AUSTIN, Texas — Austin likes to call itself weird, but, really, it’s not any weirder than Georgia’s Athens, which is similarly laid-back, football-obsessed and imperiously proud of its music scene. Austin doesn’t have Athens’ Victorian architecture, of course. Around here, anything built in 1960 is considered historic. Come to think of it, that’s weird.
Weird or not, Austin is a magnet for music fans, foodies and seekers of cool, and Southwest Airlines’ new nonstops from Atlanta beginning today (with prices starting at $305.60 round trip, taxes and fees included) should make this a more affordable destination.
The question is not so much why visit Austin, but when? Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day here at a romantic or funky-romantic hotel? (Watch out if by some freak chance a snowflake falls; people drive weirdly.) Do you wait until spring, when Mexican free-tailed bats pour out from under the Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge and it’s warm enough to take a dip in the iconic Barton Springs icy-cold natural pool? (The pool’s open year round, but January and February can be a bit chilly to swim in 68-degree water.)
Or do you plan a trip for South by Southwest (March 9-18), crash on a friend’s couch (because most of the hotels are sold out already) and take part in the city’s biggest event of the year?
This favorite of the music industry is expensive — $700 for a music badge — and the competition to get into showcases is fierce. But a lot of us locals don’t pay a dime. We just keep our eyes and ears open (www.austin360.com is a good source) and get an earful at free, unofficial performances. You’re welcome to do the same.
Regardless of why or when you arrive, here are some ideas for crafting a highly Austinesque itinerary:
Grab some music. Red River Street is the most club-intensive avenue, where the likes of Club DeVille (900 Red River St.), Stubb’s Bar-B-Q (801 Red River St.) and Red-Eyed Fly (715 Red River St.) are exquisitely unfancy music spots.
Or grab a beer and catch a local favorite such as James McMurtry at the Continental Club at 1315 S. Congress Ave. If you buy boots (try Allens Boots, 1522 S. Congress Ave.) and wish to scoot them, head for the Broken Spoke at 3201 S. Lamar Blvd.
Happy hour is an art form in Austin. One good bet is Parkside (301 E. Sixth St.), where happy hour features half-price beer and cocktails as well as half-price bar food such as oysters and a massive cheeseburger. And don’t be afraid of the Four Seasons’ upscale Trio (98 San Jacinto Blvd. downstairs). Wine and appetizer prices are cut in half, and you even get free valet parking. (This, folks, is huge.)
Stroll boho-chic South Congress Avenue. Browse the shops, and eat without reservations, in every sense of the word. Just stop, wait in line and anticipate. Sample one of the basic food groups of Austin, Mexican food, at Guero’s Taco Bar (1412 S. Congress Ave.), revel in seafood at Perla’s Seafood & Oyster Bar (1400 S. Congress Ave.) or indulge in creative Italian at Vespaio (1610 S. Congress Ave.) . Or just graze the food trailers.
Austin’s more than music. It also boasts some fine museums. The Harry Ransom Center on the University of Texas campus (300 W. 21st St., hrc.utexas.edu) is a must for literary fans — and it’s free. Ever-changing exhibits showcase the papers of authors from Edgar Allan Poe to Woodward and Bernstein.
At the edge of the campus, the Blanton Museum of Art (200 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., www.blantonmuseum.org, $9), is the pride of the city’s art world. Across the street, the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum (1800 Congress Ave., thestoryoftexas.com; $9 for exhibits; extra for movies) will fill you in on why everything’s so big here, including egos.
You can’t leave without trying some barbecue. The brisket at Franklin Barbecue, 900 E. 11th St., draws long lines. It’s worth the wait. Downtown, try Iron Works BBQ (100 Red River St.) for brisket, ribs and chicken. Ruby’s BBQ (512 W. 29th St.) near the UT campus is famous for its wide world of sides, including two different potato salads.
Or get in the car and do the ’cue tour. Drive south to Driftwood to try the famous Salt Lick (18300 FM 1826), so inundated with humanity that I once saw a guy order a pizza to eat while he waited for his table.
Half an hour southeast on U.S. 183, Lockhart is famed for both Kreuz Market (619 N. Colorado St.) and Smitty’s (208 S. Commerce St.). And there’s always Louie Mueller in Taylor (206 W. 2nd St.), 20 minutes north of downtown Austin. Get there by early afternoon or the food will be gone.
A word about Austin traffic oddities: Angle parking, especially along South Congress Avenue, is back-in. That means you can expect cars to screech to a stop in front of you in order to back carefully into spaces.
Also, you’ll occasionally see a bicycle painted on a wide lane of a major street such as South Congress. Is that a bike lane? It is not. It’s a car lane. The painted bike means that cyclists can ride there if they want to. Of course, they can, so why paint a bike there? It’s weird.
But, then, it’s Austin.
If you goGetting there: Southwest Airlines now offers nonstop service to Austin. www.southwest.com.
Where to eatCongress. $75 for a three-course menu. 200 Congress Ave., 512-827-2760.Trace at the W Hotel. Texas treats such as rabbit pot pie. 200 Lavaca St. 512-542-3660, www.whotelaustin.com.Uchi. Small bites (such as pork jowl with Brussels sprout kimchee and preserved lemon crème fraiche) along with traditional sushi. 801 S. Lamar Blvd. 512-916-4808.Uchiko. Features the creations of executive chef Paul Qui of Top Chef Texas fame. 4200 N. Lamar Blvd. 512-916-4808.
Where to staySan Jose Hotel. Winter rates start at $175. 1316 S. Congress Ave., www.sanjosehotel.com.
Hotel Saint Cecilia. $310. 112 Academy Drive, www.hotelstcecilia.com.
Austin Motel. $85. 1220 S. Congress Ave. www.austinmotel.com.
W Hotel. $341. 200 Lavaca St., www.whotelaustin.com.
Four Seasons. $449. 98 San Jacinto Blvd. www.fourseasons.com/austin.
Visitor informationAustin Convention and Visitors Bureau. 866-Go-Austin. www.austintexas.org.The Austin-American Statesman. www.austin360.com.
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