Austin/South

South Austin can refer to any part of Austin, Texas south of Lady Bird Lake and the downtown area, although many people use it to specifically refer to the south-central area directly south of downtown in the 78704 zip code. 78704 is bordered by Lady Bird Lake to the north, I-35 to the east, Ben White Blvd (Hwy 290/71) to the south, and Mopac (Loop 1) to the west. The area is a very popular neighborhood for young people and used to be the center of Austin's counterculture, although it has become gentrified. The area contains several attractions for visitors.

Get in
South Austin is easily accessible. From Downtown, head south either by foot, bike, or car and cross Lady Bird Lake over the Congress, 1st, or Lamar bridges.

You will need motorized transport from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Bus or taxi are available. If traveling by car from the airport, take Ben White Blvd (71) West, then turn right on Riverside Dr. Take Riverside to S. Congress.

See


In addition, there are pretty views of the Downtown skyline from South Congress Avenue and streets on the hill in Travis Heights such as Newning Avenue.

Eat




Bars
Almost all of the restaurants listed above have a full bar available and are suitable for grabbing a few drinks without having to order food. If you're looking to hop from bar to bar, listen to loud recorded music, and don't care about food, heading into Downtown Austin might be a better option.



Live music
Austin calls itself the live music capital of the world, and South Austin has its fair share of live music venues. Many of the restaurants and coffee shops in South Austin have live music. Some venues of note include The Continental Club, Threadgills, and Gueros Taco Bar.

Sleep
If you want to be right on a main drag, there are several hotels and motels on South Congress Ave. On the other hand, if you'd rather stay on a quiet street that feels a lot like a small town with little traffic after 9:30 PM but is five minutes' walk from South Congress and 10 to 15 minutes' walk from 1st St., consider looking for a place in Travis Heights, where you will hear Carolina wrens' beautiful calls every morning and see other birds like downy woodpeckers and possibly black-headed vultures.



Connect
Free Wi-Fi is available at many of the local restaurants and coffee shops.