AUSTIN, TEXAS
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE
How To Get TO AUSTIN
Austin Bergstrom International Airport is the closest airport to Austin – and it’s only a 20-30 minute ride! For this itinerary, you do not need to rent a car, however if you plan on visiting other nearby areas like San Antonio or Hill Country, it is helpful to have your own transportation. Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are readily available, and there are a few public transportation options as well. If you do plan on renting your own car, don’t forget to check with your hotel to see if they offer complimentary parking.
Uber, Lyft, and Taxis
If you’d like to use Uber or Lyft from the airport to downtown, you can expect the ride to take 20-30 minutes and cost between $20 and $30 (as long as there isn’t surge pricing). There is also a taxi stand at the airport where you can catch a cab. Taxi pricing was a little more expensive than Uber and Lyft – around $40 for a ride to downtown.
Public Transportation
Capital Metro Airport Flyer Bus: This bus runs every 15 minutes, 7 days a week, making it a reliable and affordable choice. A one-way ticket costs $1.25 and the journey takes about 30-45 minutes depending on traffic. The bus stops at several downtown locations, including the Convention Center, the Capitol, and the University of Texas.
MetroRail: A less frequent but scenic option, the MetroRail Red Line connects the airport to downtown with stops at various points, including the Domain shopping area and the Zilker Park area. The journey takes about 30-40 minutes and a one-way ticket costs $1.75.
Best Time to Visit AUSTIN
Texas is a great place to visit at any time of the year, but spring and fall are our favorites. Summer can get pretty hot and during winter you’ll have shorter daylight hours for exploring.
Summer (June-August): Summer in Austin is hot, hot, hot! Average high temperatures hover in the mid-90s °F (35°C), with occasional days exceeding 100°F (38°C).
Fall (September-November): Temperatures gradually drop as we near the end of the year, with average highs in the low 80s °F (27°C).
Winter (December-February): Winters are generally mild, with average high temperatures in the mid-50s °F (13°C). Freezing temperatures are possible but infrequent.
Spring (March-May): Spring brings unpredictable weather, with warm days interspersed with occasional cool spells and possible thunderstorms. Expect weather to range from low 70s °F (23°C) to mid 80s °F (29°C) . Bring layers!
How Much Time Do You Need IN AUSTIN
A long weekend is perfect, but you can easily spend more time here – especially if you want to take some day trips to nearby areas like San Antonio or Hill Country. If you only have a day, you can pick and choose from some of the ideas listed below and cram a bunch into your plan. However much time you have, we truly hope you love Austin as much as we do – we think you will!
AREA Recs
South Congress or Downtown are great areas to stay for a first time visit. Both areas have ample access to lots of bars, shops, and restaurants.
Eat
Self-Guided Taco Tour
We know why you’re really in Austin – the tacos!! Here are some of our favorite tacos in the city!
Valentina’s: Get the Real Deal Holyfield with Brisket. It’s the only way to go. Fried eggs, potatoes, beans, bacon, and brisket – what more could you want in a breakfast taco!? The portions are sizeable, so one or two will hold you over for a while. The smoked brisket taco is also top-notch. One thing to note is that it is a slight drive from downtown Austin – about 20 – 25 minutes depending on where you start your drive.
Veracruz: With 7 locations in Austin, it won’t be long before you end up at a Veracruz. The Migas and El Breakfast taco were our favorites – even for dinner – but they also offer plenty of vegetarian and vegan options in addition to traditional meat and fish. The fresh smoothies and juices are also refreshing on a hot Texas day. La Ley smoothie combines mango, banana, spinach, and peanut butter and let’s just say the combination is *chef’s kiss*.
Con Todo: This bright pink taco truck provides the perfect tacos to compliment your day (or night) drinking. Located right outside of Celis Brewery, it’s in the ideal location. You can’t go wrong with the Chori-Papa or Gordita. The Calabacita was also the best vegetarian taco we had on our trip!
Cuantos: This food truck is located in the Arbor Food Park. So if anyone in your party isn’t in the mood for a taco (because they’re crazy!?) there are other options available here like hamburgers, pizza, or BBQ. This Food Park is also BYOB, so you can stop down the street at Quickie Pickie and grab some beer. These tacos were the most affordable on the list at just $2.50 a taco! We got the combination platter which comes with six different tacos – brisket, mushrooms and onion, barbacoa, pork stomach, chorizo, and carnitas. These tacos are on the smaller side, so you’ll be done in just two bites. They also come with a healthy serving of cilantro on top, so if cilantro’s not your thing, make sure to ask them to not include it.
Jo’s Coffee: Pick and choose between various ingredients to customize your breakfast taco. While the tacos are okay, the real winner here is the seasonal coffee. The Campfire Cold Brew and Horchata Chai are the perfect sweet, tasty treats. If you visit the South Congress location, you’ll be right next to the famous I Love You So Much mural, so you can grab a coffee and get in line for a picture!
El Tacorrido: We ended up at El Taccorido on an unexpectedly cold, icy night when no other restaurants were open. We were skeptical at first, but boy are we glad we made the stop. The revuelta and carne guisada are what we’ll get when we inevitably visit again . . . and the queso blanco.
Torchy’s Tacos: This taco institution has 90+ locations between Texas and the surrounding states. While we feel a bit like sellouts listing Torchy’s, it’s a rite of passage to go at least once . . . maybe twice. If you’re vegan, you’ll love the Mofaux which is made with Beyond Beef. The fried avocado taco is another big hit in our house. If you’re in a meaty mood, the Brushfire, made with Jamaican jerk chicken and mango, or the baja shrimp are excellent options.
Launderette is quite possibly one of our favorite restaurants in the world. Not just Texas, or the USA – THE WORLD! Every time we visit Austin, you better believe we eat at Launderette. Everything on the menu is so flavorful and the combinations can be surprising, but somehow always blend together to form an excellent dish. While we recommend every single item on the menu, if you’re not with a group or don’t feel like sharing, you absolutely must get: the brick chicken, the roasted sweet potatoes, the shawarma cauliflower, and the crab toast. The vegetable side dishes are outstanding! You really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.
Do you like chocolate covered strawberries? How about in ice cream form? Get the strawberry ice cream with bits of hot fudge and chocolate mixed in. You’ll want seconds – and maybe thirds.
You can’t go to Texas without trying BBQ! While we didn’t have time to wait for the famous Franklin’s, we did eat at Terry Black’s and we were not disappointed. Whatever you do, you MUST get the brisket – and if you’re lucky you might even be able to score some burnt ends!
Activities
Hike up Mount Bonnell
This limestone hill offers a great view of Lake Austin and is the highest point within Ausin! To reach the viewpoint, climb up 102 stairs (with an elevation gain of a little over 700 ft). It’s a great place to watch the sunset with a little picnic.
Walk around Lady Bird Lake at Sunset
Want to stretch your legs? A walk around Lady Bird Lake is just what you’re looking for – bonus points if you can time it for sunset. It’s about 2.5 miles around the lake and should take a little under an hour to complete at a slow leisurely pace. You can also ride bikes around the lake, or kayak or paddleboard.
Visit the Treehouse at Pease Park
Tucked into a little suburban neighborhood, you’ll find Pease Park. Walk around the walking paths until you stumble upon the open air treehouse. It’s shaped like a dome and has two levels to explore. Walk the bridge on the upper level to reach the ropey-hammock-like area. Here you can lay back and watch the clouds. The closest entrance to the Treehouse is West 15th and Kingsbury Street. The park also has splash pads, playgrounds, walking paths, and sometimes food trucks.
Swim at Barton Springs in Zilker Park
Looking to cool down? Take a refreshing swim in Barton Springs. The 3-acre long pool is always 68-70 degrees F and costs between $2 – $5 for locals or $4 – $9 for non-residents.
Walk around and shop
South Congress is one of the best areas in Austin to walk around, dine, and shop. You’ll find a mix of well-known stores like Madewell and Allbirds alongside more local spots. If you’re looking for bars and nightlife, you can check out 6th street (referred to as dirty 6th) or Rainey Street.
See the state capitol
Tour the Texas State Capitol building. Check the website for tours and timing.
Visit Longhorn Caverns
Take a drive out to Longhorn Caverns where you can explore the cave system – you might even see some bats! It’s $22.25 for people ages 12 and over and the tour lasts about an hour and a half. If you’re feeling adventurous, they also offer a Wild Cave Tour where you go a bit off the beaten path – hardhat required!
See some murals
– You’re my butter half – 2000 E Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
– Greetings from Austin – 1720 S. First St.
– i love you so much – 1300 S. Congress Ave.
– You’re the Yee to my Haw – 1701 S. Congress Ave.
NOT DONE TRAVELING?
Check out our guides of nearby areas:
San Antonio
Texas Hill Country