Cheap Date Night Ideas in Austin, TX
Cheap date nights in Austin, TX under $30/person include Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail (Free), Auditorium Shores Off-Leash Area (Free), Austin Beerworks ($7-9 per pint), Austin's Park ($8-35), and Barton Springs Pool ($5-9). Look for weeknight specials and happy hour deals to stretch your budget further.
Dinosaur fossils and a 40-foot pterosaur — free on the fourth Sunday
2400 Trinity St, Austin, TX 78712 · Tue-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 1pm-5pm, closed Mon · Ages 0+
12 miles of free trails with swimming holes and limestone cliffs
3755-B Capital of TX Hwy S, Austin, TX 78704 · Daily 5am-10pm · Ages 3+
Go-karts, mini golf, laser tag, and bumper boats — all in one spot
16231 N I-35, Pflugerville, TX 78660 · Mon-Thu 11am-9pm, Fri 11am-11pm, Sat 10am-11pm, Sun 10am-9pm · Ages 0+
Jade-green swimming hole under a 50-foot waterfall — book ahead, sells out fast
24300 Hamilton Pool Rd, Dripping Springs, TX 78620 · Daily 9am-5:30pm; reservations required · Ages 4+
Free Sunday concerts on the lawn overlooking Lady Bird Lake
701 W Riverside Dr, Austin, TX 78704 · Sundays, check Long Center schedule for times · Ages 0+
10-mile loop around the lake, totally free, open 24 hours. The boardwalk section is worth doing even if you skip the rest.
Along Lady Bird Lake, Austin, TX 78701 · Open 24 hours
Walk up, grab a kayak, paddle Lady Bird Lake. $20/hr, no reservation. Time it for sunset and the Congress Ave bats.
2418 Stratford Dr, Austin, TX 78746 · Daily 9am-7pm, last rental at 6pm
The swimming holes are incredible when the creek is running. Check water levels first — they're dry half the year and nobody tells you that.
2201 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78746 · Daily 5am-10pm
Austin's backyard. 351 acres, free to enter, connects to basically every trail in central Austin. Bring a frisbee.
2100 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704 · Daily 5am-10pm
Redesigned in 2023 and it shows. 18 holes through big oaks along the river, completely free. Park at the end of Grove Blvd or you'll walk forever.
400 Grove Blvd, Austin, TX 78741 · Daily 5am-10pm
Tight, wooded, technical. This is the course Austin disc golfers play when they want to actually be challenged. Free.
6301 W Slaughter Ln, Austin, TX 78739 · Daily 6am-10pm
No ropes, no harness, just climb. The East Austin location has a patio, sauna, and cold plunge. More like a clubhouse than a gym.
979 Springdale Rd #150, Austin, TX 78702 · Mon-Fri 6am-11pm, Sat-Sun 8am-10pm
Same quality as the Springdale location, less crowded, easier parking. South Austin's go-to climbing spot.
4477 S Lamar Blvd #600, Austin, TX 78745 · Mon-Fri 6am-11pm, Sat-Sun 8am-10pm
$5, no membership, 8 lighted courts. Reserve two days out or just show up and wait for an open court.
2312 Shoal Creek Blvd, Austin, TX 78705 · Mon-Fri 8am-10pm, Sat-Sun 8am-6pm
The trail nobody mentions to tourists. 3.7 miles through Pease Park, mostly shaded, a fraction of the Lady Bird Lake crowds.
707 W Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78701 · Open 24 hours
Every class is donation-based. Hot yoga, 90 degrees, pay what you want. Four locations across Austin. No reason not to try it.
913 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702 · Class schedule varies, check website
$15/hr kayaks on Lady Bird Lake — cheaper than the other rental spots. South side launch, no reservation needed.
1621 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704 · Daily, hours vary seasonally
The climbing gym for people who want ropes, not just bouldering. North Austin, less packed than the Bouldering Project locations.
8000 N MoPac Expy, Austin, TX 78759 · Mon-Fri 6am-10pm, Sat-Sun 8am-8pm
Full gym, sand volleyball, totally free. No membership, no fees, just walk in. North Austin's best-kept secret.
2913 Northland Dr, Austin, TX 78757 · Mon-Thu 9am-9pm, Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 10am-2pm
Free public courts between Lady Bird Lake and Zilker. Tennis and pickleball. After-work hours are a fight — go early.
2001 W Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78703 · Daily, dawn to dusk (closed during school use)
$10 drop-in yoga on South Congress. Unlimited monthly is $45. Hard to find a reason not to go at that price.
4601 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78745 · Class schedule varies, check website
Austin's last real dance hall — $10 two-step lessons Wed-Sat at 8pm
3201 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704 · Tue-Sat from 4pm, dancehall opens 8-9pm
40+ years of political satire and magic on Sixth Street — 90-minute shows
525 E Sixth St, Austin, TX 78701 · Show times typically 7pm and 9pm, check schedule
68-70 degree spring-fed pool year-round — three acres, where Austin goes to cool off
2201 William Barton Dr, Austin, TX 78746 · Daily 5am-10pm (closed Thu 9am-7pm for cleaning)
Free Broadway-style musical under the stars — Austin tradition since 1959
2206 William Barton Dr, Austin, TX 78746 · Thu-Sun 8:15pm, mid-Jul through mid-Aug
Free 10-mile trail around the lake — 1.5 million bats emerge at sunset (Mar-Oct)
2 Robert T. Martinez Jr St, Austin, TX 78702 · Open 24 hours; kayak rentals vary
102 limestone stairs to the best view in Austin — free, takes two minutes
3800 Mt Bonnell Rd, Austin, TX 78731 · Daily 5am-10pm
Free Afrobeat Sundays in the backyard — one of Austin's most eclectic music spaces
1413 Webberville Rd, Austin, TX 78721 · Nightly, shows typically start 8-9pm
Independent shops, street music, iconic murals — free to stroll, First Thursdays are best
South Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704 · Shops generally 10am-8pm; restaurants and bars later
Bungalow houses turned into bars with backyard patios — the chill alternative to Sixth Street
Rainey St, Austin, TX 78701 · Most bars open 4pm-2am daily
1.5 million bats emerge at sunset — largest urban bat colony in North America, free to watch
100 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701 · Nightly at sunset, Mar-Oct
Free in-store performances by major artists — Austin's legendary record store since 1982
600A N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78703 · Mon-Sat 10am-11pm, Sun 11am-9pm
Real dinosaur trackway fossils and koi-filled Japanese garden — $3-8
2220 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78746 · Daily 9am-5pm (last entry 4:30pm)
LGBTQ+-owned venue with a huge patio — eclectic bookings and free/low-cover most nights
900 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701 · Daily 4pm-2am
Locals say best beef ribs in Austin — skip the brisket line and go straight for the ribs.
1003 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704 · Sun-Thu 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-9:30pm
The migas taco here is the best breakfast taco in Austin — fight me.
1704 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702 · Daily 7am-3pm
Farm-to-table with a rotating menu — whatever's in season, they're cooking it.
1201 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704 · Tue-Sat 5:30-10pm, brunch Sat-Sun 10:30am-2pm
Best pizza in Austin per locals — Detroit-style with thick, crispy cheese edges.
1111 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702 · Sun-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm