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    South Congress "SoCo"

    4.4 (66 reviews)

    South Congress "SoCo" Photos

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    Mai T.

    I highly suggest for any tourist to visit SoCo. It is situated right off of downtown. It's fun, quirky and funky! Do watch out for parking! Parking is free on the side streets but if you park on the main street you may have to pay depending on the area. There are a lot of restaurants, cafes, clothing stores and vintage shops. All the hand painted murals were beautiful! Yet again, they make it clear you are in Texas. If you are buying anything or not it is a wonderful strip to sightsee.

    Nicole T.

    This was my favorite part of Austin! Start at one end of SOCO (maybe near June's so you can walk downhill to see the street). This street is filled with stores, restaurants and quick bites Highly recommend Home Slice for by the slice pizza and Jeni's for ice cream!

    The strip of South Congress
    Brandy E.

    This is a great area full of shops for any kind of shopping: clothes, candles, books, boots, candy, souvenirs... there really is everything. Several of the famous Austin murals are in this area. Parking garages are expensive but necessary.

    South Congress!
    Sheila F.

    South Congress Ave. is the place you went to go if you want to experience The best of what Austin has to offer. You can still find old Austin here that joins like the Continental Club and Guero's. You can find new Austin at swanky places like the South Congress Hotel and the hotel San Jose. I bought my favorite pair of old gringo boots at Allen's boots on South Congress, and Home Slice is surely my favorite pizza in the city. there are so many boutiques and specialty shops. You could easily spend the day on South Congress shopping and sampling some of Austin's best cuisine. I highly recommend taking in a show at Continental club and Guero's Oak Garden. Also, keep an eye out for special events because there are hot rod rallies and really beautiful displays during the holidays.

    Xiao Z.

    Quite interesting with plenty of shopping stores, like the atmosphere. Parking is not that hard if you choose to park at the very starting point of SoCo district, but I wouldn't mind walking a little bit longer to reach the SoCo district.

    Lauren C.

    One of the best places to Keep Austin Weird. This was my go to spot for a nice afternoon on a day off or the cool place to bring visitors. It's a cool spot for locals and for visitors. As a local I loved that the area is just that-local. Local shops, local restaurants, and local vibe. The stores are more like a playground for adults including my favorites like Big Top Candy, Lucy in Disguise (costumes), and Uncommon Objects. There is a nice variety of stores and they all carry things unique to what you'd find at other stores. Some of the best restaurants and dives are down in SoCo too. When in Austin one must visit Home Slice (eggplant pizza!), Hey Cupcake, Guero's, and Hopdoddy. Tourists will enjoy the true Austin vibe of this part of town. If someone wants to know what Austin is like I'd recommend coming to SoCo. The food and shops are places the locals visit, not just for tourists. Some cool Austin spots you've seen before visiting are down here. "i love you so much" next to Jo's coffee is my favorite. Not far from SoCo is the Greetings from Austin mural too. This is a cool spot to visit for an afternoon of lunch and shopping or on a Saturday night for some Austin nightlife. Don't miss this area if you want to see what Austin is about.

    I sneeked a peek into the courtyard of the Hotel San Jose.

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    Nice area to shop, walk, eat, drink coffee. Cute local boutiques. Cool wall murals to take pictures.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - South Congress "SoCo"

    Where is a good street or corner to start and what direction should I walk towards?

    Probably around 3rd & Congress, Manuel's & Home Slice are all right there.

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    Review Highlights - South Congress "SoCo"

    Home Slice Pizza has been in a Quentin Tarrantino movie, and the Continental Club has had some seriously famous acts through here.

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    Rainey Street

    Rainey Street

    4.3(132 reviews)
    1.1 mi

    April 11, 2026 The universe granted us a really nice night. It's been raining, and gloomy during…read morethe day, but the nightlife came alive and we truly were blessed with GNO. It was warm, a little breezy, but the vibes were there and everyone was happy mingling, drinking, just a typical ATX night out on Rainy. Now yes, some of the charm has left. Little by little every few years something disappears, and something new comes in. The people make up for the "charm" feel. We remember what once was. Little houses that once held family dinners and birthday backyard parties are now bars. Gutted out of the family photos hanging on the walls, to neon signs barring a beer logo. Rainy Street is still charm for those that once knew it and hold it in our hearts. We make the charm because we knew, and we pass that vibe to the college kids (sorry, but you are still kids) that spend their whole weekend night letting lose and being just that, fun kids experiencing life, not corporate life, but life life. It's up to us mature Rainy Street goers to show these kids how it's done. IMO Rainy Street. Bar hoping at its bests. Charming street. Decorated for the season. Come at Christmas, it's a ball! Everything is walkable. Some really nice higher end restaurants have moved in. It's a nice place to start out your night. You will find college kids here. But you'll also see birthday party groups, bachelorette parties, bachelor parties just people having fun, enjoying life. You'll see mature, older men and women with their, "I'm still 28" in my mind. (Me, I'm that woman) They do have a small food truck area too. So when you're looking for something quick, give these food trucks a go. They are pretty good. And they have seating so you can chill, and get back at it. I only saw 1 parking lot. It was $50. For 3 hours. And $55 for 6 hours. Uber in, car pool, or find parking a block or 2 away. Come to Rainy Street. Spend the night here. Grab some dinner, a few cocktails, bar hop up and down the street. Be young, be a kid, life's short.

    Remember how cute Rainey Street was? I loved the Container Bar. It was one of my favorites. I wish…read moreit were still there. Don't get me wrong, there are still a couple of places on Rainey I like to go to now and then but it's just not the same. It's so bizarre to me to see big buildings going up. All of the charm is gone. Not to mention it's a very touristy area. And honestly, if I were a tourist, I would want to see it as well. But again, more like it was back in the day.

    Photos
    Rainey Street - Clive bar

    Clive bar

    Rainey Street - Spring decorations on the trees

    Spring decorations on the trees

    Rainey Street

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    Sunken Gardens Springs - Salamander playground. No humans allowed!

    Sunken Gardens Springs

    4.7(3 reviews)
    1.5 miBarton Hills, 78704 (South Austin)

    I never realized there was a listing on Yelp for Sunken Garden Springs!…read moreIt's one of my favorite areas to visit when spending days over at Zilker &/or Barton Springs. It's man-made and has been around since the late 1930s. This water feature is a sanctuary to the endangered Barton Springs salamander among others. It runs along Barton Creek from Barton Springs Pool. The walls are concrete and limestone. It's a peaceful area and it is protected with fencing for the safety of the endangered species. If you want to check it out, it's best viewed when hiking the trails that lead up to and around it. Absolutely worth a visit.

    Running or cycling on the Butler Hike & Bike Trail (aka Town Lake Trail), you're often moving too…read morefast to take in all the little scenic joys to be had along the 10+ miles of pathway. When I had a couple of hours to spare this morning, with a nagging injury keeping me from my typical Saturday AM long run, I took it as an opportunity take a leisurely stroll with a few turns off my regular loop, which led me to discover the hidden jewel of Sunken Gardens Springs. This home to a couple of endangered local salamander species has a long and interesting history as a public venue in Austin. The short version: it was developed in 1937 as one of FDR's public infrastructure initiatives, and generations of Austinites recall swimming, sunbathing, and even attending performing arts performances here. Like so many things in our ever growing city, the structures were not well maintained and began to crumble, creating a safety hazard. As with Eliza Springs on the other side of the creek, it was also found to contain some precious creatures with federal Endangered Species Act protections. For these reasons, public access would no longer be allowed until remediations could be completed. For the long version, see the City's master plan for restoring the spot https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Parks/Barton_Springs_Master_Plan/BSPMP-08of16.pdf and the most recent report on efforts through 2013 https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Prelim_Engineering_Report_Sunken_Garden_Improvements_Phase_1_2013-10-29.pdf. These days, you can stop on the bridge over the rushing springs to listen to the water flow or turn north to watch dogs play in creek. If you're curious like me, you can walk up the overgrown path behind the fenced enclosure to take a peek at the clear pool down below and imagine what it must have been like to take a dip in the olden days. To access, just come down the part of the trail on the south side of Barton Springs Blvd towards Barton Springs Pool, staying to the south of the creek. As you approach the dam (aka the free swimming/dog play area), the Sunken Gardens will be on your left. Alternatively, park behind the softball field off Robert E. Lee Road and drop into the trail there. GPS 30°15'48.8"N 97°46'05.1"W

    Photos
    Sunken Gardens Springs - Go to the red pin. GPS 30°15'48.8"N 97°46'05.1"W

    Go to the red pin. GPS 30°15'48.8"N 97°46'05.1"W

    Sunken Gardens Springs - Take care of the salamanders - don't trespass or litter. It'll cost ya!

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    Take care of the salamanders - don't trespass or litter. It'll cost ya!

    Ion Art's Surreal Garden

    Ion Art's Surreal Garden

    4.9(14 reviews)
    1.9 miBarton Hills, Town Lake, 78704 (South Austin)

    This is easily one of the best art shows I've ever been to and I look forward to each new iteration…read moreevery year. The basic idea is that they take over part of the Zilker Botanical Gardens, which is already one of the best places in Austin, and set up unique pieces of neon art around every corner as you stroll the grounds. Things turn pretty magical after sunset with all the neon pieces glowing brightly, reflected in the koi ponds, presiding over waterfalls, making you stop and stare at every new visual treat. The displays are endlessly inventive too, adding neon cowboy boots to the dinosaur statue or perhaps the huge cloud of neon bats that tilt mechanically on their axis for constant motion. There's also live music, go-go dancers, food and drink for purchase, and remarkable costumes worn by fellow visitors making a visually interesting event just from that alone. There are also more photo opportunities than you can count if you need more selfies for Instagram. But really, the world-class neon art is worth it just by itself. There are themes like ocean life, jungle animals, desert flora and fauna, and then there are plenty of abstract or whimsical things too. And there's always something new around every bend. Each year loses a few pieces from the last show but adds many more completely new ones. And this year has dozens more, some of which are truly spectacular. One of the best pieces to look out for is the giant octopus. It's designed to look like it's coming out of the water holding pieces of a wrecked sailing ship and even the moon in its tentacles. And the most amazing part is that all the tentacles are connected by gears to a single stationary bicycle so someone can pedal to make the whole massive installation move, bringing it all to life. Chances are you've never seen anything like this before!

    Our first time at the annual Ion Art's Surreal Garden neon art extravanganza at Zilker Park…read moreBotanical Garden. Didn't know what to expect, and ended up having a great time! Many people dressed up for it, adding to the fun atmosphere. We waited until dark to arrive in order to get the full effect of bright light against the night sky. So glad we did. The contrast was stunning. I especially loved the interactive exhibits, which told a story in neon. Example exhibit: the watering can--tilted a watering can, water flowed out, which then caused a flower to grow. We were gifted with complimentary tickets, otherwise it would have been a bit spendy as prices ranged from $40-$200 plus tax per person.

    Photos
    Ion Art's Surreal Garden
    Ion Art's Surreal Garden
    Ion Art's Surreal Garden

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    The Color Inside: A Skyspace by James Turrell - Exterior view of "The Color Inside" Skyspace, located on the rooftop of the SAC on UT campus. Photo by Florian Holzherr

    The Color Inside: A Skyspace by James Turrell

    5.0(4 reviews)
    2.7 miUniversity of Texas

    Looks like the sky space has two yelp pages, so I'm posting my thoughts here as well…read more A 5 star review of James Turrell's Skyspace by Courtney T.: https://www.yelp.com/biz/james-turrells-skyspace-austin?hrid=fY2tFreMSX8ZNqVBFwBVaw&utm_source=ashare&ref=yelp-android

    I kinda had no idea what to expect. I intentionally didn't read much about The Color Inside. I knew…read moretwo things: Turrell and UT. Oh, and free. FREE. We made a reservation because we wanted to go at sunset. Without a reservation, you might get in but it's first come first served. We arrived extra early because if you're not familiar with UT and all of its ongoing construction, it can be challenging to find the Art Center. We asked some friendly students to point us in the right direction and got to the exhibit right on time. We checked in with the student on duty. There's a circular waiting room to the right of the check in desk where I saw people waiting. Some were sitting on the benches, others were actually lying on the floor. Geez how long had they been waiting? I sheepishly whispered to the student receptionist that I wasn't quite sure what the deal was. She advised that we could go right in. Right in to that circular waiting room? uh, yeah. that IS the exhibit. it fits maybe 20 people comfortably. and suddenly lying on the floor seemed perfectly reasonable. So we laid out our jackets and lied on the floor (there are blankets available at the exhibit in case you are a floor-lier without a jacket). we looked up. the roof is sort of canopy-like, and white, with a big blue oval dot in the middle. there are led lights in the base of the canopy that shine upwards casting a glow on the canopy. so we're lying there. and...we're lying there. and like i said we had no idea what to expect. after a while we saw a red plane fly by and we realized that the blue oval dot was actually a hole to the sky. ok, cool. and we're lying there just looking up. and then, things started to happen. i'm not going to tell you the details of the exhibit. you have to go experience it for yourself and be wowed. i will tell you that the key to the exhibit is patience (and the ability to lie on the floor). if you are patient, you will be vastly rewarded. 5-stars vast.

    Photos
    The Color Inside: A Skyspace by James Turrell - "The Color Inside" Skyspace during the day. Photo by Florian Holzherr

    "The Color Inside" Skyspace during the day. Photo by Florian Holzherr

    The Color Inside: A Skyspace by James Turrell - "The Color Inside" Skyspace during the sunset light sequence. Photo by Florian Holzherr

    "The Color Inside" Skyspace during the sunset light sequence. Photo by Florian Holzherr

    The Color Inside: A Skyspace by James Turrell

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    Sixth Street

    Sixth Street

    3.6(34 reviews)
    1.5 miDowntown

    She's the iconic stretch of road in Austin where it all goes down!…read more It's where in 2005, the Real World Austin cast spent most of their time out at the bars at. And the iconic Danny fight that led him to surgery, Wes to defend him & Melinda to nurse him into love with her all happened right at Sixth St & Trinity. 10 years later, Shia LaBeouf was arrested here for public drunkeness & Johnny Manziel got in a big fight here, too. This may shock you based on what you've just learned but Sixth Street is full of bars. It's known for it's nightlife, specifically the Dirty Sixth between Congress & I-35. It's pedestrians only on the weekends and I was surprised how the bars try to get people in. It was fascinating witnessing them begging women with promises of shots & drinks to try to get them in the door. I personally do notttttt vibe with that kind of atmosphere, my anxiety hates people pressuring me so I just tried to say no to everyone and walk as fast as I could through at night! lol Aside from the bars, Joe Rogan stand up spot Comedy Mothership is in the middle of all the action. You'll find peticabs if your feet are hurting to bike you to where you need to go. Good people watching at night. That being said, before all that madness starts I enjoyed the more lowkey scene on the street. I went to the Museum of Weird and a coffee shop during the day, but most of the shops were closed. Chaotic at night, chill during the day, if you're in Austin, you'll surely see all sides of iconic 6th St.

    Sixth Street is love/hate isn't it? There are many places on either side of the street (crossing…read more35) that I absolutely love. An absolute tourist haven and that can mean super packed sidewalks and tons of traffic on any given summer evening. I bet it's safe to say this street is the party capitol of the country. Ok, maybe not but darn close. Tons of restaurants with great food, bars that are great and some not so great. Life in Austin.

    Photos
    Sixth Street
    Sixth Street
    Sixth Street

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    Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge - Waiting for the bats

    Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge

    4.1(531 reviews)
    1.1 miWarehouse District, Downtown

    Austin has a slogan Keeping Austin Weird. It means Austin is unique and wonderful. Watching the…read more1.bats emerge from under the Congress Avenue Bridge is one of Austin's most iconic experiences. Just before sunset, millions of Mexican free‑tailed bats stream into the sky in a mesmerizing spiral that lasts 20-40 minutes. It's completely free, family‑friendly, and uniquely Austin. The best views are from the bridge itself, the Statesman Bat Observation Area below, or the riverwalk. Summer months (March through October) are peak season, with the largest numbers typically in August. Arrive early for parking and a good spot. A few recommendations... bring bug spray (not for the bats but for mosquitos), check the sunset time, and be patient...the bats come out when they come out. Smile. When they do fly out...wow,wow, WOW!!! It's like nothing you've seen before.

    Watching the bats under Congress Avenue Bridge is one of the signature Austin experiences that…read morelives up to the hype. I happened to be downtown around sunset during SXSW, and as the sun started to set. you could see the crowds forming along the bridge in anticipation. Then thousands of bats poured out in a steady stream, flying out over Lady Bird Lake. The many bats with the beautiful sunset backdrop is definitely something to remember. There is a bit of stinky "bat smell," so be prepared for that. Totally free, and a unique experience definitely worth doing at least once if you're in Austin.

    Photos
    Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge
    Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge - The bat colony emerging at dusk! (Mid-April 2021)

    The bat colony emerging at dusk! (Mid-April 2021)

    Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge

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    South Congress "SoCo" - localflavor - Updated May 2026

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