Guidebook for Austin
Drinks & Nightlife
Stay Gold
1910 E Cesar Chavez StBest juke box in town and great live music, most every night.
Great indoor/outdoor bar, with designer cocktails, pool tables and wonderfully great bar food until 1AM.
104 locals recommend
Drinks Lounge
2001 E Cesar Chavez StGreat indoor/outdoor bar, with designer cocktails, pool tables and wonderfully great bar food until 1AM.
Always a great show. The Continental Club has been a premier club for live music since 1957. The best of the Austin live music scene can be found any night.
815 locals recommend
The Continental Gallery
1313 S Congress AveAlways a great show. The Continental Club has been a premier club for live music since 1957. The best of the Austin live music scene can be found any night.
A great music and dancing venue walking distance from the house. East Side honkey tonk, with dancing and drink specials. Bomb Tacos in their backyard is a traditional East Austin taco truck.
672 locals recommend
The White Horse
500 Comal StA great music and dancing venue walking distance from the house. East Side honkey tonk, with dancing and drink specials. Bomb Tacos in their backyard is a traditional East Austin taco truck.
Food Scene
O. M. G. This restaurant has changed my life. Wonderfully creative dishes that come "family style" (where you order lots of smaller and mid-size portions to share). Great variety, wonderful atmosphere and the wine list. is. yes. (For upscale/creative dining, I recommend this and Launderette -- both of which are a few minutes' walk. This has the advantage of taking reservations.)
99 locals recommend
Juniper
2400 E Cesar Chavez StO. M. G. This restaurant has changed my life. Wonderfully creative dishes that come "family style" (where you order lots of smaller and mid-size portions to share). Great variety, wonderful atmosphere and the wine list. is. yes. (For upscale/creative dining, I recommend this and Launderette -- both of which are a few minutes' walk. This has the advantage of taking reservations.)
This restaurant changed my life and so I have a reasonable expectation that it will complete your evening. Many creative, smaller dishes with a wonderful wine and drink list. They do not take reservations and so think about creative times to visit if you're not into waiting. (For upscale/creative dining, I recommend this and Juniper -- both of which are a few minutes' walk.)
397 locals recommend
Launderette
2115 Holly StThis restaurant changed my life and so I have a reasonable expectation that it will complete your evening. Many creative, smaller dishes with a wonderful wine and drink list. They do not take reservations and so think about creative times to visit if you're not into waiting. (For upscale/creative dining, I recommend this and Juniper -- both of which are a few minutes' walk.)
Rated the BBQ in the Nation but it is only open 11AM - and it always sells out. You'll want to get in line at 9AM but this is a must if you like BBQ!
919 locals recommend
Franklin Barbecue
900 E 11th StRated the BBQ in the Nation but it is only open 11AM - and it always sells out. You'll want to get in line at 9AM but this is a must if you like BBQ!
An easy walk to amazing, outdoors BBQ. You'll start to smell the wood smoke as you approach the block.
421 locals recommend
La Barbecue
2401 E Cesar Chavez StAn easy walk to amazing, outdoors BBQ. You'll start to smell the wood smoke as you approach the block.
Truly amazing vegan food, with outdoor seating options. An easy walk and rarely ever a wait.
Counter Culture offers meatless, dairy-free and raw foods – made from scratch – and offered at affordable prices. Whenever possible the restaurant procures organic, fair trade & locally grown food from area farmers.
Counter Culture offers daily specials, as well as a variety of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, plates & handmade desserts. In addition, the menu always has many oil free, gluten-free and soy-free options.
139 locals recommend
Counter Culture
2908 E Cesar Chavez StTruly amazing vegan food, with outdoor seating options. An easy walk and rarely ever a wait.
Counter Culture offers meatless, dairy-free and raw foods – made from scratch – and offered at affordable prices. Whenever possible the restaurant procures organic, fair trade & locally grown food from area farmers.
Counter Culture offers daily specials, as well as a variety of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, plates & handmade desserts. In addition, the menu always has many oil free, gluten-free and soy-free options.
A block away. Mongers offers indoor and covered patio seating outdoors. The raw bar features a rotating selection of fresh oysters, shrimp, crab, crudos, pokes, and ceviches. With a focus on gulf coast seafood, their menu changes with season and availability of product.
91 locals recommend
Mongers
4119 Guadalupe StreetA block away. Mongers offers indoor and covered patio seating outdoors. The raw bar features a rotating selection of fresh oysters, shrimp, crab, crudos, pokes, and ceviches. With a focus on gulf coast seafood, their menu changes with season and availability of product.
This outdoor food truck has a small patio. It's a good place to grab a breakfast taco or tacos on the go. Service is often on the slow side but are you in a hurry?
314 locals recommend
Veracruz All Natural Food Truck
2505 Webberville RoadThis outdoor food truck has a small patio. It's a good place to grab a breakfast taco or tacos on the go. Service is often on the slow side but are you in a hurry?
Nothing fancy about the interior but this is good, authentic Tex-Mex at affordable prices The real deal. I recommend their Carne Asada, Carne Guisada, other traditional meat dishes or the burritos. Fresh chopped jalapenos and margaritas, optional. (The enchiladas sometimes come swimming in cheese and do not stand out.)
One tip: They do not bring the bill to the table - just go to the counter and pay when you're ready to go.
21 locals recommend
Taqueria Chapala
2101 E Cesar Chavez StNothing fancy about the interior but this is good, authentic Tex-Mex at affordable prices The real deal. I recommend their Carne Asada, Carne Guisada, other traditional meat dishes or the burritos. Fresh chopped jalapenos and margaritas, optional. (The enchiladas sometimes come swimming in cheese and do not stand out.)
One tip: They do not bring the bill to the table - just go to the counter and pay when you're ready to go.
Because you want coffee. Nice outside seating and good breakfast and brunch menu.
379 locals recommend
Cenote
1010 E Cesar Chavez StBecause you want coffee. Nice outside seating and good breakfast and brunch menu.
A nice blend of French chic and Austin laid-back cool. Not a great bike ride from the studio but a quick ride. No reservations.
522 locals recommend
Justine's
4710 E 5th StA nice blend of French chic and Austin laid-back cool. Not a great bike ride from the studio but a quick ride. No reservations.
Rustic-chic, farm-to-table restaurant with nice outdoor seating. If you bike there, head down Willow, L on Pleasant Valley. The last stretch on E. Cesar Chavez can be busy but there is plenty of room for cyclists.
197 locals recommend
Jacoby's Restaurant & Mercantile
3235 E Cesar Chavez StRustic-chic, farm-to-table restaurant with nice outdoor seating. If you bike there, head down Willow, L on Pleasant Valley. The last stretch on E. Cesar Chavez can be busy but there is plenty of room for cyclists.
Essentials
This has everything you need. It can be biked (there is a path across the bridge) but the last stretch is a little sketchy.
227 locals recommend
H-E-B plus!
2508 E Riverside DrThis has everything you need. It can be biked (there is a path across the bridge) but the last stretch is a little sketchy.
This isn't as nice as the HEB Plus! across the river but it's a little closer. I'd suggest you bike Pedernales to 5th to Calles (staying off Pleasant Valley).
1667 locals recommend
H-E-B
5808 Burnet RdThis isn't as nice as the HEB Plus! across the river but it's a little closer. I'd suggest you bike Pedernales to 5th to Calles (staying off Pleasant Valley).
The Mother Ship! Austin is where Whole Foods began and this store is one of it's flag ships. You can bike here by taking the bike paths. When you see the circle path up to the Lamar Street Pedestrian Bridge, exit the pathway right. Take the Sandra Muraida Way to North Lamar and then head North on the sidewalk (not road) and it'll appear after you pass under the bridge. The REI is next door.
1332 locals recommend
Whole Foods Market
525 N Lamar BlvdThe Mother Ship! Austin is where Whole Foods began and this store is one of it's flag ships. You can bike here by taking the bike paths. When you see the circle path up to the Lamar Street Pedestrian Bridge, exit the pathway right. Take the Sandra Muraida Way to North Lamar and then head North on the sidewalk (not road) and it'll appear after you pass under the bridge. The REI is next door.
Funky and fun convenience store oriented around your last minute needs for wine, cheese, beer and Amy's frozen dinners. It also has a cafe and 24 beers on tap. Good place for a wifi and refreshment break.
352 locals recommend
Quickie Pickie
2027 E Cesar Chavez StFunky and fun convenience store oriented around your last minute needs for wine, cheese, beer and Amy's frozen dinners. It also has a cafe and 24 beers on tap. Good place for a wifi and refreshment break.
Parks & Nature
If you want to get out of town, this was a darn fun day -- hiking and the longest zip line in Tejas. End the day at The Oasis on Lake Travis. The food isn't the attraction and the drinks might come in plastic cups, but a great sunset view.
160 locals recommend
Lake Travis Zipline Adventures
14529 Pocohontas TrailIf you want to get out of town, this was a darn fun day -- hiking and the longest zip line in Tejas. End the day at The Oasis on Lake Travis. The food isn't the attraction and the drinks might come in plastic cups, but a great sunset view.
You. Must. Go. You can bike to the spring from the paths, have a day swimming and then head back on the other side of the Lady Bird Lake, perhaps heading up South Congress for shopping or food. More deets: 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. Over the years, Barton Springs Pool has drawn people from all walks of life, from legislators who have concocted state laws there to free-spirited, topless sunbathers who turned heads in the 1970s. Robert Redford learned to swim at the pool when he was five years old while visiting family in Austin. Today, Barton Springs still attracts a diverse crowd of people and has seen record setting numbers of visitors nearing 800,000 in recent years.
2454 locals recommend
Barton Springs Municipal Pool
2201 William Barton DrYou. Must. Go. You can bike to the spring from the paths, have a day swimming and then head back on the other side of the Lady Bird Lake, perhaps heading up South Congress for shopping or food. More deets: 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. Over the years, Barton Springs Pool has drawn people from all walks of life, from legislators who have concocted state laws there to free-spirited, topless sunbathers who turned heads in the 1970s. Robert Redford learned to swim at the pool when he was five years old while visiting family in Austin. Today, Barton Springs still attracts a diverse crowd of people and has seen record setting numbers of visitors nearing 800,000 in recent years.
Shopping
Allens Boots
1522 S Congress AveBecause ... cowboy boots. So many cowboy boots.