Weekend in Austin

I may have the opportunity to spend a long (four day) weekend in Austin in early to mid-February. I would appreciate any recommendations/advice on what to see, where to stay, what%26#39;s not to be missed. Also - what kind of weather should I expect? Is a rental car necessary or is there public transportation?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me!

Weekend in Austin

Austin - live music, especially roots, real country, Americanna. 6th Street is a younger crowd definitely interested in drinking. It is a great scene but for quintessential Texas music check out any of the following venues.

Broken Spoke http://www.brokenspokeaustintx.com/

The Continental Club http://www.continentalclub.com/

Emos http://www.emosaustin.com/

Cactus Caf茅 www.utexas.edu/student/txunion/ae/cactus/

I%26#39;d consider renting a car to be able to head to the Hill Country for a day-trip to Fredericksburg

http://www.fredericksburg-texas.com/ - Great shopping,

Becker Vineyards www.beckervineyards.com/

Wild Seed Farm http://www.wildseedfarms.com/

Luckenbach, TX http://www.luckenbachtexas.com/

Old Tunnel WMA 鈥tate.tx.us/huntwild/鈥?/a>

Admiral Nimitiz Museum http://www.nimitz-museum.org/

Enchanted Rock State Park http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/enchantd/,

Three of my favorite restaurants:

Fredericksburg Brew Pub http://www.yourbrewery.com/

Hilltop Cafe http://www.hilltopcafe.com/

Hondo%26#39;s On Main http://www.hondosonmain.com

Weekend in Austin

Hi BklynLady,

Can you tell us a little more about your interests?

The weather will probably be cold but you never know. Definitely dress in layers.

I would rent a car for at least a couple of days. Definitely stay downtown and you can get away with no car, but with four days you will have a chance to see more than just downtown.

Definitely head out to Lake Travis. Go to the Oasis for a bite to eat and a great view. They recently changed the menu and the food isn%26#39;t bad at all (it was never very good but it doesn%26#39;t matter because of the view!).

I have lots of other ideas but would be interested first in finding out your age, interests, etc.

I agree with the other suggestions already offered.

A fun place to stay: Hotel San Jose on South Congress St. It%26#39;s sort of a funky-retro-minimalist-hippie place -- definitely not your average chain motel. Think butterfly chairs in the rooms, a tiny patio outside your door, and lots of greenery around a courtyard. Plus the location is great -- you can walk up and down South Congress St. visiting funky stores and a handful of restaurants.

Definitely get a rental car; you just about can%26#39;t survive without one in Texas, unlike NYC (we lived in Manhattan several years ago and miss it a lot!!).

Enjoy your visit!

February is the month in Central Texas most likely to have freakish weather. I grew up there and it tends to be coldest in February. We were at the Austin Marathon last year in mid-February and there was an ice storm. This NOT to discourage you- just watch the Weather Channel and be prepared!

Howdy! Welcome to sunny Austin!

Well, maybe not that sunny! Like most places, Austin has its coldest weather in January and February. We%26#39;re not likely to get much snow but we do get icy roads sometime, and the temperature and wind will justify bringing a good long winter coat. I like the idea of dressing in layers because the temp may go from 30s to 60s in the same day.

Rental car? Depends on where you stay and what you want to see. It%26#39;s possible to spend a 3- or 4-day weekend in central Austin (downtown, SoCo, UT) without needing a car. Austin is like almost all cities of its size in the US -- mass transit works the best closest to the center of the city. Our buses all converge on Congress Avenue, which extends south from the Capitol, crosses the river, and keeps going south for the length of the town (it used to be the highway to San Antonio in the last century). So, if you like to see sites like our Capitol Building (oooh! Legislature is in session -- make sure you hold onto your purse), UT, old architecture, and downtown museums like the Bob Bullock Museum of Texas History, you can make do without a car as long as you%26#39;re more patient waiting for our buses than you%26#39;d have to be in Brooklyn. On the other hand, add in places like the Broken Spoke and so forth, and you have to decide whether it%26#39;s worth it to save some expensive cab rides. If you want to see the scenic Hill Country to the west, you need a car.

Someone mentioned the San Jose Motel; there%26#39;s also the Austin Motel. I think these are excellent choices no matter what, but especially if you are going to concentrate on the downtown area. It%26#39;s quite possible you won%26#39;t need a rental vehicle if you score a room either of these places; even if you stay on Sixth Street or the Warehouse district later than you intended, it%26#39;s a short cab ride back to either motel. Btw Congress Avenue (or the part I%26#39;m describing) is very safe, well lit at all times, and patrolled by police frequently. The only thing holding me back from saying you can walk downtown from your motel is the temperature, which might make crossing the bridge a bit fun.

Hope you have a good time, and come back here for more answers!