Go to denver/boulder. You get snow on occasion, but it's gone the next day, and the whole state is a park. Plus Skiing, 300 days of sunshine, and while the housing has become much more expensive, it's still way less then California.
Austin is nice, but comes no where close to the natural beauty of Colorado. I'd put it 2nd the West Coast.
Texas is just flatness and trees. The rivers are nice though.
SMATTERING OF QUOTES FROM THE ULTIMA VII TEAM
"Looks like shit... could be west Texas."
- PHILIP