Austin in a Week

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Spending a week in Austin and have no idea where to start? Get a thorough experience, complete with outdoor activities, local shopping and so much more. Don't be surprised if you end up looking at real estate while you're here!

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Author: Tara


Day 1 - Austin


Nothing gets a day in Austin going quite like the migas at Las Manitas Avenue Cafe--a favorite quick breakfast and lunch spot for businessmen, touring musicians, politicians...even Rachael Ray! Head a block west to the Austin Children's Museum for some imaginative fun and easy learning before spending some money in the local boutiques sprinkled throughout the neighboring Second Street District. Take a load off at Cantina Laredo, a casual Mexican joint where an order of guacamole is made fresh right there at your table. Work off your lunch while you're taking in natural beauty at Zilker Botanical Garden, a free attraction featuring a variety of gardening styles, all in the heart of the city. The nearby Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum is the perfect next stop with a wandering path through a lush garden sprinkled with breathtaking sculptures from renowned sculptor Charles Umlauf. Discuss the day over Italian fare at Romeo's just a few blocks east before heading downtown for a hilarious evening at the legendary musical comedy revue, Esther's Follies.


1

Hilton Austin

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Location:

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500 E 4th St
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

+1 512 482 8000


2

Manitas Avenue Cafe (Las)

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Location:

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211 Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701-4021

Phone:

512 472 9357


3

Austin Children's Museum

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Location:

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201 Colorado St
Dell Discovery Center
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

512-472-2499


4

Second Street District

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Location:

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200 W. Second Street
Austin, TX 78701


5

Cantina Laredo

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Location:

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201 West Third Street
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

+1 512 542 9670


6

Zilker Botanical Garden

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Location:

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2220 Barton Springs Rd.
Austin, TX 78746

Phone:

512-477-8672


7

Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum

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Location:

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605 Robert E. Lee Rd
Austin, TX 78704

Phone:

+1 512 445 5582


8

Romeo's

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Location:

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1500 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX 78704

Phone:

+512 476 1090


9

Esther's Follies

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Location:

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525 East 6th St
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

512 320 0553


Day 2 - Austin


Stroll along Congress Avenue, stopping for a photo op on the city's oldest street and business hub, on your way to the Texas State Capitol and lush surrounding grounds. Daily tours of the state building will fill you in on all kinds of intimate government details so don't miss out. For lunch, indulge in fresh and protein-rich sushi at Silhouette, a favorite lunch spot for business executives and government officials. Once full, jump in the car for a short drive to a true getaway--Mount Bonnell. This centrally located bluff overlooking Lake Austin provides a bird's eye view of the city and an absolutely breathtaking spot to catch the magnificent Texas sunset. Finish off the romantic evening with a leisurely dinner at nearby Chez Zee, known for its sweeping menu and specialty desserts.


1

Sol y La Luna (El)

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Location:

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600 East Sixth Street
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

+512 444 7770


2

Congress Avenue

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Location:

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Congress Avenue
(from 1st to 11th Streets)
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

+1 800 926 2282


3

Texas State Capitol

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Location:

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1100 Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

512-463-0063


4

Silhouette

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Location:

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718 Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

+512 478 8899


5

Mount Bonnell

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Location:

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3800 Mount Bonnell Road
Austin, TX 78702

Phone:

512-974-6700


6

Chez Zee

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Location:

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5406 Balcones Dr
Austin, TX 78731

Phone:

+512 454 2666


Day 3 - Austin


Ease into your third day as a temporary Austinite with a relaxed visit to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Research Center you can easily lose yourself in the fields of beautiful blossoms. Next, head to Zilker Park for an hour or so in the sun. Lay out a blanket for a sun-soaked read, throw a frisbee or just sit and be silent. You'd never guess you're in the heart of a bustling city center. For some mid-day sustenance, walk (or drive) over to Shady Grove just a couple blocks east of the park on Barton Springs Road. This laid-back restaurant, reminiscent of an old-fashioned trailer park, serves tasty vegetarian options as well as Texas classics such as meatloaf, chicken fried steak and fajita tacos. While your food digests, make your way back over to Zilker Park to the Barton Springs Pool. This spring-fed swimming hole is always popular for its consistently 68F water and fun atmosphere. Even if the water's too chilly for you, the grassy knoll just east of the pool is a great place to recline and people watch. Before dusk, pack up your belongings and head east to the Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge. Whether you'd prefer standing on the bridge or on the grass below it, onlookers get an amazing show of nature nightly when just after dusk thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats emerge for their evening feeding of mosquitoes and other flying critters. For a post-show cocktail and some tasty morsels, walk a few blocks south on Congress Avenue to Doc's Motorworks. Enjoy a cold beer and a huge chili Frito pie on the monster patio overlooking the neighborhood action.


1

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

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Location:

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4801 LaCrosse Ave
Austin, TX 78620

Phone:

512-232-0100


2

Zilker Park

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Location:

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2100 Barton Springs Rd
Austin, TX 78746

Phone:

512-974-6700


3

Shady Grove

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Location:

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1624 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX 78704

Phone:

+512 474 9991


4

Barton Springs Pool

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Location:

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2101 Barton Springs Road
Zilker Park
Austin, TX 78704

Phone:

512-867-3080


5

Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge Bats

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Location:

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100 S. Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

512-478-0098


6

Doc's Motorworks

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Location:

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1123 South Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78704

Phone:

+1 512 448 9181


Day 4 - Austin


Don't feel like facing the world before you get your coffee down? Star Seeds Cafe is the best stop for you with its quick and easy service and modest clientele. Once you're awake, venture over to the southwest corner of the University of Texas campus to the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center where you can get an up-close look at amazing memorabilia including the first photograph, the Gutenberg Bible and an array of more modern but still interesting odds and ends. While you're on campus, stop by the University of Texas Tower--the focal point of the school and a feature you can't miss. Check to see if a tour to the top is available while you're there--the view is spectacular. All this walking will lead to an appetite, so go where the students go--Milto's Pizza Pub just a half mile north. Choose from pizza, traditional Italian dishes or a few Greek options as well. Nothing like variety. Once you're satiated, head to the northeastern side of campus to the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum. Aside from it's stunning physical presence, the history covered within is worth the effort. For dinner, take a short drive east to Hoover's Cooking where you'll find some of the most authentic Southern home cooking in the city.


1

Star Seeds Cafe

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Location:

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3101 North I H 35
Austin, TX 78722

Phone:

+512 478 7107


2

Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center

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Location:

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21st and Guadalupe
University of Texas
Austin, TX 78713

Phone:

512-471-8944


3

University of Texas Tower

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Location:

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2400 Inner Campus Drive
University of Texas Campus
Austin, TX 78731

Phone:

512-475-6633


4

Milto's Pizza Pub

Location:

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2909 Guadalupe Street
Austin, TX 78705-3721

Phone:

+1 512 476 1021


5

Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum

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Location:

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2313 Red River
University of Texas
Austin, TX 78705

Phone:

+1 512 721 0200


6

Hoover's Cooking

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Location:

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2002 Manor Road
Austin, TX 78722

Phone:

512 479 5006


Day 5 - Austin


Opt for blueberry banana pancakes this morning at Magnolia Cafe or concoct your own special pancake recipe before setting out on a outdoor adventure at the Austin Nature and Science Center. After a couple hours in Texas' well-known heat and humidity, quench your thirsty and your growing appetite with a leisurely, healthy Mexican meal at Zocalo Cafe. While you're in the Clarksville neighborhood, wander along the boutique shops on West Lynn and, if you're up for more shopping, venture over to old West Sixth Street just west of Lamar Boulevard for antiques, artwork and more. For dinner, head downtown to Kenichi, a popular sushi spot known for sophisticated, innovative plates of fresh fish. Cap the night with live music at a legendary venue--nearby Antone's Nightclub.


1

Magnolia Cafe

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Location:

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2304 Lake Austin Boulevard
Austin, TX 78703-4546

Phone:

+1 512 478 8645


2

Austin Nature and Science Center

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Location:

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301 Nature Center Drive
Zilker Park
Austin, TX 78746

Phone:

+1 512 327 8181


3

Zocalo Café

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Location:

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1110 West Lynn Street
Austin, TX 78703

Phone:

+512 472 8226


4

Clarksville District

Location:

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Between West 10th and Mo-Pac Expressway
Austin, TX 78703

Phone:

+1 512 474 5171


5

Antone's

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Location:

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213 West Fifth Street
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

+512 320 8424


6

Kenichi

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Location:

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419 Colorado Street
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

512 320 8883


Day 6 - Austin


Make a visit to the Austin Zoo the first priority of the day to avoid the high summer temperatures. Once you've got your fill of cute and cuddly animals (all rescued from circuses and other unfortunate circumstances,) make your way to the nearby Austin Pizza Garden, located at the Y--the nickname for the junction of Highway 290 West and Highway 71--in the Oak Hill neighborhood. After getting your fill of New York style pizza, head downtown for a tour of the Governor's Mansion, followed by a cool, educational stroll through the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. Don't miss the massive IMAX theatre inside and the handful of exciting shows playing. Once you've learned all you ever wanted to know about the Lone Star State, get your fill of traditional Southern barbeque at the legendary Stubb's Barbecue.


1

Austin Zoo

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Location:

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10807 Rawhide Trail
Austin, TX 78709

Phone:

+1 512 288 1490 / +1 800 291 1490


2

Austin Pizza Garden

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Location:

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6266 Highway 290 W
Austin, TX 78735

Phone:

+1 512 891 9980


3

Governor's Mansion of Texas

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Location:

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1010 Colorado St
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

+1 512 474 9960


4

Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum

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Location:

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1800 N. Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78705

Phone:

512-936-8746


5

Stubb's Barbecue

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Location:

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801 Red River Street
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

+512 480 8341


Day 7 - Austin


Don't get lazy on your final day in the city. Start your day with your favorite breakfast staples at Kerbey Lane Cafe before heading out of the city proper to enjoy the locally owned Boggy Creek Farm, where organic meat and loads of fruits and veggies are grown. From there, make an afternoon pit stop at Eastside Cafe for a inventive meal fresh from the on-site garden. Wander the eye-catching Austin Museum of Art at Laguna Gloria and its beautiful grounds before settling down for a bucket of beer, a juicy burger and a blockbuster film at the fun, kitschy downtown movie theatre known as Alamo Drafthouse Cinema at the Ritz.


1

Kerbey Lane Cafe

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Location:

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3704 Kerbey Lane
Austin, TX 78731

Phone:

+1 512 451 1436


2

Boggy Creek Farm

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Location:

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3414 Lyons Road
Austin, TX 78702

Phone:

+1 512 926 4650


3

Eastside Cafe

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Location:

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2113 Manor Road
Austin, TX 78722-2437

Phone:

512-476-5858


4

Austin Museum of Art at Laguna Gloria

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Location:

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3809 West 35th Street
Austin, TX 78767

Phone:

512-458-8191


5

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema - Downtown

Location:

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310 East 6th Street
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

+512 476 1320


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