Location

Downtown Austin is located between Lady Bird Lake on the south and Martin Luther King Boulevard on the north.  It is bordered by IH-35 to the east and North Lamar Boulevard to the west.  

It is easy to get to I-35 or Mopac from downtown, making this neighborhood a prime hub for accessing other parts of town.  Plus, you can walk to restaurants, theaters, music venues, shops, and bars.

Homes in Downtown

As an alternative to traditional single-family homes, low, mid, and high rise buildings and towers are the predominant choice of living downtown.

About the downtown neighborhood

Whether you want to be close to the night life, enjoy music, or are a foodie, there’s a little something for everyone downtown.  The hike and bike trail of Lady Bird Lake is literally downtown’s backyard, and there are regular festivals and events to enjoy at Auditorium Shores.  You can pick up your veggies at the weekly farmers’ markets or head over to Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s for big box grocery shopping.  Don’t want to cook?  Don’t worry.  There are amazing restaurants to discover.  Living in downtown puts you at the heart of what's happening in Austin.

History of the neighborhood

The city’s first 14 blocks were established in 1839.  The north and south streets were named for Texas rivers (except Congress Avenue), and the east and west streets were originally named for Texas trees but are now the numbered streets.  These days Austin is the 11th largest city in the United States, and 12,000 people call downtown home.  

Our favorite places in downtown Austin

• Lamberts – for fancy barbeque                                                
• Toy Joy – for toys and a fun date night excursion    
• Quatro Gatti – for authentic Italian food                                                
• Book People – a great way to spend a lazy weekend afternoon

Public schools in the downtown attendance zone

• Mathews Elementary School
• O’Henry Middle School
• Austin High School, including the Academy for Global Studies