Visiting Austin, Texas for a short vacation? Are you in town for work? Or maybe you’re on the lookout for houses for rent in Austin TX where you can settle down and start a new life? You’ll be happy to know that Texas isn’t all warm weather, cowboys, and BBQ, though those things are pretty exciting, too. There are countless opportunities for artistic engagement and entertainment all around town, no matter your personality or preferences. Here is a guide to Austin’s entertainment world that’ll have you packing your bag faster than ever. 

1. Breaking Down the Scenes

Austin is a big city, and most of the action, so to speak, is concentrated in the downtown area. The first thing to know about Austin overall is that it is broken down into thirteen areas. These are:

  • Central
  • East
  • North/Northwest
  • Rainey Street (DownTown)
  • Red River (DownTown)
  • Sixth Street
  • South
  • South Congress
  • University of Texas
  • West
  • West Sixth (DownTown)
  • Hill Country

For the purposes of this article, we’ll be looking at some of the livelier areas when it comes to entertainment, which are centered in downtown. There are West Sixth Street, Red River, Rainey Street, and Sixth Street. 

2. West Sixth Street

This great and upscale street is filled with opportunities to enjoy great meals, catch live music, and even sports. 

Restaurants and Bars:

  • Dirty Bill’s
  • Donn’s Depot
  • Mean Eyed Cat
  • Star Bar
  • Rustic Tap
  • Parlor & Yard
  • Hoffbrau Steakhouse
  • Fixe

Entertainment Spots:

  • The Belmont Music Venue
  • Waterloo Records

3. Red River

A live music hotspot, the Red River Cultural District is known for its high concentration of hip nightlife venues on and around Red River Street. Local and national acts play music of all genres from rooftop decks, outdoor stages, and dive bars, while dance clubs feature DJs spinning tunes from goth to hip-hop.

Restaurants and Bars:

  • Koriente’s
  • Arlo’s 
  • Hoboken Pie
  • Pelons Tex-Mex Restaurant
  • Stubb’s Bar-B-Q
  • Empire Control Room and Garage
  • Cheer Up Charlies

Entertainment Spots:

  • Mohawk
  • Swan Dive
  • Barbarella

4. Rainey Street

In downtown Austin, Texas. Rainey Street is located near Lady Bird Lake and Interstate 35 in the southeast corner of downtown.

Restaurants and Bars:

  • Half Step
  • Lucille’s
  • Lustre Pearl
  • Clive Bar’s
  • Little Brother Bar
  • Banger’s Sausage House and Beer Garden
  • Geraldine’s
  • Emmer & Rye
  • Little Lucy’s Mini Donuts

5. Sixth Street

Sixth Street is a historic street and entertainment district in Austin, Texas, located within the city’s urban core in downtown Austin. Sixth Street was formerly named Pecan Street under Austin’s older naming convention, which had east–west streets named after trees and north–south streets named after Texas rivers.

Restaurants and Bars:

  • Iron Cactus
  • Casino El Camino
  • Driskill Bar
  • Firehouse Lounge & Hostel
  • Midnight Cowboy
  • Maggie Mae’s

No matter what side or street of Austin that you choose to saunter through, you are sure to find delicious eats or entertaining thrills, no matter your age or speed. With such expansive options and opportunities, it comes as no surprise that so many people are packing their bags and making Austin their new home.