After your meal, it's time to check out at least a couple of Austin's
inviting gay bars - it's a topsy-turvy scene in these parts, with one or
two bars coming and going seemingly every year. But you can consistently
count on there being roughly a half dozen gay bars downtown, mostly
concentrated in the Warehouse District. Worthwhile options on Fridays
include the relatively new Rain on 4th, which opened in the Warehouse
District in 2006, and has a lovely deck out back, a cozy billiards bar
up front, and a mid-size dance bar in the middle; and Charlie's, the
city's oldest gay bar, which lies in the shadows of the state capitol
building. Go-go boys perform inside, and there's a spacious deck in
back. If you're looking to keep it mellow your first night, have an
after-dinner cocktail, fruit smoothie, or espresso drink at the stylish
Halcyon Coffeehouse and Lounge, a hipster-infested, gay-friendly hangout
across the street from Rain on 4th.
Rise and shine on Saturday morning with breakfast at one of Austin's
more eccentric nosh pits, Magnolia Cafe, which has branches along South
Congress Avenue and also just west of downtown on Lake Austin Boulevard.
The delicious, filling breakfast specialties range from the "Solar
Landscape" (seasoned grilled potatoes, red onions, and ham topped with
queso and chipotle sauce) to hefty gingerbread pancakes bursting with
blueberries.
Very close to the South Congress neighborhood, you can take to the
outdoors and work off some calories with a stroll through beautiful
350-acre Zilker Park, a fine spot to tan your hide on sunny days. The
park's spring-fed Barton Springs Pool, a popular and enormous swimming
hole, remains an invigorating 68 degrees year-round, so bring along a
swimsuit if the weather's nice.
Austin's best outdoor attraction, however, is Hippie Hollow Park, which
hugs the shores of stunning Lake Travis, about a 30-minute drive west of
town. This is the region's only official clothing-optional sunbathing
spot. The gay section, which draws substantial crowds on just about any
day with temperatures above 65 degrees, lies at the very end of the
pathway that leads from the parking lot. On weekend afternoons you'll
often see pleasure boats packed with cute guys docked just offshore.
Break for refreshments with a meal at the Oasis, a massive outdoor
compound set high on a bluff overlooking the lake and Hippie Hollow -
it's a short drive from the park. The mediocre Mexican food at Oasis
won't win any culinary awards, but the views and the potent margaritas
make this a winner.
On your way back into town, treat yourself to some truly heavenly ice
cream at Amy's, a shrine to fattening dairy treats. Mexican vanilla,
pumpkin cheesecake, and honeyed brandy are a few popular flavors at this
local chain with outposts in several handy locations, including South
Congress Avenue and 6th Street downtown. If you still have a little time
left, stroll among the cool antiques, home-furnishings, and second-hand
clothing shops along South Congress Avenue and also in the Warehouse
District. Continue to page
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The Hunk
