Austin, TX: The Ultimate Bucket List

This summer, I spent 3 months in Austin and compiled a list of activities, food stops and sights to enjoy in the city. Check out the list below (with photos attached) to see which spots you can try -- enjoy the list!

Tourist Stops (refer to photos below):

1. Photo @ Greetings from Austin Postcard Mural

2. Hamilton Pool Grotto (good for picnic and swimming; need reservation weeks in advance) 

3. Barton Springs Pool

4. Barton Creek Greenbelt Hike

5. Mount Bonnell ("hiking" but more like stairs and you see a nice view)

6. Umlauf Sculpture Garden

7. The Liberty (eat at Eastside Kings)

8. Lady Bird Lake Hike & Bike Trail (Lady Bird Johnson WIldflower Center)

9. Mayfield Park (Peacocks wandering around the park)

10. Longhorn Caverns

11. Cathedral of the Junk (art attraction located in one backyard of a neighborhood in South Austin)

12. Zilker Park (hiking, biking, kayaking, jogging, botanical garden)

13. Ego’s (karaoke) Castle Hill Graffiti

14. HOPE Outdoor Gallery (largest graffiti park in North America)

15. Baylor Street Art Wall

16. Pace Bend Park (swimming and cliff jumping)

17. Alamo Drafthouse ("unique" movie watching experience)

18. Rainey Street (old houses turned into bars; drinks and brunches)

19. First Thursday (“One the first Thursday of every month, the South Congress Hotel hosts a huge event with musicians and an all-night happy hour. It’s one of the biggest nights of the month for young professionals and a wonderful place to have fun, meet new people (Austinites are very friendly), and drink cheap.”)

20. South Congress (shopping)

21. Hippie Hollow (nude beach)

22. Broken Spoke (square dancing)

23. SoCo District (unique boutiques, restaurants, antiques, art galleries, music venues)

24. Congress Bridge (watch bats during sunset)

25. Krause Springs

{"items":["fbad3e_9823e7d0182d44d1a02ff4dd4d5da666~mv2_d_1434_1822_s_2.png"],"styles":{"galleryType":"Columns","groupSize":1,"showArrows":false,"cubeImages":false,"cubeType":"fill","cubeRatio":1,"isVertical":true,"gallerySize":300,"collageDensity":0.8,"groupTypes":"1","oneRow":false,"imageMargin":0,"galleryMargin":0,"floatingImages":0,"chooseBestGroup":true,"smartCrop":false,"hasThumbnails":false,"enableScroll":true,"isGrid":false,"isSlider":false,"isColumns":false,"isSlideshow":false,"cropOnlyFill":false,"fixedColumns":1,"enableInfiniteScroll":true,"isRTL":false,"minItemSize":50,"rotatingGroupTypes":"","rotatingCubeRatio":"","gallerySliderImageRatio":1.7777777777777777,"numberOfImagesPerRow":3,"numberOfImagesPerCol":1,"groupsPerStrip":0,"borderRadius":0,"boxShadow":0,"gridStyle":1,"mobilePanorama":false,"placeGroupsLtr":false,"viewMode":"preview","thumbnailSpacings":0,"galleryThumbnailsAlignment":"none","isMasonry":false,"isAutoSlideshow":false,"slideshowLoop":false,"autoSlideshowInterval":4,"useCustomButton":false,"bottomInfoHeight":0,"titlePlacement":"SHOW_ON_HOVER","galleryHorizontalAlign":"center","galleryTextAlign":"center","galleryVerticalAlign":"center","scrollSnap":false,"itemClick":"link","fullscreen":false,"allowSocial":false,"allowDownload":false,"allowTitle":true,"allowDescription":false,"loveButton":false,"loveCounter":false,"videoPlay":"onClick","scrollAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","scrollDirection":0,"overlayAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","arrowsPosition":0,"arrowsSize":23,"watermarkOpacity":40,"watermarkSize":40,"useWatermark":true,"watermarkDock":{"top":"auto","left":"auto","right":0,"bottom":0,"transform":"translate3d(0,0,0)"},"loadMoreAmount":"all","defaultShowInfoExpand":1,"allowTitleExpand":true,"allowDescriptionExpand":true,"allowLinkExpand":true,"expandInfoPosition":0,"allowFullscreenExpand":true,"fullscreenLoop":false,"galleryAlignExpand":"left","addToCartBorderWidth":1,"addToCartButtonText":"","slideshowInfoSize":200,"playButtonForAutoSlideShow":false,"allowSlideshowCounter":false,"hoveringBehaviour":"APPEARS","thumbnailSize":120,"magicLayoutSeed":1,"imageHoverAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","calculateTextBoxHeightMode":"AUTOMATIC","calculateTextBoxWidthMode":"PERCENT","textBoxHeight":0,"textBoxWidth":200,"textBoxWidthPercent":50,"textImageSpace":10,"textBoxBorderRadius":0,"textBoxBorderWidth":0,"textsVerticalPadding":0,"textsHorizontalPadding":0,"titleDescriptionSpace":6,"customButtonText":"","customButtonBorderWidth":1,"customButtonBorderRadius":0,"loadMoreButtonText":"","loadMoreButtonBorderWidth":1,"loadMoreButtonBorderRadius":0,"imageInfoType":"NO_BACKGROUND","itemBorderWidth":0,"itemBorderRadius":0,"itemEnableShadow":false,"itemShadowBlur":20,"itemShadowDirection":135,"itemShadowSize":10,"imageLoadingMode":"BLUR","expandAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imageQuality":90,"usmToggle":false,"usm_a":0,"usm_r":0,"usm_t":0,"videoSound":false,"videoSpeed":"1","videoLoop":true,"galleryLayout":6,"gallerySizeType":"px","gallerySizePx":300,"allowHover":true,"mobileSwipeAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","gotStyleParams":true,"showVideoPlayButton":true,"imageResize":false,"galleryImageRatio":2,"selectedLayout":"6|none|1|fill|true|0|true","layoutsVersion":2,"selectedLayoutV2":6,"isSlideshowFont":false,"externalInfoHeight":0,"externalInfoWidth":0},"container":{"galleryWidth":2560,"galleryHeight":1440,"scrollBase":0,"height":null,"width":null}}

Art/Museum:

• Blanton Museum of Art (18,000 exhibits)

• The Contemporary Austin

Food:

BBQ

• Franklin BBQ (long line)

• Salt Lick BBQ

• La Barbecue

• Micklethwait

• Freedmen’s

Tex-Mex

• Torchy’s Tacos 

• Zocalo Cafe

• Guero’s Taco Bar

• Juan in a Million

• El Patio

• Tacodeli

• Joe’s Bakery & Coffee Shop

• Matt’s famous El Rancho (Bob Armstrong Dip)

• Curra’s grill (avo margarita)Rosita’s (al pastor taco)

• La condesa (great for brunches)

Breakfast Taco Spots

• Texas Honey Ham

• Joe’s Bakery (breaded bacon and scratch-made tortillas to the pan dulces and lardy refried beans)

• Mi Madres

• Mi Trailita

• La Cocina

• De Consuelo

• Juan in a Million 

Brunch

• Banger’s on Rainey Street (signature mimosa)

• Luke’s Inside Out

• Jack Allen’s (buffet style)

Ramen

• Ramen Tatsu-ya

• Daruma

• Kanji

• Jinya

• Michi

• Kome

Coffee

• Bouldin Creek Coffee House

• Bennu Coffee

• Mozart’s

• Jo’s turbo

• Cuvee

• Medici

• Brew&Stre

• Fleet

• Patika

• Vintage Heart (“Butter Half” Mural)

Burgers

• Hopdoddy Burger

• BarCow Bells

• Wholly Cow

• East Side King

• Texas Chili Parlor – “Frito Pie”

• Uchiko (trendy dishes)

• Home Slice Pizza

• Bufalina (pizza – house-made mozz) 

• Hills Cafe (try chicken fried steak with yella gravy)

• Fricano’s deli

• Salty Sow (3x fried duck fat fries)

• Jack Allen’s Kitchen (Chicken Fried Beef Ribs)

• Clark’s Oyster Bar (lobster mac and cheese)

• Max’s (jalapeño-buttermilk fried chicken)

• Elizabeth Street Cafe (fusions Vietnamese)

• Perla’s (seafood)

• Titaya’s (Thai food)

• Wu Chow Dim Sum

• TRIO (steaks and seafood overlooking Colorado River)

• Sholz Garten (beer, brats, bowling)

• Gourdough’s (burgers made from donut buns)

Dessert:

• Amy’s Ice Cream

• Lick Ice Cream

• Sweet Ritual

• Cow Tipping Creamery

• SPUNHey Cupcake (“Sweetberry”)

• Gourdough’s (donuts)

• Night Hawk Frisco Shop (pies)

Bars:

• Thinkery21

• Yard Bar (puppies and pub)

• Oasis (drinks and watch the sunset)

• Adelbert’s Brewery

• La Perla (try Armodelo)

• Garage (cocktail bar tucked in a parking garage)

• Vinyl (beyond the hidden doors at Teller)

• Peche

• Isla

• Ah Sing Den

• Whisler’s

• Midnight Cowboy (speakeasy)

• Brewery tours (Independence, Live Oak, Hops & Grain, Austin Beer Works, St. Elmo Brewing, Jester King, East Side Showroom (speakeasy vibe/ drinks/ food), The White Horse

Rooftops:

• Handlebar (“solid old fashion”)

• Blackbeat

• Shiner’s Saloon (live music daily; burger, pizza, wings until 2 am; whiskey Wednesday $1 whiskey)

• Mohawk

• Speakeasy (mentioned above)

• The Market (Sundays are bottomless mimosas)

• Summit Rooftop lounge (“One of newest in rooftop venues, Summit has a very posh feel with a huge dance floor; expect a very EDM-heavy nightclub experience.”)

The Best Happy Hours:

• The Peach Tortilla (Mon-Sun 5-7pm) --- $7 burger, $3 tacos, $5 cocktails, $5 wine, and a menu of $5 snacks including crispy fries with an egg, kimchi arancini balls, and charred Brussels sprouts

• Dive Bar (Mon-Fri, 2-7pm) --- $2.50 Lone Star and PBR tall boys, $3 wells, $4 drafts, and $5 wine

• Clark’s Oyster Bar (Mon-Sun, 3-6pm) --- 50 cents off oysters, half-priced burgers, and $5 martinis

• Fixe Austin (everyday 4-7pm)

• Ego’s Bar

• Elephant Room (jazz bar)

• The Continental Club (live music)

• The Townsend (high-end cocktail lounge; modern cocktails)

• The Goodnight (multi-activity lounge concept: live music, billiards, ping pong, bowling lanes)

• Speakeasy (lounge with antique couches, live music, chill vibe)

• Broken Spoke (dance hall known for southern dancing)

Comedy Clubs:

• Cap City Comedy Club

• Esther’s Follies

• The New Movement

• The Hideout Theater

• Coldtowne Theater

• Latino Comedy Project