Planning a weekend trip in Austin, Texas? Whether it’s your first trip or your third (it was our third), this city always surprises you with something new and unique. Austin is known for its live music, quirky bars, amazing food scene, and unique attractions. It’s also the capital of Texas and known as the “weird” city, but we think it’s the perfect long weekend destination.
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We just got back from an amazing 3-day weekend in Austin and packed in everything from tacos and barbecue to secret bars, a sushi grand opening, and even a trippy art installation at the airport. Our time was short so we didn’t do the Texas Wine Country this time, but filled in our 3 days with so much fun!
Here’s our complete Austin weekend trip guide complete with our favorite cocktail bars, foodie spots, unique things to do, and best hotel recommendations.
- Day One: Sunset, Bats & Nightlife on Sixth Street
- Day Two: Foodie Adventures & Secret Bars
- Day Three: Weird, Artsy & Unexpected Austin
- Austin Street Art & Public Art Installations
- Print or save our Free 3-day Austin Trip Itinerary:
- Best Hotels in Austin
- Austin’s Best Bars
- Austin Foodie Spots You Can’t Miss
- Unique Things to Do in Austin
- Extend Your Trip
- FAQs About a Weekend Trip to Austin, Texas
- Final Thoughts: Why Austin is Perfect for a Weekend
- Keep Reading for More Travel Inspiration:
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Day One: Sunset, Bats & Nightlife on Sixth Street
We got in at around noon on a Friday and luckily our room at Hyatt Place Downtown Austin was ready so we dropped our luggage and headed for fun right away! We walked everywhere on this trip and only took ride shares to and from the Austin Airport.
Tacos & Aguas Frescas at Veracruz
- We needed food and had the best tacos with strawberry aguas frescas at Vera Cruz All Natural Downtown (111 E Cesar Chavez). It was a perfect start to our quick weekend getaway and close to the Congress St. Bridge!
Drinks at the YETI Flagship Store
- This isn’t your average Yeti store stop and it’s just across the Congress St. Bridge on the south side. The Flagship YETI location has a porch bar where you can grab a cocktail and sit on unique Yeti-converted seating before heading out to explore Austin. It’s usually our first stop on a weekend trip.
Stevie Ray Vaughan Statue – Butler Hike & Bike Trail
- After our Yeti cocktail, we headed down the stairs next to Congress St. bridge to the hike & bike trail on Lady Bird Lake to find the unique almost 8 ft. sculpture of the music legend by Argos Foundry.
- Tip: There’s a great Austin skyline view from this trail and a unique “shadow” as part of the sculpture!
Congress Avenue Bridge Bats Sunset Boat Tour
- After two trips to Austin not getting to see the bats (because it was too cold), we finally saw the bats at dusk! The best way to see them? A Capital Cruises boat tour under the bridge. Watching the bats take off against a pink-orange sunset sky was one of the highlights of our trip.
- The bats don’t come out in the colder months so best viewing is March – October.
Fantastic Austin Barbecue at Cooper’s Old Time Pit BBQ
- We had dinner after our boat tour at Cooper’s BBQ (217 Congress St) and were not disappointed! We first tried Cooper’s on an Austin food tour and will always go back when we can!
Dirty Sixth Street
- You can’t do Austin without stepping onto “Dirty 6th”. We bar-hopped and had a fun first night ending, but two were our favorites:
Jackalope Bar on 6th St.
- Jackalope (404 E 6th st) – Great drinks and sit on the giant jackalope for a hilarious photo op. The awesome bartender here gave us the code for the secret bar “Red-Headed Step Child” that we visited the next day!
The Aquarium Bar on Sixth
- The Aquarium Bar was our favorite spot for its quirky adult slide inside the bar and shareable huge cocktails.
✨We deemed our first day in Austin a success and headed back to the hotel for much-needed rest.
Day Two: Foodie Adventures & Secret Bars
We had all day to explore downtown Austin on day 2 and filled it with so much great food and amazing cocktails. Our favorite Austin Restaurant experience was at dinner on day 2 as well!
Breakfast at Café 1886 (Driskill Hotel)
- Eating inside this historic hotel is like stepping back in time plus the breakfast pastries were delicious.
Original Whole Foods Market Stop & Tiniest Bar in Austin
- We had to get an energy juice from their juice bar and explore the roof deck at this iconic Austin Original and then just across the street is the Tiniest Bar in Texas so we checked it out. It was too early for a cocktail, but the space was cute and we put it on our list for next time.
Best Burger: NADC Burger at Parlor & Yard
- We headed to the west side of 6th street (601 W. 6th) to try the infamous NADC burger at the walk up spot inside of Parlor & Yard! We loved the atmosphere and the burger was a 5 out of 5 for us! It was our favorite burger of the Austin trip.
- Next, we headed back to the east side for a quirky museum stop.
Museum of the Weird – an Austin Unique stop
- The Museum of the Weird is well, kind of weird. It’s a one and done, but still a must-visit spot on a weekend trip!
- After the museum, we were ready for some secret speakeasy style bars and cocktails! We had the code to Red-headed Stepchild from our previous night on 6th St. so we headed there first because it was just opening for the evening.
Secret Bar Cocktails – Red Headed Step Child
- Hidden behind the storefront that reads “Floppy Disk Company.” You need a code (ask bartenders at nearby spots). We got ours from Jackalope bartender, but there’s a bar next door that also will give you the code.
- We were the first group here since it just opened at 4:00 and the cocktails were amazing tiki-style drinks complete with themed mugs.
Hidden Garage Bar Cocktails
- We loved this chic cocktail bar tucked inside an actual parking garage. We were so happy to find The Garage Bar and it is truly unique. They had great craft cocktails too! We agreed this is one of the best bars in Austin and we will be back soon!
- The speakeasy feel of the inside of the Garage Bar Austin was unexpected and we loved it!
- After hanging here for awhile we headed to Austin’s east side of 6th street for unique bars and the most unique restaurant in Austin!
Best Austin Unique Restaurant – Space Cowboy
- Amazing food and drinks delivered by spaceship robots? Absolutely. The vibe was fun and the cocktails were over-the-top creative.
- Our cocktails and food at Space Cowboy were delivered via bot car. The unique rails run throughout the restaurant. We also tried an over-the-top cotton candy cocktail that we loved.
- We walked in a few more bars on East 6th on our way back to the hotel after Space Cowboy, but we were all tired from a fun and full day so we went back for some rest.
- We also ran out of time and didn’t get to visit another secret speakeasy, Firehouse Lounge, but will definitely try it next time.
Day Three: Weird, Artsy & Unexpected Austin
This was our last day in Austin on our extended weekend trip so we decided to fill it with as much as we could before heading home. Our flight home was a late one so we had the full day to explore more. Hokkaisan ATX was also having their grand opening and we had an invite for the festivities so we planned around that to be there for the sushi master demonstration.
Austin Visitors Center on E 5th
- We headed to the Austin Visitors Center at 103 E. 5th St. to try their new coffee shop (it was great) and shop for souvenirs to take home. They have a great selection and unique ‘grab bags’ that we had fun opening to see what each of us got in our bag. It’s definitely worth a stop here on a weekend trip!
- It was time to explore some public art downtown before our sushi demonstration later.
Austin Street Art & Public Art Installations
- Downtown Austin has art on just about every street so you just need to walk around a bit to find colorful murals, sculptures, and quirky visual fun!
- There’s even a giant “Keep Austin Weird” optical illusion sculpture on Sixth and Congress in front of Velvet Taco which was our next stop for a quick lunch.
Velvet Taco – Quick stop for a quick lunch (Birria tacos)
- We needed a quick lunch and had been to Velvet Taco at 522 Congress St. before on an Austin trip so we had a quick lunch and agreed that the Birria tacos were the best! They also have other great fusion tacos like the Korean Fried Rice and chicken tacos.
- After our Velvet Taco lunch it was almost time for the Opening party and sushi master demonstration so we headed to Hokkaisan ATX .
Hokkaisan ATX Grand Opening
- We were lucky to catch the grand opening of this sushi and Japanese grocery store spot, with a master chef demonstrating his expertise with a huge tuna which we all got to sample after! Definitely stop by Hokkaisan ATX if you are in downtown Austin for sushi and Japanese sweets!
- After the grand opening, we did a little more exploring and then headed back to our hotel to pack for our flight home (sad face).
Infinity Gate at the Austin Airport
- Even leaving Austin was memorable thanks to this unique interactive art installation at AUS. The Infinity Gate creates the perfect inter-imaginerary sendoff (and a boarding pass to an imaginary destination) a reminder that Austin’s creativity greets you at both arrival and departure.
- There are also other public art installations inside of AUS as well as a couple of robot coffee machines that we loved. Explore a little if you have time before or after your flight.
Print or save our Free 3-day Austin Trip Itinerary:
Best Hotels in Austin
We loved our stay at Hyatt Place Downtown, which put us close to 6th Street, the Congress Avenue Bridge, and plenty of restaurants. Other great weekend hotel options in Austin include:
- The Driskill Hotel – Historic and iconic (great for breakfast, too).
- Hotel Van Zandt – Stylish hotel near Rainey Street bars.
- Kimpton Hotel Ella – A boutique option with a touch of charm.
Austin’s Best Bars
If nightlife is part of your trip, don’t miss:
- Jackalope on 6th – Awesome bartender and we got code for the secret bar here! (404 E. 6th st)
- The Aquarium Bar on 6th – We had so much fun on the 2-story adult snake slide here! (403 E 6th St)
- Garage Bar – Very chic and one of our favorite Austin bars! (503 Colorado St)
- Red Headed Stepchild (Floppy Disk Co.) – We loved the speakeasy vibe and tiki drinks here! (119 E 5th St)
- Unbarlievable – circus-themed fun bar at 513 West 6th
- Parlor & Yard – Great vibe and NADC burger walk-up. (601 W. 6th St)
- Whisler’s – 1816 E 6th St. – We only stopped by this unique food and drink spot to take pictures, but we’ll stay longer next trip!
And if you have extra time, head to Rainey Street which is a fun district of bungalow-style bars with backyard vibes. We ran out of time this trip.
Austin Foodie Spots You Can’t Miss
These were the best restaurants that we experienced on our Austin trip.
- Café 1886 at The Driskill – Posh and historical cafe that we love!
- NADC Burger (inside Parlor & Yard) – The burgers were 5 out of 5 for us!
- Velvet Taco – Definitely a favorite for the birria tacos and fusion ones!
- Space Cowboy – The best unique restaurant in Austin!
- Cooper’s Old Time Pit BBQ – We loved the casual bbq here.
- Vera Cruz All Natural– Our first stop and one of our favorites!
Unique Things to Do in Austin
- See the bats under Congress Avenue Bridge (take a boat tour for the best view).
- Explore quirky museums like the Museum of the Weird.
- Hunt for hidden cocktail bars.
- Photograph Austin’s murals and street art.
- Try out new foodie experiences (from tacos to BBQ, to robot-delivered meals).
- Snap a photo at the Infinity Gate installation at the airport — a unique piece of Austin art most visitors miss!
Extend Your Trip
- Texas Wine Country – Just outside Austin, Fredericksburg and the Hill Country offer incredible wineries. Check out our full guide here: Texas Wine Country Road Trip.
- Great for Solo Travelers – Austin is safe, social, and perfect if you’re traveling alone. Read our guide: Solo Travel in the U.S..
FAQs About a Weekend Trip to Austin, Texas
Spring (March–May) and fall (September–October) are the best times to visit Austin. The weather is pleasant, festivals are in full swing, and outdoor activities like watching the bats or exploring murals are even more enjoyable.
Three days is the perfect amount for a weekend trip to Austin. It gives you time to experience the nightlife, try the food scene, see the bats under Congress Avenue Bridge, and explore unique attractions like the Museum of the Weird and Austin’s street art. If you want to do Zilker Park, Barton Springs, and Texas wine country, you’ll need another couple of days.
Austin is best known for its barbecue (like Cooper’s, Franklin’s) and tacos (Velvet Taco and Veracruz are favorites). The city is also home to quirky restaurants like Space Cowboy, where drinks & food arrive by robot.
Seeing the bats at Congress Avenue Bridge
Exploring hidden cocktail bars like Red Headed Stepchild, Garage Bar, and Firehouse Lounge
Visiting the Museum of the Weird
Enjoying downtown murals
Experiencing the Infinity Gate art installation at Austin Airport
Yes! Austin is a friendly and welcoming city that’s perfect for solo travel. With live music, social bars, walkable areas, and lots of daytime attractions, it’s easy to explore and meet people along the way.
Final Thoughts: Why Austin is Perfect for a Weekend
Austin packs so much into three days: food, nightlife, quirky sights, and experiences you won’t find anywhere else. From bats and BBQ to secret bars, street art, and even airport art, this Texas capital city is full of surprises. Whether you’re visiting with friends, a partner, or solo, Austin delivers an unforgettable weekend trip.
Author’s Note: We recently returned from a three-day weekend trip to Austin, Texas, where we visited all of our favorite spots included in this guide. Hopefully, our experiences help you plan your own epic Austin trip and you’ll find favorite spots too! We love everything in Austin like watching the bats under Congress Avenue Bridge, roaming around, eating a lot, enjoying cocktails in hidden bars, and exploring quirky art installations that make this city special. Happy Travels! ~K.J.
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