5 Reasons to Move to Tarrytown in Austin, TX
By Alex Mikoulianitch on October 21, 2022
One of the best perks about moving to Austin is the luxury of choice.
City dwellers who live for the hustle and bustle can settle in the heart of Downtown Austin. Buyers who want a picture-perfect community laid out for them can search in Mueller. And those who want to feel the city’s heartbeat from the comfort of a luxury enclave look to Tarrytown.
If you think a tranquil lakeside life near the heart of Austin is impossible, pay a visit to one of the city’s most coveted neighborhoods. Homebuyers may need to steel themselves for the exorbitant home prices, but the homes in Tarrytown are some of the most desired real estate in Texas.
Below, our team from Prevu Real Estate highlights the top five reasons some buyers choose to move to Tarrytown.
Affluent lakeside living
Tarrytown blends luxury and tranquility. Homes along its Scenic Dr. enjoy views of the Colorado River while manicured lawns and a lush canopy of trees line the inner streets.
Those same trees helped birth Tarrytown’s evergreen motto, "where oak trees charm the eye." "Charm" may easily be the first word that comes to mind when you step into this Austin neighborhood. The neighborhood, established in 1934, got its name from an identically-named village in upstate New York. Since then, it’s slowly grown into an idyllic residential haven for homebuyers who want close proximity to Downtown Austin.
Lake Austin is one of the driving factors behind Tarrytown’s exclusivity.
Any homebuyer lucky enough to secure a lakeside estate isn’t only getting million-dollar views of the water. A public boat dock allows residents to gather for a waterside chat or to set sail on the river. Nearby cafes are always bustling with regulars. In a nutshell, Tarrytown is as exclusive and tight-knit as can be.
It’s also why community is one of its defining features.
Small-town nucleus with homegrown shops
Tarrytown isn’t known for electric nightlife. But what it lacks in entertainment, it makes up for in its hometown grocery stores and local coffee shops. Plus, anyone who wants to bar crawl can be in Downtown Austin within 30 minutes.
If you settle in Tarrytown, you’ll soon get used to knowing your neighbors by name. The neighborhood’s few locales have a steady flow of regulars, while some have been a cornerstone of the area since the early 1940s.
The Tarrytown Pharmacy is the first spot many locals will point you towards. It was established in 1941 and has since modernized into the neighborhood's go-to place for medicine, greeting cards, and various home goods.
The Menagerie lies just outside Tarrytown’s borders and has been the area’s custom jewelry shop since 1978.
As you settle into Tarrytown, you’ll soon find yourself frequenting the Oyster Landing Marina. A cozy seating area provides the perfect opportunity to take in Lake Austin and is where many residents go to grab a coffee from the local Mozart’s Coffee Roasters.
Exclusivity a few miles from Downtown
Finding a way to escape the city noise usually requires a trip to far-away suburbs. But Tarrytown’s exclusive streets are within minutes from Downtown.
The homes for sale in Tarrytown reflect that luxury, of course, but it is a perk that makes Tarrytown one of the best neighborhoods to live in Austin. You can make weekend plans in seconds to enjoy some of the world’s best brisket at Franklin BBQ or catch some live music in the Historic Scoot Inn.
Commuting is a breeze from Tarrytown, as well. Car owners enjoy access to Highway 1, also known as MoPac Expressway, which cuts through a large swath of Tarrytown and connects the neighborhood to the rest of Austin. A short drive down Windsor Road from the center of town can get you to Downtown Austin within ten minutes.
Public transit is always a solid backup option in case the traffic gets overwhelming. The 335 and the 18 bus lines service Tarrytown and provide a 35-minute trip to the downtown area.
Abundant waterside recreation
Living in Tarrytown isn’t all about isolating yourself in an idyllic bubble.
The neighborhood’s recreational scene comes alive on the shores of Lake Austin. If you’re not strolling through the boutique shops or lounging by the Marina, you’ll most likely find your way to some of Tarrytown’s top recreational spots.
Not far from Tarrytown’s iconic Marina is the Walsh Boat Landing. Head here to spend the afternoon on the waters of Lake Austin. Tarrytown's waterfront is your playground, whether it’s a leisurely trip on a kayak or an active paddle boating session.
There’s even a spring-fed swimming pool in the southern part of town. Deep Eddy Municipal Pool is nestled by the river and offers enjoyable parks and picnic areas.
But if you prefer to stay grounded, Lions Municipal Golf Club stays true to the area’s trend of championing homegrown locales. The 18-hole golf course was opened in 1924 and is one of the oldest in Austin.
Accessibility and the great outdoors
You would think a luxurious enclave, secluded and right near Downtown Austin, can’t get any better.
But Tarrytown’s other significant advantage is providing accessibility to the rest of Austin. The MoPac Expressway that makes it easy to get to Downtown is also an ideal springboard to get you to Austin’s other iconic neighborhoods.
Head south on Highway 1 and quickly reach the famous 78704 zip code. The high-end Barton Hills, Zilker, and Bouldin Creek neighborhoods are some of the best in all of Texas. A short, 13-minute drive on the Texas Loop lets you enjoy everything they have to offer.
The MoPac will also get you to one of Austin’s biggest natural parks, the Barton Creek Wilderness Park. As you pass by Barton Hills, you’ll soon find yourself in the early sections of one of the most iconic parks in the city.
A trip in the opposite direction will take you to the northern reaches of Tarrytown, where you’ll find the 21-acre Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve. Here you can enjoy water views or catch a glimpse of the famous free-roaming peacocks.
