Looking for budget stays in Austin? This section is designed to save you time, money, and unnecessary stress. We've got insider tips to help you find affordable hostels and the cheapest places to stay in Austin.
Austin is the political and music capital of Texas. It's home to the University of Texas at Austin as well as several smaller universities and colleges so the population tends to be young and hip. It's also a mecca for hipsters and progressives even though it's deep in the heart of a conservative southern state. There are just a few hostels in Austin, so be sure to make contact with them to book in advance.
Austin's social scene is diverse. When you're staying in an Austin hostel, if you want to go out and get crazy, you can catch a bus or a cab and head downtown to 6th Street between Red River Street and Congress Avenue. That area is packed with bars and crowds of 20-somethings almost every night of the week. For live music and more hipster-style bars, stick to the Red River Street area between 6th and 10th Streets. For a slightly older crowd head to the Warehouse District area west of Congress Avenue around 4th Street. If you're looking for something "Texas-y," try the Broken Spoke on South Lamar for some honkytonk music and country line dancing.
If you're interested in art and museums, there are plenty of those in the downtown area pretty close to most of the Austin hostels. However, there are art galleries all over the city, especially on the east side of I-35 and south of downtown on Congress or in the 78704 area. Most people in Austin are also very into being outdoors, so if you're interested in hiking, biking, boating, swimming, disc golf, or league sports, you name it and someone is out there doing it. There are trails, parks, and wilderness areas all over and around the city. Just be prepared, the weather here can be really hot and humid.
You should be able to find a bed in an Austin hostel most times of year if you make a reservation a little bit in advance. However, if you plan to visit during the SXSW (in March) or the ACL (late September / early October) music festivals you need to plan months in advance because the city draws in huge international crowds and even the most expensive hotels sometimes get fully booked around those times of year.
