North Austin Suburbs

The North Austin suburbs are filled with the “Silicon Hills” workers of Austin. With vast land, beautiful green parks and trails, kid-friendly activities, and dense restaurant areas near the multiple highways of 183, Mopac, I-35, 45 and 130 Toll roads.

Arboretum

The Arboretum at Great Hills preceded the Domain in North Austin’s first outdoor mall and restaurant area. Full of restaurants, shopping, and lush parks, fountain gardens and playgrounds, this makes for a great neighborhood to live in.

Eat: Estancia Brazilian Steakhouse, Amy’s Ice Cream, Hanara Sushi, Cheesecake Factory, Trulucks, Brio, Roaring Fork, Chuys, Haru Sushi, Tomodachi Sushi, Thai Cuisine, Brick House Tavern + Tap

Play: Summer Movies on the Lawn, Austin Aquarium, Main Event, iFly, K1 Go Karts, Pinballz, Catch Air Indoor Playcenter, St. Edwards Park, Dart’em Up, Great Hills Park Trail, Texas Card House Casino, Rattan Creek Park, Quarry Lake

Drink: Baretto, Pour House, water Tank, Marshall’s Tavern, Mill Bar, Shenanigans Night Club, Local Outpost

For more information on this area’s business district, read here. For more info on neighboring outdoor shopping and dining area, The Domain, read here. 

Round Rock and Pflugerville

Home to the Dell Computer Corporation’s Headquarters, Round Rock has continued to grow exponentially over the years with over 70,000 Dell employees flocking to this suburb. It’s also known for its outdoor activities and historic sites. The Round Rock, a large stone in Brushy Creek, marks the site where wagons made low-water crossings in the 19th century. Nearby, Chisholm Trail Crossing Park has plaques detailing the city’s cattle-driving history. Old Settlers Park includes baseball fields, playgrounds, a disc golf course, and a fish-stocked lake.

Pflugerville has experienced a growth rate of 192% over the past 16 years, with a 2000 population of 19,484 growing to a population of 48,356 during the 2010 census and currently at a population of 56,893 (April 2016). (Reference – City of Pflugerville) Pflugerville is on Farm Road 1825 fifteen miles north of Austin in northeastern Travis County. It was named for Henry Pfluger, who brought his family to the area from Germany in 1849.

Eat: Salt Traders, Greenhouse, Salt Lick BBQ, Veracruz, URBAN Eat.Drink, Fuego Latino Gastropub, Beluga Sushi, Ajo, Slap Box Pizzeria, Fogueira Guacha Brazilian Steakhouse, The Alcove Cantina, Jack Allens, Cafe Java, Sushi Nini, Hopdoddy, Rudy’s BBQ, Y’all’s Down-Home Southern Cafe, Garbos Lobster Rolls, Thai Spoon, Bo Asian Bistro, Hoody’s Sub Shop, Palermo Pasta House, Wiseguys Cheesesteaks, FD’s Grillhouse, Broth & Basil

Play:Round Rock Express Baseball Game at the Dell Diamond Stadium, Austins Park N Pizza Go Karts Laser Tag & Bowling, Typhoon Water Park, Rock’n River Water Park, Old Settlers Park, Altitude Trampoline Park, Monster Mini Golf & Laser Tag, Painting with a Twist, Home Run Dugout Batting Cages, The Lodge Card Club Casino, The Ruby Hotel Cocktail Bar

Drink: Brass Tap, Cover 3, Third Base, Finley’s, Warpath Pizza & Pub, The Rock, Wine Sensation, Craft & Racked Wine Bar, Hanovers, Urban Rooftop, Round Rock Tavern, Big Shotz Sports Bar, Night Owl Bar, Bullpen

Georgetown, Jarrell, Florence, and Salado

Rustic wineries and charming boutique shops. A scenic lake and a vast underground cavern. Sprawling parks and historic homes. These are a few examples of the numerous attractions in Georgetown, a quaint Hill Country town situated about 30 miles north of Austin. (Reference – Tour Texas).

Just north of Georgetown you’ll find several smaller neighboring towns. North of Georgetown will get you to Jarrell, offering residents a rural feel, West of Georgetown you will find Florence, which was settled in the early 1850s and briefly called Brooksville. By 1857 it was known as Florence, when its first post office was established. Just North of Jarrell and on your way to Waco, you’ll find Salado, a town in Bell County, Texas, that was first incorporated in 1867 for the sole purpose of building a bridge across Salado Creek.

Eat: Monument Cafe, 600 Degrees Pizzeria & Draft House, El Monumento, Blue Corn Harvest Bar & Grill, Wildfire, Dos Salsas, Fish City Grill, nancy’s Sky Garden, Tony & Luigi’s Italian Mediterranean Restaurant, Gumbo’s, George’s on the Town, Wasabi Sushi, Milano Trattoria

Play: Berry Springs Park & Preserve, Blue Hole Lagoon, Georgetown Art Center, Palace Theatre, Grace Heritage Center, Inner Space Cavern, Jim Hogg Park, San Gabriel Park, Williamson Museum, Mel’s Lone Star Lanes Bowling

Drink: Georgetown Winery, Grape Creek Winery (Fredricksburg based with a Georgetown location), Doghouse Drinkery Dog Park, Roots Bistro, The Shed, Hardtails Bar & Brill, Alexanders Craft Cocktails & Kitchen Salado, Cupacabra Craft Beer & Salado Winery, Barrow Brewing Company Salado, Barton House Wine Bar Salado

Cedar Park and Leander

Cedar Park was the western suburb of Round Rock full of Dell employees looking for more land. Over time, Cedar Park has expanded into Leander, which is known for exemplary schools, and then expanding even further west into Liberty Hill for the full Texas Hill Country and large land plots experience.

Cedar Park is a vibrant community situated on the northern border of Austin just 17 miles from downtown. Named for an actual park that was a rail stop in the late 1800s and incorporated as a City in 1973. True to the namesake, Cedar Park now features 1,000 acres of City-owned parkland and 30 miles of trails. (Reference: City of Cedar Park)

Cedar Park is also home to three professional sports teams: the 2014 Calder Cup-winning AHL Hockey League Champion Texas Stars, affiliates of the NHL Dallas Stars; the 2012 and 2018 NBA G-League Champions, the Austin Spurs and affiliates of the five-time NBA World Champion San Antonio Spurs.  The Stars and Spurs play at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, a City-owned facility is a multi-purpose venue that holds up to 8,700 guests and hosts more than 130 events per year. (Reference: City of Cedar Park)

Eat: Soto Sushi Bar, Blue Corn Harvest Bar & Grill, Kerbey Lane, Sushi Bang Bang, Midori Sushi, Foxhole Culinary Tavern, Freda’s Seafood Grille, Sushi Fever, Mouton’s Southern Bistro, CR Surf & Turf, Dahlia Cafe, Farm to Fork, KOBE Japanese Steakhouse, The Grove, Fresh Heim, Rosa’s Cafe & Tortilla Factory, Osaka Sushi, Daichi Sushi, Umiya Sushi

Play: Cedar Park Center – See a game!, Lake Travis Zipline Adventures – Leander, Shady Oaks Gun Range, Urban Air Adventure Trampoline Park, Waterloo Adventures Water Park, Cedar Rock Railroad, Splash Shack Water Park, Veteran’s Memorial Park Swimming Pool

Drink: Pluckers, Cedro restaurant Scratch Italian & Wine Bar, The League, Cover 2, The Dig Pub,

Hutto and Taylor

Hutto has been recently recognized as the “Top Place in Texas to Raise a Family” because of its low student-to-teacher ratios, low crime rate, and short commute to Austin. Located Northeast of Austin in Williamson County, Hutto is close to the tech hub of Texas’s capital city while also maintaining the safety and tranquility of rural suburbia. (Reference – Wide Open Country). Hutto was also named Hutto was also named the #1 Austin Suburb for Young Couples, with a Median household income of $72,044 and a total crimes per 100k of 881.

Taylor is about 40 miles Northwest of Austin, known for its barbecue and the ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas) headquarters. With only 15,000 residents it is the perfect place for community, peace, low stress, and low traffic issues.

Eat: Louie Mueller Barbecue, Morelia Mexican Grill, Texan Cafe & Pie Shop, Snuffys Bar & Grill, Southern Hospitality, Rio Grande Tex-Mex Restaurant, Baked ‘n Sconed, El Taquito Urbano, Wens Cafe, Lucky Duck Cafe, Anthony’s Pizza, Hippo Cafe

Play: The Golf Club at Star Ranch, Sweet Eats Fruit Farm, The Howard Theatre Taylor, Wild Things Zoofari, Hutto Lake Park, Old Coupland Inn & Dancehall, Black Sparrow Music Parlor, Murphy Park Lake, Hilltop Farm Horseback Riding

Drink: Downtown Hall of Fame Bar, The Loose Screw Beer Garden, Marshall’s Tavern, Xchange Nightlife Sports Bar & Pool Hall, Pilot Knob Tasting Room