Photo Courtesy: istockphoto.com/Jonathan Rossr
Austin Texas
New beats for a city with an old soul
A
ustin is a city of contrasts, a place where gleaming skyscrapers filled with the latest modern amenities cast shadows over scrappy, well-loved honky tonks and watering holes. Though the tech boom has certainly made its mark on the city in recent decades, people are still drawn to Austin for its old-school vibes and countercultural roots. Take a peek behind the glitzy curtain and find those authentic experiences still humming with the good old tunes that keep this city alive.
Enjoy the Flow of Activities
Visitors can orient themselves and get in an Austin frame of mind first by parting with the checklists, slowing down and savoring the unexpected lushness of this vibrant Southern city. Soak up the sunshine in the spacious 350-acre green space of Zilker Park with a meal assembled with food truck provisions from The Picnic, Austin’s iconic food truck lot, located just one block from the entrance of the park. Folks who are up for more activity can rent a bike from Austin Bike Tours and Rentals to explore the nearby 10-mile Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike-Trail that winds around Lady Bird Lake, a reservoir off the Colorado River that can be paddled on a kayak or SUP.
Late October usually marks the end of bat season, when the city’s impressive colony of Mexican free-tailed bats makes its way south. Before the weather cools, the best way to spot these critters is from a river cruise on Lady Bird Lake just after sunset, with your eyes trained on the Congress Avenue Bridge. Across the river, this bridge leads to the bustling South Congress district. Once a countercultural neighborhood, it’s now a bit more mainstream, and worth a stop for Amy’s Ice Cream, Jo’s Coffee and a dip into one of the boot boutiques. Then cap off the evening the traditional Austin way: with a plunge in the refreshing spring-fed Barton Springs Pool, open year-round.
Photo Courtesy: Taylor Regulski
Grab Your Boots and Learn to Two Step
To experience Austin the way generations of locals have, step into the vibrant live music scene. Austin is the place where Willie Nelson first took the stage on a fledgling TV show called “Austin City Limits” back in 1974. Now past its 50th anniversary, the show is still recording live concerts on PBS—the longest running music program in history. A few lucky visitors can snag free tickets to live tapings at the Moody Theater by following “Austin City Limits” on social media, or purchase a ticket to one of the regular concerts that take place on the same stage.
The Austin City Limits Music Festival, which runs for two weekends October 3 through 12, is a symbol of Austin’s special blend of old and new, where established and up-and-coming musicians put on legendary shows side-by-side for the masses on outdoor stages spread across Zilker Park.
Throughout the city, visitors feast their ears on a veritable buffet of music. Go old school at some long-standing honky tonks, such as the Broken Spoke or Donn’s Depot (both about a mile from Zilker Park), or head to Burnet Road’s Little Longhorn Saloon where it’s Lone Star instead of craft beer on offer, and live music six nights a week. Just try to keep up if an old-timer asks you to two-step. Another not-to-be-missed Austin experience: Antone’s, a blues institution that helped launch Jimmie and Steve Ray Vaughan into orbit, along with modern-day homegrown talents such as Jackie Venson and current co-owner Gary Clark Jr.
Add in some newer notes to the itinerary of Austin musical experiences at the Red River Cultural District— with roots dating back to the ’90s punk scene—dive bars like Swan Dive where eclectic indie, Tejano and electronic music beckons people to the dance floor, and the LGBTQ-affirming Cheer Up Charlies for deejay sets and live music outdoors on the cozy patio. For jazz fans, head to the under-the-radar Monk’s in East Austin, where it’s BYOB—but be sure to keep table talk to a whisper during filmed shows.
Photo Courtesy: Richard Casteel
Rustle Up Some Grub
Austin’s culinary scene is always evolving, with plenty to whet an appetite, whether it’s classic barbecue or some of the latest buzzy omakase spots in town. Take the hassle out of trying to keep tabs on what’s trendy with a food tour hosted by locals. Take a Twisted Texas Tour to hit some of the hottest brunch spots on a funky school bus featuring a small band performing live as visitors go from stop to stop; the company also offers both local barbecue tours and a trip that takes visitors down to the barbecue capital, Lockhart. A new skip-the-line Locals Know BBQ Food Tour aims to introduce travelers to five of the most prized barbecue hotspots in Austin, from Michelin-recognized La Barbecue and Mum Foods to the intriguing newcomer Egyptian-Texan fusion restaurant KG BBQ offering pomegranate-glazed pork ribs and impossibly tender lamb chops.
Branching out for some fine dining, let elevated Southern food find its way to your heart at Olamaie (be sure to order a round of “off-menu” biscuits). Or experience the monthly changing prix fixe menu at Barley Swine, each bite is a symphony of textures and flavors with local produce and proteins, from heirloom tomatoes transformed into granita to aged Akaushi ribeye dolloped with imaginative sauces. Don’t miss the city’s signature Mexican and Tex-Mex offerings—from the beautifully prepared ceviche at La Condesa to Chef Iliana de la Vega’s rich mole at El Naranjo.
For a nightcap, head to a storied Austin bar. The Driskill has hosted outlaws, presidents and everyone in between. Keep an eye out for the bar’s reopening this fall after undergoing renovations. Shake it up with a contemporary experience at one of the city’s many secret bars tucked in alleyways and basements. Three are within a five-minute walk of each other: On the same block as The Driskill, make a reservation through the Here Nor There app, enter through the alleyway off Brazos Street and find a dimly lit basement bar filled with whimsical cocktails that change seasonally. Just across from The Driskill, you access the Firehouse Lounge through a bookcase in the Firehouse Hostel and frequently find live rock, jazz and blues on the intimate stage. Midnight Cowboy on 6th Street was once a brothel and is now a speakeasy serving craft cocktails by reservations only.
Photo Courtesy: Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau
Where to Hang a Hat
Choose an Austin hotel right where the action is to maximize vacation enjoyment. The Carpenter Hotel, built in a 1948 meeting hall showcasing its industrial bones, feels like the perfect combination of old meets new within an easy walk to Zilker Park and Lady Bird Lake.
Austin Proper Hotel is a neighborhood institution in the bustling Second Street District, which is filled with shops and restaurants within an easy walk, as well as the nationally rated Austin Public Library. For a more historic feeling, The Driskill is an excellent choice. Tours highlighting its background (and the occasional ghost story) are available for guests with the option to reserve an afternoon tea experience in the stately 1886 Cafe & Bakery.
For a splurge, head to the luxe Commodore Perry situated on a historic estate just north of town, where afternoon wine and Vinyl Happy Hour—where patrons can listen to a curated selection of records—leads to a leisurely afternoon by the sparkling resort pool.
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