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Downtown Austin is a district of Austin, Texas, west of IH-35, north of Lady Bird Lake, and south of MLK street (19th street).

Get around

Austin has a vibrant pedicab community of bicycle taxis that operate during the evening hours on and around the 6th street entertainment district. A pedicab can be a fun way to get around as well a scenic experience. Currently there are over 200 pedicabs operating in Austin that charge a fare based on tips.

See

• 1 The Texas State Capitol. Is a must-see for new visitors to Austin. A large source of pride for the city and the state, the State Capitol is a beautiful building wrapped in Texas pink granite. Independent-minded Texans take pride in the fact that the State Capitol is actually 14 feet taller than the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. 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. It's interesting to stroll through the halls, look at the paintings and sculptures, and peek into the legislative chambers. And it's free!  
• 2 Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 N Congress Ave, ☏ +1 512 936-8746. M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 12PM-5PM. This is one of the nicest museums in Austin. There is probably more than you want to know about Texas history here. They have free lockers and the IMAX theater is also located here. $13/adult, $11/concession, $9/youth. (updated Oct 2018)

• Women and Their Work Gallery, 1710 Lavaca St.. A visual and performing art organization that serves as a catalyst for contemporary art created by women living and working in Texas and beyond. For over 30 years, W&TW has brought groundbreaking art to Austin, with exhibitions, performances, literary readings and educational workshops. 

• 3 The Contemporary Austin (Austin Museum of Art), 700 Congress Ave. Reflecting the unconventional spirit of Austin, AMOA-Downtown offers informative and informal art experiences oriented towards the interests of a broad general audience. The galleries serve as the Museum's primary exhibition site and present continually changing exhibitions and education programs that showcase an array of twentieth-century and contemporary art. To complement the art on view, the Museum presents a broad range of accessible, interdisciplinary, and hands-on public education programs for school children, families and adults. AMOA-Downtown also features the Community Room, a place for activities and private functions with gallery access.  
• 4 Austin bats (Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge). Yes, that's right, bats. Austin's Congress Avenue bridge is home to about 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats. This is the largest urban bat colony in the world and one of the largest Mexican free-tailed bat colonies in North America. The bats are generally active at dusk every evening between March and November. In years when there has been a drought, the bats leave early (when there is still light), and can be a quite impressive sight. In years when there has been plenty of rain, they leave so late it is difficult to see much. Best place to see them is near the Austin American Statesman's parking lot, or you can pay for boat tours to see them from underneath the bridge. Towards the end of bat season, when the colony's young are flying for the first time, pedestrian crowds can become rather dense. Try to arrive at least an hour before dark if you want to have a good, unobstructed view.  

Do

• milk + honey spa, 204 Colorado St, ☏ +1 512 236-1112. 9AM-9PM, 7 days a week. milk + honey spa is a modern, elegant, design forward day spa in the heart of the 2nd Street District. It is a good option for travelers looking for a massage, facial, or nail treatment. moderate. 

Buy

• 1 Toy Joy, 403 W 2nd St, ☏ +1 512-320-0090. Awesome selection of novelty, themed, and era-reminiscent toys, candy, and stationary. 
• 2 Bookpeople (Sixth & Lamar), ☏ +1 512-472-5050. Across the street from Waterloo Records, this locally owned bookstore has two stories of books with lots of quiet corners to sit down for a read. Largest independent bookstore in Texas. Great selection of books on Texas history and architecture. 
• 3 Waterloo Records, 600 N Lamar Blvd, (Sixth & Lamar), ☏ +1 512-474-2500. Known around town for having local artists play in-store. Wide selection of music, everything from Blues to Electronica to Country. Has a wall dedicated to local musicians, great if you need a real country fix, not that sugary syrup they play on the radio. 

Eat

• 1 Austin Land and Cattle (ALC), 1205 North Lamar Blvd., ☏ +1 512-472-1813, info@alcsteaks.com. Delicious steaks in a relaxed atmosphere (for a steakhouse). Great bar, appetizers, and sides too. Not especially cheap, but some of the best steaks in town. 
• Best Wurst, 6th and San Jacinto; 6th and Red River. W-Su 7PM-3AM (San Jacinto); F-Sa 8PM-3AM (Red River). Downtown Austin's original bratwurst food stand serving hot bratwurst, Italian sausage and beef sausage on a hot grilled bun with plenty of sauerkraut to go around "all night long!" Tell everyone you ate at the original Best Wurst! 
• 2 Burger Bar, 110 E. 2nd St, ☏ +1 512-608-4822. M-F 7:30AM-8PM, Sa Su 11AM-8PM. Feast on ground flat-top burgers, inventive handspun shakes and addictive fry creations in a stylish sidewalk setting. Be sure to try their signature Big Mouth Burger, topped with blistered peppers, jalapeno jam, bacon and zesty cheddar. 
• Casino El Camino, 517 E 6th St. (between Red River and Neches), ☏ +1 512 469-9330. Su-M 24 hours, Tu-Sa 11:30AM-7PM. Over 21 only. Bar that serves juicy 3/4 pound patties of certified Angus Beef. Also available: chicken sandwiches, hotdogs, veggie sandwiches, etc. Everything is SLOOOOOW-cooked so expect 45 min. to an hour waits for food at peak times, but it's worth it. Dark decor, eccentric jukebox, and nice back garden. 
• 3 Corner, 110 E. Second St. (JW Marriot), ☏ +1 512-608-4488. Combining regional ingredients and recipes from every corner of Texas with crafted tequila cocktails and locally-sourced beers, Corner brings a modern, uptempo spirit to a laid-back space overlooking the South Congress neighborhood. Don't miss the Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder Sandwich, accompanied by quince jelly and manchego cheese or the festive Taco Bar. 
• Cuba Libre, 409 Colorado St, ☏ +1 512 472-2822, info@cubalibreaustin.com. M-F 4PM-2AM, Sa 6PM-2AM, closed Sunday. Kitchen: M-Th 4PM-10:30PM, F 4PM-11PM, Sa 6PM-11PM. Happy Hour: M 24 hours, Tu-F 4PM-7PM. Caribbean cuisine with some Pan-Asian overtones but also some Southwestern touches such as mesquite grilling and a bit of Mediterranean thrown in the mix. If you like seafood there is something you will like here. Nice fusion restaurant. Moderately expensive. Dinners $12-18. 

• Frank and Angie's Pizzeria, 508 West Ave (next to Hut's Hamburgers), ☏ +1 512 472-3534. M-F 11AM-10PM, Sa 12PM-10PM, Su 5PM-10PM. Pizza and Italian food. Supposedly Quentin Tarantino's favorite restaurant in Austin. 
• 4 Gus’s World Famous Hot & Spicy Fried Chicken (Gus's fried Chicken), 117 San Jacinto Blvd (on corner of San Jacinto Blvd & W 2nd St), ☏ +1 512 474-4877. M–Th 11AM–9PM; F–Sa 11AM–10PM; Su 11AM–9PM. Fried chicken. (updated Jan 2016)
• Hoek's Death Metal Pizza, 511 E 6th St., ☏ +1 512 802-5298. Rock out and eat some of Austin's most delicious "metal" pizza. 

• Hut's Hamburgers, 807 W 6th St, ☏ +1 512 472-0693. Daily 11AM-10PM. A great, inexpensive 50s diner style hamburger joint on 6th St. near downtown. Every burger available with regular beef, bison (buffalo), chicken, vegetarian, or Hawaiian. Usually packed after a football game. Once you have completed your sinning here, the Whole Foods flagship store is right down the street. 

• Iron Works BBQ, 100 Red River St, ☏ +1 512 478-4855, fax: +1 512-478-2272, general@ironworksbbq.com. M-Sa 11AM-9PM. Decent BBQ very close to the Austin Convention Center downtown. BBQ plates, sandwiches, and side dishes. Dinners $6-12. 

• Koriente, 621 E. 7th St., ☏ +1 512 275-0852. Su-F 11AM-9:30PM, Sa 1PM-9:30PM. Asian fusion restaurant with many vegetarian and vegan options, including summer rolls, vegetarian curries, and sweet potato noodles. Tofu is available on most entrees. 

• Leaf, 419 W. 2nd St., ☏ +1 512 474-5323. Daily 11AM-4PM. This eatery is focused on serving fresh, tasty salads. Choose from the menu or make your own! A few of their soups are vegetarian and/or vegan. 

• Opal Divine's Austin Grill, 700 W 6th St, ☏ +1 512 477-3308. M-Tu 11AM-11PM, W-Th 11AM-12AM, F 11AM-2AM, Sa 10AM-2AM, Su 10AM-11PM (kitchen closes 1 hour before closing) (Sa-Su brunch 10AM-3PM). Serving up American food menu at three Austin locations, all of which have large outdoor decks for those who prefer to dine or enjoy an adult beverage with nature. 
• 5 Osteria Pronto, 110 E. Second St., ☏ +1 512-608-4490. Indulge in authentic, quality Italian food hand crafted with passion and served with class. Don't miss the signature Pollo Al Mattone, the inventive pizza selections and the impeccable wine list. 
• Scholz Garten, 1607 San Jacinto Blvd, ☏ +1 512 474-1958. The oldest continuously operating restaurant and also the oldest business in Texas, started just after the Civil War. Good German and other hearty fare. As the name implies, Scholz Garten also has a biergarten and serves many different types of beer. A traditional Democratic party hangout where Ann Richards is supposed to have plotted her successful run for governor. In the middle of it all, the Capitol is a few blocks away and the University of Texas is just north. 

• Stubb's BBQ, 801 Red River St, ☏ +1 512 482-8422, restaurantmanager@stubbsaustin.com. Tu-Th 11AM-10PM, F-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su 11AM-9PM. Quintessential BBQ joint located near downtown. In addition to the great BBQ, the kitchen turns out some great side dishes, which are often overshadowed by the smoked meats. This unique venue has two concert venues, one indoor and one outdoor that can accommodate over a thousand people. Dinners $10-15. 

• 6 Texas Chili Parlor, 1409 Lavaca St. (near the Capitol and south of UT), ☏ +1 512 472-2828. Daily 11AM-2AM. Get your red on. Serves the national dish of Texas, chili, in all heat ranges as well as other great Texan-American fare. This downtown neighborhood chili parlor is reportedly the local Republican hangout when "The Lege" is in session. Featured in Quentin Tarantino's movie "Death Proof." 

• Whole Foods Market Cafe, 525 N Lamar Blvd, ☏ +1 512 476-1206. Daily 8AM-10PM. 

Drink

• 1 Emo's East, 2015 E. Riverside Dr.. Standing on the site of the old Back Room, this venue has a larger capacity than the old Emo's (which, as of December 2011, is closed), better sound quality, and the draw of bigger acts.  

Sleep

Budget

• 1 Firehouse Hostel, 605 Brazos St, ☏ +1 512 201-2522, austinfirehouse@gmail.com. A hostel located in Austin's oldest standing firehouse. Dorm rooms, "euro-style" private rooms (shared bath), and suites (private bath) available. The hostel also has free wifi, free computer terminal, free breakfast, laundry facilities, and locker storage. $29-35 dorm beds, $79-99 euro privates, $119-159 suites. 

Mid-range

• Hampton Inn & Suites Austin - Downtown, 200 San Jacinto Blvd. (between Lady Bird Lake (formerly Town Lake) and 6th Street), ☏ +1 512 472-1500. A comfortable hotel with a luxury feel for the budget-minded traveler. Amenities include pool and free hot breakfast. From $159. 
• 2 Holiday Inn Austin Town Lake Hotel, 20 North IH-35, ☏ +1 512 472-8211. 
• Radisson Hotel & Suites Austin, 111 Cesar Chavez at Congress, ☏ +1 512 478-9611, fax: +1 512 473-8399. Meeting facilities which can accommodate up to 600. 

• La Quinta Inn Austin Capitol, 300 E. 11th St, ☏ +1 512 476-1166. 

Splurge

• 3 Driskill Hotel, 604 Brazos St, ☏ +1 512 474-5911. The oldest hotel in the city, built in 1886 by a cattle baron. Beautiful architecture, marble floors, high ceilings, and the best upscale bar in the city. Gorgeous and historic hotel - regarded as a centerpiece for Austin's high society. The Driskill has been lauded as one of the most haunted hotels in America, so you might catch a few ghostbusters around. If you'd like to not go entirely bankrupt but still check out this truly beautiful Austin landmark, try out the 5-star Driskill Grill at lunch time or visit the bakery.  
• Four Seasons Hotel Austin, 98 San Jacinto Blvd., ☏ +1 512 478-4500, fax: +1 512 478-3117. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 12:00 noon. Try to score a room on the lake side, and shoot for floors 7-9, above the heinous electric wires that mar the view (and add extra "atmosphere" to the pool area). These rooms are also a prime viewing spot for the bats that live under the bridge to the right, who make their mass exodus at dusk. Construction is beginning on the city side of the hotel for the new Four Seasons condos. Standard Rates from $385/night. 
• 4 Hilton Austin, 500 E 4th St., ☏ +1 512 482-8000. Luxurious, 4-Diamond hotel adjacent to the Convention Center. Austin's convention center hotel. The city owns this beautiful, enormous new hotel in the heart of downtown, just off I-35 and 6th st. This hotel has Austin at its doorstep. It's eminently possible to stay here and enjoy yourself and never have to travel beyond walking distance. 6th St, the Capitol, and the university are all within 1-1.5 miles.  

• Omni Austin Hotel Downtown & Suites, 700 San Jacinto Blvd, ☏ +1 512 476-3700. Luxury downtown hotel with shops and offices on the ground floor. Close to the Capitol and 6th St. 

Go next

This is a Wikivoyage user page.

East Austin is a district of Austin, to the north of Lady Bird Lake and to the east of IH-35. This was the area reserved for Blacks and Mexicans in the infamous 1928 official city segregation plan. Nowadays, certain areas of East Austin are strongly gentrifying.

See

• 5 Texas State Cemetery. Is the state burying ground for Texas politicians, cultural figures and Republic of Texas heroes. Texas luminaries buried within its grounds include Stephen F. Austin, John Connally, Barbara Jordan, Darrell Royal and Ann Richards. The cemetery is open 365 days a year from 8AM to 5PM Audio tours are available at the office at 909 Navasota Street or can be downloaded for free from the website. Admittance is free, but can be limited during a funeral.  

Do

• 2 Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail. formerly known as the Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail, the 1.1 mile trail creates a complete circuit around Lady Bird Lake. It is one of the oldest urban Texas hike and bike paths. The trail is the longest trail designed for non-motorized traffic maintained by the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department and watched after by a local non-profit named The Trail Foundation.  

The East side practically has a park and a swimming pool every five blocks.

• Metz park. Has cheap classes for all ages, basketball, baseball, soccer fields, a swimming pool and a rec center. The rec center is air conditioned with fooseball, a pool table and clean restrooms. Outside the rec is a free water park for the young'uns. The hike and bike trails are in pristine condition since they don't get the wear and tear that the trails get on the west side of I-35. 

• East Austin Studio Tour. This wildly popular annual event has, as of 2009, expanded to the two weekends prior to Thanksgiving, with additional events throughout the week between. Artists working in East Austin open their studios to the public for sales of contemporary art and some crafts. 

• Blue Starlight Mini Urban Drive-in, 1901 E. 51 st.. 

Theatres

• The Off Center. Rude Mechanicals (Rude Mechs) manages this space. 
• The Blue Theatre. Refraction Arts manages this space. 
• The Vortex. Vortex Repertory Company manages this space. 

Performance Companies

• Aztlan Dance Company. 
• Pro Arts Collective. 
• ALLGO (Austin Latino Lesbian & Gay Organization). Has a small performance venue. 
• Rude Mechs. 
• Refraction Arts. 
• Physical Plant. 
• Salvage Vanguard. 
• dirigo group. 

Buy

Known to the locals as The Pinata District, east Austin has plenty of pinata stores.

• HOPE Farmers Market, 414 Waller St (corner of East 5th + Waller). Sundays 11AM-3PM. Weekly community gathering space where local farmers, artisans, community groups, families, and urban consumers can find fresh foods, community programs, artistic creations, agricultural education and wellness workshops. Aims to introduce those in the Austin area to surrounding area farms, healthy lifestyle companies, education in the arts and local community volunteer programs. 
• 4 Fiesta Mart, 3909 N. Interstate 35, ☏ +1 512-406-3900. Mexican groceries, strong selection of other international fare. 

Eat

There are plenty of great places to eat in East Austin.

• Angie's Mexican Restaurant, 900 E 7th St. (behind the gas station on I-35). Good Tex-Mex with its own loyal customers. It is in an older house on a hill with a good view of downtown. They also have outdoor seating but the deck needs some updating. 

• Casa Colombia, 1614 E 7th St (at Concho St.), ☏ +1 512 495-9425, info@micolombiafood.com. Tu-Th 11AM-9PM, F-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 11AM-6PM. Authentic Colombian food; absolutely delicious. Try the yucca root (yuca) and the empanadas. 

• Cisco's Restaurant and Bakery, 1511 East 6th St., ☏ +1 512 478-2420. 7AM - 2:30PM. President LBJ's favorite breakfast spot is still going strong. This historic eastside spot offers outstanding migas, huevos rancheros and fajitas, and don't miss the fresh biscuits. $. 

• Eastside Cafe, 2113 Manor Rd, ☏ +1 512 476-5858, fax: +1 512 476-5858, eastside@io.com. Fantastic restaurant in an old house, complete with their own vegetable and herb garden, which the seasonal menu revolves around. The menu includes salads, sandwiches, pasta, fish, beef, pork, shrimp, enchiladas. Vegetarian dishes. Entrees $9-$28. 

• El Zunzal Restaurant, 642 Calles St (near 7th - almost in the HEB parking lot), ☏ +1 512 474-7749. Tamales in banana leaves make a meal with just one or two. Pupusas, mondongo, salpicon, yuca, various tacos, and aguas frescas round off the experience. 
• 7 Franklin Barbecue, 900 E. 11th St, ☏ +1 512-653-1187. 11AM until sold out. Super popular (and rightfully so) place just east of I-35. It started as a trailer, but they now have a small restaurant. They open at 11AM and only serve food until they sell out. Be warned; folks start lining up incredibly early. If you arrive later than 10 or 10:30 on a usual day, you may not get food. It's easily worth the wait if you have the time; their brisket is the best in Texas. 
• Joe's Bakery & Mexican Food, 2305 E 7th St. (right past Prospect Ave), ☏ +1 512 472-0017. Has good Tex-Mex and Mexican Pastries. They are only open until 3p and closed on Mondays. The staff is friendly and there is always at least a 10 minute wait on weekends but the tortillas are fresh and the food authentic Tex-Mex. 

• Juan In A Million, 2300 E Cesar Chavez St. (past Robert T. Martinez St.), ☏ +1 512 472-3872, fax: +1 512-472-5626, eat@juaninamillion.com. Daily 7AM-3PM. Another Tex-Mex restaurant with a nice atmosphere and a shaded patio. The owner is always there to shake hands and meet the customers. The Don Juan breakfast plate is an Austin staple, especially if you are feeling the effects of last night's partying. Lunches $6-8. 

• La Reyna, 1505 E 7th St (near Comal St.), ☏ +1 512 476-4211. This is also good Tex-Mex with fresh flour tortillas. The waitstaff is not as friendly but the word about their really good food hasn't gotten out so you never have to wait. 

• Mr. Natural, 1901 E Cesar Chavez St, ☏ +1 512 477-5228, info@mrnatural-austin.com. Daily 8AM-7PM. This is a must try. Everything is organic and vegetarian and delicious. They also offer yoga classes and a vitamin store. Also they have all natural baked goods. Traditional Tex-Mex breakfasts (tofu migas) are done here with a vegetarian twist. Dinners $4-9. 

• Mi Madres, 2201 Manor Rd, ☏ +1 512 322-9721. It's worth it for the deliciously cheap tacos. The staff is friendly and the small restaurant is filled with regulars. Nice patio; they also serve lunch. Amazing migas as well as chips and hot sauce. 

• Sam's Bar-B-Cue, 2000 E 12th St, ☏ +1 512 478-0378. Open until 3AM and on the east side, which works well after leaving 6th St. 

Drink

• The Grackle, 1700 East 6th St, ☏ +1 512 520-8148. 
• Rio Rita, 1308 East 6th St, ☏ +1 512 524-0384. Good seating indoor and outdoor in the back. Friendly service. 
• The Volstead Lounge, 1500 East 6th St, ☏ +1 512 524-1584. Good music, funky digs, patio area. 
• The White Horse, 500 Comal St. Great rotation of everything honky-tonk. Check their website for a schedule of what's playing. Dancing and decent drink specials. Usually a good crowd. 

Sleep

• Heywood Hotel, 1609 E Cesar Chavez St, ☏ +1 512 271-5522. Check-in: 3PM. Provides free off-street parking, free wifi & free bicycles. $$-$$$. 
• 5 Studio 6 Austin Midtown, 6603 North I-35, ☏ +1 512 458-5453. Budget extended-stay hotel. 

Connect

This is a Wikivoyage user page.

Northwest Austin is an area in Austin, Texas, west of the Mo-Pac freeway and/or north of Anderson lane (but not including anything south of Lady Bird Lake or east of IH-35).

Get in

You can reach Northwest Austin via I-35 North to US 183, or via MoPac Expressway North. Bus service is available from downtown and the North Transit Center. Light rail service, started in 2010, has stations at The Domain on MoPac, near MoPac and Howard Lane/McNeil Road, Lakeline Mall area and Leander.

See

• 6 Lake Travis (Northern side of Lake Travis is in the Northwest Austin area, at Volente and Lago Vista) (RM 2222 then north on RR 620, or US 183 north to Anderson Mill Road west (turns into Volente Road) or US 183 north to RM 1431 west).  

Do

• 3 Walnut Creek Municipal Park, 12138 N. Lamar Blvd. Walnut Creek Park features a large loop and a multitude of hilly, meandering trails popular with mountain bikers. A dirt BMX trail and loop is available. Stay on mark trails, some areas have experience heavy errosions which have lead to huge rock slides.  
• Austin Steam Train (Hill Country Flyer, Bertram Flyer and Twilight Flyer offer steam train excursions from Cedar Park to Burnet and Bertram. They also have special murder mystery and storytelling trains.), Discovery Blvd., near Bell Blvd. and Whitestone Blvd., Cedar Park (I-35 or MoPac north to US 183, which turns into Bell Blvd. in Cedar Park), ☏ +1 512 477-8468, fax: +1 512 477-8633, info@austinsteamtrain.org. 
• Balcones Country Club (Two private 18-hole golf courses, but with reciprocal privileges.), 8600 Balcones Club Dr (US 183 North, exit Anderson Mill, u-turn, turn right on second Balcones Club Drive), ☏ +1 512 258-2775. 
• 4 Bull Creek District Park (48 acre park on Bull Creek. Dog Lovers like to congregate and socialize here. Swimming, wading.), 6701 Lakewood Dr. (Take 2222 west to Lakewood (opposite County Line BBQ)).  
• Bull Creek Greenbelt (477 acres along Bull Creek. Hiking, swimming, wading.), 7806 N. Capital of Texas Highway (Take 2222 east to Loop 360 North). 
• Dave & Buster's, 9333 Research Blvd, #A600, ☏ +1 512 346-8015. Sunday-Thursday 11:30AM-Midnight, Friday-Saturday 'til 2AM. Games (arcade, billiards, shuffleboard), restaurant and bar. 
• Volente Beach Waterpark, 16107 FM 2769, ☏ +1 512 258-5109. Small waterpark, restaurant and bar on the shores of Lake Travis 
• Main Event, 13301 N US Hwy 183 (US 183 North, exit Anderson Mill Rd., on north frontage road.), ☏ +1 512 401-0000. Tuesday-Thursday + Sunday 11AM-Midnight, Friday-Saturday-Monday 11AM-2AM. Arcade, bowling, billiards, laser tag, glow golf, gravity ropes and rock climbing. Restaurant and bar. 
• Texas Stars, H-E-B Center, 2100 Avenue of the Stars, Cedar Park (US 183A North, exit FM 1431), ☏ +1 512 467-8277. See website for game dates and times. American Hockey League team affiliated with the Dallas Stars  
• Austin Spurs, H-E-B Center, 2100 Avenue of the Stars, Cedar Park (US 183A North, exit FM 1431), ☏ +1 512 236-8333. See website for game dates and times. NBA G League team affiliated with the San Antonio Spurs  
• 5 H-E-B Center (Cedar Park Center), 2100 Avenue of the Stars, Cedar Park (US 183A, Exit FM 1431), ☏ +1 512 600-5001. Arena seating 6600-8200 for sporting, concerts, family shows and graduation ceremonies.  
• Alamo Drafthouse Theaters - Village, 2700 Anderson Ln (MoPac North, exit Spicewood Springs/Anderson and turn right), ☏ +1 512 476-1320. One of five Alamo Drafthouse Theaters in Austin, with meals, drink and snacks served throughout each film. This one focuses on art and limited release films. 
• Alamo Drafthouse Theater - Lake Creek, 13729 Research Blvd. (US 183 North, exit Lake Creek Parkway), ☏ +1 512 219-5408. One of five Alamo Drafthouse Theaters in Austin, with meals, drink and snacks served throughout each film. This one focuses on major releases, but there are still quirky events that the Alamo Drafthouse is famous for. 
• Gold Class Cinemas, 3225 Amy Donovan Plaza (MoPac north, exit Braker Lane east, then left onto Domain Drive), ☏ +1 512 568-3400. First Class cinema experience, with full food and drink menu, reserved seating in recliners. 
• Regal Arbor 8 Cinema @ Great Hills, 9828 Great Hills Trail, Suite 800 (US183 North, exit Great Hills, turn left, turn right onto Jollyville, cinema is on your right), ☏ +1 512 231-9742. 8 theaters with a focus on art/foreign/limited distribution films 
• 6 iFLY Austin, 13265 N Hwy 183 Austin, Texas 78750. Indoor skydiving facility for all ages. Facilities for families and groups. (updated Jun 2016)
• 7 Mt. Bonnell, 3800 Mt. Bonnell Dr (west of Mopac on 2222, left on Mt. Bonnell Rd.). The third-highest point in Austin city limits at 780 feet. Several trails make for pleasant short hikes and points to experience incredible views of Town Lake and the city. The area has a history of romance and is sometimes called Antoinette's Leap, after a woman who supposedly leapt to her death to escape Indians who killed her lover.  

• 8 Hippie Hollow, 700 Comanche Trail (West on FM 2222, left on FM 620, right on to Comanche Trail). The only legal nude beach in Texas, although "beach" is a bit of a stretch. On the north shore of Lake Travis, Hippie Hollow has a "steep, rocky, shoreline." It is also home to both the golden cheeked warbler and the black capped vireo, two bird species listed under the US Endangered Species Act.  

Buy

Northwest Austin shopping primarily runs along US 183 (Research Blvd.) and MoPac Expressway. Many affluent, albeit chain, shops and stores are located in this part of town.

• Cedar Park Farms to Market, Lakeline Mall parking lot, near Dillard's (US183, exit RR620, turn left, right on Ridgeline), ☏ +1 512 363-5700. 09:00AM to 1PM Saturday. Good Farmer's Market with produce, dairy, eggs, meat, bread, canned goods and other items. Live music. 

Malls

• 5 The Arboretum (US 183 and Great Hills Trail). Open-air mall which includes Barnes & Noble Books, Pottery Barn, Chico's, Gap, Nine West, Express, Restoration Hardware, Salon 505 Day Spa, Amy's Ice Cream, The Cheesecake Factory and others.  
• 6 The Domain and Domain Crossing (Braker and MoPac). The Domain is an upscale open-air mall and hosts Neiman Marcus, Tiffany's, Macy's, Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren, Emporio Armani, Tiffany & Co. Louis Vitton, Victoria's Secret and many others.  
• The Shops at Arbor Walk (at Braker and MoPac). 
• 7 Lakeline Mall (US 183 and RR 620). This is a traditional indoor mall. The anchor stores are Dillard's, J.C. Penney, Sears and Macy's  

Stores

• Fry's Electronics, 12707 N MoPac Expressway (At Parmer Lane). Fry's is an electronic superstore with everything from toasters to HD TV's to computers to electronic components. Each Fry's is themed, Austin's is music. 
• Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, 10515 N. Mopac Expressway, Bldg. L, ☏ +1 512-231-9200. Vitamins, health supplements, and natural groceries with an amazing amount of items in such a small space. 
• Sprouts Farmers Market, 10225 Great Hills Trail, Suite 1000 (at US183), ☏ +1 512-225-9101. Sprouts is a chain featuring fresh produce, meat and deli counter, vitamins, bulk foods, health foods and gourmet items 
• 8 Terratoys, 2438 W. Anderson Ln, ☏ +1 512-445-4498. Wide variety of toys and excellent selection of children's books. 
• 9 MT Supermarket, 10901 N Lamar Blvd G (North Lamar Blvd. and Braker Lane), ☏ +1 512-454-4804. 68,000 square foot Vietnamese and Chinese grocery supermarket, part of the 180,000 square foot Chinatown Center. 
• 10 Hong Kong Supermarket, 8557 Research Blvd, ☏ +1 512-836-2068. Chinese groceries. 

Eat

• 8 Asia Cafe, 8650 Spicewood Springs Rd 114 A. 11:00-21:00. One of the best Chinese food places in Austin. It's family style (huge portions) and offers some very exotic dishes. But its claim to fame is the "spicy fish fillet". It's amazing. There are a few other must-try items, such as eggplant with ground pork and twice cooked pork (bacon) with garlic sprouts. 

• 9 Pluckers Wing Bar, Rio Grande, South Lamar, Research Blvd, Lakeline Mall, Round Rock. A local wing joint/sports bar. Reasonably priced, delicious wings and other menu items (including tasty salads). Try the fried macaroni and cheese. They have tons of TVs; it's a great place to watch a ball game. 
• Chinatown, 3407 Greystone Dr, ☏ +1 512 343-9307. Authentic Chinese flavor with a modern twist. Not really fusion, not really traditional either, but very delicious. The restaurant is located upstairs in a two-story building; the bottom floor houses the Japanese restaurant Musashino 

• Curra's Grill. An Austin original, this restaurant brings outstanding traditional interior Mexican food to four locations. Some of the best pork recipes around and you will not find better Mexican style seafood dishes anywhere in the city. The south eatery is at 614 East Oltorf and the north location is at 6801 Burnet Road. 

• Din Ho Chinese Bar-B-Q, 8557 Research Blvd, ☏ +1 512 832-8788. Open till 1AM most nights.. Lunch and dinner. Some of the most authentic Chinese fare in town, specializing in Cantonese and seafood dishes. Chinese BBQ pork and whole roast duck are available for take-out as well. Don't bring Caucasian friends who are squeamish about real Chinese food - take them to Chinatown instead. 

• Enchiladas Y Mas, 1911 W Anderson Ln (just east of Burnet Road), ☏ +1 512 467-7100, mhmart1300@sbcglobal.net. Tuesday-Saturday 7AM-9PM, Sunday 7AM-2PM. As the name implies this restaurant has enchiladas, and they are some of the best north of San Antonio. "y Mas", as it is called by locals, has a broad selection of Tex-Mex fare including flautas, soft and crispy tacos, migas, burritos, and fajitas. This is a must try on the Tex-Mex trail in Austin. They are closed on Mondays and the lunch crowd starts early, so be prepared for a short wait between 11AM and 1PM. y Mas has the best motto in town, "Never trust a skinny cook!". Dinners $6-10. 

• Freda's Seafood Grille, 10903 Pecan Park Blvd (US183 North, exit Lake Creek Pkwy, left on Pecan Park, on your left before RR620), ☏ +1 512 506-8700. Monday-Thursday 11AM-10PM, Friday-Saturday 'til 11PM, Sunday 10AM-9PM. Entrees $12-$26, plus sandwiches and lunch specials. 

• Donn's Texas BBQ, 5236 Oak Meadow Dr, ☏ +1 512 254-2348. Mon-Sat: 10:00am - 9pm Sunday: 10:00am - 8pm. Authentic Texas Barbecue restaurant offering full bar. Ribs&Chips is worth to try. Prices from $10. 

• Jardin Corona, 13233 Pond Springs Rd., ☏ +1 512 250-1061. A favorite of those living in Northwest Austin (Jollyville area). 

• Kerbey Lane Cafe, 13435 N Hwy 183, ☏ +1 512 258-7757. 24 hours. 

• Kobe Japanese Steakhouse, 13492 N US Highway 183, #380 (US 183 to Anderson Mill Road, NW corner), ☏ +1 512 288-7333, fax: +1 512 288-7332, info@KobeAustin.com. Sunday-Thursday 11AM-10PM, Friday-Saturday 11AM-11PM. Steak, including Kobe beef, chicken, seafood and vegetables grilled at the table by entertaining chefs. Entrees $14-$35. 

• Manuel's, 10201 Jollyville Rd (US 183, exit Capital of Texas Hwy, turn left on Great Hills Pkwy, right on Jollyville Rd.), ☏ +1 512 345-1042. Call for hours. "Award Winning Mexican Cooking" Entrees $10-$24. 

• Musashino Sushi Dokoro, 3407 Greystone Dr., ☏ +1 512 795-8593. Sunday 5:30PM-10PM, Tuesday-Thursday 11:30AM-2PM, 5:30PM-10PM, Friday 11:30AM-2PM, 5:30PM-10:30PM, Saturday 5:30PM-10:30PM. Closed Monday. Most authentic and fresh sushi/Japanese cuisine in Austin. Everything is always extremely fresh and expertly prepared. 

• Opal Divine's Austin Grill, 12709 N Mopac Expy. 

• Rudy's Country Store & BBQ, 11570 Research Blvd.. Butcher shop style BBQ. Famous for their BBQ sauce and baby back ribs. Very busy for breakfast tacos (grab pre-made ones near the check-out counter, or get them made at the grill). 

• Shandeez Grill (Persian cuisine, including chelo-kabob, joojeh-kabob and khorest gormeh sabzi.), 8863 Anderson Mill Road, Suite 109 (US 183 North to Anderson Mill, turn right, Restaurant on right side in strip shopping center), ☏ +1 512 258-6464, idehmeschi@yahoo.com. Mo-Thursday 11AM-9PM, Friday-Saturday 11AM-10PM, Sunday closed. Entrees $7-$14. 

• T & S Chinese Restaurant, 10014 N Lamar Blvd (a few blocks south of Braker Lane), ☏ +1 512 339-8434. Traditional Cantonese fare - open late. Dim Sum on weekends. 

• Truluck's Seafood-Steak-Crabhouse, 10225 Research Blvd, Suite 4000 at Great Hills Trail (US183 North, exit Great Hills Trail), ☏ +1 512 794-8300. 5-10PM Monday-Saturday, Sunday 'till 9PM. Entrees $19-$46. 

• Korea House, 2700 W Anderson Ln, ☏ +1 512 458-2477. Located in the Village Shopping Center and can be a little hard to find; the entrance faces towards the inner courtyard area of the shopping center. They have a decent sushi offering but the Korean dishes are delicious and authentic. Sometimes they have OB beer - but not recently. 

• Korea Garden, 6519 N Lamar Blvd, ☏ +1 512 302-3149. 

• Shilla, 6406 N I-35 (in Lincoln plaza off I-35 access road near US 290 and Highland Mall), ☏ +1 512 453-4111. Standard Korean dishes and bbq. This place also has Hite beer and Jinro Soju. I'd say this place is more authentic than Korea house based on the number of Koreans that actually go here. 

• Restaurant Together, 9200 N Lamar Blvd, ☏ +1 512 821-3388. Korean bar food, large portions, many side dishes. Only five tables, one waitstaff. 

• Sunflower. Although it's in a strip mall in North Austin, this restaurant is notable for its amazing vegetarian options. Service is kinda spotty, and the staff tends to use extremely aromatic cleaning products (read: "potpourri"-fragranced cleaning spray spritzed on tables between customers), but it's well worth the trip north. Absolutely delicious, especially for the price. 

• Reale's, 13450 North US 183. Pizza and Italian Food. Northeasterners love Reale's, as it reminds them of family Italian restaurants from home. Good food. 

• Fire Bowl Café, 9828 Great Hills Trail. Asian restaurant with a 'Stir Fry Your Way' section, allowing for many vegan choices. The menu also denotes, by using a green leaf, which meals are vegetarian if ordered with tofu. Priced under $10. 

• Hula Hut, 3825 Lake Austin Blvd. On their unique Polynesian- and Mexican-inspired menu (aka "Mexonesian"), you'll find several vegetarian/vegan options. 

• Madras Pavilion, 9025 Research Blvd. An all-vegetarian Indian restaurant offering a fabulous lunch buffet as well as a dinner menu. 

• Satay, 3202 W Anderson Ln. This restaurant serves fine South-Asian cuisine and has an extensive vegetarian and vegan menu available. Be sure to try the vegan silken tofu chocolate pie! Live music is featured on Wednesday nights on the patio. 

• The Steeping Room, 11410 Century Oaks Terrace. A café with a large selection of teas, chai lattes, and wines. Soy milk may be substituted for dairy. The menu changes each season and includes a variety of tea sandwiches, soups, and salads with vegetarian and vegan options. 

• Tino's Greek Café, 10515 North Mopac. "Cafeteria-style" Greek food. Vegetarian options include tabouli, dolmathes, and vegetarian mousaka. 

• Whole Foods Market Cafe, 9607 Research Blvd. 

• Threadgill's. 

• Pacific Star Oyster Bar, 183 North, just past Anderson Mill. Best oysters and catfish in town. Parking is scarce, but well worth while. 

• Torchy's Tacos. Monday-Thursday 7AM-10PM, Friday 7AM-11PM, Saturday 8AM-11PM, Sunday 8AM-10PM. 

• 4211 Spicewood Springs Rd, ☏ +1 512 291-7277. 
• 11521 Ranch Road 620 N, ☏ +1 512 381-8226. 

• Amy's Ice Creams, 10000 Research Blvd (inside The Arboretum), ☏ +1 512 345-1006. Sunday-Thursday 11:30AM-12AM, Friday-Saturday 11:30AM-1AM. 

Burgers

• 10 Waterloo Ice House, 8600 Burnet Rd, ☏ +1 512-522-0555. Austin classic. Delish burgers, some of the best onion rings in town. Don't miss the Cinnamon Chocolate Shake! It has 4 restaurants in the city. 

• 11 Hopdoddy Burger Bar, 2438A West Anderson Lane, ☏ +1 512-467-2337. Absolutely amazing burgers, an excellent bar, and great milkshakes (be sure to try the Caramel & Sea Salt)! Be prepared for a wait. 
• Big Daddy's Burgers and Bar, 9070 Research Blvd, ☏ +1 512 614-0252. Sunday-Thursday 11AM-12PM, Friday-Saturday 11AM-1:30AM. 

• Five Guys Burgers and Fries, 10000 Research Blvd, ☏ +1 512 338-0300. Daily 11AM-10PM. 

• Mighty Fine Burgers, 10515 N Mopac Expy, ☏ +1 512 524-2400. Sunday-Thursday 10:30AM-9PM, Friday-Saturday 10:30AM-10PM. 

• Moonie's Burger House. 

• 13450 Research Blvd, ☏ +1 512 257-9000. 
• 12001 Burnet Rd, ☏ +1 512 837-5400. 

• Red Robin Gourmet Hamburgers, 13315 N Highway 183, ☏ +1 512 249-8902. 

• TerraBurger, 10610 Research Blvd, ☏ +1 512 382-5864. 

• Top Notch Hamburgers, 7525 Burnet Rd, ☏ +1 512 452-2181. Daily 11AM-10PM. As seen in the movie "Dazed and Confused." An Austin burger institution. Dine in, carry out, or order and eat from your car. Charcoal-grilled burgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, etc. 

• Wally's Burger Express, 8107 Mesa Dr (in Northwest Hills), ☏ +1 512 345-7441. Daily 10:30AM-10PM. Good fast food burgers and shakes. 

• Waterloo Ice House. 

• 8600 Burnet Rd, ☏ +1 512 458-6544. Monday-Friday 7AM-10PM (breakfast until 11AM), Saturday 7AM-10PM (breakfast until 2PM), Sunday 8AM-9PM (breakfast until 2PM). 
• 6203 N Capital of Texas Hwy, ☏ +1 512 418-9700. Monday-Friday 7AM-11PM (breakfast until 11AM), Saturday 7AM-11PM (breakfast until 2PM), Sunday 8AM-10PM (breakfast until 2PM). 
• 14900 Avery Ranch Blvd, ☏ +1 512 255-4873. Monday-Thursday 7AM-9PM, Friday 7AM-10PM, Saturday 8AM-10PM, Sunday 8AM-9PM. 

• 12 Trudy's North Star, 8820 Burnet Rd, ☏ +1 512-454-1474. Regarded by some as the favorite for Tex-Mex food in town, but this also means they are generally incredibly crowded and loud. Excellent margaritas with specials each night of the week. They're known more for their Mexican martinis than for their food. 

Drink

• BB Rovers Cafe and Pub (Known for its beer menu with over 300 selections, BB Rovers also has live music (call for dates)), 12101 Jollyville Rd. (US 183 North, exit Spicewood Springs, U-turn, right on Barrington and immediately left onto Jollyville), ☏ +1 512 335-9504. Sunday-Friday 11AM-Midnight, Saturday 11AM-1AM. 
• North by Northwest Restaurant and Brewery (Microbrewery, with live music (call for dates) and good food, in Arboretum area. NXNW also has a good wine and martini selection, with full bar.), 10010 Capital of TX Hwy N (US 183 or MoPac, exit Capital of Texas Highway, at Stonelake Blvd.), ☏ +1 512 467-6969, fax: +1 512-345-1233, davis@nxnwbrew.com. Bar Sunday-Thursday 11AM-11PM, Friday-Saturday 11AM-Midnight. Entrees $14-$22. 
• Trudy's North Star, 8820 Burnet Rd (MoPac North, exit Steck Ave., turn right, the left on Burnet Rd.), ☏ +1 512 454-1474. Monday-Friday 11AM-2AM, Saturday 9AM-2AM, Sunday 10AM-2AM. Popular food and drink establishment, especially for after work, with happy hour until 7PM. 20 beers are on tap. Kitchen may close earlier. 
• Brickhouse Tavern + Tap, 11680 A Research Blvd. (US183 North, exit Duval, U-Turn, right after Chuy's), ☏ +1 512 343-2000. Monday-Thursday 11AM-1AM, Friday-Saturday 'til 2AM, Sun 'til Midnight. Growing upscale tavern and restaurant chain, with sports showing on numerous TVs. 

Sleep

• Embassy Suites Austin-Arboretum, 9505 Stonelake Blvd, ☏ +1 512 372-8771, auses_GM@hilton.com. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. 
• Fairfield Inn & Suites Austin North/Parmer Lane, 12536 North IH35, ☏ +1 512 821-0376. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. 
• Lake Austin Spa & Resort, 1705 South Quinlan Park Rd, ☏ +1 512 372-7300. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: noon. Resort hotel with spa facilities. 
• Staybridge Suites Austin Northwest, 13087 US HWY 183 N, ☏ +1 512 336-STAY (7829), toll-free: +1-866-989-STAY (7829), fax: +1 512 336-3773. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. 

• DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Austin, 8901 Business Park Dr, ☏ +1 512 343-0888. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. 
• Studio 6 Austin Northwest, 11901 Pavilion Blvd, ☏ +1 512 258-3556. 
• Motel 6, 9420 I-35 North, ☏ +1 512 339-6161. Check-in: 1PM, check-out: noon. Wifi available for a nominal fee. 

Budget

• 6 Motel 6 Austin Central-North, 8010 I-35 North, ☏ +1 512 837-9890. 

Mid-range

• 7 Hyatt Place Austin Arboretum, 3612 Tudor Blvd, ☏ +1 512 231-8491. Spacious rooms with in-room microwave, refrigerator, separate workspace and free high speed WiFi Internet access. Plus, free hot breakfast, fitness center and pool. 
• 8 Hyatt Summerfield Suites Austin Arboretum, 10001 N. Capital of Texas Highway, ☏ +1 512 342-8080. 
• 9 Staybridge Suites Arboretum, 10201 Stonelake Blvd, ☏ +1 512 349-0888, jessica.swarts@ihg.com. A very clean and comfortable hotel with an urban feel. The lobby is full of local artwork and their spacious suites are great for weekend getaways, business travel and weddings. 

Splurge

• Lake Austin Spa Resort, 1705 South Quinlan Park Rd, ☏ +1 512 372-7300. The resort is one of Austin's finest, featuring extensive spa facilities & luxury accommodations. It combines the amenities of a destination spa & lake resort. 
• 10 Renaissance Austin Hotel, 9721 Arboretum Blvd, ☏ +1 512 343-2626, fax: +1 512 346-7953. Marriott's Luxury Hotel at the Arboretum near US 183 and Texas 360. It features Hill Country views and a nine story atrium. 

Connect

This is a Wikivoyage user page.

South Austin can refer to any part of Austin, Texas south of Lady Bird Lake and the downtown area, although many people use it to specifically refer to the south-central area directly south of downtown in the 78704 zip code. 78704 is bordered by Lady Bird Lake to the north, I-35 to the east, Ben White Blvd (Hwy 290/71) to the south, and Mopac (Loop 1) to the west. The area is a very popular neighborhood for young people and has historically been the center of Austin's counterculture, although it has been rapidly gentrifying in recent years. The area contains several attractions for visitors.

Get in

South Austin is easily accessible. From Downtown, head South either by foot, bike, or car and cross Lady Bird Lake over the Congress, 1st, or Lamar bridges.

You will need motorized transport from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Bus or taxi are available. If traveling by car from the airport, take Ben White Blvd (71) West, then turn right on Riverside Dr. Take Riverside to S. Congress.

See

• Riverside. The first street on the south side, parallel to the Colorado River (not to be mistaken with 1st Avenue that runs north-south on the south side) one block west of Congress. As you travel east past IH 35, you will get into Austin's version of Mexican night life. During the day you can eat in a wide variety of Mexican and Chinese restaurants, some very good and inexpensive, shop in a variety of Latino-oriented stores, visit the Mexican Flea Market one block north of the Riverside and Pleasant Valley intersection (weekends only), or visit the Riverside Austin Community Campus. At night from 11PM to 2AM East Riverside becomes the Latin party alternative to the famous 6th street in downtown. 

• The Cathedral of Junk, 4422 Lareina Dr, ☏ +1 512-299-7413. An art installation in Austin resident Vince Hannemann's back yard built over 20 years from scrap metal and other junk, now standing at three stories high. A very interesting sculpture and probably something you probably find in the guidebook. Austin. Free entry but donations are welcomed. Call ahead to check if he's open. 

• The Museum of Emphmerata. Is an occasionally opened museum in the front room of someone's house. As above, it's best to call ahead. 
• 7 Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse Ave, ☏ +1 512 232-0100. Daily, 9AM-5PM. Showcases flowers and plant life of the area. The center is a bit southwest of downtown and worth the drive, especially during spring. Adults $12, Youth (5-17) $6, Students and Seniors (65+) $10. (updated Dec 2018)
• 8 Austin bats (Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge). Yes, that's right, bats. Austin's Congress Avenue bridge is home to about 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats. This is the largest urban bat colony in the world and one of the largest Mexican free-tailed bat colonies in North America. The bats are generally active at dusk every evening between March and November. In years when there has been a drought, the bats leave early (when there is still light), and can be a quite impressive sight. In years when there has been plenty of rain, they leave so late it is difficult to see much. Best place to see them is near the Austin American Statesman's parking lot, or you can pay for boat tours to see them from underneath the bridge. Towards the end of bat season, when the colony's young are flying for the first time, pedestrian crowds can become rather dense. Try to arrive at least an hour before dark if you want to have a good, unobstructed view.  

Do

• First Thursday, South Congress Ave.. Every first Thursday of any month, lots of shops have deals and there is a festival atmosphere around South Congress. 

• 9 Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Rd (1/2 mi W of South Lamar), ☏ +1 512 974-6700. Austin's city park, near downtown, it is the home of Barton Springs Pool, Zilker Botanical Garden, Zilker Hillside Theatre, Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum, and soccer fields which, in October, host the annual Austin City Limits (ACL) festival. Undoubtedly Austin's favorite park. Amazing location on the banks of Town Lake with several miles of hiking and biking trails. The park is free, but parking is $3 during peak usage.  
• 10 Barton Springs Pool, 2101 Barton Springs Rd (Enter through the main area of Zilker Park, NW of Barton Creek), ☏ +1 512 476-9044. 5AM-10PM; Closed Th 9AM-7PM. Nothing beats the heat on a hot afternoon like a dip in Barton Springs Pool. This natural spring pool is fed from an underground aquifer, keeping the water between 68°F and 72°F (20°C-22°C) year-round. Is one of Austin's most unique (and a refreshing 68 degrees year-round!) attractions: a beautiful spring-fed pool over 3 times longer than a football field, nestled in the heart of the city at Zilker Park. $3 entrance fee for the whole day. If you are short of cash or have a dog, head downstream just on the other side of the fence and find more clear beautiful water. Entrance fee varies from free to $3.  
• Kayak on Lady Bird Lake, 2201 Barton Springs Rd. (In Zilker Park). Rent a kayak. Zilker Park Boat Rentals is along the Barton Springs Creek. Just paddle down to Lady Bird Lake and see great views of Downtown Austin. Turtles are common in the lake and creek. Paddle over to the southern part of the Congress Ave. Bridge and hear the squeaking noises of the bridges 1.5 million resident bats (don't hang out under the bridge-- bat guano is a problem). 
• 11 Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail. formerly known as the Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail, the 1.1 mile trail creates a complete circuit around Lady Bird Lake. It is one of the oldest urban Texas hike and bike paths. The trail is the longest trail designed for non-motorized traffic maintained by the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department and watched after by a local non-profit named The Trail Foundation.  
• 12 The Veloway, 4900 La Crosse Ave. A 3.1 mile long, paved asphalt bicycling and rollerblading trail. 
• 13 McKinney Falls State Park. A 744 acres (301 hectares) state park in southeast Austin that is is rich in local history.  

Buy

• South Congress Avenue (SoCo). Main drag in South Austin that features upscale boutiques and condos alongside more traditionally "hippie" places. 
• 11 Barton Creek Square (Southwest of town).  
• 12 Barton Creek Farmers Market, 2901 S Capital of Texas Hwy, ☏ +1 512-443-0143. meets 9AM-1PM every Saturday. Austin's largest and most acclaimed farmers market in the Barton Creek Mall parking lot 
• 13 Flashback, 1805 South 1st St, ☏ +1 512-445-6906. Vintage clothing 
• 14 Blackmail, 1202 S. Congress, ☏ +1 512-804-5881. All black clothing and various accessories. 
• 15 Parts & Labor, 1704 S. Congress, ☏ +1 512-326-1648. Lots of unique items (clothes, earrings, purses, etc.) made by local artists. 
• 16 Lucy in Disguise, 1506 South Congress, ☏ +1 512-444-2002. Eclectic clothing and costumery for children and adults. 
• 17 End of an Ear, 4304 Clawson Rd, ☏ +1 512-462-6008. Experimental music, jazz, other "left of the dial" music. Regular in-store performances, usually on weekends. 

Eat

• Amy's Ice Creams. 

• 1301 S Congress Ave, ☏ +1 512 440-7488. Sunday-Thursday 11:30AM-11PM, Friday-Saturday 11:30AM-12AM. 
• 3100 S Congress Ave, ☏ +1 512 851-2697. Sunday-Thursday 11:30AM-10PM, Friday-Saturday 11:30AM-11PM. 
• 9600 S I-35, ☏ +1 512 282-2697. Sunday-Thursday 11:30AM-10PM, Friday-Saturday 11AM-11PM. 
• 2901 S Lamar Blvd, ☏ +1 512 447-2697. Sunday-Thursday 11AM-11PM, Friday-Saturday 11AM-12AM. 
• 4477 S Lamar Blvd, ☏ +1 512 891-0573. Sunday-Thursday 11:30AM-11PM, Friday-Saturday 11:30AM-12AM. 

• Artz Rib House, 2330 S Lamar Blvd, ☏ +1 512 442-8283, info@artzribhouse.com. Monday-Saturday 11AM-10PM, Sunday 12PM-9PM. Excellent ribs, as the name implies. Often has live bluegrass music. Dinners $7-17. 
• Bakehouse Restaurant & Bar, 5404 Manchaca Rd, ☏ +1 512 443-5167. A South Austin tradition. They have one of the most inexpensive and hearty breakfasts around. Their fresh fruit and texas toast sitting next to your eggs make it worth waking up in the morning. 
• Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse, 1501 S 1st St. Great Coffeehouse with an all vegetarian menu. 
• Casa de Luz, 1701 Toomey Rd. Austin's only completely vegan restaurant. A meal includes a drink and it's all you can eat. They have several different types of specialty meals each week such as Guatemalan or Caribbean night. The atmosphere is fantastic as it's located right by Barton Creek surrounded by lush vegetation. 
• Casa Garcia's. Sunday-Thursday 7:30AM-9PM, Friday-Saturday 7:30AM-10PM. Tasty Mexican fare with friendly staff. $8-16. 

• 1000 S Lamar Blvd, ☏ +1 512 851-8684. 
• 1901 W William Cannon Dr, ☏ +1 512 441-9504. 

• Catfish Parlour, 4705 E Ben White Blvd, ☏ +1 512 443-1698. Daily 11AM-10PM. All-you-can-eat catfish with hushpuppies on the side is a true Southern experience. $15-20. 
• 13 Curra's Grill, 614 E Oltorf St, ☏ +1 512-444-0012. Sunday-Thursday 7AM-10PM, Friday-Saturday 7AM-11PM. A much larger, more diverse menu than most tex-mex restaurants, and it's all fantastic. The avocado margaritas are extremely popular. Be forewarned, it's a small restaurant and it's almost always packed. An Austin original, this restaurant brings outstanding traditional interior Mexican food. Some of the best pork recipes around and you will not find better Mexican style seafood dishes anywhere in the city. 
• El Rey, 4109 S Capital of Texas Hwy, ☏ +1 512 443-1911. If you don't think Tex-Mex should resemble the Taco Bell menu, check out El Rey. Sonoran specialities. Good Mexican food right next to Texican Cafe (formerly the Trudy's South Star location) and they hardly ever have a wait. 
• Green Mesquite BBQ & More. The original location on Barton Springs is in a funky building with a good biergarten in back with entertainment. BBQ is decent and the sides are good. All-you-can-eat BBQ $14. 

• 1400 Barton Springs Rd, ☏ +1 512 479-0485. 
• 9900 S I-35, ☏ +1 512 282-7100. 

• Guero's Taco Bar, 1412 S Congress Ave, ☏ +1 512 447-7688. Monday-Friday 11AM-11PM, Saturday Sunday 8AM-11PM. High-class, sit-down Tex-Mex in the middle of the South Congress maelstrom. Always busy, always Austin. Lots of musicians frequent the place when they're in town. Many famous Austinites, and wanna-be Austinites have visited, including President Clinton, (then-)Governor Bush, and the rest of the Bush clan. Live music. Great atmosphere (You saw it in Quentin Tarantino's Grindhouse flick "Deathproof")! And some pretty tasty tacos too! Dinners $9-14. 

• Hai Ky. Consistent fresh, high quality Vietnamese food with great bowls of pho, delicious stir fries and noodle dishes, bubble tea and friendly service. At 1931 E. Oltorf about 3/4 mile east of I-35 in a strip shopping center on your right just past the Whataburger. Locals in the know and Asian students yearning for a genuine taste of home frequent this small restaurant. Great electronic music adds to the casual ambience. Best Vietnamese food in Austin. Very affordable and now serves imported beers. Great staff w/ mellow ambiance. Two thumbs up. 
• Kerbey Lane Cafe. 24 hours. 

• 2700 S Lamar Blvd, ☏ +1 512 445-4451. 
• 4301 W William Cannon Dr, ☏ +1 512 899-1500. 

• Little Mexico Restaurant, 2304 S 1st St, ☏ +1 512 462-2188. This restaurant has some of the finest enchiladas of a Tex-Mex style. Nothing at all bad on the menu either. It's one of those places mostly only the locals go to so keep it quiet. Also a good place to spot hungover Austin luminary musicians easing that Sunday morning pain. Little green and red building on the West side of S 1st, just a bit north of Oltorf. Good margaritas, Negro Modelo and XX are available. Good homestyle interior Mexican dishes as well as Tex-Mex. If you want to be trendy go to Guero's, if you want to eat, check it out and you won't be disappointed. Live music on Thursday nights. 
• Magnolia Cafe, Two locations: 1920 South Congress and 2304 Lake Austin Blvd. Always open. Great place to get a short stack for breakfast. The dinner specials are pretty tasty and fairly inexpensive. 
• 14 Mandola's Italian Kitchen, 4301 West William Cannon Drive DR E-1 (Arbor Trail), ☏ +1 512-524-2222. Referred to by some as the best Italian food in Austin. Everything on the menu is affordable and delicious. Try the bruschetta alla checca, the trenette al pesto, or any pizza. They also have fabulous coffee, dessert, and gelato selections. From 3-6PM on weekdays they have a great happy hour. 
• Marco Polo, 2200 S I-35 (at Oltorf), ☏ +1 512 445-5563. Mediocre buffet during the week, but excellent dim sum on weekends. 
• 15 Maria's Taco Xpress, 2529 South Lamar Blvd, ☏ +1 512-444-0261. Monday 7AM-3PM, Tuesday-Friday 7AM-9PM, Saturday 8AM-9PM, Sunday 9AM-2PM. Local Mexican food. Live music on a regular basis and great fajitas. Maria's features some of the best breakfast tacos in town. On weekend mornings there is usually a line from the counter out the door, so if you don't want to wait call in your order. They only take cash, so be prepared. Live musicians featured on Sunday mornings and weekday evenings out on the patio. 
• 16 Matt's El Rancho, 2613 S Lamar Blvd (1/2 blk N of Manchaca), ☏ +1 512 462-9333, matts1952@aol.com. 11AM-10PM, Friday-Saturday 11AM-11PM; Closed Tuesdays. The quintessential Tex-Mex restaurant in Austin, you won't find anything non-traditional or creative here. It has been around for over 50 years and for good reason. The first thing to order is the first thing on the menu: the "Bob Armstrong Dip." Watch out for the strong margaritas! Complete dinners $12-18. 
• 17 Perla's Seafood and Oyster Bar, 1400 S Congress Ave, ☏ +1 512-291-7300. Excellent for lunch or dinner, but particularly wonderful for weekend brunch on their patio. Have a few cocktails and some oysters before ordering your entree. 
• 18 Pho Tai Son, 3601 W. William Cannon Dr. #250, ☏ +1 512 892 8777. Good fresh Vietnamese standbys, pho, bun, stirfry and bubble drinks. No beer but maybe you can bring your own? 
• 19 Pho Tai Son, 161 W. Slaughter Ln. #L850, ☏ +1 512 280 2060. Good fresh Vietnamese standbys, pho, bun, stirfry and bubble drinks. No beer but maybe you can bring your own? 
• 20 Polvo's Mexican Restaurant, 2004 S 1st St, ☏ +1 512-441-5446. All-around excellent tex-mex, very popular with the local crowd. Some of the best margaritas to be found anywhere, and a trip to Austin is not complete without their Rellenos al Nogal. 
• Romeo's. Italian food. One of the few restaurants that is casual and romantic. Has a great outdoor patio. 
• Sandy's Hamburgers, 603 Barton Springs Rd, at First and Barton Springs. Great burgers, milkshakes. Better than the Whataburger next door. Great people watching. Their soft-serve ice cream is worth the lines. 
• Shady Grove, 1624 Barton Springs Rd. Indoor & outdoor dining with a fun and eclectic atmosphere. Home-style foods such as frito pie & chili can be made vegan (even the Worcestershire is vegan). 
• South Congress Cafe, 1600 South Congress Ave, ☏ +1 512 447-3905. Monday-Friday 10AM-4PM and 5-10PM, Saturday-Sunday 9AM-4PM & 5-10PM. In the heart of South Congress Avenue, this cafe serves up spectacular and inventive fare. The tomato soup with stilton cheese is tasty to start, and the blackened tuna tacos are downright phenomenal. Mains $10-25. 
• T&N Cafe, 6705 Hwy. 290 W.. Located in the same plaza as the Oak Hill Burger Tex near the Y. Excellent Vietnamese pho and bun dishes and few unusual items like curry. Popular for lunch with the nearby Freescale folks. Friendly family service. You can bring in your own beer. Highly recommended. 

• Threadgill's. 

• Torchy's Tacos. Monday-Thursday 7AM-10PM, Friday 7AM-11PM, Saturday 8AM-11PM, Sunday 8AM-10PM. 

• 1311 S 1st St, ☏ +1 512 366-0537. 
• 2809 S 1st St, ☏ +1 512 444-0300. 
• 3005 S Lamar Blvd, ☏ +1 512 614-1832. 
• 4301 W William Cannon Dr, ☏ +1 512 514-0767. 

• 21 Trudy's South Star, 901 Little Texas Ln, ☏ +1 512 326-9899. Monday-Thursday 4PM-2AM (Bar: 2PM-2AM), Friday 11AM-2AM, Saturday 9AM-2AM, Sunday 9AM-2AM (Bar: 10AM-2AM) Happy Hour Monday-Friday until 7PM. Regarded by some as the favorite for Tex-Mex food in town, but this also means they are generally incredibly crowded and loud. Excellent margaritas with specials each night of the week. They're known more for their Mexican martinis than for their food. 
• 22 Uchi, 801 S Lamar Blvd (0.2 mi N of Barton Springs Blvd), ☏ +1 512 916-4808. 5PM-10PM, Friday-Saturday 5PM-11PM. High end authentic Japanese dining and sushi. Always slammed full of people. Creative seafood and Japanese cuisine, including sushi/sashimi. A good place to see and to be seen, dress is nighttime-casual to formal but, like almost anyplace in Austin, jeans are acceptable. Reservations are strongly recommended. Entrees $10-$30. 

• Vespiao. For a taste of Italy nowhere in Austin is better. Extensive wine list and beyond excellent food. 
• 23 Crêpe Crazy, 3103 S. Lamar Blvd, ☏ +1 512 387-2442. 9AM–9PM Monday–Saturday; 9AM–9PM Sundays.. Sweet and savory crépes. You can order online for both take-out and dining at the restaurant, and several local delivery services will bring this to you. Some staff can use American Sign Language (ASL). $10. (updated Jul 2017)
• 24 Hopdoddy Burger Bar, 1400 South Congress, ☏ +1 512-243-7505. Absolutely amazing burgers, an excellent bar, and great milkshakes (be sure to try the Caramel & Sea Salt)! Be prepared for a wait. 

Drink

Coffee

• Jo's Coffee, 1300 S. Congress Ave, ☏ +1 512 444-3800. Hip coffee spot right on South Congress, all outdoors. You can often find bands playing on the patio right off the street. 

Bars

Almost all of the restaurants listed above have a full bar available and are suitable for grabbing a few drinks without having to order food. If you're looking to hop from bar to bar, listen to loud recorded music, and don't care about food, heading into Downtown Austin might be a better option.

• Snack Bar, 1224 S Congress Ave, ☏ +1 512 445-2626. 9AM-10:30PM Sun-Wed, 9AM-12AM Thu-Sat. Next to the iconic Austin Motel in SoCo. Organic & local as possible, yet affordable, global cuisine for breakfast, lunch & dinner. Tight wine list & local brews on tap, plus kick ass coffee & tea, with a fabulous patio for people watching. Dogs always welcome! 

Live Music

Austin is The Live Music Capital of the World, and South Austin has its fair share of live music venues. Many of the restaurants and coffee shops in South Austin have live music. Some venues of note include The Continental Club, Threadgills, and Gueros Taco Bar.

• The Continental Club, 1315 South Congress. This legendary South Austin venue was opened in 1957 and for nearly four decades has been serving up the best live music Austin has to offer. The venue is small so get there early if you want to get in. 

Sleep

• Motel 6 Austin South - Airport, 2707 Interregional Highway South, ☏ +1 512 444-5882. 

• Hyatt Regency Austin, 208 Barton Springs, ☏ +1 512 477-1234. A beautiful hotel on the south shore of Austin's Town Lake close to downtown. 

• Hilton Austin Airport, 9515 New Airport Dr, ☏ +1 512 385-6767. The Airport hotel. This cylinder-shaped hotel is on the grounds of Austin-Bergstrom International airport. 
• Hotel San Jose, 1316 S. Congress Ave., ☏ +1 512 852-2350. Boutique Hotel right in the heart of SoCo. A very trendy place, but more expensive than many other options in the area. It's also a popular spot to hang out for locals to have a drink or two in the evening around the beautifully landscaped pool. 

Budget

• 11 Austin Motel, 1220 S. Congress Ave., ☏ +1 512 441-1157, reservations@austinmotel.com. A motel right on South Congress which really captures the classic Austin experience. 
• 12 HI - Austin, 2200 South Lakeshore Blvd., ☏ + 1 512 444-2294. 
• 13 McKinney Falls State Park, 5808 McKinney Falls Parkway, ☏ +1 512 243-1643. The McKinney Falls State Park offers camping just outside the city. Reservations can be made online.  

Mid-range

• 14 Best Western Plus, 2200 IH-35 South, ☏ +1 512 444-0561. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. 
• 15 Courtyard Austin Airport, 7809 E. Ben White Blvd., ☏ +1 512 386-7464. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 12 Noon. Airport hotel with breakfast buffet, free airport shuttle and free internet. 

Splurge

• 16 Hotel San Jose, 1316 South Congress Ave, ☏ +1 512 444-7322, info@sanjosehotel.com. 
• 17 Hyatt Regency Austin, 208 Barton Springs. 
• 18 Omni Austin Hotel Southpark, 4140 Governors Row (I-35 and Ben White), ☏ +1 512 448-2222. 

Connect

Free Wi-Fi is available at many of the local restaurants and coffee shops.

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The University of Texas and the Drag form a district of Austin. This article also covers the "West Campus" and "North University" neighborhoods.

Understand

The University of Texas (UT) has one of the top five largest campuses in the US, and offers many attractions for students and non-students alike, with aesthetically pleasing grounds and many museums and cultural centers open to the public. A long section of Guadalupe Street (pronounced GWAHD-uh-loop by the locals), known as "the drag", runs alongside the western boundary of the UT campus, providing the area with unique shopping and culinary attractions. Some of the side streets to the west of the drag have some hidden gems as well.

UT is one of the largest universities in the country. With a history going back into the 1800s when 40 acres was set aside for a university, UT has grown into a world class institution. A walk around the campus will reveal everything from Ivy League architecture to modern sculpture. Places to visit are the Harry Ransom Center, the home of one of the original Gutenberg Bibles, the West Mall, UT's answer to London's Hyde Park corner, where students solve the world's problems, and the Littlefield fountain, designed by Italian artist Pompeo Coppini in 1933. The UT tower, the centerpiece of the campus upon its completion and for long since, periodically has tours that let visitors ascend to the observation deck at the top for a panoramic view of the campus and Austin.

If you're up for a walk (the campus is not small), don't forget to visit the LBJ Presidential library on the East side. If you're a football fan, Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium, home of the 2005 National Champion Texas Longhorns, is a must see. If you're around in the summer, a baseball ticket can be had for Texas baseball (a regular contender for NCAA champion The stadium is across I-35, though. For a rest, and if you can find it, discover the secret peaceful oasis of the lily pond near the biology building. Finally, there is the Cactus Cafe. A cool club on campus in the Austin tradition, the Cactus is known for great live acoustic music. A visit to the University would not be complete without stopping at the Cactus.

The Drag is also worth a visit. It's an urban oasis with a line of interesting stores, joints, restaurants and the usual mix of national chains. The UT Co-op has everything a Texas Longhorn fan could ever desire. Don't forget to visit the Renaissance Market, a small open space across from the university where one can purchase tye-dye shirts, home made jewelry and original art.

At one point, Austin would have been little else than UT and downtown. Today, UT stands as one of Austin's best monuments. If you're older, a visit will remind you what it feels like to be young again. If you're younger, it may excite you about what you can be. UT mottoes include "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free" and "What begins here changes the world."

See

• 9 The University of Texas at Austin. A beautiful stroll and view the public art around campus. 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 2005 National Champion Texas Longhorn football team play at Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. (updated Feb 2018)
• 10 Blanton Museum of Art, 200 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, ☏ +1 512 471-7324. Monday-Friday 10AM-5PM, Saturday 11AM-5PM, Sunday 1PM-5PM. The permanent collection comprises an impressive range of European art by important artists such as Rubens, Lorrain, and Guercino, as well as a selection of American and Latin American artworks. There is also a roster of changing exhibitions ranging from the medieval to the modern. Adults $7, children $3. Admission is free every Thursday. 
• 11 Harry Ransom Center, 300 W 21st St (21st at Guadalupe), ☏ +1 512 471-8944. Tuesday-Wednesday Friday 10AM-5PM, Th 10AM-7PM, Saturday-Sunday 12PM-5PM. Houses an extensive collection of restored cultural artifacts including rare books, manuscripts, photography, film, and art. The center also hosts frequent cultural symposia which are open to the public. Free. 
• 12 Neil–Cochran House, 2310 San Gabriel, ☏ +1 512 478-2335. Tues.-Sat. 2PM-5PM. This 1855 Greek Revival-style estate house is one of the most important historic residences in the city. Guided tours provide a lot of background information on area history and on the loads of beautiful period furniture throughout the building. $5.  
• 13 Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, 2313 Red River St, ☏ +1 512 721-0200. 9AM-5PM daily. One of thirteen presidential libraries, this facility holds over 45 million pages of historical documents, plus a museum which has an ever-changing array of exhibits related to American history and the American presidency. Adults: $8, Seniors (62 and over): $5, Retired military with valid ID: $5, Children (13-17): $3, College students: $3. (updated Aug 2016)
• 14 Texas Memorial Museum, 2400 Trinity St. Mon.-Fri. 9AM-5PM; Sun. 1PM-5PM.. This natural history museum, housed in the exhibit hall of the Texas Natural Science Center, hosts a variety of interesting exhibits, including a paleontology laboratory where visitors are allowed to interact with and ask questions of paleontologists as they go about their work of cleaning, cataloging, and studying fossils. Free.  
• 15 University of Texas Tower, ☏ +1 512 475-6633. This 307-foot tower, built in 1937, is interesting in its architectural detail, and is one of the defining landmarks of the city. The observation deck is open to the public as part of guided tours and offers a great view of the campus and surrounding city.  
• Street Art. Many notable pieces of street art: El Federico's Bob Dylan on the Hole in the Wall at 26th; the huge 'Movie History' mural on the side of the old Varsity Theater/Tower Records at 24th, and (front and back!) El Federico's rock icons; the psychedelic Austin landscape on the north-facing wall of the Renaissance Market; the Chagall/Dali/Warhol tribute mural at 300 E. 30th St and of course the famous "Hi How Are You" alien starting frog painted by local legend Daniel Johnston (now on wall of "Thai How Are You" Thai food place at 21st and Guadalupe). 

Do

• 14 Arcade UFO, 3101 Speedway, ☏ +1 512 380-1725. Sunday-Thursday 3PM-1AM, Friday-Saturday 1PM-3AM. Arcade UFO is a little slice of Shinjuku in Austin. It's filled exclusively with modern Japanese imported games. It's a great alternative to spending an evening at the bars. 

Buy

In addition to bookstores and other shops which cater to the needs of masses of UT students, the Drag has traditionally been filled with quirky eclectic shops, from bead shops to used records to tattoo parlors. There are still many of these shops around, though in recent years a number of more upscale shops have appeared as well, with unique fashion clothing and home decor items.

• Antone's Record Shop, 2928 Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 512 322-0660. Monday-Saturday 10AM-10PM, Sunday 11AM-8PM. 
• 18 Buffalo Exchange, 2904 Guadalupe, ☏ +1 512-480-9922. Vintage clothing 
• University Co-op, 2246 Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 512 476-7211. Monday-Friday 8:30AM-7:30PM, Saturday 9:30AM-6PM, Sunday 11AM-5PM. A giant giftshop carrying virtually any Longhorn-themed item you can imagine. School supplies and textbooks are located downstairs. 

Eat

• Amy's Ice Creams, 3500 Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 512 458-6895. Sunday-Thursday 11:30AM-12AM, Friday-Saturday 11:30AM-1AM. 
• Aster's Ethopian Restaurant, 2804 N I-35 (NW corner of I-35 access & Dean Keeton), ☏ +1 512 469-5966. Sunday, Tuesday-Thursday 11AM-9PM, Friday-Saturday 11AM-10PM, closed Monday. Aster has been delighting Austin with her Ethopian food for over a decade. The menu includes many vegan choices, both hot and mild: eggplant, two varieties of lentils, potatoes, greens, cabbage, and wonderful injera. 
• Burger Tex, 2912 Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 512 477-8403. Closed Sunday. Korean burger joint with a condiment bar. Try the bulgogi burger. 
• 25 Changos Taqueria, 3023 Guadalupe, ☏ +1 512-480-8226. Tasty, affordable, and authentic tacos and other Mexican dishes. Try the al pastor tacos with the el nortena salsa. Serves breakfast tacos as well. 
• Dirty Martin's Place, 2808 Guadalupe St (near 29th St), ☏ +1 512 477-3173. Daily 11AM-11PM. Known for the tasty old-time greasy burger, Dirty Martin's is a staple for hungry football fans after UT home games and has been in the same building since the 1920s. Still has a simple old-time feel, and you can watch the burgers grilled right in front of you at the bar. 
• Kerbey Lane Cafe, 2606 Guadalupe St (between 26th and 27th Streets), ☏ +1 512 477-5717. 24 hours. 
• 26 Pho Tai Son, 1908 Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 512 482 0146. Good fresh Vietnamese standbys, pho, bun, stirfry and bubble drinks. No beer but maybe you can bring your own? 
• Ruby's BBQ, 512 W 29th St, ☏ +1 512 477-1651. Sunday-Thursday 11AM-11PM, Friday-Saturday 11AM-12AM. Close to campus, this older establishment serves natural meats slapped onto a piece of butcher paper and served on a plastic tray. The dog-friendly patio is a good place to eat (though you may want to avoid it in the summertime). The food is one of the better casual BBQ joints in town. It shares an alley with the Spider House, so you can go get some good coffee after your meal. 
• Spider House Cafe, 2908 Fruth St, ☏ +1 512 480-9562. Daily 7AM-2AM. Popular local cafe with large outdoor seating area, occasional live music and film showings. Vegan cake and peanut buttercups are available as well as chili and burritos which can be made vegan. 
• Star Seeds Cafe, 3101 N I-35 (located on I-35 access road just before Days Inn), ☏ +1 512 478-7107. 24 hours. No-frills diner with a delicious Cuban sandwich. 
• Thai Spice, 2100 Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 512 482-8919. Monday-Thursday 11AM-10PM, Friday 11AM-10:30PM, Saturday 12PM-10:30PM, Sunday 12PM-9:30PM. Thai cuisine and sushi. 
• Torchy's Tacos, 2801 Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 512 494-8226. Monday-Thursday 7AM-10PM, Friday 7AM-11PM, Saturday 8AM-11PM, Sunday 8AM-10PM. 
• 27 Trudy's Texas Star, 409 W 30th St, ☏ +1 512 477-2935. Monday-Thursday 4PM-2AM (Bar: 2PM-2AM), Friday 11AM-2AM, Saturday 9AM-2AM, Sunday 9AM-2AM (Bar: 10AM-2AM). Regarded by some as the favorite for Tex-Mex food in town, but this also means they are generally incredibly crowded and loud. Excellent margaritas with specials each night of the week. They're known more for their Mexican martinis than for their food. 
• Wheatsville Co-op Deli, 3101 Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 512 478-2667. Daily 7:30AM-11PM. A well-known Austin health food store with deli that offers vegan and vegetarian items such as sandwiches, soups and desserts. 

Drink

• Cactus Cafe, 2247 Guadalupe St (inside Texas Union building at the corner of 24th and Guadalupe), ☏ +1 512 475-6515. Monday-Friday 11AM-7PM* (Social Hour: 4-7PM), Saturday 8PM-12AM*, closed Sunday. *Open later depending on performances. Live music venue with full bar. Tickets sold on first-come, first-served basis. 
• The Hole in the Wall, 2538 Guadalupe St (where Guadalupe meets Dean Keeton). Daily 3PM-2AM. Austin institution dive bar with live music, multiple bars, outside patio and quick service from smokin' waitresses by night or cool hippie dudes dredging up Austin's bohemian past by day. 
• Kasbah Moroccan Lounge (Kasbah Hookah Lounge), 2714 Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 512 289-4752. Sunday-Wednesday 2PM-2AM, Thursday-Saturday 2PM-3AM. BYOB hookah lounge. Limited parking behind the building. 

Sleep

• 19 Drifter Jack's Hostel, 2602 Guadalupe St (behind the 7-Eleven at 26th and Guadalupe, above the Thai Noodle House), ☏ +1 512 243-8410. Hostel with both dormitories and private rooms. Free breakfast, free wireless internet, and free parking offered. Luggage storage and laundry facilities available. 4-bed dorms $28-30, 6-bed dorms $25-28, private rooms $75-85. 
• 20 Days Inn, 3105 N Interstate 35 (I-35 and 32nd St.), ☏ +1 512 478-1631. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 12PM. 
• 21 Rodeway Inn, 2900 N. I-35, ☏ +1 512 477-6395. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 12PM. 

Connect

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Hyde Park is a district in Austin, Texas about a mile north of the University of Texas. It is known in Austin for being the earliest significant residential development outside the old nineteenth-century downtown city core, for containing some interesting old houses, and for being a bastion of political liberalism. There are few tourist attractions as such, other than the small Elisabet Ney sculpture museum. The largest building is Hyde Park Baptist, a kind of mega-church which draws in many parishioners from outside the neighborhood every Sunday.

See

• 16 Elisabet Ney Museum. Former studio and collection of sculptor Elisabet Ney's portrait busts and personal memorabilia on display. (updated Dec 2018)

Do

• Hyde Park Theater. Ken Webster is artistic director. If you like Mamet, he's your man's man. FronteraFest is here too. 

Events

• FronteraFest. January–February. Austin's whirlwind festival. More theater than you can shake a stick at. Theater in theaters. Theater in people's houses. Theater everywhere. 

Eat

• Asti Trattoria, 408 E 43rd St., ☏ +1 512 451-1218. Lunch: Monday-Friday 11AM-5PM. Dinner: Monday-Thursday 5PM-10PM, Friday-Saturday 5PM-11PM. Closed Sunday. Authentic yet modern Italian cuisine emphasizing local and seasonal foods with an extremely cozy atmosphere. 
• Daily Juice, 4500 Duval St., ☏ +1 512 380-9046. Monday-Friday 7AM-9PM, Saturday-Sunday 8AM-9PM. Juice bar serving fresh organic juices, smoothies, super foods, cleanses, living foods, and more. Quality and service are top notch and the surroundings are perfectly Austin-y. There are other locations on Barton Springs, near Zilker Park and also just off Lake Austin Boulevard, near the Town Lake Hike and Bike trail. Enjoy. $. 
• Dolce Vita Gelato & Espresso, 4222 Duval St., ☏ +1 512 323-2686. Monday-Friday 6:30AM-12AM, Saturday-Sunday 8AM-12AM. European atmosphere at a classy dessert cafe with ample outdoor seating. 
• Hyde Park Bar & Grill, 4206 Duval St. (at 44th - look for the giant fork with a basket of fries on top), ☏ +1 512 458-3168. Daily 11AM-Midnight. Known for their buttermilk fries and homestyle cooking. Has a pretty decent beer selection as well. Dinners $11-18. 
• Kerbey Lane Cafe, 3704 Kerbey Ln, ☏ +1 512 451-1436. 24 hours. 
• Mother's Cafe & Garden, 4215 Duval St., ☏ +1 512 451-3994. Monday-Friday 11:15AM-10PM, Saturday-Sunday 10AM-10PM (brunch: 10AM-3PM). Winner of several recent Austin Chronicle food awards, including Best Veggie Burger. Excellent vegetarian and vegan fare in a relaxing, pleasant atmosphere. Mothers burned down in 2007 but has been completely rebuilt and is as good as ever with some of the best vegetarian food you can find in Austin, appealing to many omnivores as well as vegetarians. 
• New World Deli, 4101 Guadalupe St. (across the street from the State Hospital), ☏ +1 512 451-7170. Monday-Thursday 9AM-9PM, Friday-Saturday 9AM-10PM, Sunday 9AM-6PM. Large New York deli style sandwiches. Many people recommend the sloppy joe. 
• The Parlor, 4031 Guadalupe St. (across the street from Hyde Park theater), ☏ +1 512 323-0440. Monday-Friday 11AM-12AM, Saturday 12PM-1AM, Sunday 12PM-11PM. Join a diverse group of locals for a slice of pizza on the outdoor patio. 
• Quack's 43rd Street Bakery, 411 E 43rd St., ☏ +1 512 453-3399. Monday-Friday 6:30AM-12AM, Saturday 7AM-12AM, Sunday 7:30AM-12AM. A very popular place to sit and drink coffee, although many people claim the staff could use some lessons on their manners. 
• Biscuits & Groovy, 5015 Duval Street (on the 51st St side of The Peddler), ☏ +1 512 220-9720. (updated May 2018)

Sleep

• 22 Adams House, 4300 Avenue G, ☏ +1 512-453-7696. B&B (updated Dec 2018)
• 23 Strickland Arms, 604 E 47th St, ☏ +1 512-454-4426. B & B (updated Dec 2018)

Connect

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North Loop is in Austin, several miles north of downtown, but not as far north as what is now called "North Austin". This article also covers the "Brentwood" and "Crestview" neighborhoods, as well as the area around ACC Highland (formerly Highland mall).

Get in

• 1 Crestview station, 6920 North Lamar Boulevard. Capital MetroRail commuter rail station and Capital MetroRapid premium bus station  

See

• 17 Wall of Welcome, 7100 Woodrow Avenue,Crestview. 120-foot-long community public art mosaic (updated Sep 2018)

Buy

• 19 Blue Velvet, 217 W. North Loop, ☏ +1 512-452-2583. Vintage clothing 
• Monkeywrench Books, 110 E. North Loop Blvd. Anarchist bookstore. 
• Room Service Vintage, 107 E. North Loop Blvd. 11AM-7PM daily. 
• 20 Game Over Videogames, 911 West Anderson Lane #106, ☏ +1 512-454-4263. Classic & used videogames from Atari to Xbox360. 
• 21 BookWoman, 5501 N. Lamar, ☏ +1 512-472-2785. Independent feminist bookstore also specializing in LGBTQ texts. 
• 22 Asahi Imports, 6105 Burnet Rd, ☏ +1 512-453-1850. Japanese grocery store. 

Eat

• Dan's Hamburgers, 5602 N Lamar Blvd. (near Lamar and Koenig), ☏ +1 512 459-3239. Big, greasy burgers and tasty milkshakes. There is also Fran's Hamburgers; the story is that Dan & Fran divorced and each took part of the franchise. 
• Jesus Maria Mexican Restaurant, 1304 W Koenig Ln., ☏ +1 512 407-8480. Monday-Saturday 6:30AM-10PM, Sunday 6:30AM-5PM. Jalisco-style Mexican food. 
• Torchy's Tacos, 5119 Burnet Rd, ☏ +1 512 382-0823. Monday-Thursday 7AM-10PM, Friday 7AM-11PM, Saturday 8AM-11PM, Sunday 8AM-10PM. 
• Amy's Ice Creams, 5624 Burnet Rd, ☏ +1 512 538-2697. Sunday-Thursday 11AM-10:30PM, Friday-Saturday 11AM-11:30PM. 
• Epoch Coffee, 221 West North Loop Boulevard, Austin, TX 78751-1919, ☏ +1 512 454-3762. open 24 hours. Open 24 hours a day, but this spacious coffee shop would be worth visiting regardless. Good coffee, board games, free wifi. 
• 28 Threadgill's, 6416 North Lamar Blvd, ☏ + 512-451-5440, north@threadgills.com. The menu focuses on southern comfort food. The chicken fried steaks, salads, and peach cobbler are all especially good. A famous concert venue, starting the likes of Janis Joplin. Weekly gospel brunch on Sunday, for which you might want to call for reservations. 
• 29 Mandola's Italian Kitchen, 4700 W Guadalupe St #12 (The Triangle), ☏ +1 512-419-9700. Referred to by some as the best Italian food in Austin. Everything on the menu is affordable and delicious. Try the bruschetta alla checca, the trenette al pesto, or any pizza. They also have fabulous coffee, dessert, and gelato selections. From 3-6PM on weekdays they have a great happy hour. 
• 30 Santa Rita Cantina, 1206 W 38th St., ☏ +1 512-419-7482. Fantastic and reasonably priced Tex-Mex. Their enchiladas are amazing, and their Mexican martinis are the best in town. Great happy hour specials, too. 

Drink

• Barfly's, 5420 Airport Blvd., ☏ +1 512 452-6455. Monday-Friday 5PM-2AM, Saturday-Sunday 7PM-2AM. A small, dark dive bar populated by an older, blue-collar crowd on weeknights (especially Thursday night pool tournaments) and a decidedly more hip, collegiate crowd Friday through Sunday. Drinks are cheap and stiff, costing anywhere from $1.50 for bottled Lonestar (the "national beer of Texas" according to the label) to $7 for a generously poured double-shot. No food is available, and there is nothing on draft, however the bar does boast two pool tables, an impressively eclectic jukebox (Willie Nelson, The Misfits, Van Halen, and Refused all make appearances), a few arcade games, and a large outdoor smoking patio (smoking in Austin bars is banned by a city-wide ordinance) with tables and benches. Barfly's does become rather crowded on weekends by 10, and seating is virtually unheard of by 10:30. Get there early or be prepared to stand. 
• Workhorse Bar, 100 N Loop Blvd. Park yourself on a stool and get ready to feel like a local who's having his third beer at 3 PM on a Tuesday. (updated Apr 2016)

Sleep

• 24 Country Inn & Suites Austin-North (Radisson), 7400 IH35 North, Austin North, ☏ +1 512 380-0008, fax: +1 512 380-0046. Charming country style décor. 

Budget

• 25 Motel 6 Austin Central-South/University of TX, 5330 North Interregional Highway, ☏ +1 512 467-9111. 

Mid-range

• 26 Hyatt Place North Central, 7522 North IH-35, ☏ +1 512 323-2121. 

Connect

Visitor information

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

By plane

• 2 Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS ^IATA) (6 mi (9.7 km) miles southeast of the city center). Is served by most major carriers, with non-stop service to 49 destinations by the following airlines: Barbara Jordan Terminal: Aeromexico, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines/Virgin America; American Airlines, British Airways, Condor, Delta, Frontier, Jetblue, Norwegien, Southwest, United, Volaris. 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 100 from ABIA to Downtown Austin, $1.25 for one way or $2.50 for a 24-hour local pass.

By train

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