8 things I miss about living in Austin after moving to New York - and 3 things I'm happy I left behind

I moved to Austin in 2013 from Rockwall, Texas, as a senior in high school after my band and my parents broke up at roughly the same time.

At first, life in Austin was lonely. While I found my feet, I turned to photography as an outlet, capturing Austin's mix of urban and natural elements through my lens.

Eventually, I landed a spot in the photocommunications department at St. Edward's University, where I minored in journalism and learned the ins and outs of what it takes to print a weekly publication at a college level.

A media conference in New York City during my senior year at St. Ed's reminded me of my East Coast roots (I grew up in Stamford, Connecticut) and desire to live in the Big Apple — a childhood dream I let go of sometime between high school and college.

Cut to three years since the conference, and I've been living in Brooklyn for the last two years while working as a reporter. I love my life in New York — it feels more like home than any place I've lived before, and the best part is that I made it happen all by myself.

But I still think about Austin every day. I miss my family, my friends, and my favorite foods. At the same time, things like sweltering summers and limited public transit remind me why I chose a life in New York City.

New York is known for being home to many celebrities, but I've seen a number of my favorite musicians in Austin.

Events like SXSW, a week-long music festival that takes place all around town in intimate clubs and pop-up venues, make it easier to run into your heroes.

In 2015, I saw my favorite band, Ball Park Music, play seven times around Austin — in tents, in restaurants, and on small stages. Even better, I got to talk to them after several of the shows about their experiences and musicianship. It felt surreal, and I don't think it could have happened in a place like New York.

I'm not a driver, so taking trains in New York has given me a freedom I didn't have in Austin, where I would rely on friends and ride-hailing apps and sometimes walk upwards of 20 minutes to the nearest bus stop.

Austin's food scene is exceptional. While New York City seemingly has it all, I think Austin's queso and kombucha are unmatched on the East Coast.

From Torchy's Tacos to Velvet Taco, there's no shortage of incredible melted cheesy goodness that I just can't seem to find in NYC. The closest thing is the hatch green chile queso at Alamo Drafthouse in Downtown Brooklyn, which comes from Austin anyway.

Similarly, kombucha brands like Holy Kombucha and Buddha's Brew make other renditions of the probiotic tea difficult to enjoy. The kombucha drinks I find in New York's bodegas aren't as refreshing as a Prickly Pear or Blood Orange Holy Kombucha. And they don't come close to the delicious flavor of a Peach Mint Buddha's Brew fermented in southwest Austin.

I've never seen $3 well drinks in New York — not even during happy hour. But in Austin, deals like these were easy to find. I would never dream of spending $12 on a cocktail for a night out in Texas, but in New York, that's the norm.

My favorite bar in Austin, Buzz Mill, is open all hours, has a huge outdoor patio, and serves $5 drinks infused with fruity, nutty, and other sweet flavors. It's where I catch up with friends every time I'm in town.

Austin is located in Hill Country, a region of central Texas known for its dramatic hills. Compared to Austin, New York City feels flat. This is nice when I'm going on long walks, but I miss seeing hills in the distance the way I often did when looking outside in Austin.

Austin is great because you get both the convenience of living in a city and access to miles of hiking trails that make you feel like you're in the middle of nowhere.

From the Barton Creek Greenbelt to Wild Basin Creative Research Center, Austin has more than 300 parks and trails within city limits, according to Austin Parks Foundation, making room for accessible and free outdoor activities like rock climbing, mountain biking, and disc golfing.

Here in New York, spaces like Prospect Park are as close as I can get to feeling like I'm not in the city anymore.

One thing I miss about hiking in Austin is stumbling upon a body of water to swim in. It's nothing like a beach day at Coney Island, but I sometimes miss swimming in the shade.

I'd rather be cold than hot, and in Austin it's hot most of the time.

It's the worst in the summer — in August 2020, Austin saw temperatures above 100 degrees nearly every day, according to The Austin-American Statesman — and one year, it was so unbearable, I decided to cut my hair just to cool off.

Although the winters in Austin aren't as chilly as they are in New York, I actually love a cold winter. It makes me appreciate the spring when it finally comes around.

When I lived in Austin, I frequently road-tripped with friends to nearby states with epic natural sites, like caves in New Mexico and canyons in Utah. I miss being able to escape to these places when I need a break from the city.

Being in the middle of a state as large as Texas means that your first day of travel on any road trip will likely just consist of getting out of Texas. Much of the state is flat, making it a pretty boring drive.