Photo via Pixabay.com, creative commons licensed.
Option 1: A Day on Congress Ave
Mix up the classic South Congress outing by starting at the State Capitol and making your way south. Start with a free tour of the Capitol and watch your kin stare in awe at the building that’s taller than our nation’s capitol. On your way towards Congress Ave., stop and pose for pics at the Capitol Christmas Tree (which will be officially lit on December 1 at the Holiday Sing-along and Downtown Stroll).
From there, walk or drive south on Congress (or take the bus!). Be sure to explain the bat phenomenon while you’re crossing the bridge, and remind them to come back when it’s active bat season. Stop in at the new Yeti flagship store at the end of the bridge to wet your whistle at the bar after you peruse the shop. Keep walking south, and you’ll arrive at the lovely strand of mostly local businesses that really know how to “Keep Austin Weird!” Lunch at Guero’s or Home Slice Pizza and grab a glass of froze at Hotel San Jose. Too cold for that? Head to Jo’s instead and grab a cup of, well, joe, and take a picture at their famous mural so that you can all remember the day forever.
Option 2: Make Museum Memories
There are plenty of ways to get your culture on in the ATX, and the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum is an excellent place to begin your journey. Start at the famous mural and learn all about why nobody should mess with Texas. From there, head across the street to The Blanton Museum of Art, located on UT’s campus. Its newest permanent addition, “Austin,” by Ellsworth Kelly shines a nice bit of color on your winter days and is definitely worth a visit.
If your family is still ready for more, there are other options for a third or fourth museum stop. Here are some great choices you can check out: Mexic-Arte Museum, The Contemporary Austin, LBJ Presidential Library & Museum, and the Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum. Those first two are located on Congress Avenue so you could even combine option one and two!
Option 3: See Some Street Art
Are your visitors as obsessed with Instagram as us Austinites are? If so, we have the perfect activity for you: Spend hours at Hope Outdoor Gallery searching for the perfect picture op. There are just so many to choose from! The gallery will be moving to Carson Creek Ranch in 2019, so make sure you check out the current version before it closes up in June of next year. Of course, you’ll also need to swing by the Greetings From Austin mural on South First and the I Love You So Much wall at Jo’s Coffee on South Congress. But there are so many more amazing works of art on Austin’s streets. We actually have a massive list of all the best street art, murals and mosaics. Check it out here.
Option 4: Get Outside
No matter what the weather is like, you can bet it’s better than most of the places your guests are visiting from. Take them to feed the ducks at Lou Neff Point. Want to work off those heavy holiday meals? Try scaling the stairs at Mount Bonnell or check out what there is of our fall foliage at McKinney Falls State Park or Barton Creek Green Belt. If your guests are uber adventurous, challenge them to take a dip at Barton Springs Pool. Or if they’d rather stay on top of the water, take them stand up paddle boarding on Lady Bird Lake (while explaining to them why no one actually calls the lake that).
Click Next to see more Austin itineraries!
Option 5: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry
We love our craft beer, we love our craft drinks, and we love to drink local! There are so many local breweries that have taproom tastings and tours. These are just a few of our faves: Hops and Grain, Zilker Brewing Company, Marble Falls’ Save the World Brewing Company (who donate their net profits to charities), the all new Austin Eastciders Tasting Room (located at 979 Springdale Road, Suite 130), and Jester King in Dripping Springs. And, speaking of Dripping Springs, you don’t have to go all the way to Fredericksburg for wine tasting. Just about 30 miles from downtown you can choose from a variety of wineries in Dripping Springs and Driftwood, including Bell Springs, Solaro Estate, Driftwood Estate, and Duchman Family Winery. Distilleries from Treaty Oak, Deep Eddy and Dripping Springs Vodka are out that way as well so there’s definitely something for everyone, no matter what your family’s favorite spirit. And of course, Austin’s food has become world class in the past decade. We’ve got plenty of James Beard Award winners, barbecue to die for, and really, a little bit of something for everyone.
Option 6: Dust Off Those Dancing Shoes
When visitors think of a trip to Texas, a tried and true honky-tonk surely comes to mind. And lucky for them, the Broken Spoke is still alive and kicking! Nestled in between new construction, the Spoke retains its old Austin charm, from its chicken fried steak to its dance floor filled with two-steppers to its “museum” stocked with photos of the owner, James White, with classic country music stars. Get there around 8 p.m. from Wednesday to Saturday for free two-step and swing dancing lessons. Situated closer to the downtown scene, Donn’s Depot is another awesome option. There’s always a cover, but it’s definitely worth it for this lesser mentioned, just as authentically Austin joint.
Option 7: Light it Up
Starting November 16 at 6 p.m., Mozart’s annual lights display takes place every hour on the hour until midnight (except on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day). The show lasts fifteen minutes, but there’s plenty of time before and afterwards to enjoy a hot chocolate or seasonal coffee drink. The Zilker Tree will be lit up in all its glory from November 25 – December 31, starting at 6 p.m. nightly. And, of course, Austin’s biggest light spectacle is the Trail of Lights, which runs December 10-23.
Option 8: Shop Local
Option 9: Do the Domain
Option 10: Take a Celebtastic Tour
Looking for more specific holiday events and activities? You’re in luck! We’ve got a list of over 100 parades, light displays, festivals, fair and more ways to celebrate in Austin right here. Happy holidays, y’all!