North Austin, TX Guide

About

North Austin is a big territory that continues to represent a great deal of Austin’s expansion outward from the city center. Rolling hills, majestic oaks, and vast greenspaces dominate much of the region in spite of the growth of residential neighborhoods and commercial districts north of Highway 183. To distinguish North Austin from Northeast and Northwest Austin, the boundaries of this guide are Mopac Expressway (Texas 1 Loop) to the west, Interstate 35 to the east, and State Highway 45 to the north, though many people lump the farther-north suburbs of Round Rock, Georgetown, and Pflugerville as part of the greater “North Austin” designation. Popular neighborhoods include North Burnet, The Domain, North Lamar, North Park Estates, and Oak Ridge.

The southern neighborhoods of North Austin are all within a 15-minute-or-less drive (depending on traffic, of course) to Downtown Austin or the University of Texas at Austin, making this a popular part of town to call home. Nestled between tranquil, well-established neighborhoods—which include numerous mid-century bungalows and sprawling ranch-style homes—rental houses and apartments in North Austin of every type can be found throughout the area. The apartment scene includes small buildings with fewer than 20 units to the types of monstrously huge apartment communities that Texas boasts thanks to the sheer abundance of land. In addition to the multiple types of housing available, the population of North Austin is equally diverse both ethnically and economically, attracting students, senior citizens, and every age demographic in between. Many citizens get involved with community associations, too, so there’s a great sense of pride for those living in North Austin neighborhoods who want to be active in their community.

The Domain is a major draw for North Austinites, locals from other parts of the city, and out-of-town tourists looking for a one-stop location for shopping, dining, and nightlife. Spread out over more than 300 acres with close to 150 businesses in the vast (but walkable) district, The Domain’s offerings also include several apartment options, too, making this a prototypical live-work-play experience. Many parts of North Austin showcase Corporate America (for better or worse) through an array of sprawling retail destinations bursting with national brands. However, you’ll also find quirky, more “traditionally Austin” locales from dining, drinking, and dancing to shopping and services, primarily in the southern neighborhoods closer to Downtown.

Getting Around

Unless you plan to stick close to your own neighborhood almost exclusively for work and leisure, cars are pretty much essential for all Austin residents, regardless of region. Fortunately, Austin offers a variety of public transportation offerings to make getting around the immediate North Austin area easy even if you don’t have access to your own mode of transportation (motorized or otherwise, if cycling is an appealing option).

Capital Metro offers several bus routes in addition to a select few MetroRapid and MetroRail services that take commuters Downtown with continued expansion planned, but rail lines and stops are still rather limited. Cycling is popular throughout the city, and some parts of North Austin are easy to navigate on a bike (your own or one rented from the many bikeshare stations around the area). Busy streets and several freeways make it a more viable option for shorter distances, however. In addition to more widely known rideshare services, Austin has other rideshare companies, too, including one served by electric-powered vehicles. And more good news for fans and owners of electric vehicles—North Austin has lots of charging stations available at key destinations.

When you’re ready to escape the city for work or vacation, you’ll find plenty of options at the well-laid-out Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The sky’s the limit with an average of 350 nonstop flights to more than 70 destinations, both domestic and international, each day. A luxury bus service with first-class seating and beverage/food service called Vonlane has a pickup/drop-off point in Downtown Austin that gets residents and tourists between Austin and San Antonio, Houston, or Dallas.

Food & Drink

The entire city is known for its vibrant food scene with chefs who aren’t afraid to take risks setting up shop alongside purveyors of all varieties of cultural comfort foods. Whether you’re lining up at a food truck or trailer or making an online reservation for a table with the view of the kitchen action or on the patio so you can bring along your four-legged friends, every fathomable food item you could ever crave can be found in North Austin. Because of its size and status as a luxury shopping destination, The Domain and Domain Northside have a large concentration of restaurants, ranging from international brands such as California Pizza Kitchen, Shake Shack, and Beard Papa’s (home of the “world’s best cream puffs) to local and Texas-based favorites including Velvet Taco, Thai Kun, Hat Creek Burger Company, Houndstooth Coffee, Bakery Lorraine, and Lavaca Street Bar at Rock Rose. Elsewhere in North Austin, Lupe Tortilla Mexican Restaurant serves up fab Tex-Mex. Andiamo Ristorante excels in locally sourced Italian. Café Java’s a favorite spot for brunch, and The Hot Box Diner doles out classic burgers from a food truck stationed at Adelbert’s Brewery.

And speaking of breweries, North Austin is a brewery paradise with one of the largest concentrations in the state. Among the options: Oskar Blues Brewery Tap Room, Austin Beerwerks, Celis Brewery, Circle Brewing Company, Hopsquad Brewing Company, 4th Tap Brewing Cooperative, and Fairweather Cider Co. for cider fans. Full-service, local bar options around North Austin include Turnstile Coffee Beer Cocktails and Burgers, Captain Morgan Club, Night Owl, and Detour Domain.

Shopping

If you can’t find it at a store in North Austin, you probably don’t need it. Hundreds of retail stores exist in the area with local boutiques and mom-and-pop shops such as Tiny’s Western Shop, Austin Accent for jewelry, and the Creative Accents music store co-existing among big-name brands. Austin-based YETI has a nice store at The Domain, alongside household names like Apple, Macy’s, and H&M, as well as luxury options including Louis Vuitton, Neiman Marcus, and Gucci. Dozens of other smaller shopping centers can be found sprinkled throughout North Austin, too, making it easy to get anything you desire when you don’t feel like online shopping and waiting two days for delivery. North Austin grocery store options abound, as well, with Walmart, H-E-B, Target, Whole Foods Market, and Central Market offering full-service options, while Hong Kong Supermarket, World Food & Halal Market, Sealam International Mart & Café, International Foods, and Burmese Store are among the specialty food purveyors in the area.

Things to Do

Though you’ll find an abundance of concrete and multi-story structures—residential and commercial alike—North Austin has a plethora of outdoor options, too. In addition to visiting the numerous small neighborhood parks spread far and wide, many North Austin locals flock to Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park and its 15 miles of hiking and walking trails, a public swimming complex, and multiple sports fields, as well as picnic tables and BBQ grills to make a full day of outdoor activity. Nearby North Star Greenbelt may be much smaller, but some people prefer its quiet walking and jogging trails surrounded by trees and flowers.

For the sports-minded, get the adrenaline pumping at K1 Speed Indoor GoKarts or during a match at Q2 Arena (home to Austin FC, the city’s Major League Soccer team). Or get the heart rate down a bit with a few drinks and friendly competition at Top Golf. Catch the latest release at IPIC Theaters and in-auditorium dining. And who could resist a visit to the Museum of Ice Cream where, of course, you can sample the sweet, cold goodies.

Colleges & Universities

Located in the heart of North Austin are the Austin Community College Northridge and Stonehollow campuses, Austin Medical Assistant School-West Braker, and the J.J. Pickle Research Campus of The University of Texas at Austin (the main campus of which is only 15 minutes away). The locations of each of these colleges and universities make the North Austin area a particularly popular home base for students with the advantage of lower rents in many cases.