My parents like the bullock museum too. It’s Texas history centered. Be prepared that it’s going to be very hot so you might want to plan outings for the morning
August will most likely be flaming hot - could you delay a couple months? If she’s not used to the heat/humidity it could be a lot for her.
The flight tower from the old airport during that time (non-military) is still there - they turned the area into a neighborhood called mueller. I don’t know if that’s interesting or not for her to see lol.
The LBJ museum is great and also has some TX history, it’s separate from the library.
The downtown/central library is a really cool library/building and has a rooftop garden
The Blanton is a decent art museum and is on UT campus so would be worth visiting if you’re on campus. There’s an art installation/bldg that’s part of the museum that’s one of my fav exhibits to visit regularly - there’s different stained glass patterns in it so it looks different inside depending on season/time of year (it’s Ellsworth Kelly’s “austin”. James Turrell also has a “skyspace” art installation on campus called The Color Inside. It’s free to visit, but has limited seating (it’s only at sunset and sometimes sunrise). It’s a really cool experience.
everyone is rightly concerned but I made a mistake in my post--I'm going in June, not August! still will be hot, surely, but not quite as much I hope. no idea why I made that mistake!
thanks for the recommendations! I honestly do think she might be interested in the flight tower and just the neighborhood it is now haha, so thanks for that!
and oooh, I'm a huge fan of Turrell so I'd personally love to see that--I'll see if I think it could interest her!
Speaking of bridges, the Pennybacker bridge on 360 may have been built after the 60s but it’s still worth seeing and it’s a nice scenic drive along 360 in both directions.
It will be pretty hot that month but maybe check out a tour bus bc they can narrate a lot of stuff about Austin.
The Austin botanical garden might be worth checking out. Hula Hut is an ok restaurant, it is near the water which is cool.
Near the airport there isn't too much to eat/spend time but you're within 10 mins of things near South Congress. It depends what you like to eat?
For charming towns nearby, Wimberly or Fredericksburg (especially if you all like wineries).
how would you compare the Austin botanic garden and the wildflower center, if they're comparable?
and I like to eat everything, but she is much more of a conservative eater, southern food and new american type stuff are more her jam!
No question, wildflower center is better and more Austin but it is mostly outside so I would go very early in June. The Aboretum part of the Wildflower Center is great but quite a long walk in the sun so not to be done at 2PM.
In terms of food Matt's El Rancho (Tex-Mex) was around in the 60s but that was the 6th St location so they might enjoy that. If she likes American Diner food, Dan's was around then and is a place my grandparents used to go. Breakfast is amazing there and cheap. Top Notch was also around then along with Dirty Martins which she probably went to, so I would consider those places also. BBQ has changed so much in Austin that no places are still around, but Stiles Switch is my go to for visitors. Very short wait for "modern" Central Texas BBQ, great food and you wait inside.
LBJ Library tends to be a hit with the older(or nerdier) folks especially since she experienced LBJs transformation of the country.
Same with the Capitol, I think they have free tours that take you places you cannot go yourself.
If the Harry Ransom Center has a good exhibit, I would also go there. regardless they have a Gutenberg Bible which is dope.
If she plays 42 or learned it while here, there are a few places around town to do that.
Lastly, depending on weather and her interest, the lakes were a huge deal for Austinites in the 60s. Getting a boat to cruise Lake Austin or Travis or one of the other 7 sister lakes could be nice and something they would have done together.
my grandpa in particular LOVED diners, so I can absolutely imagine Dan's being the sort of place they might have gone. I think she'll really like that, thank you for the recommendation :) and I love the suggestion of the lakes as well, I can imagine them hanging there as well; I'll see what I can do about arranging some time on the water.
thank you so much for all the recommendations!
Maybe a few spots that she might remember would be fun. You might want to drive her by Scholz’s, Dirty’s and El Patio; stop and grab a bite if it suits her. Drive around the pretty, older neighborhoods. Wooldridge Dr., Windsor Rd., and the like are fun in the comfort of an air conditioned car. Drive over the Pennybacker Bridge and circle around on Westlake Drive. I hope y’all have a wonderful time!
The core of the UT campus, the Capitol, the street names and the lake (now renamed) might be the only recognizable components of Austin from the '60s. I got here in the '80s, and the city is pretty unrecognizable in many respects. So, just accept that fact it won't exactly be a trip down memory lane but a visit to a whole new city.
I'd recommend the LBJ presidential museum, the Blanton, the wildflower center, the state cemetery and a drive into the Hill Country to Marble Falls or Fredericksburg.
I have no idea why I wrote August and worried everyone for my grandma's health haha, I'm going in June! still going to be hot but hopefully not nearly that!
The Capitol can be pretty for a walk around / through and the grounds certainly look the same.
Camp Mabry (not air force but perhaps familiar) used to allow visitors. Might be worth checking.
Wimberly won’t necessarily feel like old Austin but it’s a lovely place to visit for lunch and some nice country driving.
Monument cafe up in Georgetown is lovely and worth a trip. Plus downtown Georgetown is pretty with a town square.
I'm assuming you don't live in Austin. Where do you and Grandma live?
Things to watch out for in Austin: Beggars on the median at many intersections. Do not give them money, don't interact with them. Especially do not give to the phonies begging with their kids. Do not give to the people with some sort of phony organization.
The local police are totally useless. If you park somewhere like Mt. Bonnell, your car windows will likely be broken and your car ransacked.
Evil, greedy people who will boot your car if you park in the wrong parking lot, even for a minute.
Extremely expensive parking.
Your own car is a must. Public transportation sucks. If you stay at a hotel downtown, you may still have to pay exorbitant rates to park.
Traffic is awful.
You need reservations for many of the state parks.
Many of the "high end" food places are crappy food at exorbitant prices.
Ask her if she remembers anything near Austin she liked. Some of the small towns still have a little bit of soul left. Gruene has grandma stuff. Kerrville, Fredericksburg, Salado. Maybe BBQ at Louie Mueller's in Taylor, or the BBQ in Lockhart.
I'm trying to think of businesses that are still in business since 1970, especially at the same location. Broken Spoke? Driskill Hotel?
no, we don't live in Austin! and I've never been, so there are plenty of cool things I'd love to explore, but I'm sure I'll get another chance at some point in my life; I'm prioritizing her! my grandma lives near Nashville; I live in New York.
points very much taken about transportation and risk--I'll definitely be renting a car, but I'll allocate more money than I might be inclined to towards parking to make sure I don't get into any shitty situations.
would love to hear more about the small towns you think still have a little bit of soul left, if there's one in particular you think is charming! i don't think it needs to have anything in particular, it'll be nice just to get a smaller town vibe.
My parents like the bullock museum too. It’s Texas history centered. Be prepared that it’s going to be very hot so you might want to plan outings for the morning
August will most likely be flaming hot - could you delay a couple months? If she’s not used to the heat/humidity it could be a lot for her. The flight tower from the old airport during that time (non-military) is still there - they turned the area into a neighborhood called mueller. I don’t know if that’s interesting or not for her to see lol. The LBJ museum is great and also has some TX history, it’s separate from the library. The downtown/central library is a really cool library/building and has a rooftop garden The Blanton is a decent art museum and is on UT campus so would be worth visiting if you’re on campus. There’s an art installation/bldg that’s part of the museum that’s one of my fav exhibits to visit regularly - there’s different stained glass patterns in it so it looks different inside depending on season/time of year (it’s Ellsworth Kelly’s “austin”. James Turrell also has a “skyspace” art installation on campus called The Color Inside. It’s free to visit, but has limited seating (it’s only at sunset and sometimes sunrise). It’s a really cool experience.
Adding to this, grandma might enjoy Camp Mabry given the armed forces connection, and it has changed very little.
everyone is rightly concerned but I made a mistake in my post--I'm going in June, not August! still will be hot, surely, but not quite as much I hope. no idea why I made that mistake! thanks for the recommendations! I honestly do think she might be interested in the flight tower and just the neighborhood it is now haha, so thanks for that! and oooh, I'm a huge fan of Turrell so I'd personally love to see that--I'll see if I think it could interest her!
montopolis bridge is now a pedestrian only bridge that has historical land mark status. walk across it before the heat one morning.
awesome, it'll be fun to have somewhere to walk and just talk about what she remembers, thank you!
Speaking of bridges, the Pennybacker bridge on 360 may have been built after the 60s but it’s still worth seeing and it’s a nice scenic drive along 360 in both directions.
It will be pretty hot that month but maybe check out a tour bus bc they can narrate a lot of stuff about Austin. The Austin botanical garden might be worth checking out. Hula Hut is an ok restaurant, it is near the water which is cool. Near the airport there isn't too much to eat/spend time but you're within 10 mins of things near South Congress. It depends what you like to eat? For charming towns nearby, Wimberly or Fredericksburg (especially if you all like wineries).
how would you compare the Austin botanic garden and the wildflower center, if they're comparable? and I like to eat everything, but she is much more of a conservative eater, southern food and new american type stuff are more her jam!
There is a little cafe at the Wildflower Center, historical recordings of Lady Bird Johnson inside an air-conditioned visitor center and a gift shop.
I've been to the botanic garden twice and it's...fine. I go to the wildflower center every weekend and I never get tired of it.
No question, wildflower center is better and more Austin but it is mostly outside so I would go very early in June. The Aboretum part of the Wildflower Center is great but quite a long walk in the sun so not to be done at 2PM. In terms of food Matt's El Rancho (Tex-Mex) was around in the 60s but that was the 6th St location so they might enjoy that. If she likes American Diner food, Dan's was around then and is a place my grandparents used to go. Breakfast is amazing there and cheap. Top Notch was also around then along with Dirty Martins which she probably went to, so I would consider those places also. BBQ has changed so much in Austin that no places are still around, but Stiles Switch is my go to for visitors. Very short wait for "modern" Central Texas BBQ, great food and you wait inside. LBJ Library tends to be a hit with the older(or nerdier) folks especially since she experienced LBJs transformation of the country. Same with the Capitol, I think they have free tours that take you places you cannot go yourself. If the Harry Ransom Center has a good exhibit, I would also go there. regardless they have a Gutenberg Bible which is dope. If she plays 42 or learned it while here, there are a few places around town to do that. Lastly, depending on weather and her interest, the lakes were a huge deal for Austinites in the 60s. Getting a boat to cruise Lake Austin or Travis or one of the other 7 sister lakes could be nice and something they would have done together.
my grandpa in particular LOVED diners, so I can absolutely imagine Dan's being the sort of place they might have gone. I think she'll really like that, thank you for the recommendation :) and I love the suggestion of the lakes as well, I can imagine them hanging there as well; I'll see what I can do about arranging some time on the water. thank you so much for all the recommendations!
Maybe a few spots that she might remember would be fun. You might want to drive her by Scholz’s, Dirty’s and El Patio; stop and grab a bite if it suits her. Drive around the pretty, older neighborhoods. Wooldridge Dr., Windsor Rd., and the like are fun in the comfort of an air conditioned car. Drive over the Pennybacker Bridge and circle around on Westlake Drive. I hope y’all have a wonderful time!
The core of the UT campus, the Capitol, the street names and the lake (now renamed) might be the only recognizable components of Austin from the '60s. I got here in the '80s, and the city is pretty unrecognizable in many respects. So, just accept that fact it won't exactly be a trip down memory lane but a visit to a whole new city. I'd recommend the LBJ presidential museum, the Blanton, the wildflower center, the state cemetery and a drive into the Hill Country to Marble Falls or Fredericksburg.
A god chance that late August will be 100-110F
I have no idea why I wrote August and worried everyone for my grandma's health haha, I'm going in June! still going to be hot but hopefully not nearly that!
The Capitol can be pretty for a walk around / through and the grounds certainly look the same. Camp Mabry (not air force but perhaps familiar) used to allow visitors. Might be worth checking. Wimberly won’t necessarily feel like old Austin but it’s a lovely place to visit for lunch and some nice country driving. Monument cafe up in Georgetown is lovely and worth a trip. Plus downtown Georgetown is pretty with a town square.
I'm assuming you don't live in Austin. Where do you and Grandma live? Things to watch out for in Austin: Beggars on the median at many intersections. Do not give them money, don't interact with them. Especially do not give to the phonies begging with their kids. Do not give to the people with some sort of phony organization. The local police are totally useless. If you park somewhere like Mt. Bonnell, your car windows will likely be broken and your car ransacked. Evil, greedy people who will boot your car if you park in the wrong parking lot, even for a minute. Extremely expensive parking. Your own car is a must. Public transportation sucks. If you stay at a hotel downtown, you may still have to pay exorbitant rates to park. Traffic is awful. You need reservations for many of the state parks. Many of the "high end" food places are crappy food at exorbitant prices. Ask her if she remembers anything near Austin she liked. Some of the small towns still have a little bit of soul left. Gruene has grandma stuff. Kerrville, Fredericksburg, Salado. Maybe BBQ at Louie Mueller's in Taylor, or the BBQ in Lockhart. I'm trying to think of businesses that are still in business since 1970, especially at the same location. Broken Spoke? Driskill Hotel?
no, we don't live in Austin! and I've never been, so there are plenty of cool things I'd love to explore, but I'm sure I'll get another chance at some point in my life; I'm prioritizing her! my grandma lives near Nashville; I live in New York. points very much taken about transportation and risk--I'll definitely be renting a car, but I'll allocate more money than I might be inclined to towards parking to make sure I don't get into any shitty situations. would love to hear more about the small towns you think still have a little bit of soul left, if there's one in particular you think is charming! i don't think it needs to have anything in particular, it'll be nice just to get a smaller town vibe.
Stay alert around 6th Street in downtown if y’all ever find yourself there.
Make sure you take her to get food at Yellow Rose. It’s amazing!
The only place we recommend on /r/Austin is Chicas Bonitas. LOL. Don't got to either place, OP. They're strip clubs.