How To Spend One Day in Austin, Texas (A Local’s Guide)

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So, you’re visiting Austin and wondering how many fun things you can pack into one day? Here’s a local’s guide to help you make the most of your time!

You’ll find plenty of guides about what to do in Austin, but many of them are written by people who don’t live here and might not capture the true spirit of the city. I’m here to be your local guide. After living in Austin for several years, I’ve intentionally explored beyond the usual downtown spots. I created this guide to help you discover hidden gems in and around Austin and to experience the city just like we locals do.

For each meal, I’ll suggest both a budget and a splurge option. You can decide which fits your plans and budget during your visit, but I want to make sure you have plenty of choices.

How To Spend One Day in Austin

Breakfast or Brunch in Austin

First off, you should know that brunch is a serious business in Austin. It’s so important that we brunch on both Saturdays and Sundays, and you’ll find that most restaurants offer some kind of breakfast option during the week as well.

For a delicious and affordable breakfast or brunch, head to Sawyer and Co. It’s my absolute favorite spot to start the day. Try the bananas foster French toast if you’re in the mood for something sweet! The food and service are always excellent, and they even have a great happy hour.

If you’re looking to splurge, make a reservation at Mattie’s on the Green. They only serve brunch on Sundays and, while it’s definitely on the pricier side, the food is absolutely worth it. Don’t miss the buttermilk biscuits, and you really can’t go wrong with any of their entrees!

Lunch in Austin

I’m sending you way off the beaten path for some lunch options. While there are plenty of great places downtown, you’ll find some true gems outside the city center! For a budget-friendly lunch, check out 888 Pan Asian Vietnamese Restaurant.

This locally owned spot may not look fancy in its strip mall location, but it offers the best and one of the largest, Asian food selections in Austin. From pho to fried rice, there’s something for everyone. I especially recommend trying the clay pots!

If you want to splurge on lunch and don’t mind a bit of a drive from downtown, Garbo’s Fresh Maine Lobster is an excellent option. Seafood may not seem like an obvious choice in the middle of Texas, but as a native New Englander, I’ve found their food to be on par, if not better than, what I can get in Boston.

Everything is fresh and delicious and with an added Austin twist. They have both a brick and mortar location and food trucks that move around the city. For the best selection, I recommend visiting the restaurant location, but you can’t go wrong with either.

Dinner in Austin

My favorite place to go to dinner in Austin is not actually in Austin. Sure, there are plenty of places downtown that are great, but you came here for the less obvious options, right?

When we’re going out for a nice evening, we almost always choose SP Brazilian Steakhouse in Lakeway. Its a bit of a hike from downtown, about 45 minutes, but totally worth it. They’ve served some of the best prime rib I’ve ever had (and I live in Texas, I’ve had a lot!).

A budget option would be Mighty Fine Burgers. They’re a local chain, but of all the burger places in Austin, they’re my favorite. Its counter service and usually there isn’t much of a line, so if you want something delicious, inexpensive and easy, its a great option. I recommend adding a milkshake as well.

Things to Do in Austin

Austin Central Library

Here’s one unexpected suggestion for your day: Visit the Austin Central Library.

Trust me, this is not your ordinary library. The Austin Central Library is an award-winning, LEED Platinum-certified building in downtown Austin, designed to be the library of the future. It’s absolutely stunning, with a central Hogwarts-esque staircase, tons of natural light, and wide open spaces. It was even built to house twice as many books as it currently holds, so you’ll find plenty of room to explore and relax.

You don’t need to be a library member to take a walk around and see the various art installations and amazing architecture. I highly recommend starting on the 6th floor on the outdoor rooftop garden, with amazing views of downtown and overlooking Lady Bird Lake.

Tour the Texas Capitol

The Texas Capitol building offers free daily guided tours. This tour is amazing. You can see all the important rooms in the Capitol and stand under the awesome central dome. They’ll also teach you just how far Texans took that “Everything’s Bigger in Texas” mantra when building it. The Texas Capitol building should be a must visit in your one day in Austin itinerary.

Get Outside Nearby

Austin loves to get outside, which means our outside spaces are usually pretty busy. If you want to get away from the crowds, check out McKinney Falls State Park. It’s about 15 minutes outside downtown and has camping, hiking, and swimming available in a beautiful natural setting. I recommend booking your day passes ahead of time as they do sell out!

My favorite suggestion, if you don’t mind a bit more of a drive (about an hour), is to book a guided kayaking or canoe tour on one of the local rivers. I’ve used Texas Canoe and Kayaks several times over the years (and they run the local REI guided river trips) and I can’t recommend them more highly. They have several options for duration and difficulty and you can even do a multi-day trip!

Get a Taste of Local Art

Austin is famous for its vibrant local art scene, and you’ll have no trouble discovering creative works all over the city. Check out the Umlauf Sculpture Garden or the Dougherty Arts Center, where there’s always a gallery installation by a local artist on display. Even Austin City Hall features incredible art throughout its halls and offices, with exhibits that rotate every year.

Come Visit Austin!

There are plenty of guides to the hottest new restaurants and the most Instagrammable spots in the city, but I hope this local’s list of the best experiences off the beaten path inspires you to get out and discover the real Austin for yourself.

Guest post contributed by Lauren Glynn from Owe it to Spaghetti. You can follow her on Pinterest and Facebook too!

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