Austin City Guide:

24 Hours in Austin

Visiting Austin for the first time? We can’t wait for you to get to know the city we love. That’s why we put together this guide to enjoying the best of Austin even if you only have time for a quick visit.
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Stay

Book a room at one of these Austin favorites.

In downtown Austin, the Four Seasons Hotel gives you both a perfect home base for exploring and serene views of Lady Bird Lake.

Looking for more of a boutique hotel vibe? The South Congress Hotel and the Hotel San Jose are stylish retreats on the always lively South Congress Avenue.

rise & shine

Start your day by experiencing the active outdoors lifestyle Austin is known for.

Whether you take a leisurely stroll or get your heart rate up with a jog or bike ride, Lady Bird Lake gives you a true sense of what Austin’s all about.

Feeling more like a hike? Head for the Barton Creek Greenbelt. If the weather’s right, you can even take advantage of some swimming holes that feel faraway even though you’re right in the middle of town.

Now you’ll need to fuel up after all of that activity!

Our pick for breakfast is Elizabeth Street Cafe. If you can, try to swing a couple of visits here, so that you can appreciate both the patio and the charming interior.

The perfectly crafted cortado of Houndstooth Coffee will energize you for the rest of the day. Hit the downtown location, or the branch on North Lamar Boulevard if you’re househunting in neighborhoods like Rosedale and Hyde Park.

Explore

Whatever you’re in the mood for next, Austin has it covered.

Shopping. At the intersection of Sixth Street and North Lamar Boulevard, you’ll find a
trio of beloved born in Austin businesses: the world headquarters of Whole Foods Market, indie bookstore BookPeople and Waterloo Records & Video, aka heaven for music fans.

Movies. Another Austin institution, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, has several locations around town, all known for great food, original events and hilarious movie preshows.

History. Tour the Texas Capitol or stroll under the oaks at the Texas State Cemetery.

More outdoors. If it’s a beautiful day in Austin, you might just want to head back
outside. And you have plenty of options. Visit the peacocks at Mayfield Park, or stop by the ever changing Graffiti Park at Castle Hill. Want more of a workout? Rent a canoe or standup paddleboard at Zilker Park.

dine

Now it’s time to see why Austin has become a must-visit destination for lovers of great food.

Here are just a few restaurants we can’t get enough of.

Dai Due. Everything is fresh, delicious and always local.

Launderette. This favorite never disappoints. Hint: Reservations are available for large parties only, so go early.

Uchiko. On the other hand, snag your reservation early for this Austin standout. The vibe: modern meets Japanese farmhouse.

Emmer & Rye. Taste everything here. This hot spot is on trendy Rainey Street, but it’s not too “sceney.”

Perla’s. Two words: Seafood. Patio.

sample the nightlife

Savor a local brew, creative cocktail or a well chosen wine at these spots, which are just as
memorable for their distinctively Austin atmospheres.

Travel back in time at Whisler’s.

Experience a reborn Austin classic during happy hour at Jeffrey’s, or relax at sister restaurant Josephine House.

Prepare to be impressed by Geraldine’s at the new Hotel Van Zandt.

Central Standard at South Congress Hotel is also new, but already feels like an Austin essential.

End the day with a pedicab ride around Second Street or Fourth Street downtown (but leave Sixth Street to the college kids).

what our clients say:

Best buying process ever!

Best buying process ever! Teel and Helen on Lisa's team streamlined the process and minimized my stress. Would recommend to anyone looking to buy.

Andreas L.

2022-01-11T09:07:10-06:00

Andreas L.

Best buying process ever! Teel and Helen on Lisa's team streamlined the process and minimized my stress. Would recommend to anyone looking to buy.

Lisa and her team were there to support us the whole time.

Lisa rocks! Lisa's team rocks! We have been clients of Lisa's since 2005. We have referred our friends and family to her as well. This year was a challenging time to purchase a home, especially for investment. We have been looking since January and had put up a total of 3 offers before finally successfully getting a contract. Lisa and her team were there to support us the whole time. It was an extended engagement. There were times when we were more active, and there were times when we slowed down some, wondering if this was all in vain. A couple of the homes we bid on we had located, but Lisa's vigilant eye and a good understanding of what our limits and needs were led us to one we now own. She helped us modify our strategy in September, and that approach proved to be successful. I couldn't think of a better realtor (and I know a few). I always am the first to recommend Lisa to anyone, friend, family, or other who is looking to purchase a home.

Billie Jo and Jonathan E.

2021-11-09T12:28:54-06:00

Billie Jo and Jonathan E.

Lisa rocks! Lisa's team rocks! We have been clients of Lisa's since 2005. We have referred our friends and family to her as well. This year was a challenging time to purchase a home, especially for investment. We have been looking since January and had put up a total of 3 offers before finally successfully getting a contract. Lisa and her team were there to support us the whole time. It was an extended engagement. There were times when we were more active, and there were times when we slowed down some, wondering if this was all in vain. A couple of the homes we bid on we had located, but Lisa's vigilant eye and a good understanding of what our limits and needs were led us to one we now own. She helped us modify our strategy in September, and that approach proved to be successful. I couldn't think of a better realtor (and I know a few). I always am the first to recommend Lisa to anyone, friend, family, or other who is looking to purchase a home.

Can’t say enough positive things about this process. 

Lisa and her team at Realty Austin were nothing short of spectacular.  My wife and I approached this process (and the crazy Austin market) with concern in that we weren't sure we could pull off the purchase of a home that worked for our situation and budget.  That said, Lisa's team was extraordinary (shout out to Teel Warren!) and we were provided excellent advice every step of the way.  Even when we were sure about a place they professionally guided us away by commenting on specific pitfalls that we would've never had caught ourselves.  While my wife and I are engineers and we loved to look at data and challenge some of the notions around why a home may be worth it or not, we ultimately just got to a point through the constant communication with Lisa's team where we completely trusted their opinion.  Having that trust was truly a blessing, especially with our busy lives (two kids and demanding jobs).  Can't say enough positive things about this process.  We'll be using Lisa and her team again in the future without a doubt!

Ben R.

2022-01-18T07:12:58-06:00

Ben R.

Lisa and her team at Realty Austin were nothing short of spectacular.  My wife and I approached this process (and the crazy Austin market) with concern in that we weren't sure we could pull off the purchase of a home that worked for our situation and budget.  That said, Lisa's team was extraordinary (shout out to Teel Warren!) and we were provided excellent advice every step of the way.  Even when we were sure about a place they professionally guided us away by commenting on specific pitfalls that we would've never had caught ourselves.  While my wife and I are engineers and we loved to look at data and challenge some of the notions around why a home may be worth it or not, we ultimately just got to a point through the constant communication with Lisa's team where we completely trusted their opinion.  Having that trust was truly a blessing, especially with our busy lives (two kids and demanding jobs).  Can't say enough positive things about this process.  We'll be using Lisa and her team again in the future without a doubt!

We really enjoy working with Lisa and the whole team.

We really enjoy working with Lisa and the whole team. We’ve bought and sold homes with Lisa and every time the experience has been seamless and we’ve felt like we had help and advice through every step of the process.

Paula S.

2022-01-20T12:17:59-06:00

Paula S.

We really enjoy working with Lisa and the whole team. We’ve bought and sold homes with Lisa and every time the experience has been seamless and we’ve felt like we had help and advice through every step of the process.

November 2021

I’ve just completed my 3rd real estate transaction with Lisa Munoz and her amazing team at Realty Austin-Central.  My 3rd transaction was as wonderful as the 1st and 2nd, and these have occurred over a 16 year period of time, both buying and selling. One of the many things I find amazing over these years is the consistency of Lisa’s team. Not just the fact that some of the same, critical people have been a part of her team for so long, but also the consistent quality of execution each member of the team provides. To say they go above and beyond doesn’t seem adequate. They supported me at such a high level of customer service that I never felt like “just a customer” or one of X-number of deals they are handling. You truly have a team there for you, helping you navigate and make great decisions at every step. Additionally, this team listens! That, coupled with their deep knowledge of the Austin market, gave me the confidence to know I was making well-informed decisions aligned with my goals. You will not go wrong by choosing Team Munoz, so go for it!

Kim B.

2021-11-09T12:30:51-06:00

Kim B.

I’ve just completed my 3rd real estate transaction with Lisa Munoz and her amazing team at Realty Austin-Central.  My 3rd transaction was as wonderful as the 1st and 2nd, and these have occurred over a 16 year period of time, both buying and selling. One of the many things I find amazing over these years is the consistency of Lisa’s team. Not just the fact that some of the same, critical people have been a part of her team for so long, but also the consistent quality of execution each member of the team provides. To say they go above and beyond doesn’t seem adequate. They supported me at such a high level of customer service that I never felt like “just a customer” or one of X-number of deals they are handling. You truly have a team there for you, helping you navigate and make great decisions at every step. Additionally, this team listens! That, coupled with their deep knowledge of the Austin market, gave me the confidence to know I was making well-informed decisions aligned with my goals. You will not go wrong by choosing Team Munoz, so go for it!

Lisa was great!

Lisa was great. I have two friends that recommended Lisa to me and I too would recommend her to any other friends looking to sell their house in Austin.

Andrew M.

2022-01-18T07:19:04-06:00

Andrew M.

Lisa was great. I have two friends that recommended Lisa to me and I too would recommend her to any other friends looking to sell their house in Austin.

Wow Wow Wow!

Wow wow wow! We cannot say enough great things about Lisa! We started looking for a new home back in December of 2020 and watched home prices skyrocket. To make matters worse, we were house shopping remotely due to childcare responsibilities and fear of traveling to Austin during the pandemic before vaccines were available. At that time, we were with a different realtor that wasn’t a good fit for us. We put in a few offers and lost out on everyone. We were anxious, scared, and hopeless, so we decided to switch gears, which led us to Lisa. She took us under her wing and provided us firm guidance, confidence, and support. Lisa really took the time to understand our wishes. It felt good to be challenged when we brought up a house that she knew wasn’t right for us, and it gave us a lot more confidence when we found the right house. When that day came, Lisa and her team sprung into action, and we ended up getting our dream home with the first offer Lisa’s team helped us with! We loved Lisa and her whole team! We are so so so grateful for every one of them!

Bekah S.

2021-11-05T11:00:38-05:00

Bekah S.

Wow wow wow! We cannot say enough great things about Lisa! We started looking for a new home back in December of 2020 and watched home prices skyrocket. To make matters worse, we were house shopping remotely due to childcare responsibilities and fear of traveling to Austin during the pandemic before vaccines were available. At that time, we were with a different realtor that wasn’t a good fit for us. We put in a few offers and lost out on everyone. We were anxious, scared, and hopeless, so we decided to switch gears, which led us to Lisa. She took us under her wing and provided us firm guidance, confidence, and support. Lisa really took the time to understand our wishes. It felt good to be challenged when we brought up a house that she knew wasn’t right for us, and it gave us a lot more confidence when we found the right house. When that day came, Lisa and her team sprung into action, and we ended up getting our dream home with the first offer Lisa’s team helped us with! We loved Lisa and her whole team! We are so so so grateful for every one of them!

January 2022

Lisa and her team were perfect from start to finish. She was referred to us by a friend who also had nothing but good things to say. Lisa provided us a strategic home improvement plan, which we followed and likely resulted in a quick sale for our house at a price we were happy with. If I end up searching for a home in the Austin area, I definitely plan to reach out to her. Likewise, if any friends of mine are searching for a realtor, I'll most definitely be referring Lisa to them.

Lily Y.

2022-01-11T07:35:43-06:00

Lily Y.

Lisa and her team were perfect from start to finish. She was referred to us by a friend who also had nothing but good things to say. Lisa provided us a strategic home improvement plan, which we followed and likely resulted in a quick sale for our house at a price we were happy with. If I end up searching for a home in the Austin area, I definitely plan to reach out to her. Likewise, if any friends of mine are searching for a realtor, I'll most definitely be referring Lisa to them.

referral program

We welcome and are honored by your referrals.
We go the extra mile to show our gratitude for referrals with special perks at our appreciation events and little treats all year long, such as our Thanksgiving pie delivery.