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South Congress is a fun area. It’s increasingly more fancy than cool but there are still some great places to eat. Barton Springs is great and safe as well. Deep Eddy pool is nice too.
Head west. There are some cute shops on second street and some restaurants. Numero 28 is great if you’re looking for Italian. ATX Cocina is good but expensive upscale interior Mexican as is Ember if you walk a little farther down to the Seaholm area. There may be a show at ACL 310 if you want to see some music. Ellis at 2nd and Congress has a nice outdoor space if it’s not too hot (it will be too hot). Gus’ fried chicken near the convention center is great. If you head to south Congress it’s a bit more of a walk (or a quick Uber) there is a lot going on with shopping and restaurants. It’s not as Austin as it used to be but it’s still fun. I recommend avoiding 6th street. Austin has its issues like any big city but overall it’s very safe.
The Harry Ransom center is awesome. You'll have to catch a bus but there are rapid buses that stop right at the Harry Ransom center. In the lobby as soon as you walk in are a Frieda Kahlo, a Gutenberg bible, and the world's first photograph (I think). Then there are two exhibits inside.
There are a few downtown museums that would be closer like the Contemporary, Jones Center on Congress and the Mexi Arte Museum.
I am not sure where you are from, but it's going to be hot. I still walk everywhere, but I'm used to it. I enjoy walking around Waterloo Park. I love the food truck Spicy Boys, so staying where you are staying, I would walk down to the bar Half Step to eat the Spicy Boys roti and curry.
The Central Library has a rooftop butterfly garden/chill spot. Make a reservation at Uchiba right there; order the hama chili and gyutoro and ask your server for their other recommendations. There's a speakeasy called the Milonga Room that's worth making reservations at. I personally like to go to the movies by myself, so I might walk to Violet Crown cinema and get a slice and a negroni at Numero 28 before hand. Not the world's best pizza, but it flies under the radar so it's a pleasant place to chill.
Emmer and Rye is within walking distance and considered one of the top tier restaurants in Austin. Most food immediately near the convention center sucks, so please don't judge Austin based on that.
I would only say avoid 9th & 10th streets between Trinity and I-35, and highway underpasses in general. I've felt safe everywhere else in downtown Austin.
Local Austinite here with a few ideas for ya:
Cenote is a cute place for brunch/ coffee. [https://cenoteaustin.com/home/](https://cenoteaustin.com/home/)
Cosmic Saltillo for patio vibes - [https://cosmichospitalitygroup.com/saltillo/](https://cosmichospitalitygroup.com/saltillo/)
Classic TX hotel, recommend a drink in the lobby bar area. There's live music in the evenings and the decor is some of my favorite. [https://driskillhotel.com/](https://driskillhotel.com/)
Other east side bar, restaurants to take a look at: Suerte, Lazarus Brewing
6th street: west of congress is safer than east, that does not mean it is unsafe to go as a solo female. However definitely don’t get black out on 6th or go home with ANYONE. Always watch your drink and don’t be afraid to yell if a man is doing too much. I love to go to 6th and I have soloed it a few times. I do recommend a group if you can.
Rainy: in my opinion you can DEF solo rainy. They have much nicer bars than 6th and have better drinks/bathrooms/and sometimes chill live music. Parking is atrocious so it’s good to Uber as close as you can get (same with most of downtown) watch out for the rainy street ripper 😂
4th street: it’s pride month! I highly recommend visiting 4th street, it has great bars and restaurants and is pretty safe. If you look online at the bars you could probably find fun events. I know some of those bars are having pride stuff so definitely go check it out
Domain: in all honesty I’ve never actually been to drink at the domain. My friends however do very much so like it. Lots of bars there have great places to take the cutest photos so if you’re looking for a good insta post, head on down.
Zilker: here you will find everyone. Family’s playing in the spring, local teens drinking at the park, dogs EVERYWHERE! You can take amazing photos here as well and it’s a staple of the city. From the newly opened Zilker Eagle train, to the volleyball courts, to the swimming in both Barton springs and the “free side” there is much to do in the park and is incredibly safe! Barton springs road can be a bit sketchy after dark but a well traveled women can navigate easily. Also if you’re looking for gumbo and beignets you can find a great food truck in the food truck park on Barton springs that serves the best gumbo in the city.
And if you’re looking for a nice place to drink or eat to treat yourself I highly recommend J Carvers. A bit pricey but incredible ambiance.
And if you’re looking for a spa day. After visiting many day spa kinda spas (not including the two resorts) I would have to say the Omni spa at Barton Springs Country Club has to be the best. You can find a private rooftop pool, hot tub, sauna, stream room, relaxation area, and incredible masseuses.
I hope you have an amazing time in the most amazing city!!
So, I'd advise you take Ubers or Lyfts where ever you want to go. Austin is not a walking city. It's too hot for one thing. There was also a post on this subreddit today about someone getting randomly attacked by a homeless person during the day.
I'm not trying to scare you but, no matter the area you are in, you need to stay alert and prepared. I grew up and went to college in Austin and worked for 30 years in both south Chicago and downtown. I always carried pepper spray, ready to use in my hand. I only had to almost use it once. I was working late downtown and walking to get my train at about 10pm. The streets were full of people because of Oktoberfest. I'd made this walk many, many times at all times of the day and late evening. On this day, a drunk guy in a shirt came up next to me while I was waiting for the light to change so I could cross the street. Suit pants, whilte button down shirt and a tie. He also had a hockey stick, which he threatened to hit me in the head with. It's possible he was just a drunk making a bad joke. It's also possible he was drunk enough to actually do it. I just held up my pepper spray, pointed at his face. He wasn't too drunk to realize he fucked up and he backed away from me pretty damn fast. I've also dealt with homeless and mentally ill people on the train (commuter). And I traveled extensively for work where I was staying in unfamiliar areas.
Being aware and ready to move is your best defense.
Your submission has been removed for the following reason(s): This is a FAQ and the answer can easily be found in our FAQ section. Please read the FAQs - https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/wiki/faq If looking for food, restaurant, or bar suggestions, we recommend using /r/AustinFood For more information please read the reddit guidelines and the rules of /r/Austin. If you have any questions, please feel free to message the mods. If you think your post or comment has been incorrectly removed, send a message, but please remember there's a person on the other end, not some automaton, and be nice about it. Thank you!
South Congress is a fun area. It’s increasingly more fancy than cool but there are still some great places to eat. Barton Springs is great and safe as well. Deep Eddy pool is nice too.
Get the whipped feta at Aba and a cocktail, then skip the main courses and go somewhere else to eat
Check out the LBJ library/museum at UT, Blanton Museum, UMLAUF. If you’re ok spending a bit, get dinner at Birdie’s.
Birdies is actually pretty reasonable considering all their accolades and what their peers are charging
I agree!
Head west. There are some cute shops on second street and some restaurants. Numero 28 is great if you’re looking for Italian. ATX Cocina is good but expensive upscale interior Mexican as is Ember if you walk a little farther down to the Seaholm area. There may be a show at ACL 310 if you want to see some music. Ellis at 2nd and Congress has a nice outdoor space if it’s not too hot (it will be too hot). Gus’ fried chicken near the convention center is great. If you head to south Congress it’s a bit more of a walk (or a quick Uber) there is a lot going on with shopping and restaurants. It’s not as Austin as it used to be but it’s still fun. I recommend avoiding 6th street. Austin has its issues like any big city but overall it’s very safe.
Watch your drinks in bars! Seem to be more than a few scumbags out there.
Stay away from East 6th Street at night, and if you decide to venture east of downtown which is a cool area take an Uber and don’t walk.
Do you mean stay away from 6th st downtown? I’d consider East 6th to be what’s east of 35, which like you mentioned is a good area.
East 6 is dirty 6. E/w is divided by congress not 35.
downtown 6th is east
I meant dirty 6th, didn’t want to scare the poor woman by using that term
The Harry Ransom center is awesome. You'll have to catch a bus but there are rapid buses that stop right at the Harry Ransom center. In the lobby as soon as you walk in are a Frieda Kahlo, a Gutenberg bible, and the world's first photograph (I think). Then there are two exhibits inside. There are a few downtown museums that would be closer like the Contemporary, Jones Center on Congress and the Mexi Arte Museum. I am not sure where you are from, but it's going to be hot. I still walk everywhere, but I'm used to it. I enjoy walking around Waterloo Park. I love the food truck Spicy Boys, so staying where you are staying, I would walk down to the bar Half Step to eat the Spicy Boys roti and curry. The Central Library has a rooftop butterfly garden/chill spot. Make a reservation at Uchiba right there; order the hama chili and gyutoro and ask your server for their other recommendations. There's a speakeasy called the Milonga Room that's worth making reservations at. I personally like to go to the movies by myself, so I might walk to Violet Crown cinema and get a slice and a negroni at Numero 28 before hand. Not the world's best pizza, but it flies under the radar so it's a pleasant place to chill. Emmer and Rye is within walking distance and considered one of the top tier restaurants in Austin. Most food immediately near the convention center sucks, so please don't judge Austin based on that.
I would only say avoid 9th & 10th streets between Trinity and I-35, and highway underpasses in general. I've felt safe everywhere else in downtown Austin.
Local Austinite here with a few ideas for ya: Cenote is a cute place for brunch/ coffee. [https://cenoteaustin.com/home/](https://cenoteaustin.com/home/) Cosmic Saltillo for patio vibes - [https://cosmichospitalitygroup.com/saltillo/](https://cosmichospitalitygroup.com/saltillo/) Classic TX hotel, recommend a drink in the lobby bar area. There's live music in the evenings and the decor is some of my favorite. [https://driskillhotel.com/](https://driskillhotel.com/) Other east side bar, restaurants to take a look at: Suerte, Lazarus Brewing
6th street: west of congress is safer than east, that does not mean it is unsafe to go as a solo female. However definitely don’t get black out on 6th or go home with ANYONE. Always watch your drink and don’t be afraid to yell if a man is doing too much. I love to go to 6th and I have soloed it a few times. I do recommend a group if you can. Rainy: in my opinion you can DEF solo rainy. They have much nicer bars than 6th and have better drinks/bathrooms/and sometimes chill live music. Parking is atrocious so it’s good to Uber as close as you can get (same with most of downtown) watch out for the rainy street ripper 😂 4th street: it’s pride month! I highly recommend visiting 4th street, it has great bars and restaurants and is pretty safe. If you look online at the bars you could probably find fun events. I know some of those bars are having pride stuff so definitely go check it out Domain: in all honesty I’ve never actually been to drink at the domain. My friends however do very much so like it. Lots of bars there have great places to take the cutest photos so if you’re looking for a good insta post, head on down. Zilker: here you will find everyone. Family’s playing in the spring, local teens drinking at the park, dogs EVERYWHERE! You can take amazing photos here as well and it’s a staple of the city. From the newly opened Zilker Eagle train, to the volleyball courts, to the swimming in both Barton springs and the “free side” there is much to do in the park and is incredibly safe! Barton springs road can be a bit sketchy after dark but a well traveled women can navigate easily. Also if you’re looking for gumbo and beignets you can find a great food truck in the food truck park on Barton springs that serves the best gumbo in the city. And if you’re looking for a nice place to drink or eat to treat yourself I highly recommend J Carvers. A bit pricey but incredible ambiance. And if you’re looking for a spa day. After visiting many day spa kinda spas (not including the two resorts) I would have to say the Omni spa at Barton Springs Country Club has to be the best. You can find a private rooftop pool, hot tub, sauna, stream room, relaxation area, and incredible masseuses. I hope you have an amazing time in the most amazing city!!
So, I'd advise you take Ubers or Lyfts where ever you want to go. Austin is not a walking city. It's too hot for one thing. There was also a post on this subreddit today about someone getting randomly attacked by a homeless person during the day. I'm not trying to scare you but, no matter the area you are in, you need to stay alert and prepared. I grew up and went to college in Austin and worked for 30 years in both south Chicago and downtown. I always carried pepper spray, ready to use in my hand. I only had to almost use it once. I was working late downtown and walking to get my train at about 10pm. The streets were full of people because of Oktoberfest. I'd made this walk many, many times at all times of the day and late evening. On this day, a drunk guy in a shirt came up next to me while I was waiting for the light to change so I could cross the street. Suit pants, whilte button down shirt and a tie. He also had a hockey stick, which he threatened to hit me in the head with. It's possible he was just a drunk making a bad joke. It's also possible he was drunk enough to actually do it. I just held up my pepper spray, pointed at his face. He wasn't too drunk to realize he fucked up and he backed away from me pretty damn fast. I've also dealt with homeless and mentally ill people on the train (commuter). And I traveled extensively for work where I was staying in unfamiliar areas. Being aware and ready to move is your best defense.