Please recommend a hotel in Austin, Tx.
 

I used to live outside Dallas, and and have planned a last minute visit after 26 years! While in Texas, I'd like to spend 2 nights in Austin. I've never been and don't know the city at all. I would like to stay somewhere central to "attractions" though, admittedly, I don't know what the city has to offer! I will have a car. Not looking to break the bank, but want a decent place. I'm just as interested in your recommendation of area to stay in as I am in your recommendation of particular hotels.

Also, if there's anything I shouldn't miss in my brief intro to the city, by all means, please share!

Thanks in advance.

Topping for an idea, as I'm going next week!

There's a radisson right by town lake, a few blocks from sixth street and around the corner from the bridge where the bats fly out at night (blanking on the name -- Congress Ave bridge?).

Thank you! I'll check it out.

I usually stay at the Holiday Inn-Town Lake because I am in their club and can accrue points. It is a great location though and a nice hotel.

Thanks. I'll check it out.

Stay at the Driskill Hotel (historic hotel) if you want to be in the center of town on Sixth Street. The Four Seasons is my top choice. If you have a car and want to stay north you can try the Renaissance Hotel. For South Austin there's the San Jose in the trendy South Congress area. For something different and a bit out of the way there's the Hyatt Lost Pines in Bastrop (east of town, about 25 minute drive) and there is a Hyatt on Lady Bird Lake + lots of chains. For points of interest, have you been to the capitol building? Mount Bonnell? Lake Austin or Lake Travis? Bob Bullock History Museum? Laguna Gloria? Blanton Museum of Art? UT? Zilker Park and Barton Springs Pool? Tons of great restaurants, music venues, friendly people. My favorite town, can you tell?

Thanks, schoolmarm. Taking notes. This will be my first time in Austin. Hope I love it as much as you!

Well, I won a $60 Priceline bid for the Doubletree Guest Suites near the capitol building. At that price, I'm sure it will meet my needs. Thanks for the advice!

Hello Iregeo :)

Upon reading your post, I was going to recommend Priceline. Works really well here, esp. in the off season (read: non-football season, as if there was any other!) So congratulations on your win. You did well!

It's fun to explore Austin. Without knowing your interests, here's a couple of my favorites:

Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum
http://www.thestoryoftexas.com/

LBJ Presidential Library
http://www.lbjlibrary.org/

Congress Avenue flight of the bats at dusk
http://www.austincityguide.com/conte...ats-austin.asp

Oasis Restaurant (watch the video clip) - food is average but the views and margaritas!!!
http://www.oasis-austin.com/

And of course, the lakes and trails are fun to explore, and then there's all the music venues for your evening fun.

There's so much more. Here's a good overview:
http://www.austincityguide.com/index.html

Happy travels!

That's a very good deal on the Doubletree, I think you will like that hotel.

swisshiker always provides excellent ideas but here are just a few more:

Blanton Museum of Art (free on Thursdays)

http://www.blantonmuseum.org/

Tour the TX State Capitol, tours are free. I think this is a must for any visitor, our Capitol is magnificent.

If you want to laugh your butt off for 2 hours check out this live show:

http://www.esthersfollies.com/

If you want a panoramic view of the city go up the UT Tower:

http://www.utexas.edu/tower/

Here's a small but free museum on the UT campus:

http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/exhibitions/

Please do check out the city guide provided by swisshiker because there is so much to do here in Austin. Have a great trip!!

Thank you both so much! I can't tell you how long I've wanted to see Austin. I'll only have about 2 days, so I'll have a lot to pack into a short time.

I'll be travelling alone. Is the city walkable at night? Any areas I should avoid?

Also, will be driving round trip to Austin from the Denton/Dallas area. Though I'll be excited to make my destination, any must sees worth the stop along the way?

Thanks again, and I'm so excited!

Another great place to go to is the state cemetery. Go down South Congress too!

kkukura, since this has been so last minute, I havent' yet had time to do my research, but I've heard a lot about the Congress St. area. What's it like?

The South Congress area is hip and funky with a lot of interesting stores and restaurants. From the downtown area it might be too much of a walk to S Congress but there are a lot of buses going up and down Congress. Parking isn't always easy so the bus might be easier than driving. Here's the web site or if you need help once you are here call 512-474-1200.

http://www.capmetro.org/

Most of the downtown area is OK for walking but be sure to use the same common sense you would in any city. We have a homeless shelter at 501 E. 8th St and that is a area I avoid at night. I realize most homeless people are harmless but over the years I've had a few unpleasant encounters in that area at night. Also I would not go too far east of I-35 at night.

Just to clarify, the web site and phone number are for buses in Austin, just in case that is of interest. I have been working in downtown Austin since there were still dinosaurs blocking traffic and I find it easier to get around the downtown area by bus on weekdays. If you are here on the weekend a car is better and I think weekend parking at meters is still free. Not sure about that so look at the meter.

Many thanks.

Iregeo -

Unless you travel via backroads, there is not a lot to see between Denton and Austin. I think that Larry McMurty once described I-35 between Big D and Austin as the ugliest stretch of road anywhere in Texas or maybe even the United States.

Backroads - e.g., along Hwys. 67, 281, and 183 - are more enjoyable on account of the better scenery, generally lighter traffic, and more interesting stops that you may plan or unexpectedly happen upon. Still, if you stick to I-35, the old Dr. Pepper plant in Waco (ca. 1885) is pretty cool, although I prefer the one in Dublin, Texas (ca. 1891) where they still bottle using pure cane sugar, not corn syrup, and where the soda fountain operates daily.

If you take backroads, you might also visit Wiseman House Chocolates in Hico and Cooper's BBQ in Llano. (Don't get me started on things to see and do around Fredericksburg!) ... Anyway, speaking of BBQ, on the eastern side of I-35 in Lexington (Hwy. 77, about 40 minutes from Austin), you can't go wrong at Snow's, but it's only open Saturday mornings (8a until the best of the weekly 900 lbs. of meat runs out around 11a). Also worth a special trip is Smitty's in Lockhart, about 30 minutes south of Austin on Hwy. 183. Both are uniquely Texan cultural opportunities that one should experience at some point during one's life.

Dining in Austin, don't miss Magnolia Cafe. The location on South Congress is fine, but I prefer the original location on Lake Austin Blvd. just west of Mo-Pac. Also, try Mother's Cafe at 43rd and Duval. It's sort of like the Cupboard Cafe in Denton but with a better ambience and menu - the spinach salad with Cashew Tamari dressing and the various stirfies are exceptional. Both Magnolia and Mother's offer delicious, uniquely Austin, casual dining. The latter is strictly vegetarian, and the former offers standout pancakes and omelettes, as well as a gently spicy and very garlicky dish called "Love Veggies" that can't be beat.

And finally, you should not visit Austin without at least one trip to Amy's Ice Cream. Words cannot adequately describe the experience - delicious and fun for all ages. My wife and I prefer "Mexican Vanilla" blended by hand with crushed Heath Bar and topped with their homemade pecan praline sauce in fresh waffle cone. My three young sons are hardly as daring, but still love the flavor and behind-the-counter entertainment. ... At last count, I believe that there were about 11 Amy's locations around Austin, but the one I usually go to is the one on 6th Street just west of Lamar.

In any event, have a great time!! The more you visit Austin, the more you'll want to go back - at least if you can manage to avoid the occasionally crazy traffic.

Sounds fabulous! I'm in! Will report back, especially on Amy's. :)

Amy's is an Austin original and unlike any ice cream shop in the world, great suggestion STS.

Here's another bit of trivia--all restaurants at our airport originated in Austin. No McDonalds, Burger King, etc., all food at the airport is Austin-born. That's why it's so good. BTW, they have Amy's at the airport too. :-)

Avoid the 6th street area alone at night. I'd say that the Warehouse District is safer, but I wouldn't go there alone at night either.

What kinds of things do you like to do?

The Doubletree is a nice location.

P_M, unfortunately, I won't be at the Austin airport. I originally booked open jaw, into DFW and out of AUS, but the one way surcharge for the car rental made that prohibitive, so I'll have to return to Dallas to fly home.

Austin, thanks for the heads up about the nighttime. I assumed that 6th Street would be well populated at night. Isn't that where much of the city's nightlife is?

I will have such a short time there that I'll be lucky to hit some of the highlights. I love to explore a new city on foot, and I love to be outdoors, though I understand I might need to come inside a bit due to the weather! I love to visit places that will teach me of the history and culture of the city; I love good food and good music and enjoy things original to the area. What are your suggestions?

I think 6th Street itself is OK since there are so many people around, but if you park nearby (especially around 8th St as I mentioned above) then be careful going back and forth to the car. A taxi might be a better alternative, it can take you straight to 6th St then you can enjoy a few drinks with no worries.

6th St has the show Esther's Follies as I mentioned in my earlier post, otherwise 6th St is mostly a college crowd. The Warehouse District is for those of us who are slightly more mature. That is in the 4th St area, a block or 2 west of Congress.

Thanks, P_M. Try as I may, don't think I could even keep up with the college crowd anymore!

Could you please recommend someplace for me to park my car? If I can, I'd like to do better than the hotel's self parking fee of $17/day. The hotel is located at 303 W. 15th.

Thanks!

oooh, that's a tough one, Iregeo, and one of the problems with staying downtown. Unfortunately, I don't know of much in the way of an alternative for you.

There's a few "in the open" lots but I sure wouldn't leave my car there overnight. Perhaps some street parking on some of the residential areas within a few blocks of your hotel would work overnight??? The Bob Bullock Texas History Museum has a garage - I think it's like $5 - but I don't know if you can stay there overnight.

Tow trucks are <i>very</i> pro-active downtown, so just be sure to keep the meter filled or park where it's legal. Not fun to come back after a day out and find your car gone!!

Happy travels!

Iregeo, I don't think you can beat that price unless you want to compromise safety or risk being towed. Most parking lots and garages in that area are for state workers and not open to the public and they will tow you or at least ticket you if you park there. There are metered spaces but they have to be renewed every 2 hours or so and that's too much of a hassle. Swisshiker mentioned open lots but I wouldn't do that overnight, even if it is allowed. I know the hotel parking is pricey but there aren't any better options, sorry.

I work right next door to the Bob Bullock Museum which is between 18th and 19th at Congress. That is a few blocks from your hotel but if you want to make the trek I will call the museum and ask if they allow overnight parking for a fee.

The more I think about it, if you will be out alone at night I do not recommend parking anywhere but the hotel. Not that it's terribly unsafe but it's not worth the savings to walk a few blocks alone at night. Stick with the hotel parking.

I hope you will enjoy your time in Austin.

Thank you both. I will absolutely heed your advice and stick with hotel parking.

Good morning from Austin, Texas! I have to tell you all that though I've only been here a short time, I've had a great time, and I WILL be back, DH in tow. All your recommendations have been spot on, and Austin hospitality is infectious! Mini trip report to follow.

Thanks, y'all!

Welcome Iregeo. I'm so glad you are enjoying your time in Austin and I'll look forward to your report.

Hey Iregeo - I was thinking about you last night. DH and I went downtown for dinner (Scholz Garten). On our way home, we drove down 15th Street past your hotel. Had I known you were already here...oh well!

Hope the weather holds for you.

I LOVE Austin so I am glad you are enjoying your time there. Can't wait to read your trip report.