4 Reasons Why Downtown Austin Is the Best Neighborhood in Austin
Austin is a city with numerous neighborhoods and micro-neighborhoods, each with its own individual identity and appeal. However, if you’re looking for the city’s most traditionally urban enclave, a center of industry and Central Texas’ premier hotspot for dining, nightlife, and the arts, then you need look no further than Downtown Austin.
From impressive public greenspaces to world-class eateries and hip cocktail bars to office skyscrapers, this neighborhood provides metropolitan appeal, a faster pace of life, and all of the activities and entertainment that any Austinite could ever want. That’s probably why the neighborhood earned the top spot on our recent ranking of the best neighborhoods in Austin.
Read on for four reasons why Downtown Austin is the best neighborhood in town.
It’s the City’s Center for Dining and Nightlife
Austin has a well-deserved reputation as a foodie mecca, and many of its neighborhoods contain excellent restaurants, food trucks, barbecue joints, and cafes. In terms of sheer quantity, however, the restaurant scene in Downtown Austin has its neighbors beat.
World-class dining options can be found around every corner, with some prime examples including chic French brasserie La Politique, massively-popular upscale food hall Fareground, hip diner and brunch destination Holy Roller, and Texan, French, and Italian fusion eatery Arlo Grey.
Looking for an impeccable pre- or post-dinner tipple? Downtown Austin also has you covered on the beverage front, with acclaimed watering holes like cocktail haven The Roosevelt Room, “speakeasy” boîte Midnight Cowboy, Belgian-style beer bar Mort Subite, and celebrated whiskey destination Seven Grand all calling downtown home.
It’s Got Plenty of Culture and Entertainment
Downtown Austin’s status as the city’s premier locale for entertainment isn’t restricted to its restaurant and bar landscape; whether you’re looking for historic landmarks, art museums, performance venues, or scenic outdoor spots, you’ll find what you seek in this bustling area.
By far the most notable landmark in Downtown Austin is the Texas State Capitol, a grand building located on a plot of parkland that also houses the Governor’s Mansion. The Capitol Building features a visitors’ center right next door, where inquisitive minds can find out about guided tours and other events open to the public.
Located just slightly north of Downtown proper on the University of Texas campus, the LBJ Presidential Library provides exhibits designed to acquaint visitors with the legacy of our 36th president (and a native Texan).
Austin’s largest and most distinguished art museum, the Blanton Museum of Art, can also be found on the UT campus, just a few short blocks from Downtown’s northern border. American artists are particularly well-represented at Blanton, with sections devoted to modern, contemporary, and Latin-American artists. For a smaller but intricately curated selection, check out Downtown’s Mexic-Arte Museum, which focuses on contemporary Mexican, Latino, and Latin American art.
In terms of live performances and cultural events, it’s of course important to note that Downtown Austin serves as a center point for SXSW, the internationally famous annual festival devoted to art, technology, and music. Downtown also features any number of bars and small performance spaces like Antone’s Nightclub, Mohawk Austin, and Elephant Room.
It’s a Major Transit Hub
Mass transportation within Austin begins and ends with CapMetro, the citywide bus system that’s rapidly expanding to ease Austin’s traffic burden and provide a more eco-friendly way for Austinites to get to work and access other areas of town.
Downtown Austin residents can live a car-free lifestyle far more easily than their compatriots in other neighborhoods because the vast majority of CapMetro lines include Downtown stops, including the 801 and 803 express routes. The MetroRail commuter train and MetroExpress commuter buses also offer downtown stops, giving downtowners an easy option for visiting ATX suburbs.
If you’re looking to travel beyond Austin and its surrounding towns, Austin’s one Amtrak station is located Downtown, making out-of-town trips a breeze. Daily motorists may find parking a challenge throughout Downtown Austin, so relying on public transit in lieu of personal vehicles is an appealing option for residents.
Its Real Estate Market Includes New Buildings With Luxe Amenities
Reflecting Austin’s long-time reputation as a city with a small-town feel, most of Austin’s other neighborhoods have real estate markets largely dominated by single-family homes. Due to Downtown’s rapid urbanization, however, this region contains condo complexes, high-rise apartment buildings, and other options apart from free-standing houses.
In recent years, Downtown Austin has witnessed the arrival of multiple glass skyscrapers and other high-end structures like The Independent, 5th & West, The Austonian, and The Tyndall. Amenities in these buildings include heated pools, fitness centers, children’s playscapes, dog parks, rooftop decks, and much more.
In exchange for their prime locations and access to upscale features, these units run for high prices, and their volume drives the median value of Downtown Austin real estate higher and higher all the time. Currently, the median home sale price in Downtown Austin stands in the high $500s, with the top end of the pricing spectrum hovering in the $6 millions.