New Year's Eve in Austin, TX
New Year's Eve in Austin, TX means fireworks, late-night parties, and restaurant galas. Venues like ACL Live at The Moody Theater ($30-100), Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail (Free), Antone's Nightclub ($10-35), Austin Public Library Central Branch (Free), and Bartholomew Park Disc Golf Course (Free) host NYE events — expect $50-200 cover charges. Family-friendly countdowns typically start at 6pm in parks and museums.
Shallow wading end for toddlers, diving board for big kids — 68-70 degrees year-round
2201 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78746 · Daily 5am-10pm (closed Thu 9am-7pm for cleaning)
$6 train ride through Zilker Park — under 2 rides free on your lap
2100 Andrew Zilker Rd, Austin, TX 78746 · Fri-Tue 10am-6pm (closed 1:30-2:30pm daily), closed Wed-Thu
Free everything — storytimes, rooftop garden, underground parking
710 W Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78701 · Mon-Thu 9am-8pm, Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun noon-5pm
Open since 1946 — BYOB after sunset (cans only)
1207 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704 · Mon-Thu 9am-10pm, Fri-Sat 9am-11pm, Sun 9am-10pm
Oldest pool in Texas — spring-fed, wading area for toddlers, less crowded than Barton Springs
401 Deep Eddy Ave, Austin, TX 78703 · Daily 8am-8pm (summer), reduced winter hours · 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+
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+
$5 to swim in a 68-degree spring-fed pool. Go early on weekends or don't go at all.
2201 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78746 · Daily 5am-10pm, closed Thu 9am-7pm for cleaning
The oldest pool in Texas. Spring-fed, no chlorine smell, $5. Lap swimmers take the morning, everyone else gets the afternoon.
401 Deep Eddy Ave, Austin, TX 78703 · Lap swim 8am-12pm, Rec swim 12pm-8pm daily
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
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
Quick 9-hole course, good for beginners or a lunch break round. Free, plus the park has tennis, basketball, and a pool.
5201 Berkman Dr, Austin, TX 78723 · Daily 5am-10pm
Tiered outdoor patio with sightlines from every spot — Red River anchor since 2006
912 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701 · Show nights, check schedule
BBQ + 2,100-cap amphitheater + Sunday Gospel Brunch
801 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701 · Restaurant: Sun-Thu 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10pm; show times vary
1915 vaudeville house on Congress Ave — the interior alone is worth it
713 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701 · Box office Mon-Fri noon-5:30pm; show times vary
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
Live music every night since 1955 — 200-person room on South Congress
1315 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704 · Nightly, shows typically start 9-10pm
Where Austin City Limits tapes for PBS — 100+ concerts a year
310 W Willie Nelson Blvd, Austin, TX 78701 · Show nights, check schedule
Multiple stages running simultaneously — catch bands before they blow up
1502 E Sixth St, Austin, TX 78702 · Nightly, shows typically start 8-9pm
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)
Basement jazz club on Congress Ave — live jazz seven nights a week since 1991
315 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701 · Mon-Fri 5pm-2am, Sat 8pm-2am, Sun 7pm-1am
Austin's blues temple since 1975 — Stevie Ray Vaughan played here
305 E 5th St, Austin, TX 78701 · Show nights, check schedule
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
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
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