Austin/UT and the Drag

The University of Texas (UT) has one of the top five largest campuses in the US, and offers many attractions for students and non-students alike, with aesthetically pleasing grounds and many museums and cultural centers open to the public. A long section of Guadalupe Street (pronounced GWAHD-uh-loop by the locals), known as "the drag", runs alongside the western boundary of the UT campus, providing the area with unique shopping and culinary attractions. Some of the side streets to the west of the Drag have some hidden gems as well.

UT is one of the largest universities in the country. With a history going back into the 1800s when 40 acres was set aside for a university, UT has grown into a world class institution. A walk around the campus will reveal everything from Ivy League architecture to modern sculpture. Places to visit are the Harry Ransom Center, the home of one of the original Gutenberg Bibles, the West Mall, UT's answer to London's Hyde Park corner, where students solve the world's problems, and the Littlefield fountain, designed by Italian artist Pompeo Coppini in 1933. The UT tower, the centerpiece of the campus upon its completion and for long since, periodically has tours that let visitors ascend to the observation deck at the top for a panoramic view of the campus and Austin.

If you're up for a walk (the campus is not small), don't forget to visit the LBJ Presidential library on the east side. If you're a football fan, Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium, home of the 2005 National Champion Texas Longhorns, is a must-see. If you're around in the summer, a baseball ticket can be had for Texas baseball (a regular contender for NCAA champion). The stadium is across I-35, though. For a rest, and if you can find it, discover the secret peaceful oasis of the lily pond near the biology building. Finally, there is the Cactus Cafe. A cool club on campus in the Austin tradition, the Cactus is known for great live acoustic music. A visit to the university would not be complete without stopping at the Cactus.

The Drag is also worth a visit. It's an urban oasis with a line of interesting stores, joints, restaurants and the usual mix of national chains. The UT Co-op has everything a Texas Longhorn fan could ever desire. Don't forget to visit the Renaissance Market, a small open space across from the university where one can purchase tie-dyed shirts, home-made jewelry and original art.

At one point, Austin would have been little else than UT and downtown. Today, UT stands as one of Austin's best monuments. If you're older, a visit will remind you what it feels like to be young again. If you're younger, it may excite you about what you can be. UT mottoes include "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free" and "What begins here changes the world."

• 🌍 The University of Texas at Austin. A beautiful stroll and view the public art around campus. The theater and music departments are both well regarded and have performances throughout the school year. If you visit during football season, you can see the 2005 National Champion Texas Longhorn football team play at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. (updated May 2022)
• UT's sports teams, the Texas Longhorns, are a major attraction in town, with a huge following throughout the state. The main venues are scattered throughout campus, with the most notable being:
  • 🌍 Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium – Home to Longhorns football, holding just over 100,000 fans and one of the sport's more iconic venues.
  • 🌍 Moody Center – Men's and women's basketball started play here in fall 2022 in a brand-new arena that also hosts many major concerts. It opened in April 2022 as the replacement for the Frank Erwin Center, which is being demolished for an expansion of UT's medical school.
  • 🌍 UFCU Disch–Falk Field – Baseball. This venue, while on campus, is a few blocks to the east of the area covered by this page.
  • 🌍 Mike A. Myers Stadium – Track and soccer. The stadium also hosts the annual outdoor track championships for the University Interscholastic League, which governs high school sports at the state's public schools.
  • 🌍 Gregory Gymnasium – The former home of men's and women's basketball now hosts women's volleyball.
• 🌍 Blanton Museum of Art, 200 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, ☏ +1 512 471-7324. M-F 10AM-5PM, Sa 11AM-5PM, Su 1-5PM. The permanent collection comprises an impressive range of European art by important artists such as Rubens, Lorrain, and Guercino, as well as a selection of American and Latin American artworks. There is also a roster of changing exhibitions ranging from the medieval to the modern. Adults $7, children $3. Admission is free every Thursday. 
• 🌍 Harry Ransom Center, 300 W 21st St (21st at Guadalupe), ☏ +1 512 471-8944. Tu W F 10AM-5PM, Th 10AM-7PM, Sa Su noon-5PM. Houses an extensive collection of restored cultural artifacts including rare books, manuscripts, photography, film, and art. The center also hosts frequent cultural symposia which are open to the public. Free. 
• 🌍 Neil–Cochran House, 2310 San Gabriel, ☏ +1 512 478-2335. Tu-Sa 2PM-5PM. This 1855 Greek Revival-style estate house is one of the most important historic residences in the city. Guided tours provide a lot of background information on area history and on the loads of beautiful period furniture throughout the building. $5. 
• 🌍 Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, 2313 Red River St, ☏ +1 512 721-0200. 9AM-5PM daily. One of 13 presidential libraries, this facility holds over 45 million pages of historical documents, plus a museum which has an ever-changing array of exhibits related to American history and the American presidency. The exhibitions are really well set up to show what other events took place, what products were sold and what TV shows were shown during Lyndon Johnson's lifetime. The highly impactful life of Lady Bird Johnson is also covered. Whatever your opinion of his career, the museum is fascinating. Allow at least 3 hours for your visit. Adults: $16, Seniors (62 and over): $12, Veteran & Teacher: $8, Youth and College (non UT Austin): $6, UT ID holders, Children 12 & under, and UT Austin ID holders, and active military: Free. (updated Nov 2022)
• 🌍 Texas Memorial Museum, 2400 Trinity St. M-F 9AM-5PM; Su 1PM-5PM. This natural history museum, housed in the exhibit hall of the Texas Natural Science Center, hosts a variety of interesting exhibits, including a paleontology laboratory where visitors are allowed to interact with and ask questions of paleontologists as they go about their work of cleaning, cataloging, and studying fossils. Free. 
• 🌍 University of Texas Tower, ☏ +1 512 475-6633, towertours@universityunions.utexas.edu. This 307-foot tower, built in 1937, is interesting in its architectural detail, and is one of the defining landmarks of the city. The observation deck is open to the public as part of guided tours and offers a great view of the campus and surrounding city. $6/person (all ages). (updated Jan 2020)
• Street Art. Many notable pieces of street art: El Federico's Bob Dylan on the Hole in the Wall at 26th; the huge 'Movie History' mural on the side of the old Varsity Theater/Tower Records at 24th, and (front and back!) El Federico's rock icons; the psychedelic Austin landscape on the north-facing wall of the Renaissance Market; the Chagall/Dali/Warhol tribute mural at 300 E. 30th St and of course the famous "Hi How Are You" alien starting frog painted by local legend Daniel Johnston (now on wall of "Thai How Are You" Thai food place at 21st and Guadalupe). 

In addition to bookstores and other shops which cater to the needs of masses of UT students, the Drag has traditionally been filled with quirky eclectic shops, from bead shops to used records to tattoo parlors. More upscale shops have appeared, with unique fashion clothing and home decor items.

• 🌍 Antone's Record Shop, 2928 Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 512 322-0660. M-Sa 10AM-10PM, Su 11AM-8PM. 
• 🌍 Buffalo Exchange, 2904 Guadalupe, ☏ +1 512-480-9922. Vintage clothing. 
• 🌍 University Co-op, 2246 Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 512 476-7211. M-F 8:30AM-7:30PM, Sa 9:30AM-6PM, Su 11AM-5PM. A giant giftshop carrying virtually any Longhorn-themed item you can imagine. School supplies and textbooks are located downstairs. 

• 🌍 Amy's Ice Creams, 3500 Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 512 886-5933. Su-Th 11:30AM-11PM, F Sa 11:30AM-Midnight. 
• 🌍 Aster's Ethopian Restaurant, 2804 N I-35 (NW corner of I-35 access & Dean Keeton), ☏ +1 512 469-5966. Su Tu-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM, closed M. Aster delights Austin with her Ethopian food. The menu includes many vegan choices, both hot and mild: eggplant, two varieties of lentils, potatoes, greens, cabbage, and wonderful injera. 
• 🌍 Dirty Martin's Place, 2808 Guadalupe St (near 29th St), ☏ +1 512 477-3173. Daily 11AM-11PM. Known for the tasty old-time greasy burger, Dirty Martin's is a staple for hungry football fans after UT home games and has been in the same building since the 1920s. Still has a simple old-time feel, and you can watch the burgers grilled right in front of you at the bar. 
• 🌍 Kerbey Lane Cafe, 2606 Guadalupe St (between 26th and 27th Streets), ☏ +1 512 477-5717. 24 hours. 
• 🌍 Pho Tai Son, 1908 Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 512 482 0146. Good fresh Vietnamese standbys, pho, bun, stirfry and bubble drinks. No beer but maybe you can bring your own? 
• 🌍 Spider House Cafe, 2908 Fruth St, ☏ +1 512 480-9562. Daily 7AM-2AM. Popular local cafe with large outdoor seating area, occasional live music and film showings. Vegan cake and peanut buttercups are available as well as chili and burritos which can be made vegan. 
• 🌍 Star Seeds Cafe, 3101 N I-35 (located on I-35 access road just before Days Inn), ☏ +1 512 478-7107. 24 hours. No-frills diner with a delicious Cuban sandwich. 
• 🌍 Thai Spice, 2100 Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 512 482-8919. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F 11AM-10:30PM, Sa noon-10:30PM, Su noon-9:30PM. Thai cuisine and sushi. 
• 🌍 Torchy's Tacos, 2801 Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 512 494-8226. M-Th 7AM-10PM, F 7AM-11PM, Sa 8AM-11PM, Su 8AM-10PM. 
• 🌍 Wheatsville Food Co-op, 3101 Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 512 478-2667. Daily 7:30AM-11PM. A well-known Austin alternative grocery and food co-op, with deli that offers vegan and vegetarian items such as sandwiches, soups and desserts. It does carry meat items. 

• 🌍 Cactus Cafe, 2247 Guadalupe St (inside Texas Union building at the corner of 24th and Guadalupe), ☏ +1 512 475-6515. M-F 11AM-7PM* (Social Hour: 4-7PM), Sa 8PM-midnight*, closed Su. *Open later depending on performances. Live music venue with full bar. Tickets sold on first-come, first-served basis. 
• 🌍 The Hole in the Wall, 2538 Guadalupe St (where Guadalupe meets Dean Keeton). Daily 3PM-2AM. Austin institution dive bar with live music, multiple bars, outside patio and quick service from smokin' waitresses by night or cool hippie dudes dredging up Austin's bohemian past by day. 
• 🌍 Kasbah Moroccan Lounge (Kasbah Hookah Lounge), 2714 Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 512 289-4752. Su-W 2PM-2AM, Th-Sa 2PM-3AM. BYOB hookah lounge. Limited parking behind the building. 
• 🌍 Spider House, 2908 Fruth St (just north of the UT Campus), ☏ +1 512 480-9562. Daily 7AM-2AM. A lovely place to spend a night out on the patio by yourself or with friends. Table service available. The Chai Milkshake is a dream; the Sangria pitcher is pricey but a fun way to unwind. Decent food as well. Hosts a poetry slam every Tuesday night at 8PM in an annex. 

• 🌍 Drifter Jack's Hostel, 2602 Guadalupe St (behind the 7-Eleven at 26th and Guadalupe, above the Thai Noodle House), ☏ +1 512 243-8410. Hostel with both dormitories and private rooms. Free breakfast, free wireless internet, and free parking offered. Luggage storage and laundry facilities available. 4-bed dorms $28-30, 6-bed dorms $25-28, private rooms $75-85. 
• 🌍 Days Inn, 3105 N Interstate 35 (I-35 and 32nd St.), ☏ +1 512 478-1631. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. 
• 🌍 Rodeway Inn, 2900 N. I-35, ☏ +1 512 477-6395. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon.