Austin, Texas
The capital of Texas has figured out how to be the ultimate people-pleaser and dog-pleaser.
Photos and story by Robin Tierney
Its bustling downtown teems with cool places at every turn. Miles and miles of well-maintained paths edge Lady Bird Lake. Head north for upscale shopping-entertainment districts full of avenues and green spaces. When going west into the Texas Hill Country, pack lunch to fuel you on long tranquil trails.
** Rainey Street
You can hear excellent musicians play outside of more than a dozen bungalows that have been converted into restaurant-bars. The fare runs from Tex-Mex to Asian. Banger's Sausage House & Beer Garden serves more than 100 Texas brews and even vegan portobello-based sausage platters. Other good-time spots include Lucille's. It's an odd duck of a neighborhood surrounded by new, sky-scraping high-rises.
Steps from Rainey Street, stroll the 10-mile Ann and Roy Butler Trail at Lady Bird Lake (which locals often still call Town Lake), passing parks and cultural venues. Lodge at the music-themed Hotel Van Zandt, which welcomes fur-guests with no pet fees (just sign a waiver) in guestrooms as well as the lobby that hosts free performances and social hours. The adjoining Café 605 draws dog-walking locals.
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