I'm considering a quick weekend in Austin during mid August to see the "birthday bash" concert of one of my musical faves - Monte Montgomery (the greatest guitarist that you've never heard of and believe me... he's better than you can possibly imagine!). I've checked hotwire, quickbook etc. and found little or nothing available (in most cases they don't even have Austin listed). I plan to fly in on Friday, spend that evening and the daytime hours on Saturday exploring the town/hanging out and then fly out Sunday morning. Questions are these:
1) The concert is at Antone's - near 5th and Colorado - is this "downtown"?
2) Assuming that "downtown" is the place to stay (when one is not renting a car), are there any decent hotels in that area, perhaps of the smaller independent variety? My only requirement is that it be clean, safe and have hot water for the showers. I can even deal with a shared bath type accomodation if the price is right - I expect to spend very little time in the room.
3) Any suggestions for Friday night/Saturday day activities? I'm into ethnic cuisine, music, art, people watching and coffee. Also enjoy quirky museums of varied types - any and all suggestions appreciated. I'm a young thinking/looking 40'ish type person but seeking evening entertainment where the focus is not on alcohol consumption.

www.austin360.com for activities and restaurants in Austin.

My favorite hotel booker is www.travelweb.com and I know they have Austin hotels on it.

You might want a car after all. Bergstrom airport is a bit of a drive from downtown and for what you'll pay in cab fare, you can probably rent an economy car for the weekend. Besides, there are SO many neat places in Austin that are too far off to walk.

Other than not seeking alcohol consumption for entertainment, it sounds like you'll fit right in!

Hi, agree with christie, a car is a good idea in austin; the downtown, such as it is, is kind of spread out and also, August in Texas is hot, even at night.

you sound like you would enjoy the austin motel (www.austinmotel); i think they have some basic rooms for about $50. it has a great oldstyle pool, too. also it's in the south congress neighborhood, which has a lot of cool restaurants, bars, galleries, secondhand shops etc. jo's coffee shop, right next door, is good for breakfast and lunch; el sol y la luna is great all day.

I also agree on renting a car. If you still haven't found lodging by the time you hit town, stop by any Denny's, IHOP and pick up the highway motel guides. They often have great rates as space is available. There are a large number of mini suite hotels in the $60 range. For a little character, check out Ruta Maya Coffee shop on 4th just West of Colorado. Don't expect any performances to start until late (9pm often 10). Antones is downtown. You can get maps, lots of info on austin360.com. If you really do not want a car, Capitol Metro does run one express bus line from ABIA to downtown for a nominal fee. Feel free to e mail if you have any simple questions.

For Friday night, try the Oasis on Lake Travis. Hopefully, Rotel and the Hot Tomatoes will be playing. They are a great band with lots of energy. The club is outdoors, so the dress is casual (and cool). You can check on the internet to see if they are in town.

Owen -- I can't help with the accommodations because I always stay with a friend when I go there. South Congress has some funky small motels but you would need a car to get to them -- all the hotels I know of in the downtown areas are pricier national chains. I have more restaurant recommendations than you can shake a stick at, and they are all inexpensive to moderate. Please do a search using the word "Austin" and bring up my trip report from last summer with lots of details. Magnolia Grill, Guero's, Chuy's, Sol y Luna are the ones that come to mind, but go to the original source for a more comprehensive list -- there is one place that has the best breakfast tacos & is so inexpensive but the name escapes me at the moment... I would STRONGLY recommend having a car in Austin even though I often don't rent one when I go to other cities (and I don't even own one in "real life"). In August you might want a dip at Barton Springs to cool off Music is what makes Austin tick and is the best way to experience it, so I'm glad you're planning on hearing some while you're there -- have a great time!