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Texas, United States

Austin

Give it two days to fit a Franklin line, a Lockhart side trip, a Barton Springs swim and live music. This guide pulls together 1 sight, 2 outdoor spots and 3 places to eat from our curated routes.

Plan Austin with friendsBrowse 9 places
Austin, Texas, United States
Places
9

1 See · 2 Outdoors · 3 Eat · 2 Drink · 1 Shop

Curated routes
1

Texas BBQ Trail

Best season
Oct – Apr

from our route notes

Warmest month
August

37°C / 98°F avg high

Coolest month
January

16°C / 60°F avg high

Wettest month
May

about 111 mm rain

Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.

Things to do in Austin

9 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.

See

The landmarks we would not skip in Austin in Downtown.

  • Texas State Capitol in AustinPhoto: LoneStarMike · CC BY 3.0
    See

    Texas State Capitol

    Pink-granite capitol, taller than the US Capitol, with free guided tours.

    • Downtown
    • Free
    • 60 min
    • Morning

Outdoors

Trails, views and open space in and around Austin.

  • Barton Springs Pool in AustinPhoto: Downtown Austin · Public domain
    Outdoors

    Barton Springs Pool

    Spring-fed pool that stays near 68°F year-round in Zilker Park.

    Tip Small entry fee for non-residents; closed Thursdays for cleaning.

    • Zilker
    • $
    • 2 hr
    • Summer afternoon
  • Congress Avenue Bridge Bat Colony in AustinPhoto: Cati Pons · Google
    Outdoors

    Congress Avenue Bridge Bat Colony

    Up to 1.5 million bats stream out from under the bridge at dusk.

    Tip Peak Aug; watch from the Statesman bat observation lawn.

    • Downtown
    • Free
    • 45 min
    • Summer dusk

Eat

3 places to eat across East Austin and Lockhart, picked for groups who care about the food.

  • Franklin Barbecue in AustinPhoto: Larry D. Moore · CC BY 4.0
    Eat

    Franklin Barbecue

    Austin's most famous brisket, worth the morning line.

    Tip Line forms by 8am for 11am opening; preorders by the pound skip the line.

    • East Austin
    • $$
    • 4 hr
    • Weekday morning
  • la Barbecue in AustinPhoto: Larry D. Moore · CC BY 4.0
    Eat

    la Barbecue

    East Austin pit known for brisket, beef ribs and house sausage, with shorter lines than Franklin.

    • East Austin
    • $$
    • 75 min
    • Lunch
  • Kreuz Market in AustinPhoto: Tom Meny · Google
    Eat

    Kreuz Market

    Lockhart barbecue hall since 1900; meat on butcher paper, no sauce, no forks.

    Tip About 30 miles south; pair with Black's or Smitty's for a Lockhart crawl.

    • Lockhart
    • $$
    • 60 min
    • Lunch

Drink

2 bars & cafés across South Congress and South Lamar for coffee, a round or a nightcap.

  • The Continental Club in AustinPhoto: Steve Takata · Google
    Drink

    The Continental Club

    South Congress music bar since 1955 with live country, rockabilly and blues.

    • South Congress
    • $
    • 2 hr
    • Evening
  • Broken Spoke in AustinPhoto: SueRostvold · CC BY 4.0
    Drink

    Broken Spoke

    Classic honky-tonk dance hall with two-step lessons and chicken-fried steak.

    Tip Arrive for the early dance lesson.

    • South Lamar
    • $
    • 2 hr
    • Evening

Shop

1 shop in South Congress for browsing and souvenirs.

  • South Congress Avenue in AustinPhoto: Dan S. · Google
    Shop

    South Congress Avenue

    Shopping strip with boots, vintage and the 'I love you so much' mural.

    • South Congress
    • 1.5 hr
    • Afternoon

How to fit Austin into a trip

Austin is stop 2 of 3 on our Texas BBQ Trail route. Follow it as-is or lift Austin into your own plan.

Getting here and onward

Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.

Austin month by month

Average daily highs run from 16°C / 60°F in January to 37°C / 98°F in August. May is the wettest month, with about 111 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.

Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. Austin weather and the best time to visit →

Near Austin

8 other destinations from our guides within about 250 km (155 mi), measured in a straight line.

Austin questions, answered

How many days do you need in Austin?

Our route notes suggest 2 days in Austin. On our Texas BBQ Trail route it is stop 2 of 3 in a 5-day trip. The listed visit times for our 9 places add up to roughly 16 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.

What is Austin best known for?

Give it two days to fit a Franklin line, a Lockhart side trip, a Barton Springs swim and live music. Standouts on our list: Texas State Capitol (Pink-granite capitol, taller than the US Capitol, with free guided tours); Barton Springs Pool (Spring-fed pool that stays near 68°F year-round in Zilker Park); Congress Avenue Bridge Bat Colony (Up to 1.5 million bats stream out from under the bridge at dusk).

When is the best time to visit Austin?

Our Texas BBQ Trail route is best Oct – Apr. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in August (37°C / 98°F), the coolest in January (16°C / 60°F) and the most rain in May (about 111 mm).

What are the best things to do in Austin?

Start with Texas State Capitol, Barton Springs Pool and Congress Avenue Bridge Bat Colony. Our guide lists 9 places in all, from 1 sight, 2 outdoor spots, 3 places to eat, 2 bars & cafés and 1 shop.

Where should a group eat in Austin?

Our picks: Franklin Barbecue (East Austin); la Barbecue (East Austin); Kreuz Market (Lockhart). Line forms by 8am for 11am opening; preorders by the pound skip the line (Franklin Barbecue).

What is near Austin?

The closest destinations in our guides are Downtown Austin & Lady Bird Lake (about 1 km / 1 mi), Zilker Park & Barton Springs (about 3 km / 2 mi) and Texas Hill Country (about 88 km / 55 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.

Plan Austin with your crew

Open the Texas BBQ Trail route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 9 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.

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