Texas

OpenRoom put together a mini guide of things you might want to know before your trip to Texas! Nevertheless, don't forget to scroll down to the comments to see tips & tricks from travelers who've been there!

AUSTIN

📍 Where to find activities

→ 6th Street — Austin's main nightlife and entertainment strip. Divided into sections with different vibes: dive bars and a college crowd on one end, more upscale bars on the other, and independent bars and restaurants on the east side. Live music every night.

→ Rainey Street — A neighborhood of historic bungalow houses converted into bars, restaurants, and music venues. Food trucks, patios, and a more relaxed atmosphere than 6th Street.

→ South Congress Avenue (SoCo) — A street south of the river with vintage shops, boutiques, murals, restaurants, and food trucks.

→ Lady Bird Lake — A reservoir on the Colorado River running through downtown. Kayaking, paddleboarding, running, and biking along the trail.

→ Barton Springs Pool — A natural spring-fed swimming pool in Zilker Park.

→ Zilker Park — A large park along the river with trails and fields.

→ Red River Cultural District — A strip of live music venues along Red River Street. Where much of Austin's live music scene is concentrated.

→ Texas State Capitol — The state capitol building in downtown Austin.

→ SXSW (South by Southwest) — A major annual festival in March combining music, film, and interactive events. The city fills with performances, screenings, and events.

→ Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL) — A large music festival held in Zilker Park.

📍 Where to eat

→ Barbecue — Austin is known for Texas-style barbecue.

→ Breakfast tacos — A local staple available throughout the city.

→ Food trucks — Austin has a strong food truck culture, with clusters on Rainey Street, South Congress, and East Austin.

→ East Austin — A growing restaurant and food scene.

📍 Where to go out

→ 6th Street — The main nightlife strip. Bars, clubs, and live music.

→ Rainey Street — Bungalow bars with patios and food trucks.

→ Red River Cultural District — Live music venues.

→ East Austin — Bars and venues with a more local crowd.

📍 Where to find culture

→ Live music — Austin has a dense concentration of live music venues across genres, with performances every night.

→ SXSW (March) and ACL Festival.

→ The Blanton Museum of Art.

📍 Nearby destinations

→ San Antonio, Hill Country, Fredericksburg

SAN ANTONIO

📍 Where to find activities

→ River Walk (Paseo del Río) — A network of walkways along the San Antonio River, one level below the street. Lined with restaurants, bars, and shops.

→ The Alamo — A historic site from the Texas Revolution, in the center of downtown.

→ Pearl District — A mixed-use district with restaurants, shops, and a weekend farmers market. North of downtown along the river.

→ Market Square (El Mercado) — A marketplace with Mexican goods, food, and live music.

→ Missions — A series of historic missions along the river south of downtown.

📍 Where to eat

→ River Walk — Restaurants along the water.

→ Pearl District — Independent restaurants and a weekend farmers market.

→ Market Square — Mexican food.

→ Tex-Mex — San Antonio is a center of Tex-Mex cuisine.

📍 Where to go out

→ River Walk — Bars and restaurants along the water.

→ North St. Mary's Street — A bar and music strip north of downtown.

→ Southtown — Bars, galleries, and restaurants south of downtown.

📍 Where to find culture

→ The Alamo — Texas history.

→ The historic missions along the river.

→ San Antonio Museum of Art.

→ San Antonio's identity is deeply tied to Mexican and Texan heritage.

📍 Nearby destinations

→ Austin, Fredericksburg, New Braunfels

DALLAS / FORT WORTH

📍 Where to find activities

→ Dallas: → Deep Ellum — Dallas's main entertainment and arts district. Murals, live music venues, bars, and restaurants.

→ Uptown — A neighborhood north of downtown with restaurants, bars, and nightlife along McKinney Avenue.

→ Bishop Arts District — A small neighborhood south of downtown with independent shops, restaurants, and galleries.

→ Downtown Dallas — Reunion Tower, the Dallas Arts District (museums and performing arts venues), and Klyde Warren Park.

→ Fort Worth: → Fort Worth Stockyards — A historic district with western wear shops, honky tonks, rodeo events, and live country music.

→ Sundance Square — Fort Worth's downtown entertainment district. Restaurants, bars, and live entertainment.

→ Fort Worth Cultural District — A cluster of museums west of downtown.

📍 Where to eat

→ Deep Ellum (Dallas) — Restaurants, food trucks, and casual dining.

→ Bishop Arts District (Dallas) — Independent restaurants and cafés.

→ Fort Worth Stockyards — Steakhouses and Tex-Mex.

📍 Where to go out

→ Deep Ellum (Dallas) — Live music, bars, and clubs.

→ Uptown Dallas — Bars and lounges.

→ Fort Worth Stockyards — Honky tonks and country music bars.

→ Sundance Square (Fort Worth) — Bars and restaurants.

📍 Where to find culture

→ Dallas Arts District — The Dallas Museum of Art and other cultural venues.

→ The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.

→ Fort Worth Cultural District — Art museums.

→ Fort Worth Stockyards — Western heritage.

📍 Nearby destinations

→ Austin, Houston, San Antonio

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND

📍 Where to find activities

→ The beach — A barrier island at the southern tip of the Texas coast on the Gulf of Mexico. Wide sandy beaches and warm water.

→ Dolphin watching — Boat tours for dolphin sightings.

→ Water sports — Kiteboarding, paddleboarding, jet skiing, and parasailing.

→ South Padre is known as a spring break destination in March.

📍 Where to eat

→ Along Padre Boulevard — Seafood restaurants, casual beach dining, and Tex-Mex.

📍 Where to go out

→ Padre Boulevard — Beach bars and clubs. Active during spring break, more relaxed the rest of the year.

📍 Where to find culture

→ South Padre is primarily a beach destination with limited cultural attractions.

📍 Nearby destinations

→ Brownsville, the Mexican border

GALVESTON

📍 Where to find activities

→ The Strand — A historic downtown district with shops, restaurants, and bars.

→ Galveston beaches — Gulf Coast beaches along the seawall. Seawall Boulevard runs along the waterfront.

→ Pleasure Pier — An amusement pier on the seawall.

→ Moody Gardens — An attraction complex with an aquarium and exhibits.

📍 Where to eat

→ The Strand — Restaurants in the historic district.

→ Seawall Boulevard — Seafood restaurants along the waterfront.

📍 Where to go out

→ The Strand — Bars and live music venues.

→ Seawall Boulevard — Beach bars.

📍 Where to find culture

→ The Strand Historic District — The historic architecture.

📍 Nearby destinations

→ Houston

📍 Climate by season

Texas is a large state with varied climates.

Spring (March–May) — Highs 22–32°C (72–90°F). Spring break season at South Padre (March).

Summer (June–August) — Highs 34–40°C (93–104°F). Extremely hot across the state. Humid on the coast.

Fall (September–November) — Highs 22–32°C (72–90°F). Still warm through September and October.

Winter (December–February) — Highs 12–18°C (54–64°F) in central Texas. The coast is milder. Occasional cold fronts.

📍 Areas that may not be safe

None found. Nevertheless, make sure to double-check prior to visiting a place that it is safe!

(Picture credit: Jeswin Thomas)