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Austin

Live-music dives, greenbelt swims & food-truck feasts

Browse Austin

Austin is one of the most rewarding places to explore, and this local guide brings together the best things to do, where to eat and where to stay in one place. Highlights include The Flats on Barton Creek Greenbelt, Texas State Capitol and South Congress Avenue. Food lovers should not miss Barbarella and Franklin Barbecue. Below you will find 12 hand-picked local recommendations across sights, restaurants, hotels and tours, which you can filter by category and budget to plan the perfect trip, whether you have a weekend or a week.

Austin at a glance

  • Ideal stay: 2 to 3 days
  • Best time to visit: spring and autumn
  • Highlights: The Flats on Barton Creek Greenbelt and Texas State Capitol
  • Where to stay: Downtown and SoCo
  • Local picks: 12 hand-chosen recommendations
  • Getting around: walkable, plus easy public transport

Local tips for Austin

Stories and neighbourhood know-how from our local guides.

Where to stay in Austin

Compare live hotel prices and availability on the map. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Downtown

Austin Live Music Tour

A guided crawl of the Live Music Capitals honky-tonks and stages.
★ 4.5
$$
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Red River District

Barbarella

A hip, happily grungy dive bar with a dance floor, drinks in plastic cups and a young, up-for-it crowd. Fridays are 80s night, Saturdays new music, Tuesdays are “Tuesgays” – the classic place to end a night out on Red River, hangover optional.
★ 4.2
$
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Zilker

Barton Springs Pool

A spring-fed natural pool that stays a cool 68 degrees year-round.
★ 4.7
$
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UT

Blanton Museum of Art

A leading university art museum, home to Ellsworth Kellys luminous Austin.
★ 4.6
$
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North Loop

BookWoman

Why it matters: opened in 1975 as Common Woman Bookstore by a collective of 13 women, BookWoman turned 50 in January 2026 and is one of fewer than 20 survivors of the original US feminist bookstore wave – owner Susan Post has run it for decades and is now handing the reins to Sarah Schoonhoven. It has never been a museum piece: monthly poetry readings, book groups, LGBTQIA advocacy and a well-stocked banned books table keep the shelves arguing with the present. Browse the Texas feminist writers section, then ask staff what is worth reading right now – they will tell you properly. Note that masks are required in the store, and it is a North Lamar strip-mall storefront, so watch for the angel mural on the windows.
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East Austin

Community First! Village

Why it matters: this 51-acre master-planned community, opened in 2015 by Austin nonprofit Mobile Loaves & Fishes, is home to 440 formerly chronically homeless neighbors – and its Community Works micro-enterprises paid residents $1 million in dignified income in 2025 alone. Public golf-cart tours run Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10:30am-12pm, led by staff and neighbors who walk you through the tiny homes, Genesis Gardens farm, outdoor cinema and art house. It is an honest, unsentimental look at a housing model that cities worldwide now come to study. Tours cap at 12 people and fill weeks out, so book well ahead at mlf.org.
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Downtown

Congress Avenue Bats

The bridge where 1.5 million bats stream out at dusk each summer evening.
★ 4.4
$
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East Austin

Franklin Barbecue

The legendary smokehouse worth the hours-long line for its brisket.
★ 4.7
$$
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SoCo

Home Slice Pizza

A SoCo favourite slinging proper New York-style slices.
★ 4.5
$
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SoCo

Hotel San Jose

A minimalist bungalow-style boutique hotel in the heart of SoCo.
★ 4.5
$$$
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Downtown

Lady Bird Lake

A reservoir ringed by hike-and-bike trails through the heart of the city.
★ 4.6
$
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Downtown

Mexic-Arte Museum

Why it matters: founded as a nonprofit in 1984 by artists Sylvia Orozco, Sam Coronado and Pio Pulido, Mexic-Arte is the official Mexican and Mexican American fine art museum of the State of Texas – and Orozco still runs it as executive director four decades on. Its permanent collection holds over 5,000 works, and its Screen It! and amArte programs have given art education to more than 200,000 underserved Austin youth. The galleries are compact enough for an hour, so pair a visit with the Congress Avenue murals just outside on 5th Street. Admission is $8 for adults, free for everyone on Sundays – and tickets are sold in person at the store desk only, no online booking.
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SoCo

South Congress Avenue

The quirky SoCo strip of vintage shops, food trucks and live music.
★ 4.5
$
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Downtown

Texas State Capitol

The pink-granite Capitol, taller even than the one in Washington.
★ 4.6
$
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Barton Creek Greenbelt

The Flats on Barton Creek Greenbelt

A beloved swimming and wading spot on the Barton Creek Greenbelt, close enough to downtown to skip the rideshare and reached by an easy, pretty trail. Perfect for dipping your feet on a hot Texas day – just note the water can run high right after heavy rain and thin out during dry spells.
★ 4.5
$
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From our home city

Visiting New York City on this trip?

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Book your trip to Austin

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Austin travel FAQ

How many days do you need in Austin?

Two to three days is enough to enjoy the highlights of Austin at a relaxed pace.

Where is the best area to stay in Austin?

Stay central and walkable to the main sights for a first visit.

What are the best things to do in Austin?

Browse the local picks above, from top sights and museums to where to eat and stay. Or read our best things to do in Austin guide.

What is the best time to visit Austin?

Spring and autumn usually bring the most comfortable weather and thinner crowds, though Austin is worth visiting year-round.

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