreation spaces and its ridiculously INaccurate reputation for being "weird." There are definitely cool things about Austin, but it isn't an "oasis" of anything except perhaps self-righteous know-nothings like Gyro who establish pride of place by denigrating other cities they've likely never even visited. Texas is a nice place through and through and is actually well known for its hospitality and good nature, both qualities I would consider quite "decent." The only thing people moving from other parts of the country should be prepared for is brutally hot summers, loud, flashy thunderstorms, and the absolute necessity of owning a car with a working air conditioner.