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Austin

TRAVEL GUIDE

Austin

TRAVEL GUIDE

The Fodor's Five

The five things you need to know before traveling to Austin

# 1

You’ll need to stay downtown if you don’t have a car.

Though most of Austin requires a car to get around, downtown and its surrounding area are pedestrian-friendly. Good thing that’s where all the action is. If you group attractions together, it's easy to walk between them all. For example, the Texas State Capitol, Sixth Street, Museum of the Weird, and the Paramount Theatre can be knocked out in one day, and on another, you may tackle Zilker Park, Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum, and Barton Springs at leisure. For draws along South Congress, The Domain, and East Austin, which are slightly further away, Uber or Lyft rideshare are both convenient and affordable.

# 2

Festival season is when the city balloons.

There’s Austin absent of festivals, and there’s Austin during festivals: two very different experiences. Remember, this is a relatively small city, with less than half the population of Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio. When South by Southwest (SXSW), NASCAR, Formula 1 (F1), and Austin City Limits (ACL) descend in March and October, the landscape transforms. Streets are packed with badge-holders, and cars are gridlocked in traffic, but hey, there’s a heaving party at every turn. Consult the official events calendar before booking your trip.

# 3

Austin’s more than tacos and barbecue.

Traditionally, Austin has been best known for Tex-Mex and barbecue trucks, and while they’re still the mainstays of every Austinite’s diet (especially Torchy’s and Tacodeli), the city has seen a culinary renaissance in recent years. The pandemic brought with it an influx of ex-pats that threw flavors from all over the world into the pot. North Austin is where many authentic Asian eateries lie, while South Congress peddles some particularly noteworthy Mediterranean and Latin American fare.

# 4

You can spend most of the trip in flip-flops.

This is Texas, and it gets real hot (but you knew that), and Austin understands that comfort is key to good business. You’re pretty much fine to dress casually in all establishments, including at five-star hotels. Many upscale restaurants have patios where guests take full advantage of a little breeze in smart open-toe footwear. Go from brunch to a Zilker Park hang to a kayak ride—all in your fave flip-flops.

# 5

Y’all means all in ATX..

Austin is one of, if not the, most liberal city in the state of Texas. Here, where the mantra “Keep Austin Weird” is said with pride, you can totally do you. LGBTQ+ folk, women, people of color, and people of different abilities and orientations can generally explore without fear of discrimination.

Recommended Fodor’s Video

Neighborhoods

Envisioning Austin without the University of Texas is like envisioning Washington, D.C. without the National Monument. The sprawling campus itself is both charming (winding pathways
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Downtown Austin is the natural starting point for seeing the city's sights and is home to many of them, including the state capitol. Its boundaries
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Visit East Austin to explore one of the funkiest and fastest-growing areas in town—there are more than 250 artist studios in the neighborhood. Head down
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The sights and sounds of Austin are by no means confined to the center of the city. Those willing to venture to the edge of
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Hotels

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Language

English

Nearby Airports

AUS

Electrical Outlets

120 V/60Hz; Type A plugs have two flat prongs. Type B plugs have the same two flat prongs with a third round prong; together the three form a triangular shape.

Currency

US Dollar

Local Weather

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Historic Weather: Powered by Dark Sky
Weather info provided is using averaged daily data within the given month of the previous year.

Language

English

Electrical Outlets

120 V/60Hz; Type A plugs have two flat prongs. Type B plugs have the same two flat prongs with a third round prong; together the three form a triangular shape.

Currency

US Dollar

Nearby Airports

AUS

Local Weather

{{monthAverage.f_high}}° {{monthAverage.c_high}}° {{monthAverage.f_low}}° {{monthAverage.c_low}}°
{{monthAverage.month}}
Historic Weather: Powered by Dark Sky
Weather info provided is using averaged daily data within the given month of the previous year.

Peak Season: February to April, September to November Spring and autumn are the best times to visit. Temperatures hover in the 70s and 80s...Read More

Discover the best neighborhoods in Austin with curated recommendations from our editors.

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Local Weather

{{monthAverage.f_high}}° {{monthAverage.c_high}}° {{monthAverage.f_low}}° {{monthAverage.c_low}}°
{{monthAverage.month}}
Historic Weather: Powered by Dark Sky
Weather info provided is using averaged daily data within the given month of the previous year.

Peak Season: February to April, September to November Spring and autumn are the best times to visit. Temperatures hover in the 70s and 80s...Read More

Discover the best neighborhoods in Austin with curated recommendations from our editors.

Explore All

Local Weather

{{monthAverage.f_high}}° {{monthAverage.c_high}}° {{monthAverage.f_low}}° {{monthAverage.c_low}}°
{{monthAverage.month}}
Historic Weather: Powered by Dark Sky
Weather info provided is using averaged daily data within the given month of the previous year.

Peak Season: February to April, September to November Spring and autumn are the best times to visit. Temperatures hover in the 70s and 80s...Read More

Discover the best neighborhoods in Austin with curated recommendations from our editors.

Explore All

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