Austin, TX
What to do in Austin, Texas | Now To Love
There are many things that Austin, the capital of Texas in the USA, is well-known for, but one reigns supreme – barbecue. Indeed, the whole state is obsessed with the stuff, and Texans really do it bigger and better than anyone!
That’s why, on a 35-degree day, we’ve joined a long queue at famous food joint Franklin Barbecue to get our hands on their brisket.
Shuffling slowly towards the door, we can see people coming out with trays of meat, coleslaw and potato salad, and it looks delicious.
Finally it’s our turn and the food does not disappoint – the brisket is cooked for hours in the restaurant’s smoker, it falls apart as you touch it and tastes amazing.
We add a pork rib and some turkey to the mix (well, we had to try it, right?) and all of it was sublime.
Stuffed full, we step back out into the heat to head towards some more of the Austin landmarks – although we’re taking them in from the comfort of a bus with Austin Detours’ The Real Austin tour.
Our driver takes us to the imposing pink granite Texas Capitol building, and we head inside to see the impressive and historic place for ourselves.
A drive around some other hotspots – including the famous Greetings From Austin mural, food trucks and well-known stores – gives us a great overview of the city and introduces us to yet another Austin must-see – the bats!
Every summer night at sundown, thousands of bats fly out from under the Congress Avenue Bridge, and tourists flock to see the spectacle – it’s certainly impressive!
Back to food and it’s time for dinner. We hit up Kemuri Tatsu-Ya – a restaurant we had seen on Netflix’s Somebody Feed Phil.
A fusion of barbecue and Japanese cuisine, this place is well worth a visit, with the brisket and gouda stuffed tofu pockets a real highlight.
Once again full to the brim, we hop on some electric scooters to ride to our next famous Austin landmark – The White Horse Honky Tonk bar in East Austin.
Austin is a music town, and this place is the real deal, filled with couples doing the Texas Two Step to live music. It’s great fun, and if you’re feeling brave enough, you can head out on to the dance floor, too!
If you’re not done after a boogie here, head to 6th Street. This is where you’ll find more bars, clubs and restaurants, and music playing every night.
Another favourite is the fun Rainey Street, where houses have been turned into bars and a host of food trucks feed the partiers. Both places will have you out ’til late!
Of course, there is far more to the city of Austin than just booze and barbecue, so we also make sure to head to Blanton Museum of Art.
This impressive museum houses the famous art and architecture work ‘Austin’ by Ellsworth Kelly, and is great to get to if you’re in the area. An afternoon spent here is a nice way to beat the heat, and see a different side to the town the locals want to “stay weird”.
An Uber ride to the super cool shopping district of South Congress, including the famous Allens Boots store where we try on a load of boots, tops off the day.
Wandering through boutiques and trying on Stetsons is fun, and there are plenty of food stops and bars should you get tired.
While famous for its barbecue and bats, adding great shopping, music and art to the mix means that Austin, in fact, has something for everyone.
Where to stay
The Loren at Lady Bird Lake is the perfect place to rest when you’re in Austin. It’s across the lake from the city, so you get great views of the skyline AND you’re a little removed from the action.
This luxe hotel also has a fitness centre with a yoga studio, and rooftop pool – great for when the temperature rises and that Texan sun hits hard.
We had a king room complete with a great view over the trees to the water, and the most comfortable bed we have ever slept in!
The restaurant Nido is well worth a visit too – combining Texan cuisine with fine dining and really, really good cocktails.
A walk (or ride) across the bridge and you’re firmly in the action of downtown Austin, plus you’re also close to the water if you’re keen on paddle boarding (or a swim in Barton Springs pool).
Juneteenth celebrations are happening across the city this weekend. The events will mark the 161st anniversary of the day Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay to announce that more than 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were free. The announcement on June 19, 1865, came more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. June 19 — known as Juneteenth — became a federal holiday in 2021.
From historical bike rides to Austin’s annual parade, here are seven events taking place in Austin.
Annual Juneteenth FunRun, June 19
The city of Austin’s African American Cultural and Heritage Facility will host a fun run starting at 8:30 a.m. on Friday at East Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Leona Street, and concluding at Hargrave Street near the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex. Participants will have one hour to complete the course. The route is the same as the parade through the African American Historical Cultural District that will start later that morning. Runners and walkers of all ages and levels can participate.
Central Texas Juneteenth Parade & Festival, June 19
The annual Juneteenth parade will take place Friday and begin at 10 a.m. at East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Leona Street and will travel down to Chicon Street before turning on Rosewood Avenue. The parade will feature floats, live music and performers.
A Very Juneteenth Comedy Jam, June 19
The Velveeta Room, Austin’s longest-running comedy club, will have shows highlighting Black voices Friday night at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. The 18+ event will feature comedians like Freddy Do Less and Roderick McDaniel. Tickets for both shows are around $23.
Sistas Walk And Talk: Juneteenth Edition, June 20
Texas Sistas Society will host a 3-mile walk and talk Saturday at 515 S. Pleasant Valley Road starting at 7:45 a.m. Texas Sistas Society is an Austin-based community created for Black women and women of color. Attendees are encouraged to wear Juneteenth colors: red, yellow, green or black, and to RSVP ahead of time.
The Carver Kickback: Juneteenth Edition, June 20
The George Washington Carver Museum in Austin is dedicated to creating a “space where the global contributions of all Black people are celebrated.” The museum is hosting a free celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday with barbecue plates, live music, vendors and activities for all ages.
Black Auteur Film Festival, June 20
The Black Auteur Film Festival, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting Black filmmakers in Texas, is hosting its third annual film festival to showcase short films directed by Black Texans at AFS Cinema on Saturday. One filmmaker will win the $1,000 “Best of Fest” award, and attendees can enter a raffle for a chance to win Austin Film Society memberships and movie tickets. The festival runs from 2 to 5 p.m. Tickets are $14.
Juneteenth Social Ride, June 21
Black History Bike Ride, an Austin nonprofit teaching people about the city’s Black history through cycling, is hosting its seventh annual Juneteenth ride starting at the Haskell House on Saturday at 10 a.m. Austin-based historian Harrison Eppright will serve as the ride’s guide. Registration is required for all attendees. The event is free, but donations are encouraged.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Data analyst Corey Yeung created the ATX Running Guide to help runners find community across Central Texas. What started as a personal project has become one of Austin’s most comprehensive running resources.
Looking for a Run Club? There’s a Map for That
When Corey Yeung moved to Austin three years ago, he had a simple question:
“How many run clubs are actually out there?” The answer wasn’t easy to find. While several websites listed local groups, Yeung felt none offered a complete picture. So, he decided to build one himself. What started as a spreadsheet evolved into ATX Running Guide, a website and social media platform that helps runners discover clubs throughout the Austin area.
“The list would be more useful if it were a map and search tool,” Yeung said. “The Instagram page was simply a way to communicate those free resources to the community.”
Today, the guide covers running groups from San Marcos to Hutto and serves as a one-stop resource for runners looking to connect. In this episode of KXAN’S Plus Simple Health, Corey Yeung walks us through everything you need to know about the 200-plus running clubs in Austin.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Volts are off to a rough start in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, but maybe a little home cooking can help them get right.
After playing their first five games on the road, the Volts open play at Dell Diamond in Round Rock at 6 p.m. Thursday against the Utah Talons, kicking off an 8-game homestand.
It’s the first season the Volts will call Dell Diamond home. In the league’s inaugural season last year, the original four teams competed with a touring schedule that included a stop at Dell Diamond. This is the first year that the AUSL, now a 6-team league, will play in home markets.
They have a roster peppered with local stars, including 2-time NCAA national champion middle infielder Leighann Goode from the Texas Longhorns. Aliyah Binford, a New Braunfels native, played collegiately for Ole Miss and former Texas State pitcher Jessica Mullins made an appearance in the Volts’ previous series against the Carolina Blaze.
Goode said there’s been a bit of a learning curve, but she credits her teammates for helping her adjust to the league.
“This group has brought me in and taught me stuff, taken me under their wings,” she said. “They’ve done an awesome job.”
Legendary Texas pitcher Cat Osterman is the team’s general manager, and the head coach is Texas State’s Ricci Woodard.
“We’re ready to rock and roll at home,” Woodard said. “I’m anxious to see what happens now that we get to play in our own place.”
Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 draft, joined the team last weekend after a brief contract holdout.
The Volts are 1-4 this season, picking up their lone win over the Oklahoma City Spark on June 10. They’ll face the Talons in a 3-game series, the Chicago Bandits for a pair June 23-24, and finish the homestand with a 3-game set against the expansion Portland Cascade on June 26-28.
Ryan Sanders Baseball, the organization that owns and operates the Round Rock Express, is an operating partner with the Volts and an investor with the AUSL.
-
Washington1 minute agoStorm Team4 Forecast: Much-needed morning rain before sunny afternoon
-
Wisconsin8 minutes agoThese Wisconsin swing voters say Trump’s war in Iran wasn’t worth it
-
West Virginia11 minutes agoDelays expected during traffic shift on US 119 for bridge work
-
Wyoming16 minutes agoJune 18 recap: Wyoming news you may have missed today
-
Crypto23 minutes agoEl Salvador Adds to Bitcoin Reserve Again as Daily Buys Push Stack Past 7,680 BTC
-
Finance26 minutes agoLUMIQ Raises Strategic Funding to Become the AI Decision Layer for Financial Services
-
Fitness31 minutes agoWhen is the best time to exercise in the heat?
-
Movie Reviews41 minutes ago‘Maa Inti Bangaram’ Movie Review: Samantha Rocks, Writing Suffers
