10 Things Only People From Austin Understand

1. Life Must Have An Incredible Live Soundtrack

Everyone knows that Austin is bursting with an incredible live music scene. We’re not just talking about the music in bars, clubs and concert halls or festivals like SXSW, Austin City Limits and the Urban Music Festival. Austin is pulsating with music from every nook and cranny at all times of the day and night. Austinites like their music at the airport, drifting out of taquerias and coffeehouses, playing through the aisles at grocery stores and always on the streets. Live music in isn’t just for shows, it’s the soundtrack of a life well-lived in Austin.

2. Choosing Which Place To Get Tacos Is The Hardest Thing Ever

While most people are standing in long lines for brunch all over the country on Sunday mornings, Austinites are trying to decide where to get the best breakfast tacos. Not just on Sunday mornings, but every morning. It’s a dilemma that other people just don’t understand. Should they go to Torchy’s, Joe’s Bakery, Veracruz All Natural, Tacodeli or Mi Madre’s? Are they in the mood for Rosita’s, El Chilito, Juan in a Million or Tamale House? It really is a challenge to decide, especially on the weekends when you have a big group of hungover friends in dire need of hot coffee and spicy, egg-y tacos ASAP.

3. Everyone Looks Great In Burnt Orange

Look inside any Austinite’s closet and you’re going to see plenty of that gorgeous and flattering Longhorn burnt orange. To Austinites, wearing burnt orange is way more than a fashion; it’s a color that compliments all skin tones. Okay, maybe not, but that doesn’t keep everyone and their mother from sporting the color every chance they get. Hook ‘em Horns!

4. Donuts Are Better Than Sliced Bread

Austinites understand that donuts go with EVERYTHING. These piping hot rings of dough can be served for breakfast, lunch and dinner at Gourdough’s Public House. Having a salad? It’s served with a steaming hot garlic donut. Getting a blackened chicken sandwich, an oyster po boy or a club sandwich? Served on a donut. Burgers are better on donuts (obviously) and even entrees like chicken fried steak and bacon wrapped meatloaf are served atop a donut. Who needs sliced bread, anyway?

5. Bat-Watching Is Way Better Than Birdwatching

Only Austinites understand that birdwatching is boring...compared to bat-watching. Austin is home to the largest bat colony in North America. Bat-watching season lasts from March to October, but the best time to see them is in late summer when their pups hatch. Spotting a rare bird is fun, but watching nearly 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats exit the Congress Ave bridge in a near-endless stream for about 40 minutes is way WAY more thrilling.

6. In Austin, Staying Fit Year Round Is Mandatory

With sunny weather all year, countless swimming holes like Barton Springs and Hamilton Pool Preserve and endless opportunities to sport your bikini and swimming shorts, Austin’s most exciting pastimes are the kind that keep you fit. There’s an endless supply and biking and running trails, yoga and crossfit studios and gyms everywhere you go. There’s a reason why Shape magazine named Austin as one of the fittest cities in America--because Austinites understand that a fit body means a great social life.

7. Playing Bingo Can Be Sh*tty, In A Fun Way

You’ve already heard that Austin is weird, right? Well, the rumors are truee--there’s always something weird going on here. For example: chicken sh*t bingo at Ginny’s Little Longhorn Saloon. Yep, instead of drawing balls with numbers to call out, the bingo caller waits for the chicken to poop on a number and they call that number out. The winner earns some cash and everyone drinks and cheers. Keep Austin Weird, y’all.

8. If Eating Barbecue Isn’t A Near Out Of Body Experience, It’s Not Worth It

Texas Barbecue. There’s nothing quite like it. Other locales in the country argue over who has the best sauces and rubs, but Texas barbecue focuses on one thing: quality meats, because that’s the only thing that truly matters. For an sublime, out-of-body experience, Austinites eat barbecue. From Franklin Barbecue, la Barbecue, The County Line, Rudy’s, Micklethwait Craft Meats, Valentina’s and Blue Ox…There’s plenty of ‘ooohing’, ‘ahhhhing’ and napkin-using going on in Austin at all hours of the day and night.

9. There’s No Better Sunset Than At The Oasis

Sure, there are lots of places in Austin to catch a great sunset, but the deck at Oasis overlooking Lake Travis really takes the cake. The sweeping view of Lake Travis combined with the location on a breathtaking bluff makes it unforgettable. Austinites understand that the food isn’t necessarily the reason to come here, but the drinks are great and the view is spectacular. They also understand that the deck accommodates up to 2,000 cheering, applauding people. So while it’s not the most romantic, quiet place to watch the sunset, but it’s definitely the best.

10. The Best Food Is Found At The Trailer Park

While there’s hundreds upon hundreds of fantastic restaurants in Austin, locals know that the true foodie spectacular happens at the South Austin Trailer Park & Eatery. With picnic tables, free water, restrooms, twinkly strung lights, artsy decor and a hip, rugged trailer park setting with shaded (and unshaded) seating, it’s the perfect place to try out everything from Torchy’s tacos, Gourdough’s donuts, Holy Cacao’s cake pops and Man Bites Dog hot dogs. Another reason grabbing food in a trailer park is cool: you can BYOB. Load up a cooler and bring your own booze to accompany your dinner. It’s pretty much the hipster version of a picnic and you don’t have to cook beforehand. Did we miss anything? Tell us what you think is unique about Austin in the comments below!