There's a particular kind of person who knows a city the way most people know their own living room — not just where everything is, but why it matters, how it feels at different hours, and which hidden door leads somewhere unexpectedly wonderful. In Austin, that person is Yvette Arriaga.
Since launching The Austin Tourist in 2021, Arriaga has grown a community of over one million followers across social media by doing one thing exceptionally well: uncovering the experiences most people walk right past. Her content, visually driven and personality-forward, has made her one of the most recognized travel creators in Texas. Featured in Austin Monthly, Edible Austin, and Canvas Rebel Magazine, and named to Voyage Magazine's Rising Stars list, she has built an audience that consistently turns to her for trusted recommendations. When Yvette points somewhere, people go.
What sets her apart isn't access — it's curation. The Austin Tourist has always been less about what's popular and more about what's worth your time: the hidden gem tucked behind an unmarked door, the outdoor experience that doesn't feel like Texas, the neighborhood spot that quietly earns its reputation. When I asked how she would spend a long weekend playing tourist in her own city, her answer felt both thoughtful and practical. The result is an itinerary worth following.
Friday
Yvette's recommendation for Friday starts on the water in the afternoon. Lady Bird Lake sits at the center of Austin's identity, and she points to Retro Boat Rentals as the most memorable way to experience it — colorful, uniquely named vintage boats, from Gidget to Trixie, an open stretch of water, and the downtown skyline spreading out in every direction. The retro boat experience feels inherently Austin: relaxed, quirky, and with just a little unexpected nostalgia.
From the lake, she recommends continuing to view the panoramic skyline at Nido, a modern rooftop restaurant at the Loren Hotel, making it one of the most visually striking dinner settings in the city. Coming straight off the water, the transition feels seamless. Sit back and enjoy a delicious meal of wild boar lasagna, grilled oysters, or the jerk chicken entrée.
The night closes at Comedy at the Black Rabbit, an underground, BYOB comedy club hidden behind a barbershop in East Austin that rewards the curious and the in-the-know. The shows are raw and engaging, the energy is genuine, and it is exactly the sort of offbeat, only-in-Austin experience that Yvette gravitates toward.
Saturday
Saturday begins at the recently-opened Leona in South Austin, a botanical coffee destination with a sprawling outdoor space that eases you into the day before it asks anything of you. Grab a coffee and a pastry in a setting that feels more like a garden than a café.
From there, head west on Highway 290 to the Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center, where a guided hike leads you into one of the Hill Country’s most stunning hidden gems — a lush grotto tucked inside a limestone canyon. With its cascading waterfall, emerald pool, and rare microclimate, the preserve feels worlds away from the city, offering a quieter, more intimate nature experience that rewards those willing to slow down and take it in. Reservations are required, and the guided format ensures the landscape remains protected.
Back in Austin by the afternoon, Yvette recommends making time for Sydney's Cat Lounge, the city's beloved cat café, where rescue cats wander freely among guests. This Alice in Wonderland-themed sanctuary is playful, a little indulgent, and genuinely joyful. Interact with multiple kitties while sitting on mushrooms, royal thrones, or in the catio built exclusively so the fuzzy little felines can frolic.
Saturday dinner belongs to Tiki Tatsu-Ya, the immersive tiki restaurant on South Lamar, with dramatic cocktails, a tropical interior that fully commits to its own fantasy, and food that more than holds its own against the spectacle surrounding it. It is dinner as an experience — random thunder booms, tropical drinks such as the Pearl Diver and The S.O.S., and exactly the right energy for a Saturday night in Austin.
Sunday
Sunday begins on the water because Austin keeps pulling you back to it. Mozart's Coffee Roasters on Lake Austin has been an institution since 1993: lake views, a sprawling outdoor deck, live music, and coffee roasted in-house. It is unhurried and beautiful, setting exactly the right tone for a final day.
From there, head just down the road to Laguna Gloria, the lakeside campus of The Contemporary Austin that feels less like a museum and more like stumbling onto an Italian estate on the banks of Lake Austin. Walking through the gates, you feel transported, although you’re only five miles from downtown. Monumental sculptures dot the wooded grounds, quiet pathways wind along the water, and the 1916 Driscoll Villa gives the whole place a romantic, European stillness. It is one of the most visually striking settings in the capital city.
Lunch stays local and legendary: Top Notch Hamburgers, the classic Austin drive-in on Burnet Road, immortalized as a filming location for Dazed and Confused. The burgers and crunchy onion rings are quite literally top-notch and worth every savory bite. Plus, eating here feels like a small act of Austin citizenship.
The weekend closes the only way it properly can: at Chicken Sh*t Bingo at The Little Longhorn Saloon, the Burnet Road honky-tonk that has hosted this gloriously absurd Austin tradition for over 50 years. Every Sunday from 4 to 8 p.m., a live chicken selects the winning bingo number while the crowd listens to live music, can win hundreds of dollars, and collectively decides this is exactly where they are supposed to be. Quirky, loud, and entirely unapologetic — the perfect last impression of a weekend well spent.
Follow Yvette Arriaga at @theaustintourist on Instagram or at theaustintourist.com for weekly guides, hidden gems, and her latest Austin recommendations.
"I’ve always loved helping people discover places they never would’ve found otherwise."
“I think the best experiences in Austin are the ones that leave people feeling inspired, surprised, and wanting to explore more.”