Austin

Austin, is a city that proudly wears its "Keep Austin Weird" slogan on its sleeve. What's most striking here is the collision of cultures – it's where Texas tradition meets a young, high-tech, and incredibly creative energy. Austin feels like a little blue dot of laid-back, artsy, outdoor-loving funkiness right in the heart of Texas.

Austin offers three unbeatable reasons to visit. First, the live music scene is legendary; you can stumble into almost any bar and find incredible talent any night of the week. Second, the food is a pilgrimage-worthy experience – think brisket that melts in your mouth and breakfast tacos that will ruin all others for you. Finally, the outdoor lifestyle is woven into the city's fabric. From kayaking on Lady Bird Lake to taking a dip in the chilly, spring-fed Barton Springs Pool, it’s a place that pulls you outside.

The people here are a real mix. You'll find university students from UT, the tech crowd that's been flocking here for years, die-hard musicians, and old-school Texans who have seen it all change. Generally, people are friendly and laid-back, though the city's rapid growth means everyone's always a bit busy. English is the main language, but you'll hear a lot of Spanish, a big part of the city's cultural heritage.

Two words: Barbecue and Tacos. You haven't had Austin food until you've waited in line for world-class brisket from a place like Franklin Barbecue (though many others are just as good with less wait). Breakfast tacos are a religion here; try the migas tacos from Veracruz All Natural for an outstanding experience. Beyond that, the food truck scene is phenomenal, and you'll find amazing Tex-Mex, creative Asian fusion at spots like Loro, and upscale dining. A meal at a food truck might be $10-15, while a sit-down dinner can range from $20 to whatever you're willing to spend.

Austin's infrastructure is straining under its own success. The traffic is no joke; Austin ranked 15th worst in the U.S. for traffic in a 2025 report, with traffic moving at less than 90% of normal speed for nearly five hours daily. The city grew so fast that the roads just couldn't keep up. While the internet is generally fast and reliable (thanks, tech boom!), the power grid can get stressed during scorching summer heatwaves. Public transport exists with the CapMetro bus system, but it's not as comprehensive as in older, denser cities. Austin is largely designed for cars.

You'll be flying into Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), which is about 7 miles southeast of downtown. It's a surprisingly pleasant airport with live music stages to get you in the Austin mood right away. To get into the city, you can grab a taxi or use a ride-hailing app like Uber or Lyft; just follow the signs for the pickup area. For a more budget-friendly option, the Capital Metro Airport Bus (Route 20) is efficient and costs only a couple of bucks.

Downtown is quite walkable, as are neighborhoods like South Congress. For longer distances, ride-hailing apps are your best friend. The CapMetro bus system is undergoing significant updates in 2025. Starting in March 2025, the CapMetro app will no longer be in use; riders will instead use the Umo Mobility app for payments and the Transit app for trip planning and tracking. A new tap-to-pay system will allow you to pay with credit/debit cards, Apple Pay, or Google Pay directly on board. A single ride costs $1.25, with a daily fare cap of $2.50. Two new CapMetro Rapid lines (800 Pleasant Valley and 837 Expo Center) are also launching in Spring 2025, providing important connections to East and Southeast Austin. The MetroRail is more for commuters from the suburbs and isn't super practical for most tourist itineraries. And then there are the electric scooters—they are everywhere. Apps like Lime and Bird make them easy to rent for quick hops.

Austin is generally a safe city, but it's not a sleepy college town anymore. The city has seen an increase in its homeless population, with the 2025 Point-in-Time count reporting 3,238 people experiencing homelessness, an increase of about 1,000 from 2023. You will likely notice a significant homeless presence, particularly downtown and in areas east of I-35, which can be confronting but is rarely a direct threat. Recent city initiatives have focused on revitalizing the Sixth Street entertainment district. As of early 2025, Sixth Street remains open to vehicular traffic on weekends, and sidewalks have been widened with protective barriers. A pilot program reported a 50% drop in use-of-force incidents, a 34% drop in arrests, and a 21% drop in overall crimes against persons on Sixth Street between January and February 2025 compared to the previous year. However, it can still get rowdy and chaotic on weekend nights, so be aware of your surroundings if you're out partying. Avoid walking alone late at night through poorly lit areas; that's standard city advice. While violent crime against tourists is rare, Austin — like many growing U.S. cities — has experienced incidents of gun violence in recent years; keep an eye on local news and alerts, avoid confrontations, and stick to well-lit, populated routes at night.