6 best day trips from Austin

Day trips compared

The day trips

50 km · About 45 minutes by car

1.Lockhart

Designated the 'Barbecue Capital of Texas' by the state legislature, Lockhart has several historic barbecue restaurants, some in old meat markets serving brisket and sausage on butcher paper, plus a handsome 1890s courthouse.

Getting there

Car via US Route 183

Best for

Food lovers, First-timers

130 km · About 1.5 hours by car

2.San Antonio

Texas's most-visited city has the Alamo, the River Walk and four other Spanish colonial missions that together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An overnight stay suits it better than a rushed day.

Getting there

Car via Interstate 35, or Amtrak and intercity buses

Best for

First-timers, Families, Culture

125 km · About 1.5 hours by car

3.Fredericksburg

A German-founded Hill Country town with a long main street of shops and restaurants, the National Museum of the Pacific War, peach orchards and dozens of wineries along US 290. Johnson City and the LBJ Ranch are on the way.

Getting there

Car via US Route 290

Best for

Couples, Food lovers, Culture

80 km · About 1 hour by car

4.Gruene and New Braunfels

Gruene Hall, built in 1878, claims to be the oldest continually operating dance hall in Texas. In summer, people float the Comal and Guadalupe rivers on inner tubes, and New Braunfels has the large Schlitterbahn water park.

Getting there

Car via Interstate 35

Best for

Families, Couples

50 km · About 50 minutes by car

5.Hamilton Pool Preserve

A natural pool beneath a collapsed limestone grotto, with a waterfall dropping over the overhang. Swimming depends on water quality and conditions, and reservations are required to enter.

Getting there

Car via State Highway 71

Best for

Couples, Families

150 km · About 2 hours by car

6.Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

A massive pink granite dome rising about 130 metres above the Hill Country, with a summit trail that takes about an hour round trip and wide views. It is often combined with Fredericksburg.

Getting there

Car via Fredericksburg

Best for

Families, Solo travellers

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• CapMetro buses, including frequent MetroRapid lines along Congress Avenue, Lamar Boulevard and Guadalupe Street, connect downtown with South Congress, the university and the airport.
• The MetroRail Red Line commuter train runs from downtown to the northern suburbs; it is useful mainly for commuters.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask