Looking for a destination with food, music and plenty of history? You can’t go past Texas’ vibrant city of Austin, says Helen Dalley.
The capital of the Lone Star state, Austin is renowned for its vibrant music scene, Tex Mex, and BBQ. Only got a day to pack it all in? Distill the sights, sounds and tastes of Austin into 24 hours with these insights.
9am
We’d recommend waking up in Austin at Hotel ZaZa, a chic boutique getaway where gorgeous, themed rooms under the moniker ‘The Magnificent Seven’ include the Orient Express, which is decked out in rich woods with brass accents and accentuated with antiques and classical furniture to evoke the ambience of the legendary luxury train. Bungalow 6’s bright pastels and modern furniture have a retro modern vibe that’s very Palm Springs, while Backstage Pass riffs on Austin’s musical heritage with leather, velvet and animal prints.
Hotel ZaZa
Before you head out to explore the city, pick from the brunch menu at the hotel’s Group Therapy restaurant, a bright, cheerful space illuminated by retro chandeliers: there’s crispy pork belly breakfast tacos, pancakes with whipped butter and maple syrup, and chilaquiles, fried corn tortillas with refried black beans, tomatillo salsa and eggs.
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10.30am
Get cultural with a trip to the Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas, one of the largest university art museums in the US. The exterior grounds and plaza were recently revamped by Norwegian architects Snøhetta and include 12 ‘petals’ that stand three stories tall to provide shade for a newly created patio. The permanent collection is an eclectic offering, with works by everyone from Rubens to Diego Rivera.
After that, head over to the nearby Bullock Texas State History Museum, which spans 4,000 years of Texan history. The first floor gallery features Becoming Texas, a journey through Texas’s earliest history from its first inhabitants to Mexican Independence in 1821, while the third floor includes sections dedicated to ranching, oil, civil rights and space exploration.
Vaquero Taquero
1.30pm
Pull up a chair at street style taco joint Vaquero Taquero, and order the signature taco al pastor, made with flame-seared pork carved directly from a vertical fire spit and wrapped in a warm homemade tortilla, garnished with a roasted pineapple slice, coriander, onion, salsa and avocado crema. Pair it with a traditional Mexican tipple, horchata, made from white rice and water and sweetened with sugar, or a jarritos (lime, mandarin, guava and pineapple).
3.30pm
Time to get active. Austin’s Hike & Bike trail at Lady Bird Lake is a 16km trajectory that’s loved by cyclists and walkers. The trail winds through downtown along the Colorado River; with access points all along the route, it’s a great place to soak up the Austin skyline. Whether you take in the entire loop or take a shorter ride, leave time for a dip in either Barton Springs or Deep Eddy Pool, the oldest swimming pool in Texas, which features a bathhouse built during the Depression era.
Barton Springs
After a ride or walk, cool down at one of Austin’s fruterías, and tailor sweet and savoury snacks with your choice of fruits, toppings and spices. At Crazy Fruits, you can build your own fruit bowl, and top it with cream, granola and sour belts, or order up a raspado, fruit snow cones topped with chamoy, a savoury condiment made from pickled fruit spiced with chiles, and chili powder.
Savoury frutería options include elotes, grilled Mexican street corn. Try them at Elotes La Tejanita: the Tejanita Dream sees bi-colour corn topped with mayo, Tex Mex queso and brisket and there’s even a Korean-inspired version topped with Gochujang aioli and kimchi.
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5pm
Austin has plenty of great beer joints. Start your evening off with a craft ale at Austin Beerworks, a popular local brewery that cans its beers on site. The tap room offers everything from Surreal Garden, an ale brewed with spearmint and hibiscus, to Fire Eagle, a classic American IPA.
Austin Beerworks
Alternatively, go hardcore at the Techo Mezcaleria & Agave Bar for mezcal and agave cocktails laced with different mezcals, including Illegal Mezcal – made in Oaxaca and handcrafted in small batches – and ever-changing mixes, think prickly pear and lime juice, and lychee and banana. Cocktail options include spicy watermelon mezcal margaritas and Noche de Pasión (Charanda, banana liqueur, and passion fruit).
7.30pm
It wouldn’t be a trip to Texas without sampling some BBQ. Head over to Franklin Barbecue for the famously moist, sweet brisket – there’s ribs, pulled pork and Jalapeno cheddar sausage too – and round things off with some bourbon banana pie. Owner Aaron Franklin co-authored The New York Times bestseller Franklin Barbecue, A Meat-Smoking Manifesto, and his meats have been sampled and celebrated by everyone from Barack Obama to Jimmy Kimmel.
Franklin Barbecue
Prefer Tex Mex? Try El Patio and start with an order of bean and cheese nachos for the table, then dive in to the El Patio #1: guacamole salad, chili con queso, a crispy beef taco, two cheese enchiladas and beans and rice, best washed down with a frozen margarita muddled with home-made syrup.
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9pm
A hotbed of blues, country, rock and alternative music, Austin’s music scene is legendary and there are plenty of great live venues worth checking out. Rock up to ACL Live, the permanent home for the taping of the acclaimed TV series, Austin City Limits, where everyone from indie rock legend Nick Cave to Grammy winning blues singer Bonnie Raitt are playing this autumn.
Alternatively, check out Stubbs, a Bar-B-Q where eminent Texan blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan launched his career; Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and Johnny Cash have all played here, too. You can book live music and a buffet from US$44.95.
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