Gay Friendly Austin!

Austin is the Texan mecca for unconventionalism and good times. As the Lone Star State capital and home to the University of Texas, the city boasts funky, bohemian gay friendly hangouts alongside well-preserved natural amenities like freshwater springs and urban parks. A highly visible emphasis on local business results in a hip, vibrant scene with an eclectic assortment of restaurants, shops, and bars.

Surrounded by lakes and hills, Austin is a sunlit sanctuary of green oases, urban vibes, and liberal attitudes. Austin's presence as a hub for government, arts, and education encourages political consciousness and cultural diversity making it home to a large creative population. Prepare to find welcoming southern drawls, live music every night of the week, and a middle-aged queen in a pink thong wandering around downtown. His name is Leslie, and everybody knows him; he sports a teddy and a tiara in broad daylight on Congress Avenue, and he came in second in the 2003 Mayoral race. Austin - a city that boasts its own celebrity drag queen Mayoral candidate - what's not to love?

Leslie represents the city's open-minded, gay friendly attitude. New establishments aim to be different with a tendency toward just plain strange. Keep Austin Weird, a slogan displayed on bumpers and brightly-colored t-shirts around town, is part of a citywide movement to support local business as well as a declaration of the city's beloved diversity.


Where to Stay? Gay Friendly Hotels in Austin

Austin doesn't emphasize a gay nucleus because the gay population is so present and well-integrated. The cluster of gay bars in the Warehouse district strike a flamboyant, exciting chord but are hardly indicative of the entire gay atmosphere. Likewise, throughout the city, hotel accommodations welcome the gay traveler. When deciding where to stay, the following locations and trends may be helpful.

Some of our recommended gay friendly hotels with best accessibility to attractions are located in these general areas:

* Along the Town Lake waterfront, the southern boundary of downtown
* Throughout downtown between Town Lake and the Capitol (12 blocks) particularly on the west side by the recently constructed Austin Convention Center http://www.austinconventioncenter.com/MainPage/index.htm
* Around South Congress Avenue, South First Street, and Riverside Dr (Riverside Dr. Hotel locations that are west of I-35 are closer to downtown)
* Bed and Breakfasts around campus and the Capitol Area

National, gay friendly branded hotels with large capacities are situated along the Town Lake, the southern boundary of the Central Downtown area. These hotels provide waterfront views, proximity to hike and bike trails, and immediate accessibility to the downtown area Warehouse District. Additional hotels are sprinkled throughout the downtown area toward the Capitol often appealing to business or conference crowds with proximity to high end restaurants as well as governmental and business offices.

South of Town Lake, around South Congress and South First Streets, are smaller hotels with unique atmospheres and distinct local feels that might appeal to the gay traveler. Some of these are historic whereas others emphasize a funky, urban feel. Many of these hotels host a more intimate setting with smaller crowds but often, less immediate availability. Riverside Dr and Barton Springs are also common locations for great hotels. You may want to note that East of I-35, the atmosphere changes a bit, and you may find yourself having to hop in the car (cab service available) every time you want to venture out. Prices may be lower, though, so don�t necessarily rule these out. Their level of service and pleasantry can vary, but East Austin may be a great fit for slightly more affordable gay friendly hotel accommodations with quick downtown access.

Several adorable Bed and Breakfasts are scattered near the UT campus area (West Campus area, behind The Drag). Their warm, comfortable, historic feel is perfect for a peaceful accommodation with unique amenities. Keep in mind, West Campus is also home to a rowdy bunch of UT students with wild night lives, football victories to celebrate and nothing to lose. Obviously, this could be exactly what you're hoping for. Or for quieter B&B accommodations, look toward the Capitol, south of campus, downtown.

For a full list of Pride City Guide's Preferred Gay friendly hotels, click on the "Hotels" icon located under the City Directory on the left side of this page.


Where to Go? What to Do? Things to see and do in Gay Friendly Austin.

Most restaurants and bars offer affordable prices and a nightly set of live music. Sixth Street hosts Austin's nationally renowned bar scene though the city certainly contains a host of other locally known trends within and around. Grouped together along and near Sixth are bars with a wild and wooly university grind, lounges with a subdued grungy feel, and clubs with a sleek, uptown style.

On any given night, throughout the Warehouse District, you'll find a swanky underground jazz scene, a neon lit techno dance floor, or a down to earth beer pub with a well-stocked jukebox. Don't just follow the rainbow flags and club kids: all the live music venues welcome gay patrons and offer a slice of local experience you may not find in the specifically gay venues. If you do want to hit the truly gay scene, a cluster of bars along West Fourth and Fifth Streets are the city's most frequented gay destinations. They sit among hoards of other nightlife locations but are distinctly noticeable by the rainbow signage and decor. The West Fourth strip is entertaining to even drive by for a cruise past the late night hotties - even if you aren't out on the town that night.

A swatch of good Mexican food can be found all over the city. South Congress and First Streets both offer several locations for great Mexican, Tex-Mex, and casual American menus. Cafes and restaurants of all sorts of persuasions can be found further south and north of downtown as well as in the western residential areas. For distinctly Austin experiences, the Central and South Central neighborhoods around downtown as well as the lakefront scene on Lake Austin offer a great diversity of menus and crowds.

Just a few miles down Sixth toward Lake Austin Boulevard, you'll find several lakeside hangouts for drinks and dinner as well as a dock on Oyster Landing for boat transport. Frequently sunny weekends bring hundreds of people to the lake where boats hover in various coves with atmospheres ranging from peaceful relaxation to wild party. And what gay man doesn't have the urge to get out in the sun and admire half naked men running, swimming, and coaxing their pets? (We said coaxing their pets, not petting their� oh never mind).

For gay fitness enthusiasts, the trails offer metered distances up to ten miles - keep you eye out for the occasional "bear!" (Don't worry - their very friendly - you might even get a phone number.) A well known local shoe store provides truckloads of water every few miles, so you can count on coolers for a moment's rest.

If the half-naked hotties on the trails aren't enough, then why not head up the road for some real eye-entertainment? Austin boasts a 'clothing optional' park nestled in the Hill Country on Lake Travis: Hippie Hollow - located about 30 minutes outside of the central city. The rocky shoreline offers spectacular views of Lake Travis with areas for nude sunbathing, swimming, and trails paved for walking and hiking along the cliffs. Hippie Hollow is also the site of Splash Day, a twice yearly event to celebrate the beginning of spring and the end of summer - hosted by the Gay and Lesbian community. Sound too good to be true? Visit the links below for further information and affirmation for all your nude beach dreams.

http://www.co.travis.tx.us/tnr/parks/hippie_hollow.asp

http://www.hippiehollow.com/

If shrinkage is a concern, you may be interested in swimming with your suit on. Zilker Park's spring fed pools are worth checking out. Situated right downtown adjacent to the urban bustle, Zilker constitutes approximately 350 acres of land. Within the park, Barton Springs pool offers a precious oasis of water fed from underground springs naturally measuring 68 degrees on average. The spring-fed pools attract a diverse crowd for relief from the prevalent shine of Texas sun.

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/zilker/

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/bartonsprings.htm


Town Lake, a dammed portion of the Colorado river, runs as the southerly border to downtown, and everything south of the river is affectionately known as South Austin. South Austin, even more so than downtown, emphasizes a funky, unusual atmosphere. Both South Congress (locally known as SoCo) and South First Streets are richly reflective of Austin's comfortable, artistic aire. First Thursday celebrations each month bring a barrage of local artisans to set up markets along the SoCo strip as retail and restaurant buildings in the area stay open late and offer special sale opportunities.

For daytime shopping including second hand finds, upscale boutiques, farmer's markets, jewelry and fashion locally designed-in-stores, the SoCo area offers an array of unique locations. South First includes similarly distinctive shops with a slightly more dispersed presence. As for quality shopping experiences, both streets are certainly a breath of fresh air.

Austin is at once cosmopolitan and comfortable and incites a wide variety of appeal. Most parts of the city are perceptibly gay friendly although when visiting, Central and South Central accommodations will offer the best access to leading attractions.

The city also offers free local transportation service on adorable green trolleys known as the 'Dillo's. That's DILLO. There is nothing pink and rubber about them. It's short for Armadillo - the state's official small mammal and the beginning of many of Texas's tall tales. Information about city bus service is available here http://www.capmetro.org/ with 'Dillo service routes described here http://www.capmetro.org/riding/downtown_trollies.asp

Near the Capitol building in the Central downtown area, one can find the bustling business of governmental and other professional life alongside unique restaurant and coffee shops, jewelry shops, and historic homes. Guadalupe St is a major thoroughfare in the downtown area as it borders the western perimeter of the UT campus. The Guadalupe retail and business district across the street from campus is known as "The Drag." (For drag racing, not drag queens, though one can never be sure!) This area is more mainstream now than in earlier years but remains known as one of the local, trendy places to shop, dine, and hang out.

Austin doesn't mince words about its attitude of lifestyle-acceptance, and this ideal is made even clearer by the local establishment of a Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, a non profit progressive advocacy organization dedicated to the promotion of Austin's gay community. They offer networking, support, and education for gay and gay-friendly businesses and professionals. Their site at http://www.aglcc.org/1/Home.html offers a range of descriptive information regarding specific businesses and neighborhoods around town termed as gay friendly or gay owned. Theirs is by no means an exhaustive list as most businesses are accustomed to a prevalent, integrated gay population. The list does offer a bit of insight into those businesses which are gay owned and might thereby have the glint of flair one seeks. However, Austin is truly a city of blatant expression, and often the exterior building shapes, colors, and signage give external insight to the inside atmosphere.


Cultural Arts & Publications in Gay Friendly Austin

Austin has a professional ballet, symphony, opera, and theater company. The city has over 20 museums and a variety of local art galleries. With 19 years of service, the Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival is the oldest, largest gay and lesbian film festival in the Southwest. Some links to these and other cultural resources are listed below:

The Austin Museum of Art http://www.amoa.org

Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival http://www.agliff.org/index.php

Lyndon B Johnson Museum http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/

Austin Museum Partnership http://www.austinmuseums.org/

The Austin Chronicle proclaims itself as an "independent, locally owned alternative newsweekly that reflects the heart and soul of Austin, Texas." The Chronicle addresses the "community's political and environmental concerns, expresses Austin's rich cultural scene, and provides in-depth coverage of the Capital City's live music and entertainment venues, performing arts centers, restaurants, recreational activities, and outdoor excursions.???

Austin, Texas ranks high on our list of locations for a hassle-free, memorable, and exciting gay vacation. The variety of gay-friendly options for adventure are truly endless. Make your visit exactly what you want it to be by visiting our links for PCG Hotel accommodations, restaurants, and bars. Decide which scenes you'd most enjoy and plan your trip accordingly. One thing is for certain, you are bound to find cultural diversity, good conversation, abundant gay eye candy, and entertainment galore.

Check out other deals in Miami
National Hotel
Delux Room $(50-15)
King Room $(100-2)
Master Suite $(500-8)

Check out other deals in Sacramento
Sac Hotel Test
Jeff's Deal $1
Eddie's Deal $50