Looking for nonstop barbecue, beer, and bingo in a day? Look no further than Austin, Texas! From feasting on the slow-cooked brisket to visiting breweries and challenging your skills at Chicken Shit bingo, our guide will take you on an unforgettable adventure through the best of what Austin offers.
Start with Breakfast at the City’s Best BBQ Joint.
After grabbing some caffeine at Jo’s Coffee, Start your day with a delicious breakfast of Texas-style barbecue at one of Austin’s best joints, Franklin BBQ. Any BBQ connoisseur will inform you this is the mecca of red meat. Pulled pork, smoked ribs, and world-famous brisket are all served in generous portions. It might seem weird for a non-Texan to eat BBQ for breakfast, but the early bird gets the worm, or the bird goes hungry. Meats like brisket need to cook for up to 18 hours, so once a restaurant sells out of it, you are out of luck until tomorrow. Before COVID, people used to wait in line at Franklin’s starting at 3 AM and wait for hours to get a taste of this mouthwatering meat before it ran out. Now Franklin offers a curbside pickup, which has made it way easier to try while traveling to Austin. The catch is you must order a few days in advance.
While brisket is king at Franklin’s, fans of ribs will want to visit Terry Black’s instead. I have never had a better beef rib in my life.
Best of Austin Small-Group Guided Tour
There are only so many things in Austin that don’t involve eating or drinking. But the city does have some interesting landmarks that you should visit. A guided tour from Austin Detours is the most efficient way to see them all within a short timeframe. You’ll see the Texas State Capitol, famous murals, and some hidden gems. A bonus of going on a tour instead of driving around on our own is learning about Austin’s history and culture and hearing fun facts about the city even the locals have yet to learn. Ask about the old lady who saved the state capital from moving to Houston by firing a cannon at a group of Texas Rangers. It’s a wild story.
Visit one (or several) of Austin’s Famous Craft Breweries.
Austin is home to a thriving craft beer scene, and there’s no better way to explore its unique offerings than by sampling some of the city’s most popular brews. Visit the Austin Beerworks and sample an assortment of IPAs, Stouts, Pilsners, and more. Before you leave, grab a few six-packs to share with friends back home!
Play a Rousing Game of Chicken Shit Bingo!
You have to play Chicken Shit Bingo at the Little Longhorn Saloon! This Austin favorite is the perfect combination of booze, bingo, and hillbilly entertainment. And I mean that with the highest of respect and admiration.
To set the scene, you are in a parking lot behind a bar that used to be a church. Everyone inside is a regular but is very welcoming to visitors. People outside are huddled around a chicken coup with a bingo board on the bottom. The band in the corner plays some outstanding country music.
Grab a drink inside and get in line for raffle tickets. A word to the wise when speaking to the bartender, make sure you know how to order a beer with true southern sophistication, aka, “MAY I have a Lone Star?” Instead of “CAN I have a Bud Light.”
The bingo concept is simple. Buy a raffle ticket for a square on the bingo board. If the chicken poops on that square, you win! Sometimes the round is over in seconds. Other times it takes up to a half hour, and they have to add another chicken; the animals call the shots here. Make sure you take some time to play a round or two, as the atmosphere at these local events is always full of fun vibes and exciting energy. It is genuinely one of the city’s most unique attractions.
Wrap Up 24 Hours in Austin at Gourdoughs
After a day of delicious Austin barbeque and beer tasting, what better way to wrap up the night than with a hot donut? Take your bingo winnings and soak up some of those Lone Star beers at the converted airstream peddling some fluffy fried goodness.
Chad can be summed up by his idea of a perfect day: Waking up early to watch the sunrise over the mountains, warm cup of coffee in hand then grabbing his camera and fly rod, hitting the trail to explore some uncharted territory followed by cold beers and campfire steaks. Chad is often joined on his adventures by his wife, Tori, and their dog, Kona.
