Things to Do
Things to Do across Austin, TX.
Showing 121–144 of 402 places
Hotel Viata
West Lake Hills
Tucked into the wooded hills of West Lake Hills just off the Loop 360 corridor, Hotel Viata leans into a Mediterranean sensibility, with an on-site Italian restaurant and a setting that puts you within walking distance of the shops and restaurants at the Hill Country Galleria. It's a quieter base a short drive west of downtown Austin, the kind of place that trades urban bustle for Hill Country calm.
The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co.
Austin
The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co.—known to regulars as ABGB—pours its beers in a roomy South Austin space where a live band is often playing and wood-fired pizzas come out of the kitchen alongside the pints. It leans more local hangout than tourist stop, so plan around the limited hours and expect a relaxed, all-ages crowd settling in for an afternoon.
Friends Bar
Austin
Friends Bar sits on Austin's Sixth Street, the downtown stretch known for its dense run of bars and live music, and keeps a kitchen turning out Tex-Mex and American plates alongside the music. It runs late, with doors open until 2 AM midweek, so it tends to draw a crowd looking for food and a band rather than a quiet night out.
Ojos Locos Sports Cantina (Austin, TX)
Austin
A Latino-themed sports cantina just off I-35, Ojos Locos pairs wall-to-wall TVs tuned to fútbol and American games with a menu of Mexican plates and michelada-style drinks. The vibe leans lively and bilingual, especially on match days, when the dining room doubles as a place to catch live music and a loud, communal crowd.
Speakeasy
Austin
Tucked into a downtown spot just off Congress Avenue, the Speakeasy leans into its name with a multi-level layout where you'll find live music, a lounge-style bar, and room to settle in for the night rather than just grab a drink and go. Come evening it shifts toward a nightclub energy, so it tends to draw a crowd looking to stay out late rather than turn in early.
Westgate Lanes
Austin
Westgate Lanes is a longtime bowling alley on Austin's south side, off William Cannon Drive, with lanes open late most nights for casual games and league play. Beyond the bowling, you'll find the usual arcade games and a snack bar, making it a low-key spot for a rainy afternoon or an evening out with friends.
Saxon Pub
Austin
Saxon Pub is a small, no-frills live music room on South Lamar that's been a fixture of the Austin singer-songwriter scene for decades, the kind of place where you can catch working musicians up close most nights of the week. Look for the giant knight statue out front, come early for a seat, and expect a crowd that's there to listen rather than talk over the band.
Verbena Food & Drink
Austin
Set on West 6th Street, one of downtown Austin's busier stretches for food and nightlife, Verbena Food & Drink wears several hats over the course of a day, opening early for a sit-down meal and shifting into bar and lounge territory as the evening goes on. It's the kind of spot worth knowing for its flexibility — a daytime restaurant and gathering place that also works for a late drink or a private event.
Parker Jazz Club
Austin
Parker Jazz Club is an intimate basement venue in downtown Austin, where the focus stays squarely on the music—small enough that no seat feels far from the stage, with a listening-room atmosphere that rewards arriving early. Note the limited schedule: it currently opens only Tuesday and Wednesday evenings for a couple of hours, so it's worth checking show times before you plan your night.
Firehouse Lounge
Austin
Tucked inside the Firehouse Hostel on Brazos Street, this downtown cocktail bar hides behind a bookshelf in the lobby — the kind of entrance you'll walk past twice before you find the right shelf to pull. Once inside, it's a dim, low-key lounge built around craft cocktails, with live music and DJ sets pulling in a later crowd as the night goes on.
Industry
Austin
Tucked into East Austin's 5th Street, Industry wears a lot of hats—part brunch spot, part sports bar, part live-music room—with a kitchen turning out American plates from a 9 a.m. open well into the night. Come for weekend eggs and stay for a game on the screens or a band later on, when the room shifts from breakfast easy to bar lively.
Comedy Mothership
Austin
Comedy Mothership is Joe Rogan's comedy club on Sixth Street, occupying a renovated space in the heart of downtown Austin's nightlife strip, with multiple rooms that host both touring headliners and the comics who've relocated to the city's growing stand-up scene. Shows run late and the lineups often aren't announced in advance, so it's worth checking who's booked—and grabbing tickets early—since drop-in big names are part of the draw.
New World Deli
Austin
A longtime neighborhood fixture just north of the UT campus, New World Deli serves up generous sandwiches, soups, and breakfast in an unfussy, order-at-the-counter setting that draws a steady mix of students and locals. You'll notice the laid-back, no-frills vibe right away — it's the kind of place built for a casual lunch rather than a scene, though it occasionally hosts live music and events.
The Brewtorium Brewery & Kitchen
Austin
The Brewtorium sits in a low-slung industrial stretch of north Austin's Highland neighborhood, a German- and Belgian-leaning brewery whose beer hall opens onto a roomy patio that fills up on warm evenings. Expect house-brewed lagers and ales alongside a from-scratch kitchen menu, with plenty of communal seating for groups.
Broken Spoke
Austin
The Broken Spoke is one of the last of the old-school Texas honky-tonks, a low-slung dance hall on South Lamar where the two-step is still the main event and the kitchen turns out chicken-fried steak alongside the music. Come early on a dance night, squeeze into the tight wooden room, and you'll notice the walls crowded with decades of country-music memorabilia before the band even starts.
Bullock Museum IMAX Theatre
Austin
Part of the Bullock Texas State History Museum just north of the Capitol, this IMAX theater pairs a screen several stories tall with a sound system you feel as much as hear, screening both nature and science documentaries and current Hollywood releases. It's worth checking the schedule before you go, since showtimes run alongside the museum's hours rather than a typical multiplex's, with later screenings on Wednesdays.
San Jac Saloon
Austin
San Jac Saloon sits in the thick of Austin's Sixth Street entertainment district, where it pairs a cocktail-and-bar setup with a stage for live music. Plan on an afternoon-into-late-night rhythm here — doors open at 2 PM and the night runs to 2 AM, so it leans more toward evening drinks and shows than a daytime stop.
Sahara Lounge
Austin
Sahara Lounge sits in East Austin and is known for live world music—particularly African, Latin, and global sounds—often featuring the family band Zoumountchi, with an attached backyard patio that fills up on show nights. It's a no-frills, come-as-you-are spot where the focus is squarely on the dancing and the music rather than the decor.
Monster Mini Golf Round Rock
Round Rock
Monster Mini Golf Round Rock is an indoor, glow-in-the-dark miniature golf course, part of a national franchise built around a tongue-in-cheek "monster" theme with blacklit decor, animated props, and a soundtrack that leans into the spooky-but-family-friendly atmosphere. It's a reliable rainy-day or beat-the-Texas-heat option just off Gattis School Road, with the 18-hole course typically paired with an arcade.
K1 Speed Austin
Austin
K1 Speed Austin runs all-electric indoor go-karts on a concrete track tucked into a North Austin warehouse, so you can race regardless of the Texas heat or a sudden afternoon storm. First-timers will notice how quick and quiet the electric karts feel off the line, and there's an arcade and food on site if you want to make an afternoon of it.
HOTEL VEGAS
Austin
Hotel Vegas is an East Sixth Street mainstay where two indoor stages and a sprawling string-lit back patio host nightly live music spanning psych-rock, garage, cumbia, and beyond. The first thing you'll notice is the laid-back, divey character that sets it apart from the polished bars nearby—expect cheap drinks, a taco trailer out back, and a crowd that's there for the bands.
Historic Scoot Inn
Austin
Historic Scoot Inn sits in East Austin and is one of the city's older standing structures to host a bar, with a tree-shaded outdoor yard that anchors its live-music shows alongside a smaller indoor stage. You'll likely notice the laid-back, picnic-table atmosphere first—it leans more neighborhood beer garden than concert hall, even on nights when touring acts fill the lineup.
Cedar Door Patio Bar & Grill
Austin
Cedar Door is a longtime downtown Austin fixture near the Brazos Street corridor, known for its laid-back patio and a Mexican Martini that locals will tell you is the one to order. Expect a casual mix of after-work crowds and sports fans settling in over American bar-and-grill fare.
Warehouse Billiard Bar
Austin
Warehouse Billiard Bar is a South Austin spot off Ben White Boulevard where pool tables share the room with sports on the screens, and the kitchen and bar stay open well past midnight. It leans more neighborhood hangout than upscale lounge, so expect a casual crowd settling in for games, drinks, and whatever match happens to be on.