Weekend: Austin

Austin, Texas is a city of bold contrasts, where cowboy boots meet high heels and barbecue smoke mingles with the scent of fresh coffee and mimosas. If you’re planning a long weekend in Austin, the question isn’t what to do—it’s how much can you fit in? Should you catch a drag show? Devour some world-famous Texas BBQ? Indulge in a boozy brunch? The answer is: yes, yes, and y’all better believe it yes.

Austin is regarded as the a progressive island in the Lone Star State where “Keep Austin Weird” was coined several years before Portland co-opted the phrase, so there’s a lot to soak in if you’re here for a week or just a long weekend in Austin. Outside of Austin, and for trans folks in Texas, it may not feel as welcoming; however. Be sure to read through the LGBTQ safety section below if that’s a consideration.

From a few trips over many years informed by a lot of ideas from friends, here’s my two cents about what to try to fit in while you’re here.

Getting There

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS, but referred to locally as ABIA) is less than 10 miles outside of Downtown Austin and is served by domestic carriers from their hubs and most moderate-sized markets. Austin also gets a small amount of trans-Atlantic service which ebbs and flows based on seasons and other demand. While the Austin airport isn’t served by light rail, it does have frequent service bus lines to and from the downtown core—and the bus will only set you back $1.25 each way—a lot less than ride sharing or a taxi.

As with most airports these days it seems, Austin is under construction. It’s not bad now, but I hope it’s better when it’s done. On an early Wednesday afternoon as well as a Sunday afternoon on a subsequent trip, traffic at the airport and security lines (even for TSA PreCheck) once inside were not awful, but tedious and took longer than it should have for the number of passengers present. And the Admirals Lounge was tired and underwhelming, not to mention overly crowded in the hour before a London-bound BA flight was to depart (in contrast, the new Admirals Lounge in Denver is far nicer). Though in the next couple years there are a lot of changes coming for the airport’s lounges.

Know Before You Go

I’ve mostly visited Austin in the spring, and it’s lovely then: mostly warm, sunny, and dry. Summer is another story—it’s H.O.T. The good news is that Austin is, in my opinion, an easily walkable city (plus abundant scooters and bike share downtown), so as long as the weather isn’t set to broil, it’s easy to explore. And if the weather is oppressive, ride shares are pretty plentiful, including a lot of self-driving Waymo cars (fun once, then not worth going out of your way for after that).

Austin has changed a lot in the last decade. If you haven’t been here for a bit, be prepared for a lot of new downtown condos, some gentrification (hey, East Austin), new restaurants and bars, and more.

In my experience, Austin issn’t dripping with southern drawls, but I’d say the one term you should lean into while you’re here is y’all. Sure, it’s a Texas thing, but it is (in my opinion) such an excellent gender-neutral pronoun that simultaneously isn’t tedious. That’s in contrast to stupid genderphobic bills being proposed by Rafael Edward “Ted” Cruz, or whatever you prefer we call you.

LGBTQ Safety

You might be surprised to hear that Austin gets a perfect 100 in HRC’s database of LGBTQ legal protections. But statewide, there’s a “do not travel” advisory for trans folks, in part because of some disturbing legislation lately. As well, travel with care if you are visiting: Texas earns a D- grade from Safehome.org for LGBTQ safety—their rating is a mix of legal protections and reported hate crime statistics (the data available to them and the fact that it’s statewide mean the ranking is imperfect, but few other resources include hate crime statistics in their formulas).

Despite the state-level rankings, walking around downtown Austin, including coming and leaving bars and restaurants at all hours, I felt safe as a white, cisgendered man, but recognize others’ experiences may vary. And for anyone, I suspect some type of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric is shouted out a car window from time to time, so as with anywhere, be aware of your surroundings wherever you go. But if you’re in downtown Austin, I felt able to relax while still being mindful.

Sightseeing Highlights

So you’re planning a long weekend in Austin, or maybe something longer. There’s a lot to see here right around the city center, but there’s a lot outside of town too. Assuming the weather is conducive, walk around (it’s really my favorite thing anywhere). Unlike Dallas, people actually get out of their cars here from time to time.

Some great places to explore on foot include:

• Lady Bird Lake, for sure. Technically, it’s a dammed (not damned) part of the Colorado River, but it’s lined with trees, bridges, and views. You can rent paddle boards, kayaks or bikes here (including a few bike share stations). Even better: the trails around the lake have some great eye candy. 😉
• The Congress bridge bats, since we’re talking about the lake. This might be something you only need to do once, but it’s fascinating to do it once. At peak times, the sky literally turns dark with 100,000 Mexican Free-Tailed bats emerging from under the bridge at dusk. The reality of it defies description. Plus, it’s fun to hang out with hundreds of your besties taking in nature.
• East Austin. See below for beer and brunch tips. Maybe even wander through the Texas State Cemetery. If it weren’t for the (massive) headstones, you’d probably think it was a nature park. There is a fair bit of confederate history, so take note if that’s something you’re sensitive to.

• Rainey Street and its historic district. East Austin has evolved from gentrification, but Rainey Street is in a dramatic shadow of development. Most of the historic homes-turned-entertainment venues are still here, but compared to their more isolated existence a decade or so ago, they’re now in the shadow of condo and hotel towers. Don’t let that deter you—it’s still fun here, just different.
• South Congress Avenue has several blocks of shopping, dining, drinking, and strolling on tap, plus a couple hotels. If you need a new pair of boots, a vintage cocktail dress, or some artisan ice cream, you can probably find it here.
• Downtown—whether it’s the Hispanic Heritage District, or just a walk up to the Texas State Capitol—is easy to explore. Enjoy lots of colorful and meaningful murals on the street, and stunning detail inside the capitol, right down to the door hinges.

If you’re open to wandering a little further afield, there are a number of other spots worth checking out, such as:

• The University of Texas at Austin is on the cusp of downtown, but is a beautiful place to stroll around (including eye candy). As well, Lyndon B. Johnson’s Presidential Library is here, including a recreation of the Oval Office as it was during his presidency. It’s pretty cool to see, if you ask me.
• Lake Travis is on a lot of local’s go-to list. One guy on Facebook recommended Mozart’s Coffeehouse to me, but Hippie Hollow is the real attraction, at least for me. Besides being the one mostly-sanctioned nude beach in Texas, the lake is also a good place to cool down during Texas summers. Drink responsibly, if you imbibe: the hike over the rocks can mess you up if you’re not careful.
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is quite the zen garden, despite the lack of neatly-raked sand. It has all the beauty of any urban botanical garden paired with the calmness of a nature park.

Other tips I didn’t check out, but are on my list for future trips include:

• Zilker Park
• Penny back Bridge
• Barton Springs pool and hiking the Greenbelt
• Brown bagging it up to Mt. Bonnell

As one local commented to me: the list could go on and on of stuff to do here in Austin. It’s true.

Eating and Drinking

Austin has no shortage of grub and swill. But make no mistake, Austin has some darn good food and drink—and similarly good dive spots.

Starting with crowd favorites,

• Terry Black’s Barbecue is the spot everyone recommended when I asked for the best BBQ in town. After having been there, I understand why. It’s seriously good. Sure, you’ll wait in line. Sure, you’ll eat too much (and probably spend more than you’d planned). The favorites here are clearly ribs and brisket (ask for burnt ends if they don’t offer them), but don’t pass up the smoked turkey—it’s a delicious underdog.
• Franklin Barbecue also came highly recommended, and it’s really good too (especially if you’re looking for pulled pork, which Terry Blacks doesn’t offer). The espresso BBQ sauce was tasty and unique as well. The down side is that the line, which is long like Terry Blacks, moves painfully slow and they sell out of many things. They were tapped on half the menu by 1pm on a Sunday when I was there.
• J Carver’s Oyster Bar and Chop House is probably a splurge meal (or at least it was for us). A week later, I think I’m still full. But OMG it was good. The oysters were fresh and perfect, the service was attentive, wines were lovely and even though I skipped the steak and ordered veggies and pasta, everything was fresh and delicious.
• Launderette (named after the former use of their location) is a favorite for brunch. Get reservations if you can, but if not, enjoy their bloody Mary’s while you wait. Entree portions are (mostly) modest, so don’t be shy about starting with their delicious pastries if you’re hungry.
• Hillside Farmacy is another place I’ve had good brunch, even though the spelling trips me up. Their Bloody Mary was my Austin favorite (but I should probably double-check). As for food, I’m not always a Benedict fan as hollandaise isn’t often my thing, but the chipotle hollandaise on theirs was delish.
• Keso’s Tacos is supposed to be great all day long, but I can only vouch for the migas breakfast tacos (an Austin staple), which were delicious.
• Red Ash and BOA Steak House were recommended by others (with a special call out to BOA’s happy hour), as well as Matt’s El Rancho for Tex Mex but I didn’t make it this trip.

Besides the eating, there are good watering holes for drinking your way through a weekend in Austin, too. The city has a good craft beer scene, and many of the breweries also serve food or have food trucks on site to soak up the suds. A few of my favorites were:

• Zilker Brewing on East 6th was in East Austin before the condos showed up and I’m happy to see them still pouring good lagers and a tasty coffee milk stout. Oh, and they have a large patio where you can enjoy their brews.
• Lazarus Brewing is a stone’s throw from Zilker and has also been around for a while. Besides a mix of crowd pleaser beers (including good pilsners) they also have some less common ones, such as the Smoking Gun schwarzbier, which I really liked and the hubby very much did not. They also have a kitchen churning out all variety of tacos and a nice patio.
• Central District Brewing has no patio, but the small-ish taproom and the beers they serve within are pretty nice and it’s walkable from downtown hotels. We scored discounted pints before Austin FC played the Portland Timbers (no, we did not tell them we were from Portland). It wasn’t an advertised special, but if they have the deal on other game days, it’s a relative steal for craft beers.
• Scholz Garten isn’t actually a brewery, but I couldn’t help but mention it here. Their large patio gets lively on warm days and they have a long list of German and local beers on tap to wash down the German fare they also serve.

Or maybe you’re more into cocktails for your long weekend. If that’s the case:

• Nido, atop the Loren Hotel is a rooftop restaurant and bar with stunning views of the lake and downtown. Make reservations if you’re able (and plan for valet if you’re driving), but the views from inside or the rooftop patio are good, as is the service.
• Firehouse Lounge is hidden behind the bookcase of the Firehouse Hostel’s lobby. Slide the bookcase to the right; it doesn’t pull or push—I tried. And they have happy hour until 8pm, thank you very much. We didn’t catch live music, but the venue is clearly set up to deliver it. #ProTip: Google Maps makes it look like the lounge is in the alley when the entrance is really on Brazos Street.
• I didn’t make it to Garage Bar (they had a private event the night I’d planned to join), but I love the kitschy location inside the parking garage. Signs outside help you find your way, fortunately.

Nightlife

Austin has a thriving nightlife scene, whether you’re looking for LGBTQ spots, or mainstream places. Rainey Street (mentioned above) has great music inside the historic houses. And 6th Street is Grand Central for mainstream nightlife, if you’re up for the chaos of it all.

But if you’re looking for LGBTQ nightlife, Austin’s got you covered there too. And fortunately, most everything is an easy walk if you’re staying downtown. A few of them I spent time in included:

• The Iron Bear isn’t exclusively a bear bar, but does attract an older crowd, some (but definitely not all) of whom are less focused on their gym routine. It was bustling on Friday night when we were there (including more 90s country than I’ve heard since the 90s); a little less so on Saturday. The bartenders were great when we were there.
• Rain on 4th was good fun if you’re looking for a spot to dance for a while, then wander to the patio for fresh air. Bartenders were quick and attentive and the music was good. The crowd trended a little younger than the Iron Bear, but was still a good mix.
• Oil Can Harry’s is next door to Rain with (IMO) a similar vibe. They had a drag revue on Monday night which was a little fun and a little younger and more artistic/less pageant than I’m used to for Texas drag, but it was still cool. Or you could come on Tuesdays for drag and politics…
• Highland Lounge is just around the block from Rain and Oil Can Harry’s. The balcony area overlooking the dance floor just inside the door sets the tone for the place, but there’s courtyard area outside and another dance floor downstairs.
• Swan Dive and Barbarella Austin are a bit away from the other bars, but are next door to one another. Despite having separate entrances, their patios are open to each other, so you can walk freely between the two (good to know when one has a longer line). They were busy and fun with good music on Saturday night. As well, they’re apparently known for their TuezGayz dance party. While not as busy as Saturday, it was surprisingly lively for early in the week. Saturday’s crowd was a mix of ages and genders; Tuesday skewed a bit younger. Food carts are across the street to fuel you up before or afterwards.

Lodging

Downtown Austin has a wide variety of hotels of all styles and price ranges, but beware of exorbitant parking fees. If being able to walk to, well anything, isn’t important, you’ll likely find less expensive rates and parking outside of downtown.

• The Hampton Inn Downtown/Convention Center is where we stayed most recently. It’s nice enough, but the real draw here is the location that’s easily walkable to all the bars mentioned above, Rainey Street, and is an easy Lyft or scooter ride to East Austin. There are probably 10 other Hilton properties in a dozen blocks, so if you find a better deal at one of those properties, go for it. Parking in April 2025 was $64/day; however, if you have a car, this might not be as good of an option.
• Marriott has just as many properties within the downtown area including a couple within the same block or two, so if you’re hooked on Bonvoy points, the comments about the Hampton Inn probably apply similarly. The same goes for Hyatt, though they don’t have as many locations in Austin.
• The Four Seasons and Line Austin are both on the downtown side of Lady Bird Lake, so if you’re willing to ante up for a lake view room, I’m sure they’re lovely and are also conveniently located.
• Hotels on the south side of Lady Bird Lake such as the Loren Hotel and Hyatt Regency aren’t going to be as easily walkable to downtown haunts and bars, but are generally convenient otherwise (but have parking rates similar to the downtown properties).
• The Doubletree Austin University Area is a spot we stayed at a few years ago. It’s a little closer to East Austin spots (and the University, obviously), but not quite as convenient to downtown. Self parking is still $35/day, but that seems like a value compared to the downtown properties if you have a car you’ll need to park.