Things to Do in Austin, Texas

Austin’s official slogan is “Keep Austin Weird” — and the city delivers. Texas’s capital is the live music capital of the world (self-proclaimed but defensible), home to some of the best BBQ on the planet, and a tech hub that somehow still feels like a college town.

6th Street & Live Music

Dirty 6th — The main strip between Congress and I-35. Wall-to-wall bars with live music and no cover charge at most venues. Loud, young, and rowdy on weekends.

Rainey Street — Historic bungalows converted into bars and food trucks. More chill than 6th Street, more locals than tourists. Container Bar and Bangers Sausage House & Beer Garden are the anchors.

The Continental Club (South Congress) — Austin’s best live music venue. Intimate, iconic, and the booking is consistently excellent.

ACL Live at the Moody Theater — Home of Austin City Limits, the longest-running music show on American TV. National touring acts and tapings.

BBQ

Austin is arguably the BBQ capital of America. The style is Central Texas — beef brisket smoked over post oak, served on butcher paper with white bread, pickles, and onions.

Franklin Barbecue — The most famous BBQ joint in America. The line starts forming at 7 AM for an 11 AM opening. The brisket is as good as advertised. Bring a chair and a cooler.

la Barbecue — The line is shorter than Franklin and some locals argue the brisket is just as good.

Micklethwait Craft Meats — Food trailer with inventive sides and excellent smoked meat.

Terry Black’s — Full restaurant experience (no 3-hour wait) with very good brisket and a full bar.

Outdoors

Lady Bird Lake — Right through downtown. Kayak, paddleboard, or walk the 10-mile Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail that loops the lake.

Barton Springs Pool — A 3-acre natural spring-fed swimming pool in Zilker Park. The water stays 68-70°F year-round. $5 admission. Austinites treat this as a secular church.

Congress Avenue Bridge Bats — From March through November, 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats emerge from under the Congress Avenue Bridge at sunset. Stand on the bridge or watch from the lawn below. Free, and genuinely spectacular.

Hamilton Pool Preserve — 30 minutes west. A collapsed grotto with a 50-foot waterfall into a natural jade-green swimming hole. Reservations required (Travis County Parks).

South Congress (SoCo)

The main shopping and restaurant strip south of the river. Vintage shops, boot stores, food trucks, and the “I love you so much” mural on Jo’s Coffee.

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