Barton Springs: When temps hover above ninety, as they can in May, Barton Springs is essential. Water temps at the giant, spring fed pool in the heart of central Austin average a chilly 68 degrees year round.
Bats: Austin, and specifically the Congress Avenue bridge, is home to the nation's largest urban bat population. Every evening, around sunset, millions of them fly out for their nightly meal.
SoCo: This shopping destination is entirely unique to Austin. The funky, fun amenities along the South Congress strip range from a vintage candy shop, Big Top, to a somewhat sinister boutique, Blackmail, and authentic Tex-Mex margaritas at Guero's Taco Bar.
Alamo Drafthouse: A number of cities contain movie-theater-bar-restaurant combos. Few do cinema, booze, food, and most importantly, fun, as well as the Alamo Drafthouse.
Town Lake Trail: Run. Walk. Pedal. Enjoy nature in the heart of downtown on this crushed gravel trail along the banks of Lady Bird (formerly, Town) Lake, and enjoy fantastic people watching as well.
The Greenbelt: An eight-mile, singletrack, out and back trail winding along a limestone creek in a nearly 1,000 acre preserve just outside of downtown. Bicycle Sport Shop offers great bike rentals.
Torchy's Tacos: Order a green pork chile taco and a dirty sanchez. You won't be disappointed.
El Caribe: Known simply as Surly's by Lindy and her neighbors due to its no nonsense, one woman wait staff, this restaurant has one of the best self serve salsa bars in town. But, as the sign on the fresh salsa buffet kindly notes, "please take only what you plan on eating."
Just outside of town…
Dead Man's Hole: This is a cool stop if you've got some extra time in route to the wedding destination. The 160-feet deep vertical cave is notoriously known as the final resting place of many a union sympathizer and carpet-bagger. Members of the UT caving club rediscovered the hole in the 1950s.
Pedernales Falls State Park: An uber scenic spot along the Pedernales River. Campers welcome.
Johnson City: Ever wanted to see the boyhood home of Lyndon Baines Johnson? Now's your chance.
