Headed to Texas and looking for the best murals in Austin?! Keep reading to see my favorite Austin murals, as well as a whole bunch of other instagrammable places in Austin just perfect for your IG feed!
If Nashville and Denver (and maybe even Portland) had a baby, you’d get Austin. It’s quirky, colorful, vibrant, and just downright weird. The city is known for its mouthwatering bbq, spring-fed swimming holes, the Texas state capitol building, and it’s even the live music capital of the world. But murals in Austin (plus more Austin street art and other photography locations)?! I certainly wasn’t expecting that!
One of my favorite things about exploring a new city is finding all the colorful walls and photo spots (I’ve even created photo guides to San Francisco, Oahu, San Diego, and London so far!). I knew of a whole bunch of instagrammable places in Austin before visiting, but once I sat down and looked at my photos, I really couldn’t believe just how many Austin murals we saw! The sheer number of photo spots in Austin blew my mind — the city definitely did not disappoint!
I bet you’ve seen a few Austin murals on instagram or floating around Pinterest — like “You’re My Butter Half” and the “Greetings from Austin Mural”. These are some of the most popular murals in Austin, Texas, with some of them being super iconic to the city. You’ll definitely wanna check these out!
Do note the murals in Austin are scattered everywhere around the city, so you’ll need to wander from neighborhood to neighborhood. Some are more isolated and hidden, while others are super easy to spot! There’s a huge concentration of murals in Austin on South Congress, Lamar Street, and in East Austin. And to no surprise, we stumbled upon even more Austin instagram spots as we were looking for the ones on our original list!
Read Next — How to Plan the Perfect Austin Weekend Itinerary (all my favorite spots!)
Because there’s just so, so many, there’s a whole bunch of Austin wall murals I can’t wait to check out on my next visit! Because you unfortunately can’t go everywhere with just 3 days in Austin. If you’re interested in learning about the artists and wanna ensure you see a whole bunch, book yourself on an Austin street art tour!
Besides the Austin murals and street art, I’m also including some other photo spots in Austin — they’re too good not to share!
So let’s get to it — grab your camera, a few girlfriends (or your handy dandy tripod), and your biggest smile — it’s time to create some killer content with the best murals in Austin! The best Austin instagram spots, coming right up!
Best Murals in Austin
Austin is full of mural, after mural, after mural. I honestly couldn’t believe just how many murals in Austin we found on our short 3-day itinerary! Since we obviously couldn’t go to all 80 in such a short timeframe, I’m showing you my favorite ones here.
Greetings from Austin Mural
- Location: 1720 S. First Street (on the side of Roadhouse Relics)
Let’s start off this list of instagrammable places in Austin with one you’ve probably seen floating around all over IG and pinterest! The Greetings from Austin mural! With it’s 40’s postcard vibe and colorful vintage letters, it’s easily the most photographed work of art in all of Austin. And I just LOVE it! If this isn’t the most popular of all the murals in Austin, I don’t know what is!
Just like in San Diego and San Francisco, there’s a Greetings From Mural here in Austin (although not designed or painted by the same artists). This piece in Austin was probably the first of all the postcard murals I’ve ever seen, and it’s still one of my favorites. I mean, just look at it!
This classic postcard mural was originally painted by Todd Sanders (the owner of Roadhouse Relics) back in 1998, but it’s recently been given a sweet new refresh in 2013!
Greetings from Austin is by FAR the most quintessential Austin photo, so be sure to add this to your list of must-photograph murals in Austin! Grab a cold juice from the Soup Peddler after taking your photos, and stop inside Roadhouse Relics for some more art!
Photo tips: If you aren’t using a super wide angle lens, you’ll need to step into the street to capture the whole mural — be extra careful! Come early or later in the day (or on a cloudy, overcast day) to minimize shadows.
You Belong Among the Wildflowers
- Location: 1702 S 1st St
This one was one of my favorites! A beautiful, colorful new mural in Austin with a gorgeous collection of flowers and a famous lyric from Tom Petty. If you’re visiting the Greetings From Austin mural, hop across the street for this one! You really can’t miss it — it’s literally right across the street!
Photo tip: There’s some yellow power lines that cut right in front of the mural, so you may wanna take photos from the side like we did to cut them out of the frame.
The Salty Donut
- Location: 2000 S Congress Ave.
This wildly popular Miami doughnut shop has now come to Austin! And it’s got one of the most beautiful walls in Austin, in my opinion! Stop by for donuts, coffee, and fun vibes.
Allison Kunath is the mastermind behind all these creamy pastel colors and soft geometric shapes. And it’s actually one of the newest murals in Austin on this list, just painted in 2021.
Try different angles — from the front, towards the side, etc! The shapes and colors really pop depending on how you look at it.
After taking some photos, head inside for a donut or two! Next time I wanna try the new margarita doughnut — imagine brioche dough filled with lime curd and tequila-infused orange glaze, and topped with torched meringue, margarita “salt,” and a dehydrated lime chip! Pretty wild, right?!
Don’t worry, there’s also more traditional flavors, like cookies-and-cream, maple-and-bacon, and brown-butter-and-salt. Okay, so nothing’s terribly traditional here, haha.
Tau Ceti Rainbow
- Location: the corner of Brazos and East 2nd St. (it’s huge — you’ll see it)
Josef Kristo Foletti, you are a technicolor, multi-dimensional marvel! Just look at this thing! I especially love all the gradients; it’s just so cool and oh so colorful! Tau Ceti is even named after a star! One of the best places to take pictures in Austin if you like rainbow colors like I do!
Tau Ceti is Austin’s tallest public artwork at over 10 stories high, completed in November 2018. Since it’s so high, you’ll need to really work your angles here in order to get all the colors in the photo — a few tips:
Photo tips:
- Get down low (squat or sit) and point your camera towards the sky (this way you can capture the giant mural and all its colors in full!).
- If that doesn’t work, get a photo from across the street. This works best when you have a zoom lens.
- Not loving those? You’ll need a super wide lens (even my 18mm wasn’t wide enough to capture all the colors) or do a vertical panorama on your iphone. Your subject should stand in the corner where the two walls come together for your best shot of getting the most in your frame.
- Wear something bright to really stand out against the white bottom. I had on a pink dress and thought it was fun, but then this girl came out rocking a bright reddish/pink top and I had the heart eyes for her shirt!
Peace Love Austin
- Location: 201 Colorado Street
We found this Austin street art piece by complete accident — we were headed elsewhere and had to cross the street to take some photos! I love the colors and all the Austin icons in the background (look closely and you’ll see a guitar, pinata, and cowboy boots). And of course the phrase “Peace, Love, Austin”. Thanks Mike Johnston for such a gorgeous piece!
We chose to work our angles and leave out the skateboard since none of us skate (honestly, I just don’t trust myself on one!), but capturing the whole piece is a must if you’re a skater girl!
6th Street Historic District Mural
- Location: 582 N Interstate 35 Frontage Rd
Don’t mess with Texas! This mural pays homage to Austin as the “Live Music Capital of the World”, and you’ll see all the things that make it great on the mural itself. From its history to it’s rockin’ music scene. The mural is massive — with bold typography and color blocking; it’s literally hard to miss!
I think the only time we spent on dirty 6th was to take pictures in front of this mural — how could we not?! It’s one of the most iconic Austin murals and definitely a favorite. I saw it on my first visit to Austin in 2015 and am so glad it’s still there! The 10 year anniversary is coming up soon — it was designed and painted by Sanctuary Printshop in 2012!
Photo and safety tips: Be extra careful when photographing this Austin instagram spot. In order to capture it in its entirety, you’ll need to take your photos from either across the street or in the street itself. And it’s a very busy intersection, right off the Southbound I-35 access road. Meaning right at the entrance to the highway! If you don’t feel comfortable, you can still get great photos from the side.
The Sunset Room
- Location: 310 E 3rd St
Again, another one of the murals in Austin we randomly stumbled upon and just loved! So of course we had to stop for some photos! It kinda reminded me of a piece you’d see in the steamy Arizona desert, with its huge sun and colorful cacti. The bright colors were really calling my name!
The Sunset Room is right across the street from the Austin Convention Center, so if you find yourself over there, definitely check out this piece of Austin street art.
I haven’t seen it on any other Austin instagram spots blog posts, so this one’s definitely a bit less showcased than others. Something unique for your IG feed!
You’re My Butter Half
- Location: 2000 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd (side of the United Way for Greater Austin building)
This wouldn’t be a complete list of Austin murals without “You’re My Butter Half”. Easily one of my favorites out of all the best murals in Austin, Texas! It’s such a cute piece by John Rockwell and absolutely perfect for best friends or happy couples or even cute dogs and their owners. Considering my friends and I were kinda matching — unintentionally I might add — this mural was just perfect for us!
And what a cute backstory it has! The artist wanted to create a piece with the theme of bringing people together. But where’d he get the inspiration for this cute Austin mural? His love of all things butter, haha! I love it!
The piece is so famous you’ll see it plastered on tons of gifts around town (my friend bought a cute coaster with this on the front)!
Photo tips:
- There’s a little selfie stand right in front of the mural, so it’s super easy to go solo or take photos with friends if there’s no one else around.
- Wear colors that really pop against the teal blue — we all ended up wearing orange/reds and love how the photos turned out.
Note that the piece is located in a relatively quiet neighborhood in East Austin — you have to deliberately go find it since you won’t see it randomly in town like some others. So, naturally, we took an Uber specifically to see this mural in Austin. Was it worth it? YES! Make the 15 minute walk over to Bird Bird Biscuit for some super flakey, super buttery biscuits before leaving the area.
I Love You So Much
- Location: 1300 South Congress Avenue on the side of Jo’s Coffee
This was easily my favorite mural in Austin when I visited back in 2015, and it most definitely still is! The I Love You So Much mural is such an iconic spot in buzzing South Congress, with it’s sage green exterior and famous red graffiti. Since my first visit they’ve made the writing a bit bolder which I love!
A super cute mural that’s definitely a landmark and icon of Austin. And thanks to instagram, it’s now officially the most famous street corner in the entire city!
A little backstory to this famous mural: Local musician Amy Cook whipped out a can of red spray paint to write a simple love letter to her partner Liz Lambert, who was the majority owner of Jo’s at the time. Back in 2010! So yes, it’s an actual love letter between two people, and Amy Cook’s writing! So, so sweet! Since then, there’s been a ton of proposals (!!!), family photos, and of course lots of instagrammers taking photos with the wall! Us included!
While you’re here, definitely stop for some caffeine and a breakfast taco (the bean and cheese is my favorite, fingers crossed they’re not sold out)! The Iced Turbo is their signature drink (a sweet and creamy coffee drink with coffee and hazelnut), but I always get the Belgium Bomber (the famous Iced Turbo mixed with cold brew, making it not as sweet and creamy).
Photo tips:
- Being one of the most popular murals in Austin, expect a line for your photo op. Come early if you visit on the weekend, or try visiting mid-week for less crowds.
- Wear red to match the scripted love letter, and to stand out against the soft green.
Smile, Even If You Don’t Want to
- Location: 1511 South Congress
As soon as you see this little mural, you can’t help but smile! What an upbeat, happy little mural in the heart of Austin. The font and colors are pretty cute too! And since it’s only steps from the famous Hey, Cupcake food trailer on South Congress, go ahead and treat yourself.
It’s kind of hard to take a photo here since the wall is so low, so expect to sit down if you’re not a super shorty like me. Or it’d make the perfect backdrop for your cupcake!
Hi, How Are You?
- Location: corner of Guadalupe and 21st Street
A fun, simplistic mural in Austin with a friendly frog (named Jeremiah the Innocent) simply asking “Hi, how are you?”. It was first created as an album cover by Musician Daniel Johnston in 1983, and since painted on a record store called Sound Exchange in 1992. And it’s been a huge hit ever since, made even more famous when Kurt Cobain (from Nirvana) wore the bullfrog on his shirt!
It’s not only one of the most famous pieces of street art in Austin, but in all of America! Whoa! How did I manage to miss a photo of it?! Next time! A true icon of the Austin music scene.
Legendary Memories (SOCO Mural)
- Location: 1800 S Congress (Vinny’s BBQ)
While this mural is pretty new (painted in 2018 by Rory Skagen), it’s made to look vintage and worn in. Bright and cheery, you can’t miss it walking up and down the heart of South Congress. Easily one of the most instagrammable places in Austin. Such an adorably vintage SOCO mural! We loved it!
Photo tip: Go early in the morning or late afternoon during golden hour to avoid harsh shadows in the picture. Or of course on a rare, cloudy day!
Willie For President
- Location: 1423 S Congress Ave (STAG Provisions men’s clothing store)
What a patriotic tribute to one of country music’s most notorious musicians, Willie Nelson! The piece was painted by Jacqui Oakley, Erick Montes, and Joe Swee for SXSW 2016 and has stayed put ever since! Swing by and grab a quick pic of this double braided country singer! It’s hard to miss since it’s in the SoCo neighborhood near other instagrammable murals in Austin.
Psst — if you’re hungry, slip into Home Slice next door and get some of Austin’s best pizza.
TV Colors/This Is Not a Test
- Location: 1902 S. Congress Ave. (on the side of Bird’s Barbershop)
We stumbled upon this Austin photo spot by accident as we were walking along SoCo, probably looking for other murals in Austin on our list! It’s super fun — I mean, how could super colorful geometric rainbow murals not be fun?!
It actually depicts an emergency broadcasting interruption — remember those we used to see on TV as a kid?! Thankfully there’s no loud test beeps here!
Photo tips: This color block wall was tricky to photograph. There was a car parked RIGHT in front of it, and we tried to wait it out (by going to another wall in Austin on our list), but alas, it was still there when we got back! You’ll probably need to work the angles and understand you may not be able to shoot straight on.
Til Death Do Us Part
- Location: 914 N Lamar (version featured here), another on East 7th Street and Waller Street
If you’ve been to Austin before, you’ve most likely seen a version or two of these two loving skulls by Federico Archuleta while wandering around. That’s because there’s several versions of this Austin mural scattered around the city!
He uses hand-cut stencils and lots (and lots) of brightly colored spray paint to create his Mexican-inspired pieces. Psst — he’s also painted a gorgeous portrait of Selena, a full-body Virgen de Guadalupe, and a bunch of other street art in Austin. Some which have even been featured in the Lonely Planet Austin guide!
Love from Austin
- Location: 1912 S. Congress Ave
Such a simple nod to Austin, with it’s black background and “Love from Austin” scripty handwriting. Simplicity at its finest! It’s huge (and really tall!) so you can get super creative, and take some photos with friends no problem!
The mural is tucked in a little alley between Bird’s Barbershop and Prima Donna, so thankfully it won’t be as crowded as other popular murals in Austin!
Before you leave, look right across from the Love from Austin mural — you’ll see some love locks here as well! Another fun photo op as well, but we were getting hungry!
Photo tip: Since it’s such a dark background, flares from the sun easily make it into the photos. Try and wait until the sun is behind a cloud or go on an overcast day to get rid of any shadows! And don’t wear black — you’ll blend in!
Pavement – Modern & Recycled Clothing
- Location: 611 S Lamar Blvd
Why am I bringing you to a vintage clothing store? Look at the building — the entire exterior is covered with rainbow stripes. But besides all the color, Pavement is not your typical vintage store — it’s larger than life, so definitely take a quick peek for some new and used clothing before or after your photoshoot! You may even find something funky to shoot with!
I think we walked almost 20 minutes to get here — worth it? Always a yes to take photos with bright candy stripes!
Photo Tip: There was some trash near the portion of the wall we were photographing, so we had to move it away (with our feet of course). Also, be careful while taking photos as you’re literally in a huge parking lot.
More Austin Instagram Spots
Besides all the gorgeous murals in Austin, the city’s also got a whole bunch of other fun photo spots! And like I said before, this wouldn’t be a complete list of instagrammable places in Austin without them!
Rainbow ATX at Whole Foods
- Location: northeast corner of Fifth Street and North Lamar Boulevard (Flagship Whole Foods)
Did you know that the first Whole Foods ever started in Austin? There’s now a rainbow-striped ATX sign right out front of the flagship location (it replaced the old “Whole Foods Market” sign)! Grab some food (the store is HUGE), and then come out front to check out the new public art piece!
Photo tips: Take a photo from the side so you can really capture the colors — from dead on you don’t get to see the fun horizontal stripes as much. The sign is super sturdy (made out of steel and aluminum), so get creative — sit, climb, and stand on the piece to get the perfect shot!
Cute Nail Studio
- Location: 1211 East 7th St
The second I saw a photo of the nail studio I KNEW I needed to add it to my list of most instagrammable places in Austin. I mean just look at it — it’s easily the cutest nail studio in the state. And the name is pretty fitting, don’t you think?
The exterior of the pastel pink salon is literally painted in rainbow stripes — it seriously looks like it’s been plucked straight outta Lisa Frank! The whole thing is doused in glitter, and make sure to look up — even the ceiling is patterned with rainbow confetti! Such a fun kawaii disco dream.
Next time I wanna get my nails done here — I’ve heard the designs are super cool. And get this — the owner’s last name is Darling — how fitting is that?!
And the salon’s not just super cute. I love all the inclusivity they’ve created here — stepping outside gender beauty norms and just being super inclusive to all. Yes, yes, and yes!
Blanton Museum of Art
- Location: 200 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
A museum on this list of most instagrammable places in Austin? Yup! Located on UT’s campus, the Blanton is Austin’s largest art museum, and one of the largest university-based art museums in the whole country!
While the entire museum is worthy of checking out, we LOVED the structure designed by Ellsworth Kelly. It’s basically a rainbow-bright Austin sanctuary!
The building is literally a work of art, with colorful stained glass windows and smooth architectural elements. It’s meant to be a site for joy and contemplation, and this 2,715 square foot stone building definitely does that! I loved the starburst “monstrance” the best. Watch a timelapse here — isn’t it just so cool?!
We took pictures with the outside façade and the colorful limestone blocks, but we thought the stained glass was even cooler from the inside. The way the shadows reflect on the ceiling and floor make for such artistic pictures. So yup, buy that ticket (only paying guests can enter the building).
Psst — if you’ve got a teacher or student ID, make sure to bring it! I flashed my coveted school staff ID and got completely free entry! I love when museums recognize our hard work! Active military also receive free admission as well.
Photo tip: Flash photography isn’t permitted, but you don’t really need it since the main draw is the stained glass and the colorful shadows. Try to visit on a sunny day so the colors will reflect onto the floor and walls (which they don’t do on cloudy days).
Austin Motel
- Location: 1220 South Congress Ave
Texas hotel tycoon Liz Lambert has recently taken on ownership of the Austin Motel, making it one of the most instagrammable places in Austin. Lots of pop art fun and ‘50s nostalgia here! Think classic push-button phones, vintage silk screened music posters, and colorful, vinyl-tufted beds. And that super retro pool! Makes me kinda wanna stay here next time! Or at least get a day pass to enjoy the pool in the hot sun.
But if you’re not staying here, don’t fret! Take a photo with the old-fashioned neon sign that hangs over the sidewalk. Despite its somewhat phallic shape, it’s one of the best places to take pictures in Austin — you see what I mean, right? It’s known to be a South Congress landmark after all.
The letter board changes all the time, so you never know what you’ll get! Some of my favorites from the past: “Madam Vice President” — c’mon, just how amazing is that?!, “Let Love In”, and when we visited near Halloween “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” was displayed. So fun!
Canopy by Hilton Austin Downtown
- Location: 604 W 6th St
As we were looking for places to stay in Austin, the Canopy Hotel (by Hilton) instantly caught our eye! And as soon as we stepped foot into the space (and saw the geometric wallpaper in the lobby and later on the colorful pool area), we knew we made the right decision. Because who likes staying in boring hotels?
If you’re looking for a photo-worthy place to stay, I highly recommend the Canopy Hotel. It’s new — just opened in summer of 2020, and I knew I had to include it on this list of best photo spots in Austin. Just remember — not all hotels are created equal.
Hope Outdoor Gallery
- NEW Location (coming 2022): near the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Dalton Lane
On my first visit to Austin, we made it over to the original HOPE Outdoor Gallery location in Castle Hill. Known as Austin’s graffiti park to many, the art here is BOLD, wacky, and downright colorful. This is a place where you can bring your own spray paint and put your mark on the world. Just check out these pictures of the original graffiti park (the new location will obviously look different, but I show you these photos of the original to get a sense for what the new gallery will be like).
Unfortunately the original site’s since been demolished, and a new art space is opening soon near the airport. Expect art exhibits, practice paint walls, and even food and drinks.
I can’t wait to visit the new location once it’s eventually opened (fingers crossed for early 2022). And the new one will be new and improved with shipping container shops full of treasures by local artists and creatives. Stock up on the spray paint now! The new art park is gonna be huge — at over 17 acres!
If the new art park is anything like the old one, trust me, you’ll wanna get over there to photograph it — it’ll easily make any list of best places to take pictures in Austin. I can almost see the photo shoots happening already.
Parts and Labor
- Location: 1704 S Congress Ave
This shop in SoCo is so unique and special — everything in the store is designed exclusively by Texas artists! Not only will you find creative T-shirts, jewelry, handmade cards & other quirky gifts, but there’s literally always something new. The inventory changes on the regular, and you really never know what you’ll find! How fun is that?!
Make sure to head to the very back to see all the Austin-inspired prints. I just loved that collection oh so much! The prints literally take over the walls and make such a statement. If I had more time (and money), I would have loved to find something special for my house!
Photo Worthy Food and Drink
Taquero Mucho Austin
Peace, love, and tacos anyone?! If you’re looking for one of the most instagrammable restaurants in Austin, you’ve found it. Everything is pink, cute, and oh so adorable. And when I say pink, I mean everything is pink… pink drinks, pink bar stools, pink benches, pink tortillas (yes, pink tortillas!). Such a vibe and a super fun spot for brunch.
The whole space is decked out with such a fun atmosphere. The branding is so spot on — you can easily knock out a bunch of Austin instagram spots in one go. There’s geometric pendant lights, tropical leafy wallpaper, and even disco balls in the bathroom — the whole thing is screaming “put me on the gram”. Don’t miss a photo op with the floral phone booth, cherry wallpaper, and even pink taco wallpaper.
Oh, and the food is delicious too — try the breakfast chilaquiles, emolades verdes (with pink tortillas!), and of course their signature “Bad Bitch” drink which is actually super tasty (strawberry frose, anyone?).
Psst — I kept calling it Taqueria Mucho, but recently learned its name is a play on “Te Quiero mucho”, which means “I love you so much” in Spanish. How cute!
Amy’s Ice Cream
Need to cool off between photoshoots? Head to Amy’s for the best handcrafted artisan ice cream and cutest branding (just look at that wallpaper)! Look out for their seasonal flavors — we went around Halloween and I had the best combo of candies in mine!
And thankfully there’s a few locations around the city, so adding Amy’s Ice Cream is a must on any Austin weekend itinerary (we walked over after taking pictures at the “You’re My Butter Half” mural nearby).
Elizabeth Street Cafe
The whole cafe is so darling, with it’s pink doors and turquoise details. Elizabeth Street Cafe really is the cutest little spot! Come for the pho, stay for the Austin instagram spots.
But really though — the food is really good! My friends and I got a few creative Vietnamese dishes to share, and I’m itching to try the French breakfast bites next time! The perfect marriage of French and Vietnamese cuisine. Very cute, very yummy, very trendy.
Tatsu-Ya Ramen/Domo Alley-Gato Tatsu-Ya
It really feels like you’re walking out of East Austin and into the back alleys of Tokyo (oh how I miss Japan!). Imagine a little slice of Tokyo on Sixth Street, complete with lanterns and pink cherry blossoms.
The red lanterns really add to the overall ambiance — definitely come at night to see them all lit up! There was even a whole wall full of several hundred ceramic lucky cats. And that’s in addition to the seven-foot-tall lucky cat greeting you from the entrance!
If you’re planning on actually eating here at Ramen Tatsu-ya (and not just scoping out the entrance which is easily one of the best places to take pictures in Austin), you’ll 100% wanna make a reservation. We pulled up without one and waited over an hour. Worth the wait? Yes!
Do note the other restaurant, Domo Alley-Gato Tatsu-Ya (a patio bar and food truck), has been temporarily closed for a bit. Hopefully they reopen soon — it looks really fun!
Gourdough’s Big. Fat. Donuts.
Ohhh Gourdough’s. I’ve been dreaming about these decadent donuts since my first visit to Austin in 2015.
The donuts are warm, fresh, crispy, and absolutely insane. Think cream cheese frosting with fresh strawberries piled high (Miss Shortcake), chocolate fudge icing with crushed oreos and gummy worms (The Baby Rattler), and peanut butter icing with grilled bananas and bacon (The Fat Elvis). Warning: There’s A LOT OF CHOCOLATE in the Black Out chocolate brownie donut (which is, well, to be expected).
If you’re planning on hitting up other Austin food spots, definitely share a donut — they’re massive and super filling.
Photo tips: Besides the obvious close up of the donuts, take some cute pics with the massive donut statue and by the airstream trailer!
Barton Springs Picnic
A local friend took us here after checking out Barton Springs, and it was so cute! Such a fun food truck park, with some of the cutest murals in Austin and such a cute picnic sign. My favorite one said “I’ve got gelato love for you” — get it? I’ve got a lot of love for you!
Such a classic Austin experience with an iconic “old Austin” vibe. I had a fried chicken and avocado cone from The Mighty Cone, and boy did it fill me up. There’s even a “Dog Treat Truck” with all things for dogs — I wish I had little Kona with me!
Patrizi’s/The Vortex
Such a fun vibe, and the classic food truck park under blue and red lighting make this one of the best photo spots in Austin if you’re a foodie like myself! A wonderful aesthetic; so cute and quirky.
But the real reason for coming here — fresh pasta from Patrizi’s. Yes, old-school Italian dishes & housemade pasta all out of a food truck. They really know their stuff. We stuffed our faces with the pesto pasta (Great Leopold), Pomodoro with house-farm cheese, and fancy garlic bread (with actual pieces of garlic).
The wait can be kinda long, but I promise you the pasta is well worth it. And if you’re thirsty for something stiff, head inside to the Butterfly Bar!
VeraCruz All Natural Juice Bar
If you’re obsessed with breakfast tacos like I am, you gotta make your way to VeraCruz. Doesn’t hurt that the food is photogenic as well! And look in the back for a gorgeous hand painted mural.
We loved their signature Migas Taco (with tortilla chips stuffed inside), the El Traditional Taco, and the green juice. Everything is authentic and homemade, so you know you’re getting good stuff. The service is also impeccable, which I so appreciated from this family run business. Their menu even looks like cards from lotteria!
Here Nor There
Did someone say secret speakeasy?! Here Nor There was easily a highlight during our weekend in Austin, and we LOVED our globally inspired cocktails. Didn’t hurt that our waiter/bartender was such a cool guy. I won’t spoil all the surprises, but I will say that the menu was only visible under a special blacklight and the garnishes were top-notch (cotton candy, anyone?). There’s even a smoking cocktail!
The classy space is dimly lit (despite being incredibly well-decorated), so you’ll wanna shoot with a lens that’s good for low-light photography to get the sharpest photos. Night mode worked okay on our phones but I’d say not the best.
Make sure to take a picture with the black and white line drawing art piece out front — it extends all the way down the hallway into the bar!
I’ll let you research on how to get in because honestly, that’s half the fun (psst — you’ll need to download an app)! You don’t need to be a member, trust me. I can’t wait to take my husband here next time! I know he’ll absolutely love it.
Other Austin Photography Locations
Allen’s Boots
Have you really been to Austin if you haven’t stepped foot into Allen’s Boots (pun intended)! Allen’s has thousands (and thousands) of cowboy boots in every style and color imaginable, with over 4,000 pairs of boots on display! It’s such an iconic shop in Austin, and one of the best places to take pictures in Austin.
And it’s fun, too! My friends tried on boots for over an hour (with some of them costing over $900!) while I sat on the comfiest chair imaginable. Yes, some of the boots may be insanely pricey, but the selection is wild and too exciting to pass up!
I’ll never get over that leather smell — mmm! If only I could capture it and share with you via screen!
Mount Bonnell
You can’t properly visit Austin without watching a famous sunset at Mount Bonnell. Yes, you’ll need to climb up about 100 steps, but I promise it’s well worth it for the stunning sunset views! Gotta work off all those tacos and bbq, right. 🙂 On my first visit we went during the day AND for sunset later on — we just loved it so much we had to return for all the colors.
Psst — Walk to the RIGHT to get clear views of the lake/river (the left still has a great view but there’s a big fence blocking part of it).
Congress Bridge at Sunset
Another one of the best photography locations in Austin, and this one’s great for sunset as well!
We watched the sunset one night as we were waiting for the bats to fly out from under the bridge (a nightly occurrence from April to November, just gotta time it right). If you look super closely in the horizontal photo (and maybe squint your eyes a little bit), you can see the thousands of bats right over the horizon. Yes, it looks like a smudge on your computer, but I promise they’re the bats!
Fun fact, Austin has the largest colony of bats in North America. Over a million bats live under Congress Bridge and fly out in search of food at dusk every night. You’ll need to act fast if you wanna catch these little guys on camera though — they’re fast!
Roadhouse Relics
If you’re already here visiting the famous Greetings from Austin Mural (easily the most popular and most photographed of all the murals in Austin), you gotta check out Roadhouse Relics.
There’s more vintage neon signs and decor than imaginable, and they’re just so wacky! It’s basically a world of neon contemporary vintage-style art, and I’m all for it. The mason jar with animated neon fireflies is so cool, and the Luchadores reminded me so much of Mexico City!
While you can see quite a few pieces from the outside and on the windows, I’m pretty sure you’ll need to contact the gallery to actually visit inside. We didn’t go in which is why my pictures aren’t the greatest. You can even book a private photoshoot here — how cool would those photos be?!
Barton Springs/Lady Bird Lake
Barton Springs: turquoise emerald waters, sunbathing turtles, and one of the crown jewels of Austin. I honestly couldn’t believe just how beautiful it was — you could see all the moss and algae floating in the springs and the colors of the water were just unbelievable. If I lived in Austin I’d be here at least once a week!
Seeing the springs almost made me wanna go kayaking! Maybe next time! Gotta work up that appetite for Gordoughs! You can also opt to go paddle boarding instead, which is an absolute must on any Austin itinerary (def wanna do this with my husband next time we visit).
It’s easily one of the best Austin photography locations if you’re looking for some nature. To get these photos like I took here, you’ll wanna walk over the Barton Springs Pedestrian Bridge, then follow the path along Barton Creek.
Photo tip: Get some kayakers, canoers, and/or paddle boarders in your shot to really show some movement! Try and go on a sunny day when the water really shines. And if you’re really brave, you can balance on a log over the water — just make sure it’s super sturdy!
Texas State Capitol Building
Did you know Austin is the state capital of Texas?! Come to the capitol building for one of the most historical photo spots in Austin. The fact that it’s made almost entirely of granite and marble is so impressive. Oh, and don’t miss the rotunda and dome up top!
The capitol offers (free!) 30-minute tours, which are great if you wanna learn about the history of the building, walk the historic halls, and take lots of photos!
If you don’t have time for a tour on your Austin itinerary, no worries, you can still get some great shots from the outside. Walk around the whole building to get some different perspectives! The park surrounding the capitol is absolutely gorgeous, with lots of sculptures and plaques outside for learning too.
So there ya have it — some of the best murals in Austin along with a whole bunch of other Austin photo spots! Which ones are your favorite?!
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