Things To Do
South Congress Avenue
South Congress draws plenty of foot traffic to its vibrant stretch of hip boutiques, trendy lodging options and Austin-original eateries.
Café No Sé
Great lunch spot in the South Congress Hotel!
June's
Great, cozy restaurant with sidewalk seating. Across from South Congress Hotel.
Enoteca Vespaio
Casual Italian spot that is absolutely delicious!
Hotel San José
Wonderful little garden patio with excellent drinks and best cheese plate in town.
The Continental Club
Check out a live show at this legendary South Congress club. Be sure to grab a drink and check out The Gallery upstairs!
Home Slice Pizza
Patrick's favorite! Enjoy thin-crust slices & pies for dining in or carry out, open late for takeaway on weekends.
Thirsty Planet Brewing Company
Tasting room of a local craft brewery that also offers weekly tours of their production facilities. Thirsty Goat Amber is Patrick's go-to.
Launderette
Great for brunch, nice patio. Get the deviled eggs, thank us later. Close to the Lady Bird Lake if you wanted to combine with a walk.
Josephine House
Lindsay's personal favorite! Josephine House has some of the best brunch in Austin. Reservations recommended.
Townlake Trails
Walk or Run the trails of Townlake!
Barton Springs Municipal Pool
Within Zilker Park's 358 acres lies one of the crown jewels of Austin - Barton Springs Pool. The pool itself measures three acres in size, and is fed from underground springs with an average temperature of 68-70 degrees, ideal for year-round swimming.
The White Horse
Live country music served up in this hip, upbeat, sprawling honky-tonk with a taco truck outside. Come for the drinks but stay for the dancing!
The Little Longhorn Saloon
The original home of Chicken Shit Bingo for 15+ years!
Easy Tiger
Grab some beer and homemade pretzels! The location on S. Lamar Blvd. has beautiful views of the Barton Creek Greenbelt.
Loro
Loro is an Asian smokehouse from the teams behind Franklin Barbecue and Uchi. And yes, it's exactly as great as you'd expect.
Stubb's Bar-B-Q
Beer, brisket and music Downtown. These are fighting words for some but Patrick actually prefers Stubb's over the infamous Franklin's.
Franklin Barbecue
The infamous BBQ place... Open from 11 am to sold out (2 or 3 pm) so get there early! There is usually a line that wraps around the block.
Wright Bros. Brew and Brew
Great coffee and beer, a locals favorite!
Whisler's
Great outdoor bar featuring handcrafted cocktails & a patio with frequent live music shows.
Suerte
Great dinner spot – offering excellent, high-end Mexican specialties & snacks, beer, wine & craft cocktails.
Counter Cafe
Simple, great breakfast/brunch. Not known for the ambience, but food is fantastic.
Justine's
Great French restaurant in a quaint little bungalow with a light-strung patio. Be sure to checkout Lumiere Tintype located in the back!
Lumiere Tintype Photography
Located in the back of Justine's. You can get your photo taken at Austin's original Tintype Portrait Studio and take home a keepsake. You will need to book an appointment in advance: http://lumieretintype.com/booking
Emmer & Rye
Excellent dinner spot offering innovative farm-to-table fare, plus cocktails & wine! Reservations recommended.
Austin Eastciders Collaboratory - Taproom
Cidery & tasting room with year-round & seasonal flavors on tap plus dog-friendly patio & games.
Rainey Street
Famous Vintage Bar & Restaurant District
Barton Creek Greenbelt
Retro Boat Rentals ATX
Cruise the Lady Bird Lake in one of several vintage fiberglass boats that have been restored to their original jet-age beauty (1958-1964), with mid-century retro cool colors, fins and chrome details.
Paddle Board Lady Bird Lake
Escape the summer heat by renting a paddle board and cooling off in Lady Bird Lake. No reservations necessary. Just show up!
Tour the Texas Capitol
Guided tours generally depart every 30 to 45 minutes and are absolutely free!
Public Bat Watching and Sunset Tour
The Anne W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge is the home of the largest urban bat colony in the world. Book a Sunset Bat Watching tour and get a first-hand look!
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Visit the state botanical garden and arboretum of Texas. The center features more than 900 species of native Texas plants in both garden and natural settings.