How to Spend One Day in Austin, Texas

The Live Music Capital of the World is also home to great food, art and sites. Here’s where to go during your short stop in Austin, Texas.

Wander around The Driskill Hotel (The Unbound Collection By Hyatt)

This is a historic hotel with luxury rooms, dining areas and bars. The hotel is full of beautiful marble and western memorabilia. Check it out and grab a drink in their bar.

Lunch at Eurika

A burger joint downtown, across the street from The Driskill. Everything on the menu looks good, and if you’re looking for an interesting drink, try the charcoal lemonade.

Marble Room in the Driskill Hotel.

Scope out art murals

There’s several art exhibits and murals around the downtown. Walk around, take photos, and grab some street BBQ while you’re at it (but beware of scooter riders).

Bats under the bridge

If you’re visiting in the warmer months (April-August), you may be able to see a wave of bats - and by wave, I mean thousands - come out from under Congress Avenue Bridge. It’s a must see. Get there early, right before dusk, because it gets busy. You can view it from either side of the bridge, though there’s a hotel restaurant along the river that gets a good view, and there’s also boats and kayaking options that take you under the bridge to experience it up close.

View of the Colorado River - under this bridge is where the bats stay.

Walk 6th Street

This district has bars, live music, and historic sites. If you’re one that enjoys the nightlife of Beale, Bourbon, or Broadway, this is the place to be.

Dinner at Peche

French cuisine and a great atmosphere. I ordered the short rib with duck fat mashed potatoes and it was excellent. They also make their own absinthe - if you order this, it comes in a coffee-drip type glass, which was fun to experience.