Tucked away just west of Austin, West Lake Hills offers both convenience and a retreat.
Tucked away just west of Austin, West Lake Hills offers both convenience and a retreat
Few areas in Austin boast a location as enviable as West Lake Hills, which sits at a bend in the Colorado River northwest of the capital's downtown.
Upon entering West Lake Hills, you are transported to a different place and time. The urban landscape of Austin gives way to rolling hills, a thick canopy of foliage, and streets more akin to country roads than main avenues.
Except for a few small commercial districts, West Lake Hills is almost exclusively residential. Coupled with the rural landscape, West Lake Hills is a mainstay of practically every best-of list in the Austin region: best public schools, best suburb, best place to raise a family, best place to retire, and of course, best place to live.
Considering median home values skew higher, and nearly 90% of residents own their home, West Lake Hills’ demographics trend toward more established households. Even if you don't have children, the schools produce real estate that makes for an excellent investment.
Many of Austin’s business and political elite like to call West Lake Hills home, thanks mainly to its proximity to and exclusion away from Austin. As it serves as a gateway to the Texas Hill Country, many buyers come to the area to establish second homes as well.
Although the best of Austin's world-renowned dining, shopping, and entertainment scene stands close by, West Lake Hills has a few winning establishments of its own.
Sway on Bee Caves Road is a popular Thai restaurant. Further down the street, the modern Chinatown Westlake serves Asian fusion and sushi. European flavors thrive at the French-inspired Blue Dahlia Bistro.
At the intersection of Westlake Drive and N Capital of Texas Highway, you'll find Davenport Village, a collection of locally-owned shops, services, and eateries.
The Pete Dye-designed Austin Country Club is in the Davenport Ranch community. It plays host to touring pros each year during the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
Adjacent to the club and crossing over the Colorado River is the Pennybacker Bridge and its steel archway. The bridge is one of the landmarks most often associated with the city of Austin.
Given its rural setting, West Lake Hills has an outdoor spirit. Lake Austin, a reservoir on the Colorado River, sits to the north of town, and the 227-acre Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve occupies the area's western edge.
West Lake Hills is home to the exemplary Eanes Independent School District. Often touted as the best school district in the state of Texas, Eanes is also a top 20 school district in the U.S. The highest-rated schools in West Lake Hills include:
West Lake is also home to highly regarded private schools. Highlights include:
