Is Austin Worth Visiting? (9 Reasons You Should Visit This Texas City)
Is The So-Called “Weird” City Of Austin, Texas Really Worth Visiting?
As a native Austinite that returned to the city for college and stayed a little while after (for a combined total of around 9 years), I’ve seen both the good and the bad that Austin has to offer over a long period of time, and while there are some downsides to this capital city, I think Austin is a place worth visiting for a few reasons.
➡️ Why Is Austin, Texas Worth Visiting
While Austin is a popular live music/party city (those are actually a few of the downsides to visiting this Texas capital in my opinion), there’s much more family-friendly and active things to do that really make it worth a trip in my opinion:
1. It’s Nature + Outdoor Activities
Austin is a part of the beautiful and unique Texas Hill Country, so getting outdoors and spending time in nature is one of the top reasons I think it’s worth visiting. Some different outdoor/adventurous activities you can do in and around Austin include:
- paddleboarding, kayaking, boating, or walking on the boardwalk of Lady Bird Lake
- cooling off in natural springs (Barton Springs, Deep Eddy, Hamilton Pool, Jacob’s Well, etc.)
- tubing down the San Marcos River
- skydiving in San Marcos (I went three times here)
- playing pickup sports (Zilker Park, North Austin Soccer, and South Austin Soccer)
- hiking, here are some popular options:
2. The Wildlife
Austin has some typical Texas wildlife like coyotes, foxes, skunk, deer, and snakes, but it’s most famous wildlife visitors during the warmer months of the year are the bats (those are the bats pictured above).
From late spring to early fall, thousands of bats fly back to Austin for the summer months and flutter out from under the Congress bridge over the Colorado River as the sun goes down each night.
This nightly occurrence is extremely popular to witness, making it one of the best and most unique reasons Austin is worth visiting, but arriving early to get a decent spot is essential unless you opt for an evening kayak tour to watch from the water.
P.S. the bats are super stinky 🦇
3. The University Of Texas 🤘
I’m a little biased being a University of Texas graduate, but the 40 acres (the UT campus) is a nice place to visit and it’s also home to the famous (or infamous) clock tower. The bell chimes every 15 minutes and the tower lights up burnt orange when the Longhorns win (a tradition that started back in 1937), but the tower was also the location of the tragic 1966 sniper shooting.
In addition to walking the campus, going to a Texas Longhorns football game (pictured above) is a wonderful way to experience Texas culture. The stadium is always filled, the atmosphere is super electric, and the team has been pretty good these last few years.
4. It’s Unique + “Weird”
Austin has always been known as the “weird” city and when I lived in other Texas cities and told people I was born in Austin, they’d make the “keep Austin weird” joke (a slogan given to the city).
Compared to the rest of Texas, Austin is unique and special because of it’s live music scene, strong support for small local businesses, and the general hippie or hipster feel of the city.
It’s an interesting place to see Texas culture and hippie culture mix, plus the many different international cultures (a Mexican cultural event pictured above) that help make the city even more unique and special.
5. Plethora Of Events
One reason Austin is worth visiting for many people is the large number of events this city hosts throughout the year (those that live here don’t always love them though):
- most famously, Austin is known for it’s live music events (Austin City Limits and SXSW) which either really make the city worth visiting or avoiding depending on who you ask; both events bring large crowds and make prices high, but you can experience live music in Austin outside of these festivals too
- the World Golf Championship Match Play tournament is played at Austin Country Club every year towards the end of March
- the Formula 1 Grand Prix race takes place at the Circuit of the Americas track towards the end of October
- Austin’s MLS team, Austin FC, typically plays from late February to early November at the Q2 Stadium
- during the holiday season, Austin gets festive with decked out neighborhoods, the Trail of Lights in Zilker park (pictured above), and the live action Main Street Bethlehem in nearby Burnet
6. The Food
Many people find Austin worth visiting for its foodie scene, and while its most famous for BBQ, Tex-Mex, Tacos, and Food Trucks, it also has an array of different cuisines and healthier options too.
Here are some popular Austin-born places to eat:
- Franklin Barbecue
- Hopdoddy Burger Bar
- Tacodeli
- Juan in a Million
- Torchy’s Tacos
- Chuy’s
- Whole Foods Market
7. It’s History + Museums
Austin isn’t the oldest city, but it does still have some history as the capital of Texas and it’s got a good number of museums that are worth visiting and great for the whole family:
- Texas Capitol – guided or self-guided tours are free and available most days
- Bullock Texas State History Museum (pictured above)
- Blanton Museum Of Art
- Museum of the Weird
- French Legation – one of the oldest houses in Austin
- Inner Space Cavern – one of the best preserved caves in Texas
- Dinosaur Park
➡️ A Segway Tour is a fun way to see the sights, including the Capitol, in downtown Austin
8. The Central Location
While I think a few days in Austin is plenty to see the sights (outside of attending events), this city is worth visiting for its central location and easy access to other towns and cities either on day trips or on a Texas road trip:
- Waco – home to Dr. Pepper, Magnolia Market at the Silos (pictured above), and Baylor University, Waco is just over 1.5 hours from Austin
- Gruene (pronounced like the color green) – a cute German-Texan small town 1 hour from Austin
- Fredericksburg – a German-Texan town known for wineries, fresh fruit, German events, Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, and the oldest continuous county fair in Texas, about 1.5 hours from Austin
- San Antonio – technically doable on a day trip, but there’s a lot to see (downtown, the Riverwalk, the Alamo, etc.)
- Colorado Bend State Park – just under 2 hours from Austin
– Dallas/Fort Worth – the JFK assassination, stockyards, cattle drives, the Dallas Cowboys, and so much more about 3 hours from Austin
9. It’s Relatively Safe
Austin, Texas is generally a safe place to visit, especially when staying out away from the city center a little bit. It is a large city though with a significant homeless population so it’s always good to be extra cautious and aware (especially staying downtown, on 6th street, or near the University).
(a mural painted at The Domain in Austin pictured above)
❌ Why Austin, Texas Might Not Be Worth Visiting
I think the positive things about Austin listed above make it worth visiting at least once on a short-medium length trip, but some might find it overrated or annoying for these reasons:
The Crowds + Traffic
The city of Austin is relatively small in terms of physical size, but the population is pretty large making the traffic horrific (especially during special events). If you do visit and rent a car (or even ubering around), try to avoid rush hour.
The Cost
Compared to the rest of Texas, Austin is a pretty expensive city. Hotel prices can get quite pricy, especially downtown and during events, so I typically suggest staying in further out neighborhoods like The Domain.
The Weather + Allergies
Austin can get the extremes of both summer and winter with hot and humid weather as well as icy and cold temperatures. During the fall and spring seasons, Austin also has pretty awful allergies, but maybe on a short trip, they won’t bother you much.
The Party Scene
The famous party scene of 6th street and the popular Austin music festivals are a big drawback for me because I’m not into that kind of stuff so if you’re visiting with family or you’re like me, you won’t find these popular attractions in Austin very fun.
➡️ Trying to figure out what to do on your Austin, Texas trip? Here’s a 4 day itinerary to help you out or a comparison between Austin and Dallas if you’re not sure where to visit in Texas
🔁 Sum Up: Is Austin, Texas Worth Visiting?
There are a few drawbacks to visiting Austin like the cost, the crowds, the weather (at times), and the party scene, but the positive features of this Texas capital city (the nature, the wildlife, the history, etc.) make it worth visiting at least once in my opinion on a short to medium length trip or as a stop on a longer Texas road trip.
