Austin
Map
Food
From experience
My to-try list
- Franklin Barbecue Aaron Franklin’s smokey meats have risen from humble trailer origins to become one of the country’s most talked-about barbecue destinations; likely with wait
- Xian Sushi and Noodle Chinese hand-pulled noodle, casual, table-service
- Jeffrey’s Posh fine-dining icon featuring upscale New American cuisine in a tony setting plus an active bar.
- Olamaie American/Southern, upscale Southern restaurants
- Uchi Japanese
- Uchiko Japanese, sister restaurant to Uchi, feels more like more like a farm-to-table spot
- Emmer & Rye American/Dim Sum, big on concept, daily-changing, super-seasonal/local small plates, and a second menu that comes in the form of a dim sum cart
- Fonda San Miguel high-end, Mexican food, beautiful space and great Sunday buffet brunch
- Quality Seafood Market counter service, oyster, fish, po’ boys
- Hopfields French-leaning casual gastropub
- Musashino Sushi Dokoro pricier, casual, sushi
- L’Oca d’Oro Italian restaurant
- Dai Due Farm-to-table fare from locally sourced ingredients served in a rustic space with a butcher shop
- Hoover’s Cooking Classic southern comfort food, Chicken Friend steak and fried chicken
Drinks
From experience
My to-try list
- Weather Up Craft cocktails with hand-carved ice star in a vintage setting & backyard at this NYC offshoot
- The Driskill Bar a sense of history and class with its many nooks and crannies to explore. It is the place to dress up and feel fancy with solidly classic drinks
- Small Victory intimate downtown cocktail haven serves up well-done classics, along with a choose-your-own-adventure guide, martini-style.
- Midnight Cowboy reservations-only lounge, speakeasy vibe and old-school cocktail menu
- The Roosevelt Room inventive cocktail, industrial-chic space
- Garage Unassuming bar, craft cocktail, midcentury-inspired space in a parking garage
- Half Step low key lounge, craft cocktail, live performance
- Cloak Room the intimate basement dive bar
- Broken Spoke Live music & boot-scootin’, plus beer & chicken-fried steak since 1964
- Whisler’s rustic-chic watering hole, handcrafted cocktails and live music shows
- Contigo minimalist beer garden, with charcuterie and other meaty dishes
Destinations
From experience
My to-try list
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas, is dedicated to inspiring the conservation of native plants.
- Texas State Capitol a National Historic Landmark, is a remarkable building and one not to miss when visiting Austin.
- Lady Bird Lake Trail Scenic trail through lush green parks and peaceful lakes: a great place to bike, hike and run.
- SoCo District The SoCo District (full name South Congress) is an eclectic mix of boutiques, restaurants, antiques, galleries, music venues and just the weird and wonderful, really! Definitely worthy of a stroll down its colorful streets where you can enjoy dropping into one of the many delicious pizza and burger joints that line its avenues.
- Uncommon Objects Quirky shop featuring an eclectic array of antiques, including jewelry, taxidermy, gadgets & toys.
- Austin Steam Train Association The Austin Steam Train gives the opportunity for everyone to ride on a real vintage passenger train. The depot itself is located just 20 miles away in Cedar Park, and operates on the weekends throughout the year.
- Hamilton Pool Preserve A scenic natural swimming pool in a canyon below a 50-ft waterfall, surrounded by a grotto.
- LBJ Presidential Library
- Mount Bonnell Beautiful park looming almost 800 feet over Austin.
- Bullock Texas State History Museum Museum that chronicles the history of Texas with three themed exhibits: Land, Identity and Opportunity.
- Congress Avenue Bridge / Austin Bats The Austin bridge is where nearly 1.5 million bats live.
- Barton Springs Pool man-made recreational swimming pool which is filled by water from Main Barton Springs, one of the largest springs in Texas
- Zilker Botanical Garden Zilker Botanical Garden itself has 26 acres of incredible topography especially constructed to display the different habitats of many native, hybrid and exotic plants.
- Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center The hike will take you along a forest trail down some steps to a creek bed with a lovely waterfall, surprisingly big cave area (complete with stalactites & stalagmites) and a marvelous collection of old cypress trees and ferns.
- Hippie Hollow Clothing-optional park on Lake Travis offering swimming & sunbathing for persons 18 & over.
- Paramount theater
- Longhorn Cavern State Park 1hr drive, Underground expanse highlighted by natural rock formations, with guided tours & ranger programs.
Art & Architecture
From experience
My to-try list
- Blanton Museum of Art The Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest university art museums in the U.S. with 189,340 square feet devoted to temporary exhibitions, permanent collection galleries, storage, administrative offices, classrooms, a print study room, an auditorium, shop, and cafe.
- Umlauf Sculpture Garden Exhibition of Charles Umlauf’s works includes an outdoor collection of touchable bronze sculptures.
- The Driskill Austin’s original and iconic hotel features beautiful Romanesque architecture from the late 1800’s. With a grand entrance into the opulent lobby, you will be transported to an historic era, with its marble floors, stained-glass dome, and corridors filled with museum-quality artwork. Head up the grand staircase to the most authentic Texas bar in downtown Austin, with daily live music and happy hour.
- Graffiti Park also known as Hope Outdoor Gallery and there are normally plenty of artists around to have a chat with
- Cathedral of Junk Located in the back yard of the artist who created it, the Cathedral of Junk is a living sculpture — meaning it is always in flux as its creator, owner and curator, Vince, adds new features and edits others out.
Lodging
From experience
My to-try list
- JW Marriott Austin
- The Westin Austin Downtown