I'm going to Austin, TX for only one day......?

I will be in Austin for only few hours on Sat. What are some things I should see? A good restaurant, bar, souvenirs shop...etc....?
Thanks in advance!

Only a couple of hours in Austin is not much. There is so much to do and see there....so, with limited time I would suggest staying in one area. Here is my suggestion:

If you have a car, drive by the capital on Congress. It is a beautiful building, modeled after the U.S. capital but made of pink granite. Then, head south down congress across the bridge(going over Lake Austin). This is a pretty view of downtown Austin behind and to the side of you. After you cross the bridge, drive about a 1/2 mile and you will be in the heart of SoCo(South Congress). Find somewhere to park and just walk the street. There are tons of fun shops and funky stores, as well as great restaurants. Plus if you look back towards downtown...you can see the capital building and all of downtown Austin. SoCo is a fun spot that still holds that funky Austin feel.

Here are some restaurants to check out:

Guerros(pretty good Mexican, great atmosphere and history)
El Sol y La Luna (great Mexican food)
Mars(more upscale, asian fusion with a great outdoor deck)
Home Slice( good pizza)
Jo's (coffee and sandwiches)

There are plenty more...just walk in where you see a place that looks good.

Here are some shops to check out:

Lucy's in Disguise(off the hook costume shop)
Uncommon Objects(really cool antique/second-hand store)
Justin's Boots(for the obligatory cowboy boots and hats)
Ten Thousand Villages(very cool world crafts store)

Again, there are tons more!

I hope this helps. I think that this itinerary allows you to see some of the highlights of Austin and will give you a good idea of what it is all about. Enjoy your trip!

-Kango Traveler

Restaurants -- JoVittas (Mexican) Katz's Deli (New York style deli) Opal Devines (pub grub) Mothers Cafe (vegetarian)Kirby Lane Cafe (great Texas style food) Stubbs (BBQ)
Shopping -- Buffalo Exchange (on Guadalupe accross from campus) or Planet K
Bars -- Maggie Mae's or Emo's ( both on 6th Street) Too many other places to name!