Around Town B-Cycle Tour
Maybe you’re in town for the weekend and looking to save on ride-share apps, or perhaps you’re a local Austinite wanting to skip out on the parking fees.
Austin B-cycles offer convenient bike rentals from over 70 stations around town. A selection of passes are offered to check out bikes including pay-as-you-ride, day, weekend, and annual options. Trips can begin and end at stops which are located all throughout the city. Here are a few places to visit on your B-cycle around Austin with convenient docking stations nearby.
Show off your Longhorn pride by buying some burnt orange at the University Co-op and taking photos in front of the UT Tower situated just across the street from the West Mall dock. With multiple stations on campus, you can cruise down to the LBJ Presidential Library, Blanton Museum of Art or Bullock Texas State History Museum for your historical fix and view various exhibits on-site.
Work your way downtown and visit the Texas State Capitol with its three stations surrounding the grounds. Guided tours are free however, the Capitol itself is currently closed to visitors due to COVID-19. Once re-opened, however, we encourage you to visit the largest capitol building in the U.S. for an inside look at its grand architecture and rich history.
Congress Avenue and 6th Street
Two of the most iconic streets in Austin, ride south toward Lady Bird Lake to view the Paramount Theatre and visit a host of shops on offer. Take a turn down 6th, but make sure to stop to eat and drink at the rumored-to-be-haunted Driskill Hotel or pick up a sweet snack from Voodoo Doughnuts as you continue on your tour down to South Congress. For more casual eats we would suggest you park your bike further down at the Cesar Chavez dock for a short walk to Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que, Veracruz All Natural or Tacodeli.
Lady Bird Lake & Barton Springs Road
Take a stroll along Lady Bird Lake or continue your biking on the 10-mile loop with B-cycle docks situated all along the trail. From the spring to early fall, you can catch the bats flying out at sunset from nearby Congress Avenue Bridge. Barton Springs Road eats include Terry Black’s Barbecue, Austin Eastciders’ refreshing seasonal drinks and the Picnic Food Truck Park.
South Congress
If, instead, you want to continue down South Congress try docking at one of the three B-cycle stations handily placed at several spots throughout SoCo. Always be sure to stop at Jo’s Coffee for an Iced Turbo on a hot Texas day or Home Slice for some NY-style pizza. If you’re seeking a sit-down meal to relax after a long day of biking, Lucky Robot, Perla’s and South Congress Cafe are all excellent choices and within walking distance of the docking stations. For dessert, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is open till 10 p.m. offering dairy-free ice cream options and sorbets (I personally recommend a pint of the Honey Vanilla Bean).
At the end of your day, make sure to park your bike at any station to avoid fees. A pro-tip is to dock your bike in 60-minute intervals to not get charged in addition to your pass, so don’t forget to return your bike when visiting any stops for long periods! For students and staff at the University of Texas and Hutson-Tillotson University, there are annual pass discounts available online.