Texas

Austin

The self-declared live music capital of the world backs the boast with venues in petrol stations, back gardens and barbecue joints.

Best forGroups of friends · Foodies · Nightlife
In October29°C · 6 rainy days
Ideal stay3–4 nights
Approx. flying time~2h 55m from Los Angeles

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Austin, Texas Open in Google Maps Powered by Geoapify · © OpenStreetMap contributors · © OpenMapTiles

CurrencyUSDUS dollar
LanguageEnglish
Local time03:276h behind the UK
PlugsType A / BBring an adapter
Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
Dialling code+1

Why go

Texas's capital is low-rise, green and unhurried, built around a river the city treats as a public swimming pool. Live music is the organising principle, but daytime matters too: spring-fed bathing holes, hike-and-bike trails under the oaks, food trucks parked on scrubby lots and barbecue queues that form before the smoke has cleared. Nobody dresses up, and nobody expects you to.

A long weekend works well, with direct and one-stop flights from the UK via Texas hubs. Spring and autumn are the reward seasons; July and August routinely pass 38°C and the city retreats indoors or into the water. Big festivals in March and October fill hotels months ahead and push prices sharply. The Hill Country to the west adds vineyards, swimming rivers and small German-founded towns.

Ideal stay: 3–4 nights
The vibe: Laid-back, musical, sweaty, unpretentious

From our guides

Skip Sixth Street's rowdiest block and head for the Continental Club on South Congress — sticky floors, sixty years of history, bands most nights — or the patios of Rainey Street. Check the free listings in the Austin Chronicle; the best show of the week is often five dollars and unadvertised.

Featured in Ten cities with world-class live music every night

Things to do

Barton Springs Pool

A spring-fed pool in Zilker Park that holds around 20°C all year. Locals swim lengths in January, and the sloping lawn is the city's unofficial living room.
South Congress

The old motel strip turned browsing street, with vintage shops, boot makers and a straight-on view of the Capitol dome from the bridge end.
Congress Avenue bats

From spring to autumn, around a million Mexican free-tailed bats stream out from under the bridge at dusk. Watch from the lawn on the east bank rather than the rail.
Lady Bird Lake trail

A flat loop of roughly 16 km around the river, shaded most of the way, with kayak and paddleboard hire at several points. The best way to see the skyline.
Central Texas barbecue

Salt-and-pepper brisket smoked over post oak, served on butcher paper by weight. Queues start early and the best places sell out by mid-afternoon, so treat it as lunch.
Texas State Capitol

A pink granite dome that stands taller than the one in Washington, open to visitors and surrounded by shaded grounds. The rotunda alone justifies the detour.

Getting there

Fly to
Austin (AUS)

Nearest airport to Austin, about 11km away as the crow flies.
Then
To Austin

About twenty minutes by taxi or ride-hailing from Austin-Bergstrom (AUS) into downtown, with an airport bus route as the cheap alternative.
On the ground
Getting around

Downtown, Rainey Street and the Sixth Street venues are walkable, and South Congress is a short ride over the river.

Public transport: Buses and a single commuter rail line exist but are thin outside the centre; most people use ride-hailing, and a car helps for the Hill Country.

Flights

Los Angeles Austin, Texas

Flying from

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Roughly 2h 55m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.

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Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.

When to go

Daytime highs run from about 17°C in January to 36°C in August. Driest August to October and December; wettest in May, with rain on about 14 days.

The year at a glance — pick a month for detail

October29° · rain 6 daysWarm with the odd shower.

Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis).

Where to stay

Design-led downtown hotels, restored motels on South Congress and a large short-term rental market in the eastern neighbourhoods. Chains cluster near the interstate.

Best base overall
Downtown and Rainey Street

Walking distance from Sixth Street, Rainey's bungalow bars and the river path, so you never drive after a gig. Rates jump during festivals and the streets are loud at weekends.
Find stays in Downtown and Rainey Street
Best for couples
South Congress

SoCo's motels and design hotels sit among the vintage shops, with the Continental Club a stroll away. A twenty-minute walk or short ride over the bridge into downtown.
Find stays in South Congress
Best value
East Austin

Across the interstate, with cheaper rooms, excellent bars and barbecue. Patchy pavements and a car or ride-share for most trips.
Find stays in East Austin
Best with children
Zilker and Barton Springs

By the spring-fed pool and the greenbelt, quieter and green, with easy parking. Few restaurants within walking distance, so you drive to eat.
Find stays in Zilker and Barton Springs

Worth knowing before you book: South by Southwest in March, ACL in October and big football weekends multiply prices and sell the city out. Check the calendar before fixing dates.

Search everything else in Austin by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.

Or see everything in Austin

Good to know

Timing: March and early October bring the big music and film festivals. Accommodation triples in price and the city fills, so either come for them deliberately or avoid those weeks.
Pack this: Swimwear, whatever the plan. Between the springs, the river and the Hill Country swimming holes, you will want it more often than you expect.
Getting there: The airport sits about 8 km from downtown, roughly 20 minutes by taxi or ride-hail. There is a direct bus, but journey times stretch in rush hour.
Tipping: Standard US practice applies: around 20 per cent in bars and restaurants, and cash tips at counter-service barbecue and food trucks are normal.
Live music: The strongest listings are often free or a few dollars on a Tuesday. Check the local weekly rather than following the noise on the busiest downtown block.