Austin for the Weekend

Austin is the perfect place to spend a weekend! The city get’s the tagline “Keep Austin Weird” and it is a true gem amongst the United States. It’s no wonder thousands of people are flocking to this city every day. It has a little bit of everything making it a great place to spend with friends, family or your significant other.

Disclosure: Some of these links are affiliate links, which means when you purchase something using these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. However, I link these companies because I have used them or truly recommend them based on their quality and the experience I had.

Austin has a plethora of places to stay and it’s a very easy city to get around. If you are only there for the weekend, I would stay downtown. One of my favorite hotels in Austin is the Line. It’s a beautiful boutique hotel in the heart of downtown. For other hotel stays close to everything, take a look at Driskill Hotel, South Congress Hotel, Hotel Saint Cecilia or Hotel Van Zandt. You’ll also find the booking finder below to be helpful in finding the perfect hotel stay for your weekend in Austin.

A weekend in Austin gives you plenty of time to see all the highlights of the city. You’ll find activities for the history buffs, the adventurers and those who just want a good time!

The Texas State Capitol is located in the heart of Austin. It’s definitely a sight to see and you can get a free tour that lasts around an hour if you are up for seeing the inside.

Located right across the street from the Texas State Capitol is the Governor’s Mansion. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but the Texas governor lives there and it’s been that way since 1856 so tons of history located in this vicinity.

The South Congress area in Austin is known for having some of the best boutique shopping and some famous Austin eateries. You’ll hear locals reference this area as SoCo and while there, be sure to hit up the famous Jo’s Coffee!

Ahh the famous instagrammable mural you see from every friend’s visit to Austin. You’ll find this mural located at 720 S. 1st Street.

The ultimate view of Austin can be found at Pennybacker Bridge also known as the 360 degree bridge! The sunset view here is one you have to see to believe.

For the adventurous travelers, the perfect way to spend your weekend in Austin is by visiting Lady Bird Lake. You can kayak and paddle board here as you take in the best views of Austin.

If you have an extra day in Austin, you should definitely check out Texas’s wine country located about an hour from Austin in Fredericksburg, Texas. There is also great shopping in this area and cute little B&B’s to stay at. Some wineries to visit in this area are Signor Vineyards, Duchman Winery, or Grape Creek Vineyards.

Austin is not only known for their famous TexMex but also some pretty great BBQ, too. I’ve listed a few restaurants that are must try’s in Austin but there are plenty of restaurants that are worth trying on your weekend in Austin!

• COFFEE:
  – Jo’s Coffee
  – Mozart’s Coffee
  – Civil Goat
  – Picnik
  – Idlewild

• BREAKFAST:
  – Kerby Lane Cafe
  – Cafe No Se
  – Forthright
  – Josephine House

• TACOS:
  – Guero’s Taco Bar
  – Rosita’s Al Pastor
  – Suerte
  – Las Trancas

• BBQ:
  – Stubb’s
  – Coopers
  – Salt Lick
  – Franklin

Similar to their restaurants, there is no shortage of places to drink in Austin. The two famous areas to dance and drink the night away are the Dirty 6th and Rainey Street. Check out some of the area’s favorites below. If a low-key cocktail bar or craft brewery is more your speed, don’t worry, Austin has that too.

• RAINEY STREET:
  – Lucile’s
  – Little Brother
  – Parlor Room
  – Half Step

• DIRTY SIXTH:
  – Midnight Cowboy
  – Tipsy Alchemist
  – Iron Cactus
  – The Parish
  – St. Pete’s
  – Azul Rooftop
  – Maggie Mae’s

• COCKTAIL BARS:
  – Whisler’s
  – Roosevelt Room
  – Garage
  – White Room
  – Firehouse Lounge
  
• BREWERIES:
  – Central Machine Works
  – Pinthouse Brewing
  – Easy Tiger
  – Hold Out Brewing
  

As you can see, there is no shortage of good times with a weekend in Austin. If you are looking for a similar vibe to Austin, check out my travel guide to Denver.

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Disclosure: Some of these links are affiliate links, which means when you purchase something using these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. However, I link these companies because I have used them or truly recommend them based on their quality and the experience I had.