Partying in Austin

Sixth Street In Austin looking for a good time? This is the place to be. It's a small version of Bourbon Street in New Orleans with tons of clubs, bars, and people looking for a good time. During peak times, parts of the street are shut down.

Shopping on "The Drag" (Guadalupe in front of the University of Texas). There are all kinds of interesting stores (Toy Joy! and Urban Outfitters) with all kinds of cool stuff.

The Drag People ("homeless"? people that hang out on the Drag) are definitely an Austin staple, and an interesting sight.

Quick Tips:

Most people who actually live in Austin don't hang out ON Sixth Street, they usually go the bars a few blocks off (like The GingerMan on Third) where the drinks are cheaper and the crowd's a little less unruly.

AUSTIN IS CROWDED. Parking downtown sucks, the freeways are difficult to navigate if you don't know what you're doing (like the bi-level I-35). So, make sure you know your route before you head out and leave a little extra time for looking for a place to park (especially near UT).

Best Way To Get Around:

If you stay downtown, you can walk to Sixth Street, the Capitol building, and a few other places, but it's nice to have a car, too. It's a fairly large city and there's so much to see and do.

Reasons I stay here on trips to Austin:

1. Location: good restaurants two blocks away (don''t remember the name, but good Mexican food, great atmosphere, fun waitresses.. you''ll see it... I think it''s in an old house), SIXTH STREET is 5 blocks away (easy walking even with (semi-comfortable) heels on or after a few drinks), state capitol is 2 blocks away. Not a bad part of town either.

2. We''ve had 8 people in a room with no problems (even when we''ve been a little loud). (there USED to be free parking in their parking garage, but now it''s $10/car)

3. There''s an outside porch area on the 2nd floor with tables... fun to hang out at after going out on 6th street.

4. The rooms are nice, clean, safe (key card access), and decently priced. You get the standard TV, two double beds, free breakfast, and an outdoor pool. It''s kind of a small hotel, with only four floors. There are two elevators: one from the parking garage, and one that''s in the lobby. Some of the rooms are located "outside" (doors open to the outside like a motel), and some are "inside" with their doors opening to an inside hallway.

All in all, I will definitely being staying there in the future. It''s exactly what I need at the price I want.

Arriving at the Crowne Plaza, you are greeted by the friendly valet guys. Valeting is required, and is $15/night. This is pretty typical of any hotel in DT Austin. We got our room for $103 (AAA rate).

Inside, the lobby is nothing spectacular -- low ceilings, a few couches. Our room was standard, but with a very nice down comforter with a very hip, new-looking striped cover. The room was pretty typical of any hotel room, but it did have one thing that any group of girls traveling together appreciates: plenty of mirrors! There were four of them! The bathroom even had a separate "getting ready" area outside of the actual bathroom. This greatly speeded along our getting ready process.

During our stay, there was a wedding on top (18th) floor so the restaurant/bar was closed. However, we did eat at the continental breakfast bar in the morning -- Normally $9, but two of our breakfasts were complimentary since I am a Priority Club member (so join!). The view from the restaurant (the 18th floor) is a gorgeous view of all of downtown Austin. I can see why lots of people have wedding receptions here.

Being a Priority Club member, we also got a complimentary paper delivered to our door in the morning, which is a very nice touch. The hotel is obviously geared towards catering to business travelers with lots of conference rooms and Internet access in every room.

Outside the hotel is really pretty. Using the creek that flows through the area, the hotel is built with a "bridge area" between the two buildings. The bridge area is really nice. There is even a small pool (with a manmade waterfall) & Jacuzzi overlooking the creek.

The location of the hotel was perfect for partying on 5th/6th streets. The entrance spills out onto Fifth, making walking very easy.

Overall, this was a great hotel that fit all of our needs for just the right price. Other hotels in the area are nicer, but Crowne Plaza offers a better price.

A dark little bar made to sort of look like a "library" with books and intellectual paraphenelia lining the entire bar, The Library offers up drinks in a casual setting. The Saturday night I went there was their special "$2 Long Island Iced Teas night". I'm not a big fan of Long Islands as it is, but one sip told me that they were the WORST long island I've ever tasted! (My female friend agreed, although the two guys we were with seemed to like them) So, I stuck to beer for the rest of the night. (They have over 60 beers to choose from).

The atmosphere is very casual, with a bar and some tables in the front and a few more booths & tables in a smaller room in the back (where the stairs are to the upstairs bar & pool tables). In this back room, there is an actual printing press through some plexiglass! Interesting.

The crowd is primarily college-aged and young professional people hanging out with friends.

After a few beers, my friend and I were looking to dance and the music they played was danceable (popular stuff), so we started dancing in the back room in the open space. Soon, many other people started dancing with us, and even when we sat down to rest, the "dance floor" we had created continued! We were pretty proud of ourselves. :)

It's a fun bar to just kick back and have a good time with a group of friends. And their theme? "If Mom calls, tell her I'm at The Library!" :)

Foundation on 5th opened in June 2004, by the owners of Houston's successful nightspot, Red Door. Foundation is Red Door on a larger scale, with a higher ceiling, a larger main bar, and much more impressive.

From the outside, the 3-story glass walls allow you to see into the bar. Getting past the velvet rope and door guy is pretty easy, especially if you're a girl. There is no cover, and it's 21 and up only. Once inside, you are immediately drawn to the large circular bar that is the center of everyone's attention. Making your way past the people and the inconveniently placed support poles, you get to the large circular bar (over 80 feet in diameter). The bartenders are friendly, but busy. I know that Foundation, like Red Door, only hires the best of the best bartenders and they don't serve "well" liquor, so your drinks will undoubtedly be good.

On either side of the bar are two large colorfully striped canvases, curved along the walls to match the shape of the bar. And as my roommate said, "I want those for our apartment." They are very cool.

Upstairs is a loft area, overlooking the main bar below. There are several mod couches, coffee tables, low-to-the-ground seating, and another very long bar. The best "seat" in the house is standing while overlooking the main bar below.

The crowd is a mix of all ages, but mostly late 20s-early 30s.

The music is primarily house music, with a little hip-hop thrown in, but there is no dance floor.

Overall, it's a great place to take a date or a group of friends and have a few drinks in a very awe-inspiring atmosphere.