A fun afternoon in Austin, TX

September 17, 2009 2:27 PM

Recommendations on how to spend a afternoon in Austin, TX tomorrow. How to wing a solid "intro to Texas" type mini sampler at the last minute?

I have a nearly one full day of layover in AUX, landing at 10:30AM departing at 6PM.

I haven't seen TX, so would like something of a TX (and U Austin) afternoon sampler. Please recommend specific places and things to see and experience, and how (public transit? rental car?) best to accomplish this.

Thanks!

posted by hedonic.muse to travel & transportation (19 comments total)

Barton Spring, since I'm assuming it's still hella-hot there.

There's a bus line (31, I think?) that goes right by it. It costs a few bucks to get in. People call it the heart of Austin, perhaps because without it, everyone in the city would melt in August.
posted by elder18 at 2:48 PM on September 17

Just a quick note to say that Austin is probably the single least representative-of-Texas city there is. If you want an intro to Texas, drive 20 minutes outside the city limits. Or so the band from Austin I was talking to last weekend says.
posted by well_balanced at 2:58 PM on September 17

Yeah, Barton Springs is a must-do. I'd plan to spend the day there, if it were me. Maybe pick up a lunch and take it to the Springs. (It's been 10 years since I lived there, so I'll let others make the food recs).

If you really want to see TEXAS (i.e., not Austin), you could rent a car and drive the 30 miles from the airport to Lockhart, widely considered one of the best BBQ towns in Texas. Kreuz and Smitty's are the two most famous restaurants there.
posted by mudpuppie at 2:58 PM on September 17 [1 favorite]

Oh -- one thing just came to me. There's a Salt Lick outpost in the airport. You could get BBQ to go there and then head to Barton Springs with it.
posted by mudpuppie at 2:59 PM on September 17

Barton Springs is my favourite thing in Austin, though it looks like rain and sorting out swimming kit might be a hassle. There's a canoe rental place downstream which is a fun afternoon.

The Bob Bullock museum is worth a visit.

Rent a car, for sure. Everything in Texas is further away than you think.
posted by IanMorr at 3:01 PM on September 17

The Cathedral of Junk! True Austin (although, perhaps not Texas) through and through.

There is also the visit to the state capitol building which quite impressive (in a bragging-we-built-it-better-than-the-US-capitol-because-we-can-kind-of-way). UT's campus is also very nice as is the Lyndon Johnson library.
posted by Leezie at 3:02 PM on September 17

If you go the small-town Texas route, I would suggest getting great barbecue in Lockhart, then driving on to Luling. You can explore Luling and then have MORE BARBECUE.
posted by grouse at 3:02 PM on September 17

If you eat meant, go get all-natural barbeque at Ruby's BBQ on Guadalupe. Oh, I miss it so. so, so delicious.
posted by umbú at 3:05 PM on September 17

You know what I meat there.
posted by umbú at 3:05 PM on September 17 [1 favorite]

Nope, weather's lovely here right now. A high of 86 and 20% chance of thunderstorms. Yes, for us that counts as lovely.

There's a bus called the Airport Flyer that will take you from the airport into the heart of town -- through East Austin, Downtown, up to the University, and back again. It costs 75 cents and takes about a half hour to get from the airport all the way to the north side of the university. Once you're in downtown or the campus area, you can ride the Dillo circulators for 50 cents for 2 hours. If you want to get outside of that area, given the time allotted, I'd suggest renting a car. Austin bus service drops off rapidly when you get outside the central area.
From Congress south of 12th you can look north and see a beautiful and iconic vista of the capitol building. Town Lake (really a dammed river) is also very Austin -- there are benches to sit on or you can join the energetic folks walking/running/biking around the lake. (There are things that are Austin but not Texas and vice versa).
Artz' Ribs on S. Lamar is classic Texas barbeque. I can't actually recommend Threadgill's for food, but for Austin history it's a good place to eat lunch. The Broken Spoke, also on S. Lamar, boasts the best chicken fried steak in Texas, and I'm not sure they're wrong.
For the university, the most important things are the Drag (Guadalupe, from MLK up to about 26th/29th) and the 40 Acres -- the old part of campus between the Drag and I-35, north of 21st street. The West, South, and East Malls each have their own role in UT culture, including statues of Confederate war heroes and MLK Jr. The Harry Ransom Center and the Blanton Museum of Art are there and have some amazing things to see. Sadly it looks like they're only offering tours of the Tower on Saturdays and Sundays now, otherwise I'd definitely recommend that.
There are also Segway tours of downtown Austin. I've never taken one, but it looks like fun -- Austin! On a Segway!
posted by katemonster at 3:06 PM on September 17

Also -- security is usually really fast at AUS, and the airport itself is tiny. You'll want to leave good time to get back to the airport and in for your flight, but don't feel you need to leave 3 hours in advance or anything.
posted by katemonster at 3:09 PM on September 17

The Salt Lick gets my vote for BBQ spot. Chuy's for Mexican, unless you're just looking for some tacos and then I'd say Torchy's. There was this post on the blue about food trailers not too long ago, and a lot of those look interesting.

It's a shame your not staying overnight, but if I just had the afternoon, I think I'd probably follow the suggestions above and go to Barton Springs. You might be tight on time, but if you're looking more for a Texas feel than a specifically Austin feel, you could try to rent a car and head down to Gruene.
posted by hue at 3:26 PM on September 17

I'd say stop by Barton Springs Road. Visit Uncle Billy's for BBQ. Try the ribs.

Anything in the South Lamar area is a pretty good taste of Austin (you can stop by Town Lake, even though some people insist on calling it Lady Bird Lake).

Watch out for any North/South traffic around lunch time, or anything near Campus.
posted by fnord at 4:18 PM on September 17

nth-ing Barton Springs. Love that place.

Eat at Guero's on South Congress --- my favorite restaurant in Austin.
posted by jayder at 4:43 PM on September 17

On the UT campus, the Ransom Center has some amazing artifacts like Edgar Allan Poe's desk, Jack Kerouac's journal, a couple Frida Kahlo paintings, Woodward and Bernstein's Watergate scandal notes and a Gutenburg bible.

Also, the life sciences library in the tower is beautiful and a nice place to study, and the architecture library is too. If you are interested in Latin America, the Benson library is one of the best in the world. The LBJ museum is on campus as well.
posted by umbú at 5:41 PM on September 17 [1 favorite]

These are great, thanks everyone.

So Barton Spring and BBQ it is. Hopefully I will have time to follow through on a few other excellent suggestions as well.

And yay! for the specific transportation/logistical tips --that was primarily what I was hoping to glean!
posted by hedonic.muse at 7:53 PM on September 17

Rent a car!

That will allow you to get around more easily!

You do not want to wait for the bus in the Texas heat!
posted by jchaw at 9:20 PM on September 18

One more thing...

The intersection of Lamar and 6th Street is worth visiting for brunch or a late lunch at the "Whole Paycheck" world headquarters! It is the largest Whole Foods and they serve a wide variety of prepared foodstuff.
In the area, there is also Bookpeople, Waterloo Records, and Amys icecream. The businesses around the intersection are mostly locally owned and operated! Visiting this area of Austin will give you a wonderful feel for our beloved Austin, TX!

If time permits, go watch a movie at the Alamo Drafthouse. It's a VERY unique experience.

All these places are very close to Barton Springs.
posted by jchaw at 9:25 PM on September 18

Shady Grove is another cute place for lunch.
posted by jchaw at 9:27 PM on September 18