Austin

Understand

Visitor information

1 Austin Visitor Center, 602 East 4th Street, ☏ +1-866 GO-AUSTIN (46-287846). Daily 8:30AM–5:30PM.

Climate

Austin weather is generally nice most of the year; activities are generally not limited by season. However, as Austin lies within Central Texas, be prepared to deal with the long, hot summers if you are visiting between May and September. It is not uncommon for daily high temperatures to be between 90 and 100 °F (32-38 °C) during this time — in fact, a day in the 80s is rare, and several days may even reach triple digits (90 days in 2011). The average heat index factoring in humidity is 101 °F (38 °C) during the day and 77 °F (25 °C) at night, and it's not unheard of to have a heat index upwards of 113 °F (45 °C) and not go below 81 °F (27 °C) at night on some particularly hot and sweltering days. If you are here when the weather is like this, dress accordingly, drink plenty of water, and do not plan on staying outside for long (nearly all indoor places are air-conditioned) — unless you're taking the opportunity to take a dip in Barton Springs Pool or any of the other swimming holes in the area. This is especially true if the heat index is around 105 or higher, which is considered to be dangerous. The interior of cars will get dangerously hot, especially if the windows are up and it's parked in the sun — don't leave pets or children in there, no matter how briefly. How hot the summer gets usually depends on the amount of precipitation the area has been getting. If there is no drought and the spring has been particularly wet, temperatures will remain relatively tolerable and rarely break triple digits. If it has been dry, summers can be very uncomfortable and triple-digit temperatures will be very common. Central Texas winters are short to non-existent. There are many pleasant or even warm days during the winter months (the first 90° day of 2012 was in February), and snowfall is rare. However, hard freezes happen occasionally, and light freezes may occur frequently (especially in the more rural areas), and when this mixes with precipitation, ice storms and other wintry weather happen. If the storm is severe enough, the city may shut down for a day or so, traffic may be snarled, and the local auto body shops may notice a spike in business. Worse, blackouts resulting from tree limbs downing power lines are possible. The Austin area usually experiences such events 0-2 times each year or so, from late December to mid-February. Generally, though, winter weather just varies a lot, with alternating cold and warm fronts that can make for large temperature swings in the course of a single week. Spring and fall are the best times to visit. Springs tend to be stormy (see "Stay safe" for related warning), and falls may bring light freezes during the night. For the most part, though, springs and falls are very pleasant times to experience Austin.

Read

Pick up an Austin Chronicle newspaper first thing. These are freely available all over town, including the information desk across from baggage claim at the airport. It will be your guide to everything that's going on in Austin from festivals (Spam Festival, Chili Festival, etc.) to music, theater and food; it's all in there. New issues are published every Thursday.

Getting there

By plane

1 Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS IATA) (6 mi (9.7 km) miles southeast of the city center). It's served by most major carriers, with non-stop service to 49 destinations by the following airlines: (updated Feb 2019) Barbara Jordan Terminal: Aeromexico, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines; American Airlines/American Eagle, British Airways, Condor, Copa Airlines, Delta, Frontier, Jetblue, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Southwest, United/United Express, Volaris, and VivaAerobus. South Terminal: Allegiant, Sun Country and Via Air. There are a selection of buses, taxis, ride share (Uber & Lyft), shared ride shuttles and car rentals to get you into town and back. Chauffeured sedans or limos are also available to pick you up or drop you off at the airport but normally require advance reservations. Taxi fare to downtown Austin is approximately $30. You may also catch Capital Metro bus 20 from ABIA to Downtown Austin, $1.25 for one way or $2.50 for a 24-hour local pass.

By train

2 Austin Amtrak station, 250 North Lamar Blvd. Served by the Texas Eagle Line with service from Chicago to San Antonio.

By car

Austin is on one major freeway and several regional highways, and its outskirts are served by several tollways. From San Antonio, head north on IH-35, about one and a half hours. From Dallas, head south on IH-35, about three hours. From Houston, head west on US-290 (or I-10 W to Hwy 71 W if you want to reach South Austin), about three hours. From I-10, take SH-130 Toll north to Austin.

Getting around

On foot

Generally, the feasibility of seeing Austin by foot depends largely on the weather For those content to see only downtown Austin and who are in good shape, exploring most of the downtown area on foot is possible. There are many attractions within a 1- to 2-mile walk from most downtown hotels. Be prepared for potentially oppressive heat during the summer months. The University of Texas area, just north of downtown, is also very pedestrian friendly, and in fact can be a difficult place to get around by car (very hard to find a parking spot).

By bike

Though there are some exceptions, most of downtown Austin is reasonably bike friendly. There is a high concentration of cyclists in the city, and many trails around town. Austin is hilly to the west but generally mildly sloping toward the river in the center of town. There are bike lanes on most major streets. Biking is a great way to get around year round and the weather is usually agreeable from mid-October to mid-April. May to mid-October temperatures may reach the high 90s to 100s °F (32-38 °C), and humidity may be a problem.

Austin B-Cycle a.k.a. MetroBike. Has automated bike-rental stations in downtown, the University area, and near south Austin. Yellow Bike Project, ☏ +1 512-457-9880. Operates two community bike shops where individuals can go and repair their own bikes free of charge. Coordinators are present to answer any questions and guide you, but not to fix your bike for you. At the Main Shop on 51st Street there are 10+ work stands and tools sets available for use. The Satellite Shop is better for minor repairs and only has as a few work stands. If you are looking for a cheap bike while in town and are willing to do a little maintenance work, visit The Yellow Bike Project and pick out a bike that needs a little love in exchange for a small donation. If you are interested in getting away from touristy attractions on your visit, the Yellow Bike shop is a great place to drop in and volunteer for a few hours. Their hours change monthly but are up-to-date on their website. If you are lucky you might see one of the eponymous Yellow Bikes around town. If you see a Yellow Bike, feel free to ride it to your destination and leave it for the next person. Yellow Bikes are not to be locked up and you ride at your own risk. The Austin Yellow Bike Project has been operating for ten years and has released over 600 yellow bikes. Bicycle Sports Shop - Bike Rentals, ☏ +1 512-477-3472. The Bicycle Sports Shop is Downtown and offers the largest selection of bike rentals in the city. Rocket Electrics - Electric Bike Sales, Rentals, and Tours, ☏ +1 512-442-2453. Rocket Electrics is Austin's only all-electric bike shop and is 1 mile southeast of downtown in the Southshore District with direct access to the Hike-and-Bike Trail System. Day rentals are available as well as guided tours including a foodie tour and a Live Music Capital of the World Tour that is led by full-time Austin Musicians and includes a live performance by the artist.

See

Take a beautiful stroll around The University of Texas at Austin. While there you might want to visit the Blanton Museum of Art, the Harry Ransom Center, Texas Memorial Museum of Science and History, or view the public art around campus. The famous UT tower may or may not be open; inquire at the university. If it is, it is worth a look for the breathtaking views and history lesson. It is a tour though so you need to make reservations (see the previous link). The theater and music departments are both well regarded and have performances throughout the school year. If you visit during football season, you can see the Texas Longhorn football team play at Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. The Texas State Capitol is a must-see for new visitors to Austin. Unlike many other state capitols in America, Texas's is as welcoming as the state's people, and is completely open to the public seven days a week. In addition, Downtown Austin has a striking, unique skyline that is in some ways even prettier at night, when the buildings are lit up in different colors. Among the places from which you can see excellent views of the skyline are South Congress Avenue across the Colorado River, Stephen F. Austin Drive, West Cesar Chavez Street and several bridges.

Do

Tours

Access ATX Tours, ☏ +1 512 999-8687, questions@accessatx.com. Access ATX Tours offers private Austin city tours and day trips to the Texas Hill Country and San Antonio. Also offers Austin food tours, Texas BBQ Trail Tours, and Wine Tasting/Distillery/Brewery Tours. Twisted Texas Tour, 602 E. 4th Street, ☏ +1 512 999-8687, hello@twistedtexastour.com. every weekend. Austin's wildest ride with a live band on board the bus. Twisted Texas offers Brunch/Food Tours and Brewery Tours with live music, starting at $64 per person. Tours depart on weekends. $64-69. Segway Tours. Austin Segway Tours enable you to tour downtown Austin on the Segway. Learn to ride a Segway for $50 or tour downtown Austin for $75. Tours depart daily. Austin Tours, 555 E. 5th Street, #2811, ☏ +1 512 215-4603, info@reserve123.com. Operating daily. Offers scenic carriage and van tours as well as ground transportation to several area landmarks including Arboretum, Round Rock, and UT. Priced from $16.95. TexasWineTours, ☏ +1 512 329-7007, info@texaswinetours.com. Offers half and full day tours of the nearby Texas Wine country. Rent a chauffeured sedan, limo or minibus, generally departing between 10AM and noon daily. $50-1500. Independence Brewery Tour, 3913 Todd Lane #607, ☏ +1 512 707-0099, info@independencebrewing.com. 1-3PM, first Saturday of the month. Austin's local microbrewery, if you're in town on a tour day they are worth the time to see (and sample). Bike Nation Tours and Rentals, 1108 Lavaca St, ☏ +1 512 663-9634.

Theater companies

Rude Mechanicals (Rude Mechs). Original pieces are always engaging. Their production values are over the top (10-foot tesla coils on stage), and always make you interested to be watching theater. Pro Arts Collective. They do everything: theatre, dance, hip-hop, musicals, festivals and more. Teatro Vivo. Dedicated to producing quality bilingual theatre. Reflects the heart and soul of the Latino reality. Salvage Vanguard. Original musical pieces in conjunction with the Golden Arm Trio's Graham Reynolds are not to be missed. Different Stages. One of Austin's oldest repertory companies. Refraction Arts. They dabble in multiple mediums. Always interesting. the dirigo group. These critical darlings do original and established work. Loaded Gun Theory. Original pieces.

Music

KUTX Austin Music Map (warning: sound; mute at bottom left) Austin is the "Live Music Capital of the World". If you're into the bar and club scene, head to Sixth Street during the later hours for a wide selection of venues, many of which also feature live music. Sixth street is not by any stretch the only place to see music. It can in fact, become very crowded, and is generally the most tourist filled part of town. By ordinance for the protection of workers and public enjoyment, all public buildings in Austin are clean air zones, including bars. Smoking is prohibited except in rare separately ventilated areas, making Austin one of the few cities where a large and varied selection of music can be experienced smokefree.

Shopping

Austin is very proud of its local stores. Great places to shop are South Congress (SoCo), The Drag, (Guadalupe, from 17th to 38th, along the West side of the UT campus) and South First. North Loop also has a few fun and funky shops, but you'll probably have to ask a local (or several) how to get there. There are several antique stores on South Congress. Half-Price Books with five locations around town is a Texas-based chain whose stores offer exceptional value for your dollar, and have an extremely diverse selection. A peek in these stores will show you what Austinites are really reading. Austin is home of the original and the world headquarters of Whole Foods. Their flagship store is downtown at W. 6th St. and Lamar, in the same building as their brand-new corporate headquarters. They have several other stores around town as well. The flagship store is a destination in itself. Austin is also home to the original Central Market, near Lamar and 38th St., and a second location at Lamar and Westgate, down south. Both have live music in their dining areas on weekends. Whole Foods and Central Market have a large selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, wines, beer, cheese, free-range meats, and seafood. The Whole Foods flagship store downtown and the 38th St. Central Market locations have a varied selection of gelato. The "mothership" Whole Foods (as locals call it) is the largest in its chain, boasting six mini-restaurants with dishes prepared to order (seafood, vegetarian, BBQ, Italian, Asian, and pizza). Spirits live music at night, and an ice rink on top during the winter. Trader Joes (211 Walter Seaholm Dr Ste 100, open daily 8AM-9PM) has a store located in Downtown Austin that is very convenient for those who are staying downtown and has a large selection of vegetarian and vegan products. Wheatsville Food Co-op (original location 3101 Guadalupe, open daily 7:30AM-11PM, new south Austin store 4001 S. Lamar Blvd) is now a thriving cooperative grocery and has been around for over 30 years. Their focus on food issues guaranteed an excellent selection of ethically produced products including organics, vegetarian, vegan, free range meats and eggs, fair trade, household items, bulk foods and a full service deli. The store is a much smaller than the large supermarkets and provides a much more personal grocery experience. "King of the Hill" made fun of the earnestness of the place by having Hank eat "faux fu" (a more ethical form of tofu) from the place. HEB is one of the largest private (not publicly traded) corporations in America, has many supermarkets around town. They have great selection. Most markets have specialty, organic, and ethnic foods. Many are open 24 hours. Their newest large-scale supermarkets include everything from furniture to electronics to books to eggs. Randalls (owned by Albertsons), the second largest supermarket chain in town after H-E-B, has a few locations open 24 hours. Austin also features a large variety of ethnic grocery stores, including Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, and, of course, Mexican.

Eat

When you visit Austin, or if you decide to live here, you'll have no shortage of interesting and satisfying places to eat. Austin's restaurants are a feast for the mind and the palate. The listings below are only a sampling of the diverse and plentiful Austin restaurant scene. Austin has many high-end, destination restaurants, but it also has many high-quality, unique, and inexpensive restaurants where the locals eat, drink, and socialize every day (all day). It's a town built for living in, and the affordable, excellent restaurants show it. Just so you know you're in Texas, Austin has a large number of places serving Texas Barbeque and Tex-Mex; many of them are venerable, famous, and exceptionally good eating. Austin is vegetarian-friendly, and many restaurants have a good selection to choose from. Most supermarkets such as HEB, Fiesta and Randall's offer inexpensive prepared food. In addition Austin was one of the first US cities to help spawn the whole food truck trend and has many food truck parks like St. Elmo Public Market, The Picnic, Thicket Food Park, 5000 Burnet, or Mueller Trailer Eats where large numbers of food trucks congregate. Many of these food trucks offer diverse offerings that are also easy on the wallet such as tacos, döner kebabs, vegan fare, pad thai, po-boy sandwiches or Venezuelan arepas. Some popular food trucks include East Side King, Chi’lantro, Hey Cupcake!, and the Peached Tortilla. While Austin has dining options ranging from casual to upscale, most of the popular restaurants skew towards the budget end of the spectrum. There's a good chance the restaurant you want to visit has counter or quick-casual service and does not accept reservations. Part of the reason behind this is the fact that many popular restaurants started out as food trucks and then later built brick-and-mortar locations. Many of these places require that you pay up front, including tipping. When presented with the tipping step, bear in mind that Austin housing has become relatively expensive for service industry workers. Consequently, many popular restaurants also have long lines (e.g., Franklin Barbecue). While some people enjoy striking up conversations in these famed lines, you may find yourself wanting to actually eat rather than talk. Austin's restaurants tend to follow trends (e.g., BBQ, tacos, pizza), so plan on some nearby alternatives if the idea of standing in 100°F heat for an hour for a burger isn't your idea of fun. Local burger chains that you can find in numerous locations around Austin include P.Terry's who serve hormone free, antibiotic-free beef (Veggie burgers and quality chicken burgers, better than the regular burgers, are also available); and Mighty Fine with short menu but not short on taste. If you're going to Austin looking for barbecue, you're going to the right place. Austin is home to multiple of the best barbecue restaurants in the state. There are numerous Japanese restaurants in town (if you are looking for the real thing, most Japanese restaurants in town also are Korean or Chinese run). If you see bulgogi or other Korean fare it's likely a Korean restaurant. These places are pretty good and if you're not really into sushi, it's great to also have the option to eat Korean food. Austin is home to a variety of excellent Mexican restaurants. Everyone in town has his/her favorite so if you're looking to find a good one just ask the locals.

Baby Acapulco's is a well-known Tex-Mex restaurant serving out of 4 locations throughout the Austin area. A fun place for happy hour with a more upbeat and younger crowd. The famous purple margarita will do you just fine. But they serve a limit of two so drink responsibly! Chuy's Restaurant an Austin institution with great Tex-Mex food. The North Lamar location is somewhat out of the way, but also tends to have the shortest wait times. Call ahead because the wait can sometimes be extremely long, though there are free chips and salsa to help make up for it. Maudie's with 6 locations is great local Tex-Mex chain with locations spread across the city. Excellent tacos, enchiladas and chili rellenos. Serves breakfast all day. Gluten Free Menu available upon request. Lupe Tortilla's is a really delicious and affordable Tex-Mex with great margaritas and their queso is the best in town, and be sure to try the flour tortillas (which are as big as your plate). Serranos a homegrown Tex-Mex restaurant with five area locations around town offering a great selection of tasty Tex-Mex dishes. The food and service are consistently good for a reasonable price. For something different try the enchiladas con huevos. "Torchy's Tacos has amazing tacos of every kind, including breakfast tacos. Try the green chile pork or the democrat. Other local offering found in multiple locations around the city include:

Amy's Ice Creams where the atmosphere is lively and the employees are friendly. Add a fruit or candy "crush'n" to your ice cream for even more flavor. The location on Burnet Road, aside from being right beside the Amy's production facility, also features a burger joint - Phil's Ice House. Try the sweet potato fries and the burger sampler. Kerbey Lane Cafe an Austin favorite offers legendary pancakes and an extensive vegan menu that includes breakfast tacos, chai pancakes, tofu cheesecake, and more. Also try the queso and Dave's enchiladas. Breakfast all day. Opal Divine's serving up American food menu at four Austin locations, all of which have large outdoor decks for those who prefer to dine or enjoy an adult beverage with nature. Thundercloud Subs a local sandwich deli with over 27 locations around town. Known for its 'Keep Austin Weird' atmosphere and 'Thunder sauce'. Whole Foods Market Cafea vegetarian-friendly grocery store with numerous food bars offering vegan and vegetarian options. Whole Foods' flagship store is in Austin. Because the weather gets bitterly cold only now and then, there is usually lots and lots of outdoor dining through the winter to such an extent that it is the rule rather than the exception that a place where you want to eat will have some kind of porch or back area that's open to the air, sometimes with heaters in the winter.

Drink

Austin is coffee mad. The coffeehouse culture is strong and growing here in Austin, and you can hear poetry and live music at quite a few of these places, as well as getting light eats. Coffeehouses are where the liberal heart of Austin beats for all to see. Free wireless Internet connections are very common (and available at many other businesses as well). There are a number of local chains including Caffe Medici. Most gay and lesbian bars and night clubs are downtown with the highest concentration in the Warehouse district. For alcohol Austin's main strip is on 6th Street downtown. But like most entertainment districts that get raves in the media, it's a little overhyped. Check out the nearby Warehouse District and Fourth Street if you don't want quarter wells and million-dollar sorority girls. Most grocery stores (especially HEB and Central Market) carry a variety of Texas beer. There are several microbreweries operating in Austin, and you can expect to find their beer at outlets with moderate to wide selections:

Independence Brewing Co.. (updated Sep 2025) Live Oak Brewing. You can find their beers on tap all over town. (512) Brewing Company. Just south of downtown in the SoCo neighborhood. Their beers are on tap in almost every bar in Austin. Jester King Craft Brewery. An emerging traditional farmhouse brewery a short drive west of town on a pastoral farm in the Hill Country. They offer tastings and tours every Saturday afternoon. There are also small brewpubs serving their own house-brewed beers to the local cognoscenti, many in the North Loop area.

Sleep

Individual listings can be found in Austin's district articles Many hotels sell out for Austin festivals, particularly South By Southwest. Book well ahead for anything downtown.

Stay safe

Austin is one of the safest major cities in the US. However, this does not mean that there is no crime. As with most American cities, credit cards are accepted nearly universally, especially for nightlife. Therefore, for convenience and safety, it's inadvisable to carry large amounts of cash. The number for police, fire, and medical services is 911. In many parts of Austin, there are beggars on the street corners, particularly off of the freeways, who will hold signs asking for money (panhandling). Consider donating instead to a legitimate charity, like Meals on Wheels, the Salvation Army or Austin Atheists Helping the Homeless. There is a district around 6th St. and Red River that houses a large homeless shelter known as the Arch. This area is generally safe during the day, but often filled with panhandlers at night. They can be fairly aggressive and sometimes follow people traveling alone. In addition, groups of muggers sometimes target intoxicated bar patrons who dare to depart on their own. There is generally a large, visible police presence (mounted, foot, and cruiser) at night in the 6th St. area. They are quite willing to let belligerent drunks dry out overnight in the city jail, but are able to offer free voluntary rides to "The Sobering Center" for nonviolent intoxicated persons who require a safe place to sober up. They do, however, provide a safe and secure area to enjoy yourself and Austin's famous live music. In the Rundberg area, you should not walk alone on the streets by yourself, especially around the I-35 area. Austinites tend to avoid this area. Because surrounding hills concentrate the water, some streets in Austin and the surrounding area are prone to flooding during periods of heavy rain. These areas are typically marked as 'low water crossings' but in any event do not drive or walk across moving water. "Turn around, Don't drown" is a well known, local saying. Each year several people are killed as they are swept away by flooding. You will also see many flood control structures built into the landscape. Small, dry low places with bounding berms during the dry season, these are dangerous places to be in but keep Austin safer when the rains come.

Go next

Hill Country Flyer, ☏ +1 512 477-8468. A scenic 2-hour train ride through the Hill Country to Burnet, where the train stops for shopping and dining. The ride is especially scenic during mid-spring when the hills are covered in bluebonnets. The train is normally pulled by an old steam engine which is under restoration. In the meantime, the route still runs, pulled by a 1960s diesel engine. San Marcos - 32 miles south of Austin, San Marcos is the home of Texas State University and its Aquarena Center, as well as two massive outlet malls that have more than 350 shops. New Braunfels - 48 miles south of Austin, this town is best known for its German culture and heritage, not to mention the Schlitterbahn, persistent in being voted the world's best waterpark. River Tubing - several cold, spring-fed rivers run through Central Texas and are popular places to float down a river in an inner tube. Several outfitters provide tubes and transportation up or down the river. Rivers include the San Marcos River, the Comal River, the Guadalupe River, and others to varying degrees. Hippie Hollow, county park offering clothing-optional bathing since the 1960s.

More pictures of Austin

From this destination's category on Wikimedia Commons. Each photograph is credited to its own author under its own licence.