Things to Do
Things to Do across Austin, TX.
Showing 73–96 of 402 places
Texas Performing Arts
Austin
Texas Performing Arts is the University of Texas at Austin's flagship performing arts center, anchored by Bass Concert Hall on the southeast edge of campus, where touring Broadway productions, orchestras, dance companies, and student showcases share the season. First-time visitors usually notice how easy it is to pair a show with a walk through the surrounding university grounds, though it's worth checking event-specific parking in advance since the venue sits in the heart of the UT campus.
B. Iden Payne Theatre
Austin
Riverside Drive aside, the B. Iden Payne Theatre sits inside the University of Texas at Austin's Winship Drama Building, named for the longtime UT theater professor often credited as a father of regional theater in America. It's primarily a teaching venue, so expect productions staged by the Department of Theatre and Dance — student and faculty work rather than touring shows — in an intimate proscenium space.
Performing Arts Center
Austin
Set on the University of Texas at Austin campus, this is the heart of Texas Performing Arts, anchored by Bass Concert Hall and a cluster of smaller stages that host touring Broadway productions, orchestral and dance performances, and university recitals. Arriving for an evening show, you'll notice the steady stream of students and longtime Austin theatergoers mingling in the lobby, so plan for campus parking and give yourself extra time to find the right entrance.
Mindspark
Austin
Tucked into the Ridgepoint Drive area of northeast Austin, Mindspark is a family-focused amusement center—the kind of spot locals turn to for a rainy afternoon or a kid's birthday outing. Plan to spend a couple of hours here, and check current hours before you go, since places like this often keep different schedules on weekdays versus weekends.
Salvage Vanguard Theater
Austin
Salvage Vanguard Theater has long been a fixture of Austin's experimental performance scene, a company built around new and original work rather than familiar standards. Expect an intimate, no-frills space where the focus stays squarely on adventurous theater, live music, and collaborations with local artists.
Excused Absence Comedy
Austin
Tucked into East Austin's 2nd Street, Excused Absence Comedy pairs live stand-up and improv shows with a teaching side, running classes and workshops for people who want to get on stage themselves. As a non-profit, it leans into the scrappy, community-minded corner of Austin's comedy scene, so expect an intimate room and local performers rather than a glossy chain-club feel.
The Escape Game Austin
Austin
Part of a well-established national chain, The Escape Game Austin sits on Red River Street in the heart of downtown, putting you within walking distance of the Sixth Street scene once your hour is up. Inside, you'll find themed rooms—heists, prison breaks, and the like—where your group works against the clock to solve a series of physical and logical puzzles, so it tends to suit anyone who likes a bit of teamwork and lateral thinking.
Circuit of The Americas
Austin
Circuit of The Americas is a purpose-built motorsports track on the outskirts of Austin, best known as the permanent home of Formula 1's United States Grand Prix, with a 3.4-mile circuit whose first turn climbs a famously steep hill that rewards walking the grounds on foot. Beyond race weekends, the property doubles as a large outdoor concert venue at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater, so what's happening when you visit depends entirely on the calendar.
The Oasis On Lake Travis
Austin
Perched on a hillside above Lake Travis, The Oasis is known for its multi-tiered wooden decks that step down toward the water, drawing crowds who come as much for the sweeping westward views as for the Tex-Mex menu. Time your visit for late afternoon, when the staff traditionally rings a bell at sunset and the decks fill up fast.
Mozart's Coffee Roasters
Austin
Mozart's sits right on the edge of Lake Austin, where a sprawling multi-level wooden deck overlooks the water and the boats drifting past — the kind of place where people linger over coffee and a slice of cake well past dark. Come for the lake view and the late hours, but know that weekends draw a crowd, and around the holidays the patio lights up with a popular synchronized music-and-light show.
Pinballz Lake Creek
Austin
This sprawling Austin entertainment complex pairs Pinballz's signature wall-to-wall collection of classic and modern pinball machines with go-karts, bowling lanes, and a full bar and kitchen, so it leans more toward a full evening out than a quick stop. First-timers usually notice the sheer density of games packed in — vintage cabinets sitting right alongside the latest tables — making it easy to lose a few hours without realizing it.
Moonshine Grill
Austin
Moonshine Grill occupies a limestone building in Austin's Red River district, serving comfort-leaning American fare in a setting that pairs an indoor dining room with a tree-shaded patio. It's best known for its weekend brunch buffet, so expect a crowd if you're stopping by on a Saturday or Sunday.
Austin City Limits Live (ACL Live & 3TEN ACL Live)
Austin
Home to the long-running PBS series *Austin City Limits*, this downtown theater—the Moody Theater—hosts touring acts in a space designed so most seats feel close to the stage, while its smaller sibling, 3TEN, offers a more intimate room downstairs for up-and-coming artists. Outside, you'll find the Willie Nelson statue on the boulevard that shares his name, a fitting marker for a venue rooted in Austin's music tradition.
Escapology Escape Rooms
Round Rock
Part of the Escapology chain, this Round Rock spot sets you and your group inside themed rooms where you've got 60 minutes to work through a sequence of puzzles, locks, and hidden clues before the clock runs out. It's a good fit for families, coworkers, or a small crew of friends, and the late evening hours mid-week mean you can book a game well after dinner.
Culinary Dropout
Austin
Culinary Dropout brings a gastropub sensibility to the Domain in north Austin, with a sprawling indoor-outdoor space where you'll find elevated comfort food—their pretzel bites with provolone fondue are something of a signature—alongside a full bar. Expect a lively, social atmosphere with games like ping-pong and bocce, plus regular live music that makes it as much a hangout as a dinner spot.
Stubb's Bar-B-Q
Austin
Part barbecue joint and part concert hall, Stubb's anchors Austin's Red River music district with smoked brisket and ribs served inside a 19th-century stone building, plus an outdoor amphitheater that draws touring acts. Come for the BBQ and the namesake sauce that grew into a grocery-store brand, but know that on show nights the back patio is as much the point as the plate.
Game Show Battle Rooms - Austin (The Domain)
Austin
Game Show Battle Rooms puts your group inside the kind of trivia-and-stunt challenges you've watched on TV—think rapid-fire question rounds and goofy timed tasks where two teams go head-to-head for points. Tucked into the Domain area on the north side of town, it leans more party than arcade, with a bar on site and a setup built for friend groups, coworkers, or anyone who's ever shouted answers at the screen from their couch.
Waterloo Records & Video
Austin
Waterloo Records is one of Austin's enduring independent record stores, a North Lamar fixture where the staff knows the local scene and the stock runs deep across new and used vinyl and CDs. It's as much a music hub as a shop—in-store performances are a regular part of the rhythm here, so it's worth checking the calendar before you stop by.
Hotel Van Zandt
Austin
Set in Austin's Rainey Street district, Hotel Van Zandt leans hard into the city's music identity, with instrument motifs woven through the design and live performances at its restaurant, Geraldine's. You're a short walk from the bungalow bars of Rainey Street and within reach of downtown and the Lady Bird Lake trail, which makes it an easy base whether you're here for shows or just wandering.
Escape Hour Austin
Austin
Tucked into a strip of shops along Wells Branch Parkway in north Austin, Escape Hour runs the kind of timed, lock-and-clue escape rooms you tackle as a small group, working through puzzles to "break out" before the clock runs down. It's a solid rainy-day or team-outing pick, though the hours skew toward afternoons and evenings, so it's worth booking your room ahead rather than dropping in.
Kick Butt Coffee
Austin
Kick Butt Coffee sits inside the Airport Boulevard complex on the north side of Austin, blending a coffeehouse with a bar and a small live-music stage—so a cup of coffee in the morning can give way to a band and a drink by night. Expect a casual, slightly punky local hangout where the crowd and the soundtrack shift depending on the hour you stop in.
Bass Concert Hall
Austin
Sitting on the University of Texas campus, Bass Concert Hall is Austin's largest performing arts venue, home to touring Broadway productions, the Austin Symphony, and a steady mix of classical, dance, and contemporary acts through Texas Performing Arts. Visitors usually notice the scale first—it's a proper big-house theater—so plan for campus parking and arrive with time to find your way in.
Santorini Cafe
Austin
Santorini Cafe is a Greek spot on North Lamar that doubles as a coffee shop and casual gathering place, with a menu leaning into Mediterranean staples alongside espresso drinks. It's the kind of place that hosts live music and events, so depending on when you stop in you might catch more than just a quiet lunch.
The Original Pinballz Arcade
Austin
The Original Pinballz Arcade gathers a sprawling collection of pinball machines and classic arcade cabinets in a North Austin storefront along Research Boulevard, with the older electromechanical and solid-state tables that give it its name sitting alongside newer titles. Open late most nights, it's set up for drop-in play rather than a quick visit, so expect to lose track of time once you start working through the rows.