Arts

10 of the Most Unique Things to Do in Austin

By Jillian Anthony
March 10, 2026

One of the best ways to keep Austin weird is to explore all the wild, wacky and unique things Bat City has to offer. Here are 10 of our favorite unique things to do in Austin for art lovers, hippies and everyone in between.

The Cathedral of Junk in Austin. (Photo by Jennifer Morrow)

Explore the Cathedral of Junk

4422 Lareina Drive; call (512) 299-7413 to make an appointment

One man’s junk is another man’s treasure — and Cathedral of Junk creator Vince Hannemann made a whole cathedral out of it, right in his own backyard. Hannemann took thousands of pieces of mostly donated items (motorcycle gear, old guitars, shopping carts and so much more) and carefully crafted them into rooms, tunnels, sculptures and towers. Explore by appointment on a donation basis.

Bats fly from beneath the Congress Avenue Bridge at sunset in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Amanda Stronza)

Watch the bats emerge from the Congress Avenue Bridge

South Congress Bridge

Every night just before sunset, crowds gather to watch thousands of bats emerge from the Congress Avenue Bridge and take flight into the night. Their squeaking echolocation fills the air as they hunt for bugs (our mosquito-fighting allies) forming fluid clouds as they move together across the sky. You can watch from the south side of the bridge or below along the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, or join a kayak or boat tour for a view from the water.

(Photo courtesy of The Little Longhorn Saloon)

Play Chicken Shit Bingo

5434 Burnet Road

Some people go to church on Sundays, and some head straight to chicken shit bingo. Weekly rounds go from 4-8 p.m. at the Little Longhorn Saloon, a bar in north Austin. Grab a ticket for a $2 donation, gather round the bingo board, and watch a chicken do her thing and seal your fate.

Peacock at Mayfield Preserve. (Photo by Heidi Okla)

Prance with the peacocks at Mayfield Park

3505 West 35th Street

Just a short drive uptown lies a hidden paradise: Mayfield Park. A cottage originally built in the 1870s is now a verdant garden home to many native plants, ponds with fish and turtles, and a fleet of resplendent peacocks. They roam free on the grounds and can often be found perching high on roofs and tree boughs; they’ll make their presence known with their telltale calls.

Hippie Hollow Park in Austin. (Photo by Chloe Mun)

Go skinny dipping at Hippie Hollow

7000 Comanche Trail

Fun fact: it’s legal to go topless in all public spaces in Austin. But if you want to be fully free, you can head to Hippie Hollow Park, the only clothing-optional public park in Texas and a lovely place to swim on Lake Travis. Note that pets are prohibited, and the space is reserved for visitors 18 or older.

James Turrell's "The Color Inside" (Photo by by Florian Holzherr) — James Turrell’s “The Color Inside.” (Photo by Paul Bardagjy)

Witness James Turrell’s “The Color Inside”

2201 Speedway at 22nd Street

James Turrell is a beloved artist who creates vivid light installations, and one of his pieces lives permanently on the University of Texas at Austin campus — and you can see it for free. “The Color Inside” is a one-of-a-kind Skyspace created in 2013; you can reserve free time slots that last about an hour, but keep in mind that optimal viewing times are sunrise and sunset.

Full moon swim at Barton Springs Pool. (Photo by Grace Dupuy)

Howl at the full moon at Barton Springs

2201 William Barton Drive

Barton Springs Pool is a must-visit Austin spot and a perfect reprieve from sweaty summer days. But once a month, after the sun goes down, the swimmers of the night gather to howl in unison as the full moon rises. The pool is usually open until 10 p.m. (and you can enter for free the last hour of the day), and the howl can be heard around 9 p.m. — but it often continues well before and after that.

Eeyore’s Birthday Party. (Photo by Daniel Hodge)

Get wild at Eeyore’s Birthday Party

1100 Kingsbury Street

This annual celebration featuring drum circles, music, costumes and a real donkey is quintessential Austin. Celebrated every April in Pease Park, the family-friendly event thrown by the Friends of the Forest Foundation attracts thousands. It’s a fantastic place to just walk around and be open to whatever you may experience. If you do bring kids, there will be plenty of bubbles and park games to be had, but beware there’s a solid likelihood of nudity.

ABC Kite Fest at Zilker Park. (Photo courtesy of ABC Kite Fest) — ABC Kite Fest at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas. (Photo courtesy of ABC Kite Fest)

Soar into the ABC Kite Festival

2100 Barton Springs Road

At this free April festival, you’ll see kites bigger and zanier than you ever knew existed — think an astronaut the size of a football field floating along with the help of six handlers. Spend a perfect spring day flying kites with thousands of others in the iconic Zilker Park. Grab food, drinks and fun items from vendors, and enjoy a background of the downtown skyline dotted with dragons, sailboats and octopi in flight.

Museum of the Weird on 6th Street in Austin, Texas. (Photo courtesy of Museum of the Weird)

See it to believe it at the Museum of the Weird

412 E. 6th St.

“America’s strangest attraction” is found right on 6th Street, an Austin downtown staple for bars and live music. Inside the Lucky Lizard Curios & Gifts shop, you’ll discover oddities like the Minnesota Ice Man, the Fiji mermaid, movie props and even the Chamber of Horrors. Enter if you dare.