“Everything’s bigger in Texas,” as the saying goes—and that goes double for Austin. If you only have a long weekend to get away and live it up in the Lone Star State, its fun and intriguing capital city will ensure you’ll maximize those 72 hours. The long-held mantra “Keep Austin Weird” attests to a variety of unique offerings this town promises visitors, along with reliable adventure and culinary finds that carry deep into neighboring Hill Country.
Easy to reach and home to a temperate climate that’s accommodating year-round, Austin is a Texas treasure straddling the center of the state and the eastern edge of the American Southwest—both geographically and experientially. Here, you’ll meet a vibrant mix of people and cultures coming together in the best sense.
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From famed 6th Street, lined with its bright bars, restaurants, and music venues, to the renowned Austin City Limits, Austin is one of the country’s great music hubs, with spectacular food, nightlife, and an arts scenes to match. Here’s how to make the most of three perfect days in and around Austin.
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How to Get to and Around Austin
Home to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), which services flights from American Airlines, Delta, Southwest Airlines, and more, Austin is a very easy city to reach from any direction. Once you’re there, it’s a simple city to navigate with rental car options and ground transportation, including ride shares, taxis, shuttles, pedicabs, electric scooters, and bicycles. Austin has BCycle, with e-bikes easily available to rent. Once you’re in the heart of town, it’s also a very walkable city.
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When to Visit Austin
While Austin is an enjoyable place to visit at any time of year, its reliably temperate climate during the “shoulder” months of spring and fall—September to November and March to May—is comfortable for most visitors, with temperatures generally in the 70s and 80s Fahrenheit during this time. The Texas heat and humidity of summer can be intense, as can the cold of winter. Austin’s climate is great for outdoor activities, and the city can claim about 300 days of annual sunshine.
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Where to Stay in Austin
The Archer Hotel is a top choice when visiting Austin, melding Texas-style comfort and luxury. The lobby’s huge limestone staircase, offset by a massive chandelier, is your first glimpse of the opulence you’ll experience while staying here—what the proprietors like to call “Texas Chic with Luxe Boutique.” For something more niche and intimate, check out the Heywood Hotel nestled in East Cesar Chavez District. A modern boutique hotel offering a cozy environment filled with bright decor and award-winning architecture in a convenient location, the hotel offers seven guest rooms, each individually designed with local art and furniture.
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Where to Eat: Best Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner in Austin
You’ll be eating very well in and around Austin, renowned for its stellar barbecue, Mexican fare, and a broad array of great restaurants to choose from covering numerous cuisines. For breakfast, Cisco’s Restaurant, Bakery & Bar on 6th Street is a local institution dating back to the 1940s. Breakfast staples here include Cisco’s mighty migas—a Tex-Mex comfort melange of scrambled eggs, chiles, cheese, onions, and crispy tortilla strips—and a solid huevos rancheros. For lunch, check out Franklin Barbecue, one of Austin’s most fabled BBQ joints, featuring a brisket sandwich that’s worth every bite of those 17 bucks. Just get there early, before half the menu sells out. When dinner hour arrives, it’s always a delicious time at ATX Cocina, specializing in superb modern Mexican dishes in the heart of downtown.
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Best Bars in Austin
Bars are as plentiful as live music in Austin—and just as diverse. Ranch 616 pairs Texas-strength cocktails (try the famous Ranch Water) with distinct Western vintage vibes and excellent bar food. Next door the Wiggle Room (run by the same owners) is a new West Texas-themed addition to downtown’s thriving bar scene, featuring eccentric decor and tequila concoctions with names like La Pistola Rosa.
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Don’t Miss: Top Attraction in Austin
Austin is world-renowned for its music scene—and a night at Mohawk, a live performance shrine at the corner of Red River and 10th downtown confirms why. The indoor/outdoor space offers multilevel options for catching a killer live show that’s distinctly Austin. Also, don’t miss taking a tour of the iconic Austin City Limits (ACL) Moody Theatre, home to America’s longest-running televised music series. Even if you can’t catch a live taping here, a behind-the-scenes look at where some of the best musicians in the world perform for the camera is next best.
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Things to Do in Austin Over Three Days
Day 1: Explore 6th Street, Get Your Weird Fix, and Listen to Live Music
For your first day in Austin, head over to 6th Street for a ramble through the still sufficiently weird heart of Austin. This core area is home to great restaurants, hotels, nightlife, and odd shops—like the Museum of the Weird, featuring exhibits ranging from the merely odd to the downright bizarre.
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For a late lunch, hit the Iron Cactus, specializing in local Mexican cuisine and some of the best (i.e., strongest) margaritas in town. Eventually, you’ll want to make your way down to Ann Richards Congress Avenue for a true Austin rite of passage—witnessing the famous bridge bats pouring out of seemingly nowhere en masse at dusk and flooding the evening sky.
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For a classic, post-bat dive lounge experience, head to the historic Midnight Cowboy. Austin’s oldest speakeasy is housed in a former brothel, with a vintage Prohibition-era vibe, boozy cocktails, and reservation-only space. Cap off the night at Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Icehouse in the heart of 6th Street for some excellent live music, or at nearby Ester’s Follies Comedy Club for some good laughs.
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Day 2: Hop on a Bike, Board a Paddlewheeler, and Dine on Local Barbecue and Craft Beer
Jumpstart your day with a jolt of java from Jo’s Coffee, serving strong coffee, a tasty brunch, and occasional live music. Then, hop on a bicycle and take a spin through Greater Austin from the saddle. You can rent wheels at Mike’s Bikes and Rental Tours, whose knowledgeable staff will point you in the right direction whether it’s to explore the city like a local or pedal the extensive single track out in Hill Country. Along the way, grab a seat at The Meteor. Founded by a couple of cyclists, this favorite bike shop/lunch stop lets you get your chain lubed while enjoying some fine pizza.
A trip to Austin isn’t complete without getting out on the water. Board Lone Star River Boat for a tour on Lady Bird Lake via a double-decker paddlewheeler. Or spend the afternoon exploring the Zilker Botanical Gardens. Filled with themed gardens, koi ponds, and cactuses, this is a favorite green space in town for solo travelers and families alike—handily equipped with its Alliance Children’s Garden playscape in Butler Park for kids. Finish off the day with a cold beer and some hot barbecue at the world-famous Stubb’s Bar-B-Q. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a live show while chowing down.
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Day 3: Wind Through Hill Country, Get Wet, and Catch a Show at Gruene Hall
For your final day in Austin, plunge into Texas’ favorite countryside on a classic Hill Country road trip. A short drive out of Austin, this 14,000-square-mile hillscape is loaded with charming towns, scenic barbecue joints, top local wineries, lazy rivers, dusty trails, and caves for the adventurous.
At the Carter Creek Winery & Resort Spa in tranquil Johnson City, visitors can savor everything from a glass of local vino or craft beer to a deep tissue massage. Or head to New Braunfels, home to the Guadalupe River—an ideal spot to paddleboard or float when the weather’s nice. Families and kids of all ages are drawn to Schlitterbahn Waterpark & Resort, with its giant slides, wave pools, and lazy namesake river.
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Later, grab dinner and a show at the oldest dance hall in Texas, Gruene Hall, home to the Gruene River Grill, offering seafood and steaks overlooking the Guadalupe River—and inspiring your final thought in the Austin area this weekend: Three days just isn’t enough to fully appreciate this delicious slice of Texas. Here’s the good news. Austin loves repeat guests—and you’ll be back real soon, y’hear?
