How to Spend a Saturday in Austin

A good Austin Saturday has a rhythm to it. You start on the water while it is still cool, you eat barbecue that took someone sixteen hours to make, you walk South Congress, you cool off in a spring-fed pool, and you end the night with live music somewhere close. Here is how locals actually string it together, place by place, so you can copy it or make it your own.

Start on the water or at the market

The trick to summer in Austin is getting outside before the heat sets in. By 8 a.m. the air off the water is still cool, the light is soft, and the city feels quiet. Rent a paddleboard or kayak from the Texas Rowing Center on Lady Bird Lake near the MoPac bridge, or from EpicSUP on the south shore. Push out toward the downtown skyline and you get the postcard view with almost nobody around.

If you would rather keep your feet dry, point the car toward a farmers market instead. The Texas Farmers Market at Mueller runs Sunday, but the SFC Farmers Market downtown at Republic Square sets up Saturday mornings with local produce, breakfast tacos, and flowers. The Barton Creek Farmers Market off Highway 360 is another good Saturday option with a bigger spread of vendors.

Either way, you are building the day around the cool part of the morning. That one choice makes everything after it more pleasant.

Get barbecue before the line gets long

Austin barbecue is worth planning your day around, because the best places sell out and the lines are real. Franklin Barbecue on East 11th is the famous one, and people still line up before it opens. If you do not want to wait two hours, there are easier wins.

la Barbecue on East Cesar Chavez puts out brisket that rivals anyone. Terry Black's near Barton Springs Road has a big dining room and moves fast. Micklethwait Craft Meats on Rosewood is a food trailer with a loyal following. Out south, Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ blends smoked meat with handmade tortillas, and the brisket taco is a thing of its own.

• Want the legend: Franklin Barbecue, go early
• Want great brisket with less wait: la Barbecue or Terry Black's
• Want something different: Valentina's smoked brisket taco

Order more than you think you need. Cold brisket the next morning is one of the quiet joys of living here.

Walk South Congress in the afternoon

After lunch, head to South Congress Avenue. Locals call it SoCo. It is a walkable stretch of shops, patios, and street vendors with the Capitol framed at the north end of the street. Park once and wander on foot.

Stop in at Allens Boots for the wall of cowboy boots, even if you are only looking. Uncommon Objects is full of vintage oddities worth digging through. Big Top Candy Shop is an old-school soda fountain. Tecovas and other Texas brands have storefronts along the way, and the South Congress Hotel anchors the newer end with restaurants and a nice rooftop.

Grab a cold drink, find the famous "i love you so much" mural painted on the side of Jo's Coffee, and take the photo. It is touristy and everyone does it, and it is still a good time.

Cool off with a swim

By mid-afternoon in summer you will want water again. Austin is built for this. Barton Springs Pool in Zilker Park is the classic choice, a three-acre pool fed by underground springs that stays around 68 to 70 degrees all year. The cold hits hard for a second and then feels perfect. There is a small entry fee and it gets busy on weekends, so go earlier in the afternoon if you can.

If you want something free and wilder, Deep Eddy Pool just west of downtown is the oldest swimming pool in Texas and also spring-fed. For a more natural setting, the greenbelt swimming holes along Barton Creek are worth the short hike, though water levels depend on recent rain. Sculpture Falls and Twin Falls are the well-known spots.

Bring a towel and water shoes. The limestone is slick and the creek bed is rocky.

Dinner with a view or a porch

Come evening, you have options for every mood. For a Hill Country sunset, drive out to The Oasis on Lake Travis and time it so you are seated before the sun drops behind the water. It is a tourist favorite for a reason, and the view does the heavy lifting.

Closer in, the food scene runs deep. Uchi on South Lamar is a destination for sushi. Suerte on the east side does modern Mexican that books up fast. Loro on South Lamar mixes Asian flavors with smoked meat from the same people behind Uchi. If you want something casual, the patio at Lazarus Brewing or a table at any of the East Sixth Street spots works.

Reserve ahead for the sit-down places, especially on a Saturday. Austin fills up, and a little planning saves you a long wait on the sidewalk.

End the night with live music

You cannot call it an Austin Saturday without music. The city brands itself the Live Music Capital of the World, and on most nights there is a show within a few minutes of wherever you are eating dinner.

The Continental Club on South Congress is a small, historic room with great acts close to the stage. The Saxon Pub on South Lamar is a songwriter's haven. Antone's downtown is the home of the blues and books bigger names. For something free and outdoors in the warmer months, check the schedule at The Long Center or catch whatever is happening around the Red River cultural district. The Broken Spoke on South Lamar is the real-deal honky-tonk if you want to two-step.

Check listings before you go, since lineups change weekly. Then let the night run a little long. That last song you did not plan for is usually the one you remember.

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