Austin City Guide + With Love from Austin, Texas [PHOTOS]

From the music scene to hill country, Austin is one of our favorite cities. For that reason alone, an Austin city guide is nearly impossible to be complete, so we’re going to boil it down to the best of the Eats, Plays, and Loves the city has to offer. For us that means food, drinks, adventurous activities, and of course, music. Austin’s culinary scene is growing and the city is quickly becoming an impressive hot spot in the US for foodies.

It’s small enough to still carry a small town feel, but large enough to feel the cosmopolitan culture. It also happens to be one of the most dog-friendly cities in the country with tons of hiking trails and public parks with off-leash privileges for well-behaved pups. As the home to Whole Foods flagship, Austin also has an eco-centric, green-friendly vitality that is in many ways leading the country into a more sustainable mindset. After all, the motto of the city is to support local and “keep Austin weird.” This city guide to dining, drinking, staying, and playing could go on and on, so we’ll keep this to the classic can’t-miss-spots and our personal favorites (in no particular order):

Where to eat & Drink:

Best sushi: Uchi
Best barbecue: The Salt Lick
Best TexMex fusion: La Condesa
Best Italian: Vespaio
Best food at 3 am and open 24 hours: Magnolia Cafe
Best interior Mexican: Polvo’s
Best fajitas: Maudie’s
Best mini grilled cheese: Parkside
Best crab enchiladas: South Congress Cafe
Best migas: Kerbey Lane
Best tacos on the go: Tacodeli
Best gourmet hot dog/sausage: Frank
Best vegan and vegetarian food: Mother’s Cafe & Garden
Best place to have a romantic, off the beaten path, gourmet dinner: Hudson’s on the Bend
Best smoothies: Daily Juice
Best coffee: Jo’s
Best Margaritas: Malverde
Best ghost pepper tequila: Star Bar Texas
Best happy hour: Hotel San Jose
Best “prohibition style” craft cocktails: Peche, Midnight Cowboy
Best hidden gem craft cocktails: Firehouse Lounge
Best “Ranch Water” (Topo Chico, tequila, and lime): Ranch 616

Where to stay:

Hotel San Jose
Kimber Modern
Hotel St. Cecilia
in Hill Country: Travaasa Resort & Spa

Where to see the best live music:

Threadgill’s
Antone’s
The Continental Club
Stubb’s
ACL Live
Shady Grove
The Lucky Lounge

Other things to do:

Where to two-stepping and line dancing: Midnight Rodeo
Where to go Paddleboarding: Rowing Dock at Town Lake
Where to go for a great hike or bike ride: The Greenbelt
Best part of the Greenbelt: Trail’s End/Lost Creek
Where to take a swim: Barton Springs
Where to take an off-the-beaten-track hike: Turkey Creek
Where to see a movie where you can eat good food and drink in the theatre: Alamo Drafthouse
Where to see dueling piano players: Pete’s Piano Bar
Where to catch a spectacular sunset over drinks: The Oasis
Where to float the river when the water’s high enough: The Guadalupe in New Braunfels
Where to go zip lining: Wimberly Zipline Adventure
Where to rent a kayak: Town Lake/Texas Rowing Center
Where to get a “green” facial treatment or massage: Viva Day Spa