Austin, Texas

Austin: The City That Used to Have a Motto About Keeping It Weird and Now Needs a New One

The bats are still there. Every evening from late March through October, 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats emerge from under the Congress Avenue Bridge in a stream that takes 20-30 minutes to fully exit. This is still free, still spectacular, and still one of the largest urban bat colonies in North America. It is also about the only thing in Austin that has not substantially changed since the city started growing at a rate that has made it one of the most expensive housing markets in Texas.

Austin added about 100 new residents per day for much of the 2010s and early 2020s. This changed the city’s character more than any other development in its history. What it preserved: the music scene (still genuinely excellent), the BBQ culture (Franklin Barbecue still requires a line that starts at 8am for a 10am opening), and Barton Springs Pool (natural spring-fed swimming hole in Zilker Park, stays 68-70°F year-round, $3-5 entry). What it changed: most of the areas between the original 6th Street corridor and downtown now look like any other American tech-city neighbourhood.

What to Do

Franklin Barbecue (900 E 11th St) is the most discussed BBQ in Texas and possibly in America. Brisket, ribs, pulled pork. The line forms before opening; arrive by 8am for a 11am-noon meal. If that sounds excessive, it isn’t, the quality justifies it once. The wait is part of the ritual.

La Barbecue, Micklethwait Craft Meats, and Terry Black’s are strong alternatives that often have shorter waits and comparable quality to people who’ve eaten at all of them. Franklin is the pilgrimage; the others are the meals.

Barton Springs Pool in Zilker Park (2201 Barton Springs Rd) is the best free or near-free thing in Austin. The spring-fed pool is 1,000 feet long, cold, clear, and surrounded by trees. It keeps the temperature of the Edwards Aquifer below: 68 degrees regardless of the 100°F August heat outside.

The Congress Avenue Bridge bat emergence happens nightly at dusk from late March through October. Arrive 30 minutes before sunset and find a spot on the bridge or on the grassy bank below. No ticket, no reservation.

6th Street entertainment district runs bars and live music nightly. The Red River Cultural District (nearby, slightly less packed) has Austin’s better live music venues, Stubb’s outdoor amphitheatre, Emo’s, Mohawk. The Continental Club on South Congress has been running quality live music since 1957.

Where to Stay

Hotel San José on South Congress is the Austin boutique hotel with the best reputation: pool scene, good bar, central location. Rooms from around $150-300. The Driskill on 6th Street is Austin’s historic grand hotel from 1886 with LBJ connections and rooms from $200-350. Budget: South Austin Motel on South Congress is genuinely charming for the price ($80-120).

Practical Notes

Austin is hot. June through August regularly exceeds 100°F. The heat is dry-ish but sustained. Barton Springs is your friend. SXSW in March and Austin City Limits in October are the two festival periods when the city fills completely and accommodation prices spike dramatically, book months ahead for those.