Austin Date Ideas

900 capacity, indoor and outdoor stages, three bars. The tiered outdoor patio gives good sightlines from almost anywhere. Books indie rock, metal, hip-hop, and electronic. Anchor of Red River since 2006.

BBQ and live music in the same compound. Outdoor amphitheater holds 2,100 for touring acts; indoor stage is smaller. Sunday Gospel Brunch is a thing. The restaurant is open without a show ticket.

Restored 1915 vaudeville house on Congress Avenue. Now books concerts, comedy, classic films, and touring Broadway. The ornate interior justifies showing up for anything they're running.

Austin's last real dance hall, open since 1964. Chicken-fried steak and cold beer from 4pm, then the floor opens for country, western swing, and honky-tonk. Dance lessons Wed-Sat at 8pm, $10 cash. Cover $10-15 cash. All ages.

Political satire, magic tricks, and live music — running for 40+ years on Sixth Street. Shows are 90 minutes. Typically 7pm and 9pm, multiple nights a week. Extra $5 for center seating.

The original Alamo Drafthouse, Austin-born in 1997. First-run movies, repertory screenings, Terror Tuesday, Weird Wednesday. Food and drinks at your seat. They will kick you out for talking.

On South Congress since 1955. Started as a supper club, now books roots, rockabilly, country, swing, rock, and blues every single night. 200-person room — you're right on top of the performers.

Home of the PBS Austin City Limits tapings — longest-running music series on American TV. 2,750 capacity, about 100 concerts a year across all genres. Good sightlines from every level. 2nd Street District.

Largest university art museum in the country, on the UT campus. 21,000 works. The Ellsworth Kelly 'Austin' chapel — stone walls, colored glass windows — is the thing to see. Free on Tuesdays. Kids 5 and under always free.

Texas history from dinosaurs to the space age across three floors, plus IMAX and a 4D theater. Free first Sunday of every month (H-E-B sponsors it). Kids 5 and under always free. On Congress Ave near the Capitol.

Multi-stage compound on East Sixth — indoor, outdoor, and the Volstead Lounge next door, sometimes all running at once. Psych rock, garage, indie, electronic. Big patio, cheap beer, good food. Where you catch Austin bands before anyone else does.

Three-acre spring-fed pool, 68-70 degrees year-round. Closed Thursdays 9am-7pm for cleaning. Early morning swim (5-8am) has no lifeguards. Veterans get in free. This is where Austin goes to cool off.

Basement jazz club on Congress Avenue, open since 1991. Live jazz seven nights a week. You sit at the bar three feet from the trumpet player.

Founded 1975. Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King, and Muddy Waters all played here. The 5th Street location keeps it going with blues, rock, soul, and R&B multiple nights a week.

Free outdoor musical at the Zilker Hillside Theater every summer since 1959. Bring a blanket, sit on the grass. Full Broadway-style production, no charge. Thu-Sun, mid-July through mid-August at 8:15pm.

10.1-mile paved loop around Lady Bird Lake. Free to walk, run, or bike. Kayak, canoe, and paddleboard rentals along the way. At the Congress Avenue Bridge section, 1.5 million bats emerge at sunset March through October.

Highest point in Austin at 780 feet. 102 limestone stairs, takes two minutes. Lake Austin, Hill Country, and downtown skyline from the top. Free parking on Mt. Bonnell Road. Best at sunset.

Afrobeat Sundays are free — African, Caribbean, and Latin rhythms in the backyard. Rest of the week: punk, garage, experimental, local acts. Low or no cover most nights.

Independent shops, vintage stores, live music, and food. Free to stroll. Allen's Boots, Uncommon Objects, the 'I Love You So Much' wall. Street musicians most evenings. First Thursdays have extended hours.

Old bungalow houses turned into bars, each with a backyard patio. Free to walk around. No cover at most places. Food trucks everywhere. Craft Pride (Texas-only beer) and Container Bar are standouts. The chill version of Sixth Street.

Texas's oldest beer garden, open since 1866. Communal tables, cold beer, Texas pub fare. Where everyone watches UT Longhorn football. 160 years and counting.

1.5 million bats emerge from under the Congress Avenue Bridge at sunset, March through October. Free to watch from the bridge or trail below. Peak season is August. Show up 30 minutes early.

Independent record store since 1982. Willie Nelson, Spoon, and St. Vincent have all played free in-store shows here. Big vinyl and CD selection plus local Austin music. Outdoor stage for free shows year-round and during SXSW.

Japanese garden with koi ponds, real fossilized dinosaur footprints, children's garden with scavenger hunt. Streams, waterfalls, stone pathways. Cheap for Austin residents.

LGBTQ+-owned bar and venue on Red River with a big outdoor patio and vegan food. Books indie, electronic, hip-hop, and queer performance art. Free or low-cover most nights.