Overview
The University of Texas and the Drag form a district of Austin. This article also covers the "West Campus" and "North University" neighborhoods.
8 sights · 10 places to eat · 5 bars & cafés · 2 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about UT and the Drag
The University of Texas at Austin
A beautiful stroll and view the public art around campus. The theater and music departments are both well regarded and have performances throughout the school year. If you visit during football season, you can see the 20…
Harry Ransom Center
Houses an extensive collection of restored cultural artifacts including rare books, manuscripts, photography, film, and art. The center also hosts frequent cultural symposia which are open to the public.
Neil–Cochran House
This 1855 Greek Revival-style estate house is one of the most important historic residences in the city. Guided tours provide a lot of background information on area history and on the loads of beautiful period furniture…
Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum
One of 13 presidential libraries, this facility holds over 45 million pages of historical documents, plus a museum which has an ever-changing array of exhibits related to American history and the American presidency. The…
Texas Memorial Museum
This natural history museum, housed in the exhibit hall of the Texas Natural Science Center, hosts a variety of interesting exhibits, including a paleontology laboratory where visitors are allowed to interact with and as…
University of Texas Tower
This 307-foot tower, built in 1937, is interesting in its architectural detail, and is one of the defining landmarks of the city. The observation deck, normally open to the public as part of guided tours, is closed for r…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Oct–Apr. Summer highs reach about 98°F; winter lows dip to about 42°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: May and Oct. (climate data from nearby Austin)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- AUS Austin Bergstrom International Airport, Austin — 8 mi away (major hub). Directions
- GRK Killeen Regional Airport / Robert Gray Army Airfield, Fort Cavazos — 54 mi away. Directions
Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $25–$28 a night (typical $28), from 3 listed prices.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$70, mid-range ~$100, comfortable ~$190.
See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning The University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas Tower, Harry Ransom Center
- Lunch Thai Spice
- Afternoon Blanton Museum of Art, Texas Memorial Museum
- Dinner Pho Tai Son
- Evening Cactus Cafe
Day 2
- Morning Neil–Cochran House
- Lunch Kerbey Lane Cafe
- Dinner Dirty Martin's Place
- Evening Hole in the Wall
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
The University of Texas (UT) has one of the top five largest campuses in the US, and offers many attractions for students and non-students alike, with aesthetically pleasing grounds and many museums and cultural centers open to the public. A long section of Guadalupe Street (pronounced GWAHD-uh-loop by the locals), known as "the drag", runs alongside the western boundary of the UT campus, providing the area with unique shopping and culinary attractions. Some of the side streets to the west of the Drag have some hidden gems as well.
UT is one of the largest universities in the country. With a history going back into the 1800s when 40 acres was set aside for a university, UT has grown into a world class institution. A walk around the campus will reveal everything from Ivy League architecture to modern sculpture. Places to visit are the Harry Ransom Center, the home of one of the original Gutenberg Bibles, the West Mall, UT's answer to London's Hyde Park corner, where students solve the world's problems, and the Littlefield fountain, designed by Italian artist Pompeo Coppini in 1933. The UT tower, the centerpiece of the campus upon its completion and for long since, periodically has tours that let visitors ascend to the observation deck at the top for a panoramic view of the campus and Austin.
If you're up for a walk (the campus is not small), don't forget to visit the LBJ Presidential library on the east side. If you're a football fan, Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium, home of the 2005 National Champion Texas Longhorns, is a must-see. If you're around in the summer, a baseball ticket can be had for Texas baseball (a regular contender for NCAA champion). The stadium is across I-35, though. For a rest, and if you can find it, discover the secret peaceful oasis of the lily pond near the biology building. Finally, there is the Cactus Cafe. A cool club on campus in the Austin tradition, the Cactus is known for great live acoustic music. A visit to the university would not be complete without stopping at the Cactus.
The Drag is also worth a visit. It's an urban oasis with a line of interesting stores, joints, restaurants and the usual mix of national chains. The UT Co-op has everything a Texas Longhorn fan could ever desire. Don't forget to visit the Renaissance Market, a small open space across from the university where one can purchase tie-dyed shirts, home-made jewelry and original art.
At one point, Austin would have been little else than UT and downtown. Today, UT stands as one of Austin's best monuments. If you're older, a visit will remind you what it feels like to be young again. If you're younger, it may excite you about what you can be. UT mottoes include "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free" and "What begins here changes the world."
See
See The University of Texas at Austin
A beautiful stroll and view the public art around campus. The theater and music departments are both well regarded and have performances throughout the school year. If you visit during football season, you can see the 2005 National Champion Texas Longhorn football team play at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.
- UT's sports teams, the Texas Longhorns, are a major attraction in town, with a huge following throughout the state. The main venues are scattered throughout campus, with the most notable being:
- Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium – Home to Longhorns football, holding just over 100,000 fans and one of the sport's more iconic venues.
- Moody Center – Men's and women's basketball started play here in fall 2022 in a brand-new arena that also hosts many major concerts. It opened in April 2022 as the replacement for the Frank Erwin Center, which was demolished for an expansion of UT's medical school.
- UFCU Disch–Falk Field – Baseball. This venue, while on campus, is a few blocks to the east of the area covered by this page.
- Mike A. Myers Stadium – Track and soccer. The stadium also hosts the annual outdoor track championships for the University Interscholastic League, which governs high school sports at the state's public schools.
- Gregory Gymnasium – The former home of men's and women's basketball now hosts women's volleyball.
See Blanton Museum of Art
The permanent collection comprises an impressive range of European art by important artists such as Rubens, Lorrain, and Guercino, as well as a selection of American and Latin American artworks. There is also a roster of changing exhibitions ranging from the medieval to the modern.
See Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum
One of 13 presidential libraries, this facility holds over 45 million pages of historical documents, plus a museum which has an ever-changing array of exhibits related to American history and the American presidency. The exhibitions are really well set up to show what other events took place, what products were sold and what TV shows were shown during Lyndon Johnson's lifetime. The highly impactful life of Lady Bird Johnson is also covered. Whatever your opinion of his career, the museum is fascinating. Allow at least 3 hours for your visit.
See Texas Memorial Museum
This natural history museum, housed in the exhibit hall of the Texas Natural Science Center, hosts a variety of interesting exhibits, including a paleontology laboratory where visitors are allowed to interact with and ask questions of paleontologists as they go about their work of cleaning, cataloging, and studying fossils.
See Street Art
Many notable pieces of street art: El Federico's Bob Dylan on the Hole in the Wall at 26th; the huge 'Movie History' mural on the side of the old Varsity Theater/Tower Records at 24th, and (front and back!) El Federico's rock icons; the psychedelic Austin landscape on the north-facing wall of the Renaissance Market; the Chagall/Dali/Warhol tribute mural at 300 E. 30th St and of course the famous "Hi How Are You" alien starting frog painted by local legend Daniel Johnston (now on wall of "Thai How Are You" Thai food place at 21st and Guadalupe).
Learn
Buy
In addition to bookstores and other shops which cater to the needs of masses of UT students, the Drag has traditionally been filled with quirky eclectic shops, from bead shops to used records to tattoo parlors. More upscale shops have appeared, with unique fashion clothing and home decor items.
Eat
Eat Aster's Ethopian Restaurant
Aster delights Austin with her Ethopian food. The menu includes many vegan choices, both hot and mild: eggplant, two varieties of lentils, potatoes, greens, cabbage, and wonderful injera.
Eat Dirty Martin's Place
Known for the tasty old-time greasy burger, Dirty Martin's is a staple for hungry football fans after UT home games and has been in the same building since the 1920s. Still has a simple old-time feel, and you can watch the burgers grilled right in front of you at the bar.
Eat Musashino Sushi Dokoro
Most authentic and fresh sushi/Japanese cuisine in Austin. Everything is always extremely fresh and expertly prepared.
Eat Pho Tai Son
Good fresh Vietnamese standbys, pho, bun, stirfry and bubble drinks. No beer but maybe you can bring your own?
Eat Spider House Cafe
Popular local cafe with large outdoor seating area, occasional live music and film showings. Vegan cake and peanut buttercups are available as well as chili and burritos which can be made vegan.
Eat Thai Spice
Thai cuisine and sushi.
Eat Wheatsville Food Co-op
A well-known Austin alternative grocery and food co-op, with deli that offers vegan and vegetarian items such as sandwiches, soups and desserts. It does carry meat items.
Drink
Drink Cactus Cafe
Live music venue with full bar. Tickets sold on first-come, first-served basis.
Drink The Hole in the Wall
Austin institution dive bar with live music, multiple bars, outside patio and quick service from smokin' waitresses by night or cool hippie dudes dredging up Austin's bohemian past by day.
Drink Kasbah Moroccan Lounge (Kasbah Hookah Lounge)
BYOB hookah lounge. Limited parking behind the building.
Drink Spider House
A lovely place to spend a night out on the patio by yourself or with friends. Table service available. The Chai Milkshake is a dream; the Sangria pitcher is pricey but a fun way to unwind. Decent food as well. Hosts a poetry slam every Tuesday night at 8PM in an annex.
Drink Hole in the Wall
Unique UT campus area club. Great live music. Usually no cover. Unique mix of students and z's, craftsman and construction workers, gays, and professionals.
Sleep
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My experience
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