Best Things to Do in Austin

Austin is known as the “live music capital of the world,” and we’ve got some great spots for live music.

Food-wise, Austin is full of barbecue and tacos, so it makes sense to indulge while you’re here. Here are my top three choices for each.

Austin is known for its abundance of outdoor activities. Lady Bird Lake (formerly known as Town Lake) runs through downtown and is a popular place for paddleboards, kayaks, water bikes, and more. You can even stay out of the water and walk the trail or boardwalk. Nearby, take a dip into Barton Springs Pool and play frisbee or enjoy a picnic in Zilker Park.

If you can get out of downtown, take a drive to walk the steps up Mount Bonnell or hike up the Pennybacker Bridge lookout point to get some breath-taking views of Austin. Rent a boat or jetskis out on Lake Austin or Lake Travis.

From March to October, 1.5 million bats fly out from under Congress Avenue Bridge a bit before sunset. People gather on top of the bridge, on boats on the lake, and seated underneath the bridge (near the Austin American-Statesman building) to watch this cool and creepy tradition. It’s the world’s largest urban bat colony!

7. Explore Street Art

As much as Austin changes, I believe the city continues to foster creativity and artists continue to share their talents. I like spotting Queen Eli and Mike Johnston‘s work (photo of one mural below). You can find a lot of street art walking around downtown. Follow SPRATX on Instagram to see some of the art around our city.

If you love craft beer, you’ve come to the right city. Our breweries are plentiful and have a great variety. You can easily do a brewery hop in Downtown Austin on the east side. Check out my brewery guide here.

Time included it in its “World’s Greatest Places” list and it’s also being recognized for its architecture. The Austin Central Library opened in 2017 and this building is a behemoth in Downtown Austin. Marvel at the structure and enjoy a stroll through its rooftop space. See more from my visit here.

Austin’s slogan has long been “Keep Austin Weird,” an encouragement to be yourself boldly. There are a handful of weird things to make this happen. Play Chicken Shit Bingo at Little Longhorn Saloon on Sundays. Yes, you’re rooting for a chicken to poop on your number! Visit the Cathedral of Junk, the South Austin Museum of Popular Culture, or the Museum of the Weird. Browse the eclectic antiques and collected things at Uncommon Objects. We even have a Weird Homes Tour. When in Austin, it’s ok to be a little weird.

Maybe the things above aren’t your style or you’re looking for more recommendations. I’ve got you covered.

Catch a game

Take a creative or culinary class

Want to learn something new? Here’s a list of over 50 classes you could take, from cooking to crafts to gardening.

See a show

Go to a culinary event

Visit a museum

• Blanton Museum of Art – one of the largest university art museums in the country; free on Thursdays
• Harry Ransom Center – archive library with art exhibits and museum; free
• Umlauf Sculpture Garden – museum and outdoor sculpture garden focused on American sculptor Charles Umlauf’s work
• LBJ Presidential Library – great place to study the history of Lyndon B. Johnson’s legacy
• The Contemporary Austin – contemporary art museum with cool temporary exhibits

Zipline at the lake

Squeeze in a workout or a spin class

Take a photo

• South Congress Avenue – plenty of fun things to photograph here, including the view towards the Capitol
• Pennybacker/Loop 360 Bridge – the lookout point off of Loop 360 will give you a great view of the bridge
• The Texas Capitol – historically beautiful and majestic
• UT Tower – iconic tower; this spot gives you a view of the Capitol also
• Driskill Hotel – a beautiful, historic hotel
• Paramount Theater – beautiful, historic theater

Enjoy the Nightlife

• Dirty 6th – the infamous; great for college kids and people who want to drink a lot for very cheap; you’ll find plenty of bars here
• East 6th (east of I-35) – some describe it as where the hipsters are; laid-back bars in this area; great location for restaurants and food trucks too
• Rainey Street – similar to East 6th but a little older and more dressed up; you’ll find bars and a few restaurants
• West 6th– the grown-up version of Dirty 6th, similar to Rainey Street
• Warehouse district – the heart of downtown happenings; 3rd to 6th Street and Congress to Nueces
• Rock Rose – the newest area for nightlife is up in the Domain area

Go Shopping

• Gloria Collective – a local shop with a few local makers
• A-town – a big shop full of local goods
• South Congress – this street has lots of vintage stores, a cowboy boot store, a candy shop, and more
• BookPeople – our independent bookstore
• Waterloo Records – record store with more records than you know what to do with
• Whole Foods – the flagship store; snacks!

P.S. See my full Austin Travel Guide here.