Austin has fully embraced its inner weird, and has become one of the most popular offbeat travel destinations in the country. If you're looking to get weird in ATX, look no further, because we've got your ultimate guide to an Austin offbeat adventure right here!
1
TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls
The Lonestar Rollergirls are a staple of Austin with their free-wheeling pursuit of fun. The girls keep the production value high, and always bring the laughs. It's kind of like WWE on wheels, except the pain is real. They're that perfect mix between campy, badass, and bone-crushing, and their in-house amateur teams are just as killer. Tickets are around $15 a person, the beer is cheap, and the fights are a-plenty!
Baylor Street Art Wall is the mecca of street art in Austin, and makes for a pretty rad photo-op as well. Austin's largest graffiti art wall is often referred to as a "living" art project, as the murals change sometimes from week to week.
Tip: Bring some paint - you can actually paint on the wall yourself!
3
Hippie Hollow Park
Hippie Hollow Park is one of the most-loved parks in the city, and judging by the name alone, you can probably imagine why. Hippie Hollow has a beautiful rocky shoreline and gives you the chance to take some photos of the spectacular view of Lake Travis.
Tips: Hippie Hollow Park is the only clothing optional public park in the state, so if nudity isn't your thing, you might want to skip this one!
Even if you're not thinking about picking up a new couch, it's still worth it to visit Austin's Couch Potatoes Furniture. Standing (or sitting) outside the building is a giant monument to couch potatoes around the world. The statue measures 34 feet-long and 22 feet-tall, and is a weird-certified Austin photo-op.
Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon is a bonafide, 100%-authentic honky tonk bar. It's so great, in fact, that it was voted one of the best bars in the entire country by Esquire Magazine, and for good reason. Good company, cheap beer, and lots of country music.
Tip: Whatever you do, don't forget to play the Chicken (Poop) Bingo game before you leave.
6
Mueller Sunflowers
Mueller's Sunflowers are a sustainable public art installation that are powered entirely by the sun. Visitors can explore the hiking trail that winds along beside the massive flower-shaped sculptures.
Tip: If you have time, make sure you stick around until the sun goes down, when the pieces become illuminated like giant flowers made out of light.
7
Museum of the Weird
It's true that the Museum of the Weird is small, but it packs a punch. Not only do they have a wax museum, taxidermy mermaids, and monsters galore, they're also home to the Minnesota Iceman, an alleged Bigfoot who spent his early years traveling the world in a giant brick of ice.
Tip: The museum is small, so if you can, they suggest that you visit during the week when the traffic isn't quite so busy.
If you're not totally grossed out by bats, then head to the Congress Ave bridge at dusk to see one of the coolest spectacles you'll ever get the chance to witness. If you wait long enough, you'll see massive swarms of bats doing air-acrobatics for up to 20 minutes at a time.
Tip: The best time to see the bats is directly after dusk.
One man's junk is another man's treasure! Vince Hannemann turned his backyard into a 60-ton monument to found art, and it's made entirely out of, you guessed it, junk. The cathedral is always changing so if you've already visited, don't be afraid to stop by again because it'll be a totally different experience the second time around.
Tip: Call ahead to make an appointment, and have your $10 ready for a tour of the monument.
One of the most famous photo ops in the city, the Roadhouse Relics Wall is a must visit location on a pilgrimage of weird in Austin. Worth a visit for a quick photo that makes an excellent profile picture.
As you can see, Austin absolutely lives up to its reputation as being one of the weirdest cities in the country. Add a few of these awesome offbeat locations to your trip, or hit every spot on your weird adventure in City of the Violet Crown!
Roadtrippers
Roadtrippers helps you find the most epic destinations and detours—from roadside attractions to natural wonders and beyond.
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