Austin

Sanrith Descartes

Sanrith Descartes

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Anything worth seeing in Austin? Visiting Texas next week and driving from Dallas to San Antonio. Any reason to stop in Austin other than charging my car and getting something to eat? Doing a couple days in Dallas and then an overnight in San Antonio to see the Alamo and the Riverwalk.
 
TJT

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Sanrith Descartes said:
Anything worth seeing in Austin? Visiting Texas next week and driving from Dallas to San Antonio. Any reason to stop in Austin other than charging my car and getting something to eat? Doing a couple days in Dallas and then an overnight in San Antonio to see the Alamo and the Riverwalk.
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If you're just there for a day at least go to the Texas Capitol as it is pretty cool. Barton Springs Pool in the middle of downtown (also next to Terry Black's BBQ) you can knock out some of the big things with a swiftness.

Downtown Austin is very small, all told, when compared to most metros.
 
Sanrith Descartes

Sanrith Descartes

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TJT said:
If you're just there for a day at least go to the Texas Capitol as it is pretty cool. Barton Springs Pool in the middle of downtown (also next to Terry Black's BBQ) you can knock out some of the big things with a swiftness.

Downtown Austin is very small, all told, when compared to most metros.
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Thanks.
 
Burns

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Sanrith Descartes said:
Thanks.
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If you want a scenic drive, you can take interstate 281 instead of 35. It will take more time, but you will see more hill country. Although I'm not sure how nice it looks after a couple months of 100 degree temps. While 35 is still faster, it usually has a bunch of traffic and since it is a major north south corridor, it can have a mess of police, primarily looking for drug runners.

You can use google streetview to see if that's something you would be interested in.

Marble Falls and Horseshoe Bay area looks nice, but probably not a lot to do, for a stop. You could cut over to Fredericksburg if you want a touristy area. They have shopping type stuff and a bunch of wineries. You could also drive through LBJ ranch and see his amphibious car that he used to scare people with.

Also, 35E sucks, 35W is so much nicer; if the time difference is minimal, pick the 35W route.
 
Sanrith Descartes

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Burns said:
If you want a scenic drive, you can take interstate 281 instead of 35. It will take more time, but you will see more hill country. Although I'm not sure how nice it looks after a couple months of 100 degree temps. While 35 is still faster, it usually has a bunch of traffic and since it is a major north south corridor, it can have a mess of police, primarily looking for drug runners.

You can use google streetview to see if that's something you would be interested in.

Marble Falls and Horseshoe Bay area looks nice, but probably not a lot to do, for a stop. You could cut over to Fredericksburg if you want a touristy area. They have shopping type stuff and a bunch of wineries. You could also drive through LBJ ranch and see his amphibious car that he used to scare people with.

Also, 35E sucks, 35W is so much nicer; if the time difference is minimal, pick the 35W route.
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Thanks. Doing the drive from Dallas to San Antonio next Saturday so hopefully weekend traffic is lighter. I was just curious if Austin was worth the stop along the way. Life experience has told me that almost all State Capitols tend to be boring and skippable.
 
Burns

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Sanrith Descartes said:
Thanks. Doing the drive from Dallas to San Antonio next Saturday so hopefully weekend traffic is lighter. I was just curious if Austin was worth the stop along the way. Life experience has told me that almost all State Capitols tend to be boring and skippable.
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I find all cities boring and skippable. I would rather go to the outskirts of Houston to walk on the USS Texas, or Corpus Christi to walk the USS Lexington, than set foot in Austin or San Antonio again.

Regardless, here are a few more thoughts on the Austin area:

The LBJ presidential library is in Austin, if you want a historical thing. It was alright. It has a decent museum and interesting architecture. If you know about LBJ, there isn't much to learn in the museum, but it does have "artifacts" to look at.

Lake Travis is the best thing in the Austin area, but I'm not sure the best way to see it. Rent a boat, I guess.

Touristy Austin is a food, alcohol, and live music. You could always just stop for lunch at one of the good Texas BBQ restaurants downtown. It wouldn't take too long and you kinda get to see where some of the Austin music scene happens. I think Furry Furry knows the good places downtown.

If you have a few people to drink with and want to make a day of it, you could get up real early and go float the Guadalupe river in New Braunfels or go to the highly rated water park there, Schlitterbahn. After a day of floating in the sun, it's only about 30 min or so to downtown San Antonio. It's not my thing, but I know tons of people love it.
 
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Sanrith Descartes

Sanrith Descartes

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Burns said:
I find all cities boring and skippable. I would rather go to the outskirts of Houston to walk on the USS Texas, or Corpus Christi to walk the USS Lexington, than set foot in Austin or San Antonio again.

Regardless, here are a few more thoughts on the Austin area:

The LBJ presidential library is in Austin, if you want a historical thing. It was alright. It has a decent museum and interesting architecture. If you know about LBJ, there isn't much to learn in the museum, but it does have "artifacts" to look at.

Lake Travis is the best thing in the Austin area, but I'm not sure the best way to see it. Rent a boat, I guess.

Touristy Austin is a food, alcohol, and live music. You could always just stop for lunch at one of the good Texas BBQ restaurants downtown. It wouldn't take too long and you kinda get to see where some of the Austin music scene happens. I think Furry Furry knows the good places downtown.

If you have a few people to drink with and want to make a day of it, you could get up real early and go float the Guadalupe river in New Braunfels or go to the highly rated water park there, Schlitterbahn. After a day of floating in the sun, it's only about 30 min or so to downtown San Antonio. It's not my thing, but I know tons of people love it.
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Im thinking a quick bite while the car charges and maybe a quick walk around. Then jet down to San Antonio and the Alamo.
 
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Sludig

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Who's actually here? Have a expensive car private party im looking at and might be looking to pay someone to go take a look make sure it's actually there and no clear signs of damage.
 
Sludig

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Alright looks like I'm probably coming out on the 1st or 8th of June and driving my new car home.

Any unique Austin restaurants or other must see thing? Won't have but a few hours so not a whole day trip.
 
Djay

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Just google BBQ and find a good place near where you'll be. Most of the really well-known places require you to get in line when they open. If you just want something fast, I prefer pok-e-jos over Rudy's, but there are better places if you'll be downtown. Or if you don't want BBQ, tacos are the other popular food. Torchy's Tacos maybe? My sister and her family liked it when I took them there. Hopdoddy's is a good gourmet burger place.

If you were here at dusk, maybe I'd say check out the bridges with bats, but...I don't know what else would be something you can't see/do elsewhere. But if you've never been to a Buc-ee's, make sure you plan to hit one on your way out of Texas. Should be several along the way unless you're driving West out of Austin.
 
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Miguex

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The food scene in Austin is ridiculously good, I've been there for the last two Formula One races there and haven't had a meal I didn't consider outstanding just by using Yelp. I would take time to see the bats at Congress St Bridge at sunset, its pretty incredible.
 
Alex

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Austin does have great breakfast tacos. I really like Terry Black's for BBQ, but yes, it's best to go early. The line moves pretty dang quick though. And they let you drink while in line.
 
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Sludig

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I'll be arriving at like 9am on a Monday and hourly done making the desk and chatting the guy up by lunch. Going to meet my friend there for lunch so I guess that limits where, then 8 hours home so maybe I'll be a pig and grab a 2nd lunch, or timing might be right to grab an early dinner in Dallas on the way up to oklahoma
 
Burns

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Sludig said:
Alright looks like I'm probably coming out on the 1st or 8th of June and driving my new car home.

Any unique Austin restaurants or other must see thing? Won't have but a few hours so not a whole day trip.
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Be aware, 35e and the downtown Dallas interchange fucking sucks (Dallas in general sucks). Going through Oklahoma City might be worth the extra bit of time just to take the "nicer" 35w and not have to hit the 35e -> 75 interchange. Google Streetview is pretty good for showing you the shit (here is the start, from 35e, you need to get on 30, in order to get to 75).

There is also a 35w route where you take the 121/183 exit in downtown Ft. Worth and ride it all the way to 75. Although you need to take the tollway from just north of the airport over to 75 to make it worth it (that section of 121 is called the Sam Rayburn)(~$5.00 in tolls, if you have a OK tolltag you can somehow transfer to the new car). The toll road has a 70 mph limit, which is nice.

Edit: I seem to recall going 80 to 90 on Sam Rayburn and not being out of place, speed wise. I thought some sections had a 75 mph limit. Also, the other tollways along this path, on the Ft. Worth side, are flex pay, stupid expensive, and generally not worth the money.
 
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Sludig

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Burns said:
Be aware, 35e and the downtown Dallas interchange fucking sucks (Dallas in general sucks). Going through Oklahoma City might be worth the extra bit of time just to take the "nicer" 35w and not have to hit the 35e -> 75 interchange. Google Streetview is pretty good for showing you the shit (here is the start, from 35e, you need to get on 30, in order to get to 75).

There is also a 35w route where you take the 121/183 exit in downtown Ft. Worth and ride it all the way to 75. Although you need to take the tollway from just north of the airport over to 75 to make it worth it (that section of 121 is called the Sam Rayburn)(~$5.00 in tolls, if you have a OK tolltag you can somehow transfer to the new car). The toll road has a 70 mph limit, which is nice.

Edit: I seem to recall going 80 to 90 on Sam Rayburn and not being out of place, speed wise. I thought some sections had a 75 mph limit. Also, the other tollways along this path, on the Ft. Worth side, are flex pay, stupid expensive, and generally not worth the money.
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I'll re read all that in a minute but here's where Google wants me to go, I'm east of tulsa so that might change things a bit.

maybe 35w to Denton and east to 69 might be a way around center of town.


Rush I had time I remeber the state science/ zoo whatever being cool as hell, where big is? Add a kid in mesquite.

1000004511.jpg


1000004512.jpg
 
Burns

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Sludig said:
I'll re read all that in a minute but here's where Google wants me to go, I'm east of tulsa so that might change things a bit.

maybe 35w to Denton and east to 69 might be a way around center of town.


Rush I had time I remeber the state science/ zoo whatever being cool as hell, where big is? Add a kid in mesquite.

View attachment 532269

View attachment 532270
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Ah, I forgot exactly where you lived so was just doing from Tulsa to Austin. It gave a 20 min difference for that route, going through Oklahoma City. At 35 min extra it's still not a bad choice, if you want a ton of high speed no stop highway only driving.

I didn't mind the 75 and 69 route all that much, as the small towns changed up the scenery (I've driven it 20+ times). As usual, know your speeds when approaching towns as the LEOs will be watching.

For just bypassing Dallas proper, using 121: Google Maps Fu gives me 7 hours and 28 minutes at the cost of a ~$5.00 toll (two maps, first leg with the toll (HERE) and second leg w/ zero tolls because they are retarded pricing (HERE)). The $5 price is if you have a tolltag, no tolltag makes it $10. I think OK and TX use the same underlying system that communicates with each other.
2024-06-10 00.10.34 www.google.com 2cd865358f62.png

Obviously, rush hour(s) will fuck all those times to hell and back.
 
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Sludig

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Little slower but looks simpler, think it avoids toll? Told it to avoid. Won't have my passport since it's a window sticker, might bring my motorcycle one and see if it works on the dash, but might piss then off on wrong vehicle more than just driving thru. I won't have plates anyways since it's a private party sale so maybe yolo the tolls and hope the police are nice of I show them bill of sale and title

7 hr 44 min (487 mi)
For the best route in current traffic visit Austin to Pryor
 
Burns

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Sludig said:
Little slower but looks simpler, think it avoids toll? Told it to avoid. Won't have my passport since it's a window sticker, might bring my motorcycle one and see if it works on the dash, but might piss then off on wrong vehicle more than just driving thru. I won't have plates anyways since it's a private party sale so maybe yolo the tolls and hope the police are nice of I show them bill of sale and title

7 hr 44 min (487 mi)
For the best route in current traffic visit Austin to Pryor
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It's been a while, but I think 44 in OK is all toll with actual booths, but not that much cost? There won't be any tolls in Texas by going through OKC, as it's 35 the whole way (at least, once you are heading out of Austin).
Edit: The route link wasn't working. I've taken that 82 cutover before and didn't really like it, but I wasn't traversing the whole of DFW, so it might work out fine for your trip. It *felt* like it took forever, don't remember why though. There are some areas on 121 in Ft. Worth/Tarrent that get backed up, and can be annoying (just not as shitty as driving though Dallas), so it probably is less hassle.

With no plate on the car, yea, you could ride all the tolls in DFW for free. None of them even have booths and I'm not sure if there are even as many police on the tollways as there are on freeways. Almost all police have plate scanners now though, so if you do pass one, the system will probably give an alert to the officer for no plate. Tough call on that one.

I'm not sure what the penalty is for using a tolltag with a different vehicle than it is registered too.
 
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