Though most of Austin requires a car to get around, downtown and its surrounding area are pedestrian-friendly. Good thing that’s where all the action is. If you group attractions together, it's easy to walk between them all. For example, the Texas State Capitol, Sixth Street, Museum of the Weird, and the Paramount Theatre can be knocked out in one day, and on another, you may tackle Zilker Park, Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum, and Barton Springs at leisure. For draws along South Congress, The Domain, and East Austin, which are slightly further away, Uber or Lyft rideshare are both convenient and affordable.

There’s Austin absent of festivals, and there’s Austin during festivals: two very different experiences. Remember, this is a relatively small city, with less than half the population of Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio. When South by Southwest (SXSW), NASCAR, Formula 1 (F1), and Austin City Limits (ACL) descend in March and October, the landscape transforms. Streets are packed with badge-holders, and cars are gridlocked in traffic, but hey, there’s a heaving party at every turn. Consult the official events calendar before booking your trip.

Traditionally, Austin has been best known for Tex-Mex and barbecue trucks, and while they’re still the mainstays of every Austinite’s diet (especially Torchy’s and Tacodeli), the city has seen a culinary renaissance in recent years. The pandemic brought with it an influx of ex-pats that threw flavors from all over the world into the pot. North Austin is where many authentic Asian eateries lie, while South Congress peddles some particularly noteworthy Mediterranean and Latin American fare.

This is Texas, and it gets real hot (but you knew that), and Austin understands that comfort is key to good business. You’re pretty much fine to dress casually in all establishments, including at five-star hotels. Many upscale restaurants have patios where guests take full advantage of a little breeze in smart open-toe footwear. Go from brunch to a Zilker Park hang to a kayak ride—all in your fave flip-flops.

Austin is one of, if not the, most liberal city in the state of Texas. Here, where the mantra “Keep Austin Weird” is said with pride, you can totally do you. LGBTQ+ folk, women, people of color, and people of different abilities and orientations can generally explore without fear of discrimination.