Austin may not be as weird as it once was but it’s still a fabulous city that I am proud to call home. The city has changed a lot since I first moved here over seven years ago, especially post-COVID, but it’s still a wonderful place with a lot of outdoor activities, has a constantly improving food and bar scene, welcoming people doing innovative things, and just a lot to keep you busy.
Austin isn’t a huge city. Most people come to visit for a few days and, honestly, you only need that amount of time to get a sense of the place. As a visitor, there are only a few areas I would recommend staying in during your time here.
To help you figure out where to stay in Austin, here is my breakdown of the best neighborhoods in the city as well as suggested accommodations for each.
But, before I get to that, here are answers to frequent questions I get asked about Austin:
What’s the best neighborhood for food lovers?
East Austin has some of the best restaurants in town and, if you want to be close to food, you can’t go wrong here. The other option would be South Congress Avenue as that area has some of the city’s best restaurants too.
What’s the best neighborhood for families?
Downtown Austin is packed with enough attractions — including shops, restaurants, and landmarks — to keep you busy with your kids. It’s central to everything too.
What’s the best neighborhood for partying?
Rainey Street, located in Downtown Austin, is packed with nightlife fun and is very popular with weekend visitors. However, if you want to go where the locals go, East Austin has some of the best bars in Austin and is packed with people during the weekend. West 6th is fun is you’re in your mid-twenties.
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