Don’ts of Texas: Tips for Your First Visit
Greetings from Austin, Texas! Every travel blog tells you what to do when you travel, but we like to tell you what not to do, so you can be prepared for your trip. Whether you’re in Austin to shop on Congress Street, or to throw back a few drinks on East 6th Street, these are the “don’ts” of visiting Austin, Texas.
Austin, Texas Tip #1: Don’t Freak Out About the Bats
There are anywhere from 700,000 to 1.5 million bats in Austin, but they’re not flying all over the city. They all live under the Congress Bridge and put on a nightly show in the warmer months. It’s really cool to see, and a huge part of Austin’s identity, so you’ll see bat memorabilia all over town.
Austin, Texas Tip #2: Don’t Expect to See the Bats Between November & February
The bats fly south for the winter, so if you want to see them, you have to visit when it’s a bit warmer.
Austin, Texas Tip #3: Don’t Visit During a Festival Unless it’s the Reason for Your Visit
Unless you are specifically visiting Austin for a festival, try to avoid visiting, especially during SXSW. Austin isn’t a huge city, so a big festival can really cause a hike in hotel prices and reduced availability. Even a UT football game can cause hotels to raise their rates.
Austin, Texas Tip #4: Don’t Drive in Austin
The population of Austin has exploded in recent years, and the infrastructure can’t keep up. Highways, surface streets and even parking are all very challenging in Austin. If you have to drive in, just valet your car and leave it there for the duration of your stay.
Austin, Texas Tip #5: Don’t Count on Public Transportation
Texas is really a car-based state and not many people rely on public transportation. There are a few buses around the downtown area of Austin, but they’re not widely prevalent, and not really ideal for tourists visiting Austin.
Austin, Texas Tip #6: Don’t Be Afraid to Uber Everywhere
Uber and Taxis are everywhere in Austin. Austin is a really young city, so Uber is super popular, and many people don’t even have cars, they just Uber everywhere. After about five Uber rides, the longest we had to wait was two minutes; so you can see how prevalent they are.
Austin, Texas Tip #7: Don’t Speed When You Drive
If you decide to drive in Austin, don’t speed! The police in Austin are pretty strict about speeding, parking and traffic laws in general. Because of the parking restrictions, it’s also really important to be ready for your Uber when it arrives so that your driver doesn’t get a ticket for standing in a zone.
Austin, Texas Tip #8: Don’t Come to Austin on a Diet
One of the best things about Austin is the food, so come hungry, and leave your diet at home. The BBQ in Austin is great, and it’s brisket or beef BBQ, not the pork you’ll find elsewhere in the South. In addition to excellent BBQ, there’s also really good Tex-Mex food in Austin, not to mention interesting international cuisines popping up all over town. Make sure you also have chicken-fried steak while you’re here.
Read: Five Foods You Have to Eat in Texas
Austin, Texas Tip #9: Don’t Be a Snob About Food Trucks
Food trucks are all over Austin and usually one of the best places to eat. From breakfast tacos to late night snacks, some of the best food in Austin comes from a truck. If you’re craving something, there’s probably a food truck selling it.
Austin, Texas Tip #10: Don’t Eat Breakfast in Your Hotel
Hotel breakfast is not worth it in Austin. Instead, go have a breakfast taco somewhere. It will be cheaper than a hotel breakfast and way more delicious! If you’re picturing a breakfast burrito from McDonald’s, the breakfast tacos in Austin are totally different. You just have to experience them to believe it.
Austin, Texas Tip #11: Don’t Judge Your Tacos By Price
Tacos that cost more aren’t necessarily better than the cheap tacos on the street. It’s hard to find a bad taco in Austin, so don’t think you have to spend more for the best taco in town.
Austin, Texas Tip #12: Don’t Fall for “Keep Austin Weird”
“Keep Austin Weird” was a slogan started many years ago, referring to how Austin is “weirder” than the rest of Texas. With so many jobs and new residents flooding in, gentrification follows and the “weird” vibe is much less prevalent than ten years ago. Austin is still eccentric, especially compared to Dallas or Houston, but the chains and hipsters have also moved in. Anymore, “Keep Austin Weird” is just a marketing slogan.
Austin, Texas Tip #13: Don’t Go to a BBQ Place if There’s No Line
The best BBQ joints are going to have a line to get in. Follow that line, don’t try to find someplace where there is no line, because that’s not a good sign. Franklin’s is one of the most popular BBQ joints for tourists, and the wait can be as long as two hours to get a table. The longer the line, the better the BBQ!
Austin, Texas Tip #14: Don’t Worry About Having a Good Time
It’s hard to have a bad time in Austin, no matter what you like to do. Shopping is great, the nightlife scene is legendary and I think you can tell we love the food. There are several cool neighborhoods and districts within Austin, each with their own vibe. Rainey Street has a more relaxed vibe where old houses have been turned into restaurants and bars, while Sixth Street is where Austin goes to party. If you’re visiting Austin with kids, there are also plenty of things to do, from museums and parks, and even a day trip to San Antonio.
Read: Five Tips for Visiting San Antonio
Austin, Texas Tip #15: Don’t Expect to Find “Real” Locals
Austin is full of transplants, many of them from recent tech booms, so there aren’t a lot of natives in Austin.
Austin, Texas Tip #16: Don’t Expect Live Music Everywhere All the Time
Austin is well known for having an amazing live music scene, but don’t expect it to be all over. The live music venues are really concentrated in a few areas of Austin, especially if you are looking for music throughout the day. Sixth Street and Red River are both good areas to catch live music in Austin.
Austin, Texas Tip #17: Don’t Be Surprised by Beggars
Don’t be surprised by the beggars in Austin. With so many tourists, there are a lot of beggars on the streets. But, they are not aggressive, so you can easily say no and keep walking. Some of them have a sense of humor, as evidenced by the “Need Money for Weed” sign we saw downtown. The more aggressive “beggars” are the ones working for non-profits, trying to get you to sign up for something.
Don’t let these “don’ts” scare you off. Austin is really a fantastic city; with lots of things to do, awesome food and friendly people. Feel free to add more “don’ts” in the comments below! For more travel tips, check out these blog posts and videos: