72 Hours in Austin

Ahhhhh-stin. From the moment you step off the plane and are greeted by the live music wafting through the terminal, the smell of brisket and tacos, and see the Austin uniform — wide-brim hat, leather boots, and an earthy mix of Brooklyn meets ranch attire, you know you've arrived someplace special. Take a deep breath, smell the cedar, and glide down that escalator to your destiny.

Austin is a boomtown fueled by a growing tech industry, no state income tax, and the best nightlife in America. Despite the construction on I-35 and locals complaining about the cost of living, it remains the live music capital of the world. It draws global crowds for a reason: great weather, vibrant energy, and a massive lake running right through the city. Try spending a weekend here and not feeling cooler just by association

WHERE TO STAY

• Budget: Austin Motel (~$135-215/night) — A retro motor court on South Congress since 1938. More personality per dollar than anything else in this price range.
• Mid-Range: Hotel San José (~$200−400/night) — Minimalist bungalow-style on SoCo with a courtyard bar scene; light sleepers note the Continental Club's bass line is a complimentary amenity. The Driskill (~$260-300/night) — The oldest operating hotel in Texas; haunted rooms available upon request.
• Splurge: Austin Proper (~$350-600/night)— Kelly Wearstler-designed with a rooftop pool in the downtown 2nd Street District. Commodore Perry Estate (~$500-800+/night)— Feels like a country manor, not a hotel. 

A NOTE ON TIMING Austin prices surge, and reservations tighten during major events — SXSW (March), ACL Fest (October), and F1 (October-November) can triple hotel rates and book out restaurants weeks ahead. Plan accordingly. Outside those windows, this city is wide open and half the price. Prices listed here were accurate as of early 2026, but Austin moves fast.

THURSDAY

3 p.m. | Boots on the Ground Land at Austin Bergstrom. Dust off your cowboy boots and pull your hat out of your bag. You have places to be and dance floors to see.

6 p.m. | Golden Hour Once you've settled in, find your nearest roofdeck bar, grab a drink, and gaze at the sun setting over the rolling hills. P6 at The Line Hotel offers a prime view of the lake and the bats.

8 p.m. | Welcome to Texas Texas Chili Parlor has been on Lavaca in the shadow of the Capitol since '76 — glowing red lights, chili rated by Xs, Mad Dog margaritas, and the kind of dive bar energy that Tarantino liked enough to put in Death Proof. Order the XX chunky beef and a frozen marg and stop pretending you're going to do anything productive tonight. You're in Texas now. Call it early — the weekend starts tomorrow.

(If your first night calls for a tablecloth, Lonesome Dove does wild game over mesquite fire downtown — rabbit-rattlesnake sausage, elk, a tomahawk for two. Fixe does Southern fine dining in a historic bank building. Both are excellent. Book ahead.)

FRIDAY

9 a.m. | Caffeinate and Coast Austin's Coffee Culture is VIBRANT. Grab a classic cup of joe from Jo's (and maybe a breakfast taco) and take a stroll along the lake. If you want to get on the water, rent a paddleboard from SUP ATX , and if you time it right, you may be part of the party island. If you want the best breakfast taco in the city, detour to Veracruz All Natural — the Shrimp Macha tacos are unreal, and the agua frescas come in Super Gulp sizes.

12 p.m. | The Meat Sweats Once you've worked up an appetite, there is no place better to get some Texas Brisket than Terry Black's Barbeque on Barton Springs. Famous with everyone from F1 drivers to Justin Timberlake — the line looks intimidating, but it moves quickly. Come hungry.

3 p.m. | The Cultural Fix  Stop by the Blanton Museum of Art on the UT campus — specifically the Ellsworth Kelly chapel. Floor-to-ceiling colored glass panels in a standalone building. Fifteen minutes, free, unforgettable. The Bullock Texas State History Museum is right across the street if you want the full Texas education.

7 p.m. | Two-Stepping School Time to put those cowboy boots to good use! Sign yourself up for a two-step lesson. This is your "choose your own adventure" moment:

• Option A: The Old School. Go to Broken Spoke. It's a true honky-tonk legend.
  • Dinner: Matt's El Rancho is nearby and a Tex-Mex institution. Try their Bob Armstrong Dip.
• Option B: The New School. Go to White Horse for a younger, livelier vibe.
  • Dinner: Snag a reservation at Suerte. Upscale, refined, inventive Mexican at its best. Their mole cocktail and goat barbacoa are insane.

11 p.m. | History in a Glass A nightcap at The Driskill is non-negotiable. It's the oldest operating hotel in Texas, and if the walls could talk…they'd tell you to order the bourbon neat.

SATURDAY

10 a.m. | Hair of the Dog Rise and shine! Soothe that pounding headache at Bouldin Creek Cafe. Their vegetarian menu will make you forget you're eating clean, and the quirky South Austin vibe will make you feel right at home. Stop by the famous Austin mural that's just a couple of steps away. Do it for the ‘gram. 

12 p.m. | The Green Heart Now that you're fueled, make your way over to Zilker Park. Whether it's a jump into the (chilly) spring-fed Barton Springs Pool or a hike on the Greenbelt, no visit to Austin is complete without a visit to the thumping green heart at the center of the city.

3 p.m. | The SoCo Stroll Make your South Austin day complete by heading over to South Congress. Visit local cowboy boot dealers like Allen's or hat makers at Maufrais. But a visit to 'SoCo' isn't complete without some time on Guero's patio, where they serve live music under the live oaks. Treat yourself to the Herraduras for your margarita — rail is really the bar mat.

5 p.m. | Bat Watch Once the golden hour is near (May-October), make your way back up to the South Congress bridge and take in the flight of the 1.5 million bats. Not bat season? Then slip downstairs at Hotel Magdalena for Equipment Room — a vinyl bar with 1,200 records on custom hi-fi, cocktails split into A-sides and B-sides, and the kind of quiet that makes everything else louder when you leave.

8 p.m. | The Main Event It's your last night. The entertainment drives the dining here. Choose your path:

• The Soul of South Austin. Head to Continental Club (the Granddaddy of Austin venues) or Saxon Pub (sexy and quiet — a candlelit listening room). C-Boys Heart & Soul is another great pick — Americana with a gritty crowd; this isn't a dance hall, it's a listening bar with edge.
  • Eat: June's All Day for atmosphere and a killer wine list.
• The East Side Edge. Hit Hotel Vegas — the nerve center of the rock scene. A former flophouse turned temple to indie and punk.
  • Eat: Explore the East Side strip and trust your instincts, or hit Suerte if you missed it Friday.
• The Comedy Mothership. Comedy Mothership is Joe Rogan's club on Dirty 6th. If you're a comedy aficionado, you'll recognize folks from the doormen to the barbacks.
  • Eat: El Camino for a killer burger nearby.

(Or stay downtown. Snag dinner reservations at Red Ash (wood-fired Italian, serious wine list, Congress Ave), then walk to Comedy Mothership, Antone's (Stevie Ray Vaughan's old stage), or ACL Live at the Moody Theater if a taping or show lines up with your trip.)

SUNDAY

11 a.m. | Praise the Lord and Pass the Biscuits If there is one thing you do before you leave Austin, make it Gospel Brunch at Stubb's. Walk through the gate, and it hits you — like you stumbled off a dusty road and straight into an old Southern Baptist church with a full gospel choir belting like their salvation depends on it. Except everyone's holding a plate and a Bloody Mary. The crowd ranges from the still-hungover to the genuinely pious, and somehow both camps are clapping along to the same song. It's joyous. It's LOUD. It's as Texas as you can get without getting on a horse. Don't come for the food — come for the music, the people-watching, and that unmistakable feeling that Austin just gave you its blessing to go home. 

2 p.m. | The Farewell Depending on your flight, you have one more move:

• For the brave: Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon for Chicken Shit Bingo. A chicken walks around a bingo board in a honky-tonk, and if it does its business on your number, you win. It is a beloved Austin tradition.
• For the peaceful: The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is where you'll find me most weekends. It's 16 acres of native Texas wildflowers — a glimpse at what's beyond the city limits without leaving them. Come during bluebonnet season (mid-March through mid-April), and you'll understand why Texans lose their minds over a flower.

And then — it's time. As the cedar gives way to the smell of jet fuel, and you gaze out at the foreverness of the Texas plains from your window seat, you can't help but hear that McConaughey drawl in the back of your head: Austin…you're alright, alright, alright.