The Essential Things to Know Before You Visit Austin


Austin—the quirky, liberal Texas capital—is full of great barbecue, world-class sushi, one of the best movie theaters in the world, and, yes, some gnarly traffic. But if you plan it right, and dress according for the boiling summer temps, which can reach the 100s, you'll be droppin' your "g"s and keeping up with the locals (at least in terms of margaritas).

How to Get Around

You're going to need a ride to get around, mainly because Austin is pretty spread out, but also because half of the year, it's too damn hot to walk around. Rent a car ahead of time or use Lyft or Uber to get from taco truck to taco truck. If surge pricing is too high (and it can get rough during rush hour), check out the alternative rideshare services that popped up during the year that Uber and Lyft left the city due to more intense background checks and fingerprinting requirements. The two companies came back in June 2017 after the state killed the city's additional security checks, but many of the smaller companies are still driving Austinites around. Ride Austin is the most popular alternative option.

Know that no matter how you get from A to B, you will get stuck in traffic. As one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., there are more people and cars on the road than ever before, and the city's highways and infrastructure hasn't changed much to accommodate the new folks. Add a good 15 minutes of buffer—30 during rush hour—to make sure you make it to your dinner table or

A natural setting blissfully undisturbed by Austin's whiplash...
Barton Springs Municipal Pool reservation in time.

What to Wear

Recently, with the surge of tech companies moving in, Austin has gotten a rep as being hipster central, but the city has had a laid-back vibe for as long as most Texans can remember. Flip flops are a go-to, no matter the temperature—it gets up to 100 in the summer. Casual clothes, like shorts and a graphic tee and stylish sneakers, will get you pretty much anywhere, but be sure to check with more upscale restaurants (like ATX Cocina) as some have dress codes. The weather can also be very temperamental, and A/C is always on, so bring layers even in the summer, just in case a blast of 70 degree air whips through.

Local Tips

Do plan your meals ahead of time. Food should be your top priority. Many of the upscale restaurants, like

The chance to see why Uchi still reigns supreme
Uchi and Lenoir, will require reservations, while others like
Celebratory atmosphere on the patio
Clark's Oyster Bar
and Tex-Mex institution Guero's just require well-timed arrivals. There are so many amazing restaurants here it's overwhelming, so map out the general meals you'd like to eat—this way, you won't freeze up when it comes time to pick a barbecue spot.

Don't forget about music. Austin is the self-proclaimed "live music capital of the world" and is a magnet for singer-songwriters, country, jazz, and rock musicians. We love

The coolest honky tonk in Austin
The White Horse for its honky tonk dancing and old-school country music. Then there's the Moody Theater, which hosts live tapings of Austin City Limits Live, the longest running music TV show in American history. Or, head to Stay Gold in East Austin for live soul music.

Do bring your patience. If you're going to the good restaurants and Austin hot spots, you will be waiting in line. But we promise, it'll be worth it. Visitors and Austinites alike bring lawn chairs and wait hours just for a slice of

Franklin Barbecue 's brisket or to see a horde of bats swarm out from under the South Congress bridge, so you'll be in good company.

Do know where to escape the crowds. Hike around the Greenbelt, an 832-acre nature reserve, or take in some art at the

A tranquil space dedicated to the late American sculptor
Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum.

Know the Lingo

Dirty Sixth
Unless you are a college junior or a sucker for $5 well gin & tonics (served by the pitcher at Shakespeare's Pub), you're going to want to avoid the stretch of bars in downtown Austin. There are so many other great, walkable bar pockets around the city (like Rainey Street, one of our faves) that spending time here feels like a waste of a good mezcal cocktail you could be having else where. We have one caveat to our "no Dirty Sixth" rule:

A secret bar experience
Midnight Cowboy, and that's because this speakeasy has rules of its own. There's no smoking, guns, phone calls, or general rowdiness in this oasis and the cocktails are delicious. If you haven't made a reservation, check to see if the "Vacancy" sign is lit; if it is, walk-ins are welcome.

It's a movie theater chain here, not a historic battle site or rental car agency. In fact, most Austinites would fight you over the fact that it is the best movie theater. There's a very strict no-talking, no-texting policy; it's swapped popcorn and sodas for artisanal food and craft beers; and the movie schedule is a mix of new releases and old favorites (like Dirty Dancing sing-a-longs and Shaun of the Dead quote-a-longs). And while the theaters have popped up from Brooklyn to San Francisco, go to the original. It's an Austin rite of passage.

We know, the word grosses a lot of you out. But it's key when ordering brisket in Texas, which comes two ways: "lean," or more dense with less fat, or "moist," a fattier, marbled slice that's arguably tastier. And remember, here the barbecue is so good, you wouldn't dare ask for sauce.

Austin's acronyms
ACL means Austin City Limits, a two-weekend music festival in October that mixes local up-and-comers with big name acts across all genres. And SXSW means South by Southwest (also known just as South By), a huge music, film, media, and tech festival that truly takes over downtown Austin each March. If you're not coming for either festival, it's best to avoid Austin during these times, as every restaurant is crowded and hotels are more expensive.

Here, it means tacos. Tacos with eggs and tacos with bacon, but always tacos.

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