111 Places in Austin

AFS Cinema

Richard Linklater’s vision for Austin film

In 1985, a film lover named Richard Linklater gathered a group of “film freaks” together and started the Austin Film Society (AFS). They were young, inspired cinephiles who were crazy about film, and they all went on to work in the industry. But early on, they had no idea they were about to put Austin film on the map.

The society started by screening hard-to-find, experimental films late at night in theaters on the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) campus and in a makeshift projection room above Quack’s Bakery. Over time, AFS grew into what it is today: a supportive hub for Austin filmmakers. In 2000, the organization opened up Aus tin Studios, a 20-acre production facility, where parts of True Grit, Idiocracy, and Friday Night Lights were shot. Life-changing grants from AFS fund emergent filmmakers in Texas to get their films and careers off the ground.

All other contributions aside, the main game of AFS has always been screenings. The dream since the start was to launch a cinema, and in 2015, that dream became a reality. The bona fide AFS Cinema is a two-screen art house theater with crimson red curtains and clas sic, tasteful cinema design. The now-famous Linklater, who remains the artistic director of AFS, was heavily involved in the building’s renovation, and the features on the walls are a selection from his enormous poster collection.

Here at the only dedicated repertory art house in the city, the programming is a combination of classics, first-run indie films, and foreign films. Guests at the cinema include many of Austin’s more prominent film industry names, like David and Nathan Zellner, Cat Kandler, Annie Silverstein, David Hartstein, Bradley Beesley, Bob Byington, Ivete Lucas, Patrick Bresnan, and Keith Maitland. The philosophy at AFS is that in order to be a film town, you need a great cinema and a connected community. This theater provides both.

Address 6406 N IH-35, Suite 3100, Austin, TX 78752, +1 (512) 686-3823, www.austinfilm.org/afs-cinema | Getting there Bus 7 or 10 to Airport / Highland; MetroRail to Highland; free parking | Hours See website for schedule | Tip Wander around Austin Public, the center for filmmakers where the city films public access television (1143 Northwestern Avenue, www.austinfilm.org/austin-public).

The Alamo Drafthouse

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The Alamo Drafthouse is an Austin staple, a landmark movie theater known for its strict rules enforcing proper cinemagoing etiquette. Harsh videos play at the beginning of every film reminding audi ence members that talking, texting, and arriving late are unacceptable behaviors. Their big twist on the traditional movie theater experience is that heaping helpings of food and beverage are not just allowed, but encouraged – the theater doubles as a restaurant, and their menu is expansive. Try the shakes.

Every Alamo Drafthouse offers great food, but the location on South Lamar is the only one that celebrates The Shining. A real-life replica of the carpet from the iconic horror film graces the entrance. Embrace your perverse obsession with one of the scariest movies of all time and imagine you are in the isolated, wintry Overlook Hotel. Jack and Wendy aren’t around, but you can act out the role of their son Danny. Really – the staff has a tricycle that’s always at the ready. If it’s not out, just ask them for it. You can take a turn ped aling around furiously, just the way young Danny zoomed through the corridors.

A large, high-definition photograph of the hotel hallway serves as a perfect backdrop for a photo-op with The Shining. It’s visible periodically throughout the year when other posters for new releases aren’t covering it. The rest of the main entrance pops with movie magic too, with 8-foot-tall horror movie posters from the 1930s through the 1960s lining the walls, and massive spaceships and UFOs rescued from carnival rides hanging from the ceiling.

A number of the Alamo Drafthouse locations have themes: oth ers in Austin include Close Encounters of the Third Kind in Mueller, Planet of the Apes at Lakeline, and Little Shop of Horrors at Slaughter Lane. In Brooklyn, it’s King Kong to fit the New York story. Go snap a shot at every one in town.

Address 1120 S Lamar Boulevard, Austin, TX 78704, +1 (512) 861-7040, www.drafthouse.com/austin/theater/south-lamar | Getting there Bus 3 or 803 to Lamar Square; fee parking available | Hours Daily, see website for schedule | Tip So you like horror and cabin fever, huh? Get yourself trapped in the escape room at the Escape Game Austin (405 Red River Street, www.theescapegame.com).

Allen’s Boots

Cowboy chic on the traveler’s street

A great pair of boots will pass through the hands of more than 150 artisans before it’s complete. They represent a passionate craft, and many are created in León, Mexico, aka the shoemaking capital of the world. You’ll find pairs like this at Allen’s Boots on South Congress, a street popular with tourists and locals alike. As the street changed, this shop has, too. While Allen’s still serves the local workman who lives in a good pair of Luccheses, the shop has become a popular attraction itself. Blake Abott, the general manager, says, “You couldn’t handpick a better location anywhere in the world.”

When people walk through the doors for the first time, they usually stop and comment on the strong smell of leather. Then, they pause to take in the enormity of the store. The shop is Texas-sized, after all, and holds more than 10,000 pairs of boots at a time. This includes Allen’s private label brand of boots made just for the store, and you can find boots that are a work of art. But the shop isn’t only frequented by locals and travelers. Here, you’re in the boot shop for both the average Joe and for the stars. Allen’s is popu lar with people like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, and many more. Signed photos, and pictures of stars in their own pairs of boots from the shop line the wall behind the registers for all to see.

If you’re trying to get rodeo-ready, you’re in luck. This store can cowboy you up from head to toe with quality western clothing, hats, belt buckles, and bolo ties. And if you want to take a closer look at Luccheses, they have a special store inside Allen’s Boots. The shop’s employees at both stores know their way around the essentials as well as specialty items, and they can help you find the perfect look for wherever the road takes you next. Is that going to be the rodeo, line dancing, or down the rest of South Congress?

Address 1522 S Congress Avenue, Austin, TX 78704, +1 (512) 447-1413, www.allensboots.com, info@allensboots.com | Getting there Bus 1, 486, or 801 to SoCo | Hours Mon Sat 9am 8pm, Sun noon 6pm | Tip Watch master boot makers at work at Texas Custom Boots (1601 S 1st Street, www.texascustomboots.com).

Animatronic LBJ

The man, the legend, resurrected

Thought you’d never see Lyndon B. Johnson alive in the 21st century? Think again. This life-sized animatronic version is the next best thing to the real deal – the late president moves while speakers play audio of him cracking jokes and telling stories from back on the ranch. The figure was designed in 1997 as part of a seasonal display at Neiman Marcus in Dallas. He gets his unsettling, lifelike mannerisms from the Sally Corporation, now the leading manufacturer of dark rides and ghost trains in amusement parks.

All curiosities aside, the collection at the LBJ Presidential Library brings Texas’ most successful Democrat back to life. LBJ’s sense of humor and conversational skills were defining elements of his lead ership, and his voice is all over the museum in recordings of old speeches and meetings. 1960s-era phones hang from the wall and invite you to listen in on telephone conversations between LBJ and J. Edgar Hoover, Martin Luther King Jr., and others. Lucky for us, the president secretly recorded many of his phone calls.

During his presidency, the American public rarely saw his downto-earth jokester side. Instead, he was well known for the “Johnson treatment,” his persuasive tactic of towering over other politicians to intimidate them – he was 6’4’’, after all. However, despite his imposing stature and sometimes domineering presence, those who worked closely with LBJ found him captivating, sincere, and effort lessly funny.

There are theories as to why LBJ’s good side was seldom captured by the American media. First and foremost, many reporters couldn’t get past his thick country accent. Beyond that, LBJ was stubborn about his speeches, and he didn’t work well with the camera, so the television did him no favors. Nonetheless, in person he put on a grand show, and you can see many of his performances at the expansive presidential library.

Address 2313 Red River Street, Austin, TX 78705, +1 (512) 721-0200, www.lbjlibrary.org | Getting there Bus 10 to San Jacinto/23rd; free parking in lot on Red River | Hours Daily 9am 5pm | Tip If you’re drawn to eerie animatronics, look out for the work of Austin-based artist Yuliya Lanina (www.yuliyalanina.com), whose public art is on display periodically around the city.

Antone’s Record Shop

Home of the Texas blues

The name Clifford Antone looms large in Austin’s history. Antone was one of the biggest figures in Austin’s music scene in its earliest heyday, and it was he who brought the roaring blues to this oncesleepy town. He was a mentor to Stevie Ray Vaughan, now known as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Jimmie Vaughan, Kim Wilson, and later Gary Clark Jr.

Born in the Gulf Coast city of Port Arthur to Greek Orthodox Lebanese American parents, Antone came to UT Austin in 1968. He was a generous, impassioned, force-of-nature type. And he was so obsessed with the blues that when he was 25, he established Antone’s Nightclub and grew it into one of Austin’s truly historic venues.

During the club’s golden age, it was located just north of UT cam pus on Guadalupe. Riding on its success, in 1987 Antone opened up a record store across the street. The venue has since moved downtown, but the shop is in the same spot. In the 1980s and 1990s, folks hung out there killing time before whatever act was next across the street. In 2019, film director Quentin Tarantino, well-known for his soundtracks, named Antone’s as one of his top three record shops in the world.

Browse one of the largest vinyl collections in town, including 78s, the earliest form of records dating back to the early 1900s and orig inally played on phonographs. Blues and classic rock are the shop’s specialties, but they’ve got everything. There are even live recordings for sale of Pinetop Perkins and James Cotton playing at Antone’s Nightclub.

The current owners, all old friends of Antone’s, keep up the spirit of promoting Austin musicians. Local bands play every Sunday after noon, and lots of college students buy their first record here. He would surely be proud of how far Austin music has come and glad to know that the blues are still wafting out of doorways with his name on it after all these years.

Address 2928 Guadalupe Street, Austin, TX 78705, +1 (512) 322-0660, www.antonesrecordshop.com, info@antonesrecordshop.com | Getting there Bus 801 or 803 to 31st Street; parking available in front | Hours Daily noon 7pm | Tip Antone’s Nightclub (305 E 5th Street, www.antonesnightclub.com) and various grocery stores in Austin sell Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys, sandwiches created in Houston by Clifford Antone’s uncle, Jalal Antone.

The Austin Aqua-Dome

There’s plenty of fish in the city

As you pass by this bubble-shaped building, you can’t help but wonder what’s inside. The dome looks almost extraterrestrial and quite myste rious. It was built in the mid-1980s, and the current owner acquired it in the late 1990s. You might be surprised to learn it’s home to one of the largest selections of marine, tropical, and freshwater fish in the world. You can find coral here, along with practically anything you can think of that has to do with fish, aquariums, or ponds. They don’t sell animals or fish that couldn’t live in a home system. A visit here is a great and free activity for kids who are old enough to be careful around the tanks, and it sparks an early interest in underwater creatures.

Would you believe the largest group of endangered animals are freshwater fish? More than a third of them are threatened with extinction, and fish-keeping can be a form of conservation. More and more hobbyists are counteracting the loss of fish species that slip through the cracks by giving them a place in their home and sharing their passions with other people.

Despite its impressive selection, this isn’t just a store for fish experts. Fish-curious folks are welcome, as are families, and people who just want to take a look around. Owner Gary Coffman has a degree in zoology from UT Austin, and he also has decades of expe rience to share as you make your way around the two floors and the many rows of fish tanks.

Coming to the Aqua-Dome is like stepping into an underwater maze, glass stretching toward the ceiling to maximize the designrestricting shape of the building. It’s easy to picture yourself inside a giant tank, as the structure blocks the natural light from coming in. On a slow day, you’ll find yourself alone in a row surrounded by eye-catching aquatic life.

They say there are plenty of fish in the sea, but fish are unexpect edly abundant in Austin too.

Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater

A rock-and-roll icon

It started in 1974 as a showcase of the cowboy spirit, outlaw country, and the diverse Austin music scene. In the early days of the Austin City Limits television program, the episodes were recorded in the Austin PBS, KLRU-TV Studio 6A on the UT Austin campus, com plete with a skyline replica backdrop. In 2011, Willie Nelson kicked off the grand opening of a new venue for live concerts – Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater. This major happening set the stage for the venue to host 100+ publicly ticketed events every year in addition to becoming the new studio home for the acclaimed TV series. Today, Austin City Limits is the longest-running music series in television history.

So it makes sense that an 8-foot-tall statue of Nelson, the “Red headed Stranger,” welcomes you to ACL Live at the Moody Theater, as the Texas native launched Austin City Limits with the now-historic 1974 pilot episode. Aside from Willie, the ACL Live venue itself is a work of pure genius. It’s intimate, for starters. There really isn’t a bad seat in the house, and from any point, you’re no farther than 75 feet from the stage (and 12 steps from a bar). Aside from the tapings, you can catch incredible concerts here year-round. They’ve had everyone from B.B. King to Gary Clark Jr.

Now you’re probably wondering how you purchase a ticket to Austin City Limits TV tapings. The answer is: you don’t. A week before each taping, fans can enter an online lottery for a chance to win a prized pair of free passes to the exclusive tapings.

But you don’t need to wait to win taping tickets to enjoy the theater. Their venue tour includes galleries of the iconic music pho tography of Scott Newton and Jim Marshall. And of course, you can always enjoy a ticketed live show.

Address 310 W Willie Nelson Boulevard, Austin, TX 78701, +1 (512) 225-7999, www.acl-live.com, info@acl-live.com | Getting there Bus 1 or 3 to Republic Square; paid parking in downtown lots | Hours See website for schedule | Tip Visit the statue of another famous Austin City Limits performer, Stevie Ray Vaughan (210 Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail).

Austin Creative Reuse

Old treasures for your newest project

We all know the three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. The folks at Austin Creative Reuse (ACR) would tell you that “Recycle” should always come last – dead last – after “Refuse” (don’t buy it), “Repair,” and “Reuse.” Refusing the new and repurposing the old is what the principles of sustainability are all about. Whether you’re keeping an old item for crafting, teaching, or building, there’s always another life in store for it.

Founder Rebecca Stuch says that her idea to bring a creative reuse center to Austin was sparked by the fact that it’s simply the perfect place for it. This is a city with a strong environmental and artistic bent – it’s the same reason that Austin is home to so many thrift and vintage shops. ACR is essentially a thrift store: you can buy second hand materials and use them to make something beautiful and new to you. Meanwhile, the appeal has a wide reach. People often drive in from as far as San Antonio to Taylor to visit.

Austin’s creative reuse center collects and sells donated materials, from different types of fabric to scrapbooking tools to old machines. It’s one of about 25 creative reuse centers nationwide, and is a mis sion-driven nonprofit built on principles of conservation, creativity, and education. The center is great for crafters, teachers, artists, and anyone who wants to make something out of unexpected materials. Largely operated by an army of volunteers who organize all the dona tions that would have otherwise become trash, Austin Creative Reuse has diverted hundreds of thousands of pounds of materials from the landfill since its founding in 2011.

In the front, you’ll find the higher quality materials, where everything is priced by the piece. As you venture farther back, you’ll enter the bucket area, where you can fill a five-gallon bucket with anything you want for a flat $5. Explore, enjoy, and give something tattered a new life.

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Austin Speed Shop

Cruise into hot rod heaven

Texas is quickly becoming one of the very best places to be for cus tom cars. Events like Formula 1 and the MotoGP draw in plenty of enthusiasts, but the shops that call Austin home infuse the Texas roadways with personality year-round. Old-school hot rods prowl the streets and pop up at car shows, and there’s a team that truly appreciates them.

The Austin Speed Shop is a gallery of passionate craftsmanship from the ground up. The talented folks at this garage have been work ing on hot rods and vintage customs, full builds, metal fabrication, and more since 2005. Unlike other garages, this one oozes with a rock-and-roll atmosphere that’s right at home in the live music cap ital. The vibe is partly due to the combination of background experi ence the partners have. Cory Moore, one of the shop’s partners and president, has a past filled with music.

When you pull up to this South Austin garage, you’re transported to a classic car paradise draped in neon. For those who love the craft, their sign that blazes the message, Hot Rod Church of God, is right on the mark. Luckily, the public can peer through their big bay windows and watch the crew breathe new life into the rides of the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s. (They’ll also work on some ’60s and ’70s models.) You won’t find them making something straight out of a catalog. They add their own flair to every vehicle. All you have to do is take a look at their Hill Country Flyer. Originally a quintessential hot rod, the Austin Speed Shop paired a traditional driver with a custom chassis and a soulful burnt orange to transform this ’32. Other famous builds of theirs include an electric green 1929 Sedan. This place radiates with a uniquely Texas energy.

Even if you don’t appreciate cars, this shop is sure to change your mind. You’ll find that cars and motorcycles can be pieces of art, and you can watch the masters at work.

Address 3507 Chapman Lane, Austin, TX 78744, +1 (512) 693-7277, www.austinspeedshop.com, info@austinspeedshop.com

Getting there Bus 228 to 5500 Oltorf / Attorney General or bus 7 to Woodward / Ben White NE Corner | Hours Mon Fri 8am 5pm, Sat 10am 3pm | Tip The Lonestar Roundup is a world-renowned annual show that has vintage hot rods and custom cars, music, and more (7311 Decker Lane, www.lonestarroundup.com).

Austin Steam Train Association

Ride in a moving museum

There was a time in Texas history where mobilizing the vast and challenging expanse of the state would have been nearly impossible without trains. Generations later, improvements to transportation made passenger trains less common. In 1956, the Southern Pacific Railway donated train No. 786 to the City of Austin. This 1916 train sat on static display for 20 years until the Southern Pacific company backed out of Austin and sold the city 167 miles of track running from Giddings through Austin. The track went into the Hill Country to Burnet, Llano, and Marble Falls.

Who knows what would have happened to this part of Texas his tory if a savvy group of train aficionados, led by Arthur U. Boone, hadn’t come up with a brilliant idea? They approached the city about pairing the historic steam train with the old Southern Pacific tracks to create a moving museum. They spent two years fixing up No. 786 and created the Austin Steam Train Association to preserve and educate people by way of excursions about historic passenger train travel.

Today, the ASTA takes people across Central Texas and back again on a variety of trains with different themes. You can hop on a wine or beer train, take their famous Hill Country Flyer trip for an adventure through Burnet, take the kids on a North Pole adven ture during the holiday season, and much more. Other than some administrators and members of the train maintenance team, this organization is an impressive volunteer effort. For every train ride they offer, they utilize 12 to 15 volunteers to make up the operating personnel. These train lovers have to pass all of the same tests fulltime train operators would. Thanks to the hard work of this ded icated group of people, you can still step back in time to the great era of American travel.

Address 401 E Whitestone Boulevard, Suite C-100, Cedar Park, TX 78613, +1 (512) 402-3830, www.austinsteamtrain.org, info@austinsteamtrain.org | Getting there Drive north on I-35, exit on FM 1431 and turn left (going west); after passing under the highway, the Cedar Park railroad station is a half-mile on the right | Hours By reservation only | Tip Hop on another train at the Austin Zoo for a 20-minute ride and try to spot as many animals as you can (10808 Rawhide Trail, www.austinzoo.org).

Kelsey Roslin is a writer who has contributed articles for publications including The Huffing ton Post, Bustle, Go World Travel, and more. She has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and convergent journalism from Metropolitan State University of Denver. Originally from Colo rado, she moved to Texas to live with her best friend and still isn’t quite used to the heat. She loves crime podcasts and ghost stories. https://www.kelseyroslin.com

Nic Yeager grew up in North Austin, closest to the Xiang Yun Temple. They have written for The Texas Observer, Texas Monthly, The Austin Chronicle, and other publications. Nic has a bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Wesleyan University. What they really want to do every day is swim and sit in the Austin sun, so they highly recommend that. www.nicyeager.com

Jesse Pitzler, after separating from the Marine Corps, started his journey as a photographer and cinematographer in Seattle, Washington. He moved to Austin in 2017 to experience the summer heat and continue his education. He has traveled across the United States, creating beautiful visuals for various mediums. As a certified Part 107 drone operator, Jesse is leveraging this new technology in creative and inno vative ways. www.dearjesstastic.com