Austin, Texas is one of the most interesting cities in America for a weekend visit — or a weekend in your own city, if you're lucky enough to live here. The density of excellent things to do across food, music, outdoor activities, culture, and nightlife is remarkable for a city of its size. The only challenge is the transportation logistics of getting between them, because Austin is large, spread out, and increasingly committed to building things in areas that are phenomenal to be in but painful to park at.
Here's your complete Austin weekend guide — curated by people who drive these roads every day and have strong opinions about where to go, in what order, and how to get there without losing 45 minutes of your Saturday to parking.
Saturday Morning
Barton Springs Pool — The jewel of Zilker Park. A 3-acre natural swimming hole fed by underground springs and maintained at a brisk 68°F year-round. Arrive before 10am to beat the crowds and get a proper spot on the lawn. The parking situation at Zilker Park on a Saturday morning in good weather is a local institution that everyone agrees is bad and no one has fully solved. Your driver can drop you at the park entrance while they do something more productive than circle the lot.
South Congress Avenue (SoCo) — Austin's most iconic shopping and brunch street. Alien Eddies, Home Slice Pizza for slices, Perla's Seafood for more of an occasion, and dozens of locally-owned boutiques that range from genuinely excellent to cheerfully quirky. The Congress Avenue corridor between the river and Oltorf is the kind of Austin that visitors want to see and locals love because it's actually good, not just famous.
Saturday Afternoon
Blanton Museum of Art at UT Austin — One of the finest university art museums in the country, with a collection spanning 5,000 years and the signature Ellsworth Kelly chapel that is one of the most beautiful spaces in Texas. Free on Thursdays; admission otherwise. The UT campus area has its own parking challenges — plan accordingly or plan with us.
Sixth Street Food Corridor — The stretch of East 6th Street between Chicon and Pleasant Valley has evolved into one of Austin's best food destinations, distinct from the entertainment district. Launderette, Emmer & Rye (for tasting menu reservations), and the surrounding East Austin restaurant ecosystem represent Austin's culinary ambitions at their best.
Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail — 10+ miles of trail along the shores of Lady Bird Lake with stunning views of the downtown skyline. Rent kayaks or paddleboards at the lake's multiple outfitters. An afternoon on Lady Bird Lake with a sunset view of Austin's skyline is the kind of experience that makes people understand why so many people moved here.
Saturday Evening
Dinner on Rainey Street or East 6th — Rainey Street for the bungalow bar scene and outdoor patio energy; East 6th for more serious craft cocktails and food. Either way, make reservations — Austin's best restaurants fill up fast on Saturday evenings.
Live Music on 6th Street — Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World, and 6th Street is where that title was earned. Multiple venues simultaneously running live music on a Saturday night create an ambient experience that's unlike anything else in Texas. Stubb's Amphitheatre (just off 6th) hosts major national acts. Continental Club on Congress has been running live music since 1957 and remains the real thing.
Sunday Morning
South Congress brunch — Jo's Coffee on Second Street for the to-go coffee culture or Home Slice for the wait-is-worth-it brunch experience. Matt's El Rancho for the Austin Tex-Mex institution that has been feeding Austinites since 1952. The Bob Armstrong Dip is mandatory.
The Hill Country Day Trip
If you're spending a long weekend in Austin, Day 3 belongs to the Texas Hill Country. Fredericksburg is 1.5 hours west — an entire German-Texan town surrounded by Hill Country wineries, with excellent restaurants and the National Museum of the Pacific War (surprisingly moving and excellent). Marble Falls (45 minutes) for Blue Bonnet Café. Dripping Springs for the distillery scene that has made it "the gateway to the Hill Country." A chauffeured round trip to any of these destinations means the designated driver concern evaporates entirely — everyone participates in the wine tasting, the whiskey distillery tour, the Hill Country picnic.
Purple Heart Limo serves all of Austin's neighborhoods and the Hill Country beyond. Hourly service for city exploration, point-to-point for specific destinations, and day trip vehicles for Hill Country adventures. (833) 740-0700