Like the first cool front rolling in after a long Texas summer, the Austin Chronicle's 35th Annual Best of Austin Awards has arrived to remind us just how alive and layered this city truly is. Year after year, this beloved tradition gives locals a chance to shout out the spots, people, and experiences that make Austin worth waking up in — whether you're catching a sunrise on Barton Creek or discovering a hidden gem on the East Side.
Three and a half decades is no small stretch of time for a city that's transformed as dramatically as Austin has. Through boom years and growing pains, through drought and flood seasons, through all the change that comes with being one of America's most talked-about cities, this annual celebration has stayed rooted — much like the old live oaks lining our greenbelt trails — honoring what locals actually love rather than what the travel magazines tell us to.
The awards cover everything from the best swimming holes and hiking trails to the restaurants, musicians, and community makers who give Austin its unmistakable heartbeat. It's a reminder that beneath all the cranes and construction, this city still belongs to the people who lace up their trail runners at dawn, float the river on a Tuesday, and gather at outdoor venues under a sky full of stars.
Whether you're a longtime Austinite or someone still learning the rhythm of this place, the Best of Austin Awards is one of the best seasonal rituals we've got — a living, breathing map of everything worth exploring right here at home.