If you currently live in Austin or are thinking of relocating here you must know that South Austin is funky and eclectic. South Austin is a melting pot of yuppies, tech nerds, hippies, etc however as you know or will learn they are are very cool, laid back, and friendly people.
As you drive down Manchaca Rd, South 1st, or South Congress Avenue you will see old houses, new houses, auto mechanic shops, quirky restaurants and other retail or other unconventional commercial businesses & residences. As Austin grows however it’s getting harder and harder to determine where South Austin begins and ends. Early on South Austin would start downtown and go from there however these days that’s considered South Central. Having been in the commercial real estate industry for the last 15 years I define South Austin as beginning at U.S. 290 (aka Hwy 71) and going South from there.
Moving on I’m sure your wondering what things there are to do in South Austin. There are tons of cool things to see and do however for this post I have only picked a few of my favorites. If you would like to learn more about South Austin feel free to contact us.
- Shopping – Of course if you want to go shopping checkout the Westgate shopping center in Sunset Valley. You can also go to the Shops at Onion Creek and Sunset Valley Village. There you will find tons of restaurants, local, and regional department stores. If you are looking for thrift stores there are a few along South 1st street and West Stassney
- Live Music at Austin360 Amphitheater – This is an open air concert venue that has become very popular for big name artists. It has a huge grassy area and reserved seating and can house over 14,000 people. They average 10 to 20 shows per year with an estimated 1.2 million attendees.
- Cathedral of Junk – This is one of my favorites and the quirkiest of them all. A guy named Vince Hanneman has been building this since 1988 in his back yard. It contains over 60 tons of junk, however put together in a way that makes it look like a work of art. From old lawnmowers, car bumpers, kitchen sinks, bicycle parts, TVs, YOU NAME it, the Cathedral of Junk has it all. While most people love it……….others would like to see it removed. However they try to find its engineering weaknesses to give the city a reason to tear it down, no one can find them. It has weathered many Austin, Texas storms. This place is a site to see. Of all the places I recommend I can assure you won’t be disappointed when you step foot on this place. Your kids would love it as well as it looks like a huge play ground.
If you are looking for things to do in southwest Austin click here.