I visited the ‘weird’ US city where graffiti is mandatory and music plays every night

Not a whole lot went into my decision to visit Austin, the capital of Texas.

Thanks to Cowboy Carter, Taylor Swift and Yellowstone, I’d wanted to go to a place where people said ‘ya’ll’ and spoke in that accent that sounds like melted butter.

Flights were booked and then November 2024 happened, and the idea of heading to the USA, let alone the famously Republican Lone Star State, suddenly felt a bit scary.

It was only when I did some research that I was learned Austin isn’t what you might expect from a place in sometimes described as the red-est state of them all.

The city’s motto? Keep Austin Weird. People here are fiercely protective of their quirky reputation, from their beloved bat colony (more on that later) to the food trucks that dot the sides of the roads.

After a week in Austin, it became clear that this place is gloriously out of the ordinary — and proud of it.

The ‘LA of Texas’

My first day in Austin, I woke up bleary-eyed, jet lagged and in desperate need of coffee.

I ventured down to the café of the Carpenter Hotel, where I was staying, and was surprised to find a queue of Lululemon clad hot girl-walkers, cute dogs in tow (the flat white and breakfast burrito was also delicious).

Austin is an active city. This is not the sprawling metropolis that you might expect from ‘everything’s bigger in Texas’ and so, while it’s not as walkable as the likes of London or Paris, you don’t always need a car to get from A to B.

At nearby Zilker Park, runners stomped the leafy pathways, despite the intense heat.

Locals tell me an influx of Californians in recent years (arriving in search of lower living costs) has seen Austin lean into a culture of wellness and healthy living. Matcha-selling brunch spots and boutique gym studios have sprung up across the city.

I headed for Ladybird Lake for a spot of kayaking. At Rowing Dock, you can hire a two-person canoe for $25, and mooch along the water in the shadow of skyline views.

In the same park, you’ll also find Barton Springs, somewhat of an Austin institution.

The natural pool is fed by underground springs, keeping a year-round temperature of around 21 °C. It’s beloved by locals, who flock here to keep cool on a lazy weekend afternoon.

A cloud of bats

From late March to early Autumn, Austin is home to the largest urban colony of bats in the world. Yes, it sounds a bit weird, but their daily hunting trip is a spectacle not to be missed.

At around sunset, the bat colony leaves its home underneath Congress Avenue Bridge, and travels to Ladybird Lake in search of food.

They do so as a flock – meaning a staggering 1.5 million bats take flight, all at once. The mass is so great, that they appear as storm clouds on local weather radars.

You can take a picnic to the banks of the river, or, for an extra special view (and some amazing photos), buy a $14 ticket on a bat watching cruise with Capital Cruises.

The coolest street in Austin

South Congress was described to me as authentic Austin.

The street is a melting pot of independent stores, live music venues, delicious cuisine and eye-popping street art.

According to my guide, Conor, at Austin Detours, since 1985, Austin’s municipal code requires 2 per cent of the budget of capital improvement projects (things like building libraries or upgrading parks) be allocated to commissioning or purchasing art near or on the building itself. Essentially, funding street art is required by law.

Along South Congress you can spot some of the city’s most famous works of street art. Perhaps most notably, you’ll find the ‘Willie for President’ mural in honour of country singer, Willie Nelson.

The star came to Austin in 1972, where he performed a show that was said to have united both hippies and cowboys (back then seen as opposite sides of a cultural divide) — and became the catalyst for a musical movement that now sees Austin proudly crowned the ‘live music capital of the world’.

Every night of the week, venues play host to artists from all musical genres.

There’s also the popular ‘You’re the Yee to my Haw’ and ‘Love from Austin’ murals, which are both great photo spots. (For the iconic ‘Visit Austin’ postcard mural though, you’ll have to head to South Austin.)

Also take a moment to pop into Allen’s Boots, a cowboy boot store which has been serving customers since 1977, including celebrities such as Yoko Ono and the Beastie Boys.

The eye-watering cost of the footwear will surprise you (a cheap pair was about $400), but it’s worth a look around nonetheless.

For refreshments, right at the top of South Congress, you’ll find Torchy’s Tacos, a beloved taco joint that started life as a food truck.

TexMex is, of course, a staple here, and the food truck scene is a big deal in Austin — there’s an estimated 2,000 vendors across the city.

Make sure to order the Trailer Park taco at Torchy’s (ask them to make it ‘trashy’) and don’t skip the queso. And, for dessert, head further down South Congress and get an ice cream at Amy’s.

A ‘dirty’ night out

I heard about Austin’s Sixth Street before I’d made it out of the airport.

The historic street is the centre of Austin’s nightlife scene (many of the buildings that now house bars, clubs and comedy venues were built in the 1870s and 80s).

While West Sixth Street is regarded as a little more ‘polished’, East Sixth is affectionally known as ‘Dirty Sixth’, and let’s just say, it lives up to its name.

You can dot along this rowdy street, taking in some live music, drinking whisky and getting progressively more, erm, merry.

There is also, of course, a mechanical bull to ride. You’ll find some of the city’s most famous live music venues here, such as Friends Bar, Hotel Vegas, The Parish and Flamingo Cantina — but honestly, I can’t imagine anywhere not being a fun time.

If you want a bit of direction to your night though, I’d highly reccomend booking onto the Live Music Crawl with Austin Detours. Our guide, Trace, had a thankless task of herding a group of excitable (read: drunk) tourists from one incredible bar to the next.

The tour starts and ends on Sixth, but stops also include The Continental Club, which opened in 1955 and is one of the longest-running live music venues in Austin, and C-Boys, a soul club.

My favourite stop, though, had to be Broken Spoke, a ‘proper’ honky tonk. Walking into the low-ceilinged dance hall was pretty much how I’d imagined every bar in Texas to be. Couples wearing cowboy hats two-stepped in time to the live band on stage. It’s hosted the likes of Willie Nelson and even Queen Dolly Parton herself.

It’s not exactly trendy, but it was so fun and oh-so-Texas. Honestly, if the band hadn’t stopped playing, I’d probably still be in there.

Finally, a special shout-out goes to Hold Out Brewery, which I visited on three separate occasions during my time in Austin. Estimates vary, but there are somewhere between 50 and 80 breweries dotted around the city.

Hold Out was the perfect spot for a pre-drink, either in their cool indoor hall, or outside in the sun on a long communal table. Speak with a British accent and you’ll soon make friends.

World’s best BBQ

You can’t come to Austin without sampling the BBQ. I quickly learnt that everyone has their favourites, but I decided to opt for the name that kept cropping up time and time again: Franklin’s BBQ, which has also been reported as ‘serving the best BBQ in the known universe.’ High praise indeed.

I’d been warned of five-hour long queues, but it must have been my lucky day, as I waited for about 45 minutes.

I usually have a rule that I don’t queue for food (sorry Dishoom), but even Obama has waited in line here.

No frills, you go into the rustic dining room and your choices are simple: brisket, turkey, sausage or ribs, served by the pound or half a pound. There’s a selection of sides too, including slaw and potato salad.

Word of warning though, it’s not cheap: you’ll be spending around $50 per person.

Up to then, BBQ to me was a rainy English garden while someone’s dad slow-burned some Richmonds.

This, however, was a taste sensation — legend has it that the restaurant has sold out of its famous brisket every day since it opened, and I can see why.

Weird but wonderful

In some ways, Austin gave me the all-American Texas experience: cowboy hats, honky tonk bars, and BBQ.

But what I wasn’t expecting to find was an effortlessly cool city, with a thriving foodie scene, quirky artwork, and beautiful scenery.

Like its beloved motto, Austin is weird — and all kinds of wonderful.

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