Contents 19 Favorite Moments 1 The Best of Austin
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The Best in One Day 8 The Best in Two Days 14 The Best in Three Days 20 Austin for Music Fans 26 Austin with Kids 34 Romantic Austin 40 Downtown Austin 44 South Congress (“SoCo”) 48 The University of Texas 54 Shopping Best Bets 61 Austin Shopping A to Z 62 Austin’s Great Outdoors 68 Austin Dining Best Bets 75 Austin Dining A to Z 76 Lodging Best Bets 84 Austin Hotels A to Z 85 Austin Arts & Nightlife Best Bets Arts & Nightlife A to Z 92
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2 The Best of San Antonio The The The The
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Best in One Day 98 Best in Two Days 104 Best in Three Days 108 Historic Mission Trail 114
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San Antonio with Kids 120 San Antonio Romance 126 Southtown & the King William Historic District 132 Shopping Best Bets 139 San Antonio Shopping A to Z 140 San Antonio’s Great Outdoors 146 San Antonio Dining Best Bets 151 San Antonio Dining A to Z 152 Lodging Best Bets 159 San Antonio Hotels A to Z 160 Nightlife and A&E Best Bets 165 Nightlife and A&E A to Z 166
3 The Best Day Trips & Excursions 171
Texas Hill Country 172 Texas Gulf Coast Beaches 178 Best of the Golden Corridor 184
The Savvy Traveler
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Before You Go 188 Getting There 192 Getting Around 194 Fast Facts 195 Airline, Hotel & Car Rental Websites
Index 201
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The Best of Austin
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he city’s slogan is “Keep Austin Weird,” but this selfT h proclaimed Music Capital of the World is not nearly as weird as e B it is wonderful. Lakes and hills to the west roll into town, creating a e s green urban scene. Hike-and-bike trails, gardens, greenbelts, t and in that parks abound. But it’s the capital city’s progressive mindset makes it a creative cultural oasis. With a smokin’ music scene, O a world-class university, and its old-hippie reputation, Austinnis as exc e ing as it is, well, weird. Tour starts in the center of town atD the Stat a Capitol. START: At the Texas State Capitol at 11th and Congress Ave.
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1 ★★ = The Texas State
9:30am–3:30pm, Sun noon–3:30pm. Capitol and Capitol Visitor’s Bus: 1L, 1M, 9 & 450.
Center & Museum. This largest 2
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★★★ The Bob Bullock state capitol in the nation, second in Texas State History Museum size only to the U.S. Capitol in Wash& IMAX Theatre. The story of ington, features a 667,000-squareTexas comes to life with three floors foot (61,966-sq.-m) four-level of interactive exhibits and the Star underground extension and a of Destiny special-effects multimeRenaissance Revival–style main dia show at the museum’s Texas building with an impressive rotunda Spirit Theater. Revolving exhibits (no built in 1888 after a fire destroyed permanent collections) mean next the original 1852 limestone structime you visit, you’ll see something ture. The Capitol’s sunset red grannew. My kids love this museum ite exterior glows pink at sunset, like because it’s also home to Austin’s the colors of the sky in a luminous only IMAX theater. Children 15 and Maxfield Parrish painting. Free under must be accompanied by an guided tours and self-guided walks adult. @ 2 hr. 1800 N. Congress Ave. with pamphlets are available. The (at MLK, Jr. Blvd.) y 512/936-8746. Visitor’s Center on the grounds feawww.thestoryoftexas.com. Exhibits tures interactive exhibits and films $7 adults, $6 seniors 65 & over, $4 about Texas history. As you enter the building from the front, noteThe theBob Bullock Texas State History imposing marble statues of Texas Museum. heroes Stephen F. Austin (1793– 1836) and Sam Houston (1793– 1863) by celebrated sculptress Elisabet Ney (1833–1907), and then make a mental note to visit her former studio and museum while you’re in town (see p 17). @ 1 hr. 112 E. 11th St. (at Congress Ave.). y 512/463-0063. www.tspb.state. tx.us. Free admission. Mon–Fri 7am– 10pm, Sat & Sun 9am–8pm; hours extended during regular legislative sessions (held in odd-numbered years, starting the second Tues in Jan, for 140 straight calendar days). Closed major holidays. Free guided tours Mon–Fri 8:30am–4:30pm, Sat
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n it s u A f o ts e B e h T
boys, but you can also find a quiet corner in a chic eatery like Chez Nous (510 Neches St. y 512/ 473-2413), or duck into a dark jazz club. Though it’s no stranger to the night, 6th Street doesn’t sleep in late or nap all day. On any afternoon, you might stumble upon a film crew setting up a shot or spot a celebrity trying on vintage cowboy boots in a shop. For all its bad boy fame, 6th Street isn’t sinister or seedy. It’s brilliant, not bawdy, and most of all, it’s “Austintatious.”
@ 1 ⁄ hr. Bus: 100-Inbound & 1
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4-Westbound.
★ HalcyonCoffeeHouseBar 4 & Lounge. The ex-hippie vibe is
alive and well on West 4th Street at this quirky coffee house. I go here more for the atmosphere and Wi-Fi The flamboyant Ester’s Follies on 6th than anything else, but it’s fun to Street. slouch on a couch with a cup of coffee or grab gourmet panini for a children 5–18, free admission chil- quick pick-me-up before I walk some dren 4 & under; IMAX theater $7 more. 218 W. 4th St. y 512/472-
adults, $6 seniors, $5 children; Texas 9637. $. Spirit Theater $5 adults, $4 seniors and children. Mon–Sat 9am–6pm, Sun noon–6pm. Closed major holi- 5 Take a walk on the West days. Parking $8 ($2 rebate w/ticket Side. The West Side, known as the to museum or theater, or w/gift shop Warehouse District, is where you’ll purchase of $5 or more). Bus: 100,find the heart of Austin nightlife, but 103, 110 & 142. even during the day, it’s worth tour-
ing around to spot the highlights. Austin is “Austintatious”—no, notWalk along Congress Avenue to West 2nd Street—the fastestostentatious, pretentious, or materigrowing area for fashionable Austin alistic, but rather fun and flamboyrestaurants and clubs. Then hit ant, cool, and “in community.” And no other place embodies Austin’sWest 4th Street, home to popular music venues like La Zona Rosa upbeat attitude more than its most (612 W 4th St.) (p 96). On West 5th famous boulevard—6th Street. With Street, pass an Austin favorite for its celebrated string of restaurants, blues lovers at Antone’s (213 W bars, boutiques, tattoo parlors, vin5th St.) (see p 32). But then be sure tage clothing and vinyl shops, comto check out the new Austin Music edy clubs, and the historic Driskill Hall (208 Nueces St.) at 3rd and Hotel, this club-infested strip, once Nueces streets. Fashionable “thirtycalled Pecan Street, practically pulsates at night. Sure, it can be somethings” frequent clubs and rescrowded, rowdy, and full of frat taurants in this Warehouse District,
3 ★★ 6thStreet. It’s said that
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(7,432-sq.-m) two-story flagship T h store is the pride of Austin. Located e just blocks away from where it all B e began in 1980 with a small neighs borhood grocery (they now havet i 270-plus stores nationwide), thisn O impressive market features an intin mate village-style layout, naturale and organic foods, “green” prod-D a ucts, restaurants, cafes, music veny ues, and a sincere commitment to sustainable agriculture. In addition to the produce and fine wines, flowers, and household products, Whole Foods has numerous in-store dining venues, and I highly recommend having lunch here. With seating areas indoors and out—and the freshest seafood, pizza, salads, pasta, barbecue, and more—there’s Apples at the Whole Foods Market. something wholly fabulous here for everyone. If there’s time, drop by while the younger tend to stick Austin’s biggest independent bookclose to 6th Street. Congress Avestore, BookPeople (603 North nue seems to draw a vague demarLamar Blvd.) (see p 62), next door. cation line between age groups, and 1 hr. 525 N. Lamar Blvd. (at 5th that’s fine by me. @ 30 min. Bus: 1L,@ St.). y 512/476-1206. www.whole 1M, 6 & 7. foodsmarket.com. Daily 8am–10pm. 6 ★★ WholeFoodsMarket. Free parking in front & in covered garage below store. Bus: 4-WestEvery local I spoke to insisted I include this stop. This 80,000-square-foot bound & 21.
The Philosopher’s Rock, a bronze statue commemorating naturalist Roy Bedichek, humorist J. Frank Dobie, and historian Walter Prescott Webb, at Zilker Memorial Park.
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(142-hectare) park features a n it 7 ★★ = Amy’sIceCream. 46-acre (19-hectare) “great lawn,” s Look for the neon cows on the sign, as well as the Zilker Zephyr, a minu and you’ll find Austin’s original A iature train kids adore. With sand f Amy’s homemade “super premium” o ice cream—a local tradition for volleyball courts, a disc-golf course, ts an outdoor theater, the kids 20-plus years. As the staff mixes e “Splash” environmental exhibit, B and makes your favorite individual miles of hike-and-bike trails, and e frozen concoction, watch them toss h rentals on Lady Bird Lake, T scoops of ice cream high into thecanoe Zilker is also home to the Austin air. Kids squeal with glee, and adults Nature and Science Center. In like it, too. While you’re there, pop summer, be sure to catch a free into Waterloo Records (see p 28) evening musical at the Zilker Hillnext door to see their impressiveside Theatre (see p 93). My favorite vintage vinyl collection. 600 N. spot in the park is Philosopher’s Lamar Blvd. y 512/480-0673. $.
Rock, with its big bronze depictions of beloved Austin writers, forwardthinkers, and 8 ★★★ ZilkerMetropoliold friends nattan Park. More than just another uralist Roy pretty park, Zilker is home to AusBedichek, tin’s most humorist J. Frank beloved Dobie, and historian Walspot—a ter Prescott Webb. natural The statues seem to be spring-fed engaged in an animated disswimming cussion of life’s pool, The Mexican free-tailed bat in most important mid-flight. Barton questions while Springs. real-life little kids It’s also home to the climb into their Zilker Botanical Garden and laps—I’m sure nothing would honor Umlauf Sculpture Garden & those men more. If I could visit only Museum (see p 41). This 351-acre one place in Austin, Zilker would be
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Amy’s “super premium” homemade ice cream has been a local tradition for more than 20 years.
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T h e B e s t in O n e D a y
A breathtaking view of Austin at The Oasis.
it. @ 2 hr. 2201 Barton Springs Rd.
Zilker Zephyr y 512/478-8286; Austin Parks & Recreation y 512/9746700. www.ci.austin.tx.us. Free admission. Bus: 30-Northbound.
9 ★ = The Ann W. Richards
Congress Ave. at Riverside Dr. y 512/ 416-5700, ext 3636 (the Austin American-Statesman’s Bat Hotline). Bus: 1L, 1M, 5, 7 & 9.
0 ★★ TheOasis. It’s an Austin
tradition to applaud as the sun sets over Lake Travis. The best place to Congress Avenue Bridge. Home to about 11⁄2 million Mexican watch it dip its toe into the water is from the many decks of this beautifree-tailed bats, who hang out under ful casual dining spot cantilevered this bridge spanning Lady Bird Lake a cliff. The food is just okay, (the Colorado River), the bridge over is but the view and the long scenic just steps from downtown. It’s quite a show when the bats take flight drive through the hills west of Austin are not to be missed. The last before sundown. From July to midvisitor I brought there said he had August is said to be peak bat-watchno idea Austin was this beautiful. ing season, but they generally hang around from March through Novem@ 11⁄2 hr. 6550 Comanche Trail. y 512/266-2442. www.oasis-austin. ber, so you can see them even if you don’t make it to Austin during thecom. Summer hours: Mar–Oct Mon–Thurs 11:30am–10pm, Fri summer. View it from the grassy knoll 11:30am–11pm, Sat 11am–11pm, on the Austin American-Statesman Sun 11am–10pm; winter hours: Oct– newspaper building property on RivMar Mon–Thurs 11:30am–9pm, Fri erside Drive and South Congress Ave11:30am–10pm, Sat 11am–10pm, nue, or just stand on the bridge and Sun 11am–9pm. No city bus service wait every evening at that same bat time, same bat channel. @ 30 min. available.
