Students who prefer a quieter environment might prefer the Hyde Park neighborhood. It is located between Guadalupe Street and Red River Street, and from Dean Keeton Street to 51st Street. Hyde Park is occupied by older UT students, such as juniors and seniors, graduate students, and even some faculty and staff. Hyde Park is perfect for students studying engineering, since the engineering buildings are close by. Additionally, students who enjoy going “out and about” with their UT-Austin roommates and friends will enjoy renting UT Austin apartments here, since there are parks and shops nearby, including a grocery store. The bus stops nearby are also helpful for getting around.

The Riverside neighborhood is located south of the Lady Bird Lake. Specifically, it extends from Lakeshore Blvd and Riverside Drive, and from I-35 to Crossing Place. It is ideal for students of any age, since undergraduate and graduate students live here in off-campus UT Austin apartments. Although it is further away from campus than West Campus and Hyde Park, Riverside is still an affordable, trendy neighborhood with access to public transportation.

In contrast to the bustling neighborhood of West Campus, East Campus is a quiet neighborhood made up of young professionals and families. East Campus is more suited for older students who have cars, since it is further away from campus. It is located east of I-35.

Similar to East Campus, the Far West neighborhood is a quiet one made up of mostly families. Again, it is suited for older students, or students who have cars, since it is further away from the UT-Austin campus.

Dining

FoodHeads is a restaurant located in the Heritage area of Austin, between the West Campus and Hyde Park neighborhoods. They offer a wide selection of tacos, sandwiches, soups, and “scrambles” (scrambled eggs with some extras). They serve breakfast and lunch, and have vegetarian options, too. For some of the best pizza in Austin, consider Via313. They are known for their Detroit-style pizza, which is square, thick, and cheesy.

A bakery and bistro located between Heritage and West Campus, Texas French Bread is a great place to go for breakfast, brunch, or lunch. They serve a variety of pastries, sandwiches, and salads. They are closed on Mondays.

Tacos are popular in Austin, and one of the best taco places is Vaquero Taquero, which is located near North Campus. They are known for their famous “taco al pastor”, made of pork. However, they are closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Halal Bros has multiple locations, including at West Campus, Braker Lane, and Anderson Mill. Additionally, they have a food truck in the downtown area. It's the best place in Austin for delicious gyros, shawarmas, and kebabs.

For students looking to enjoy a football game, Posse East is the place to be. It's conveniently located in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Austin. Posse East has many TV screens and delicious burgers, sandwiches, and fries. It is the perfect happy hour or game day environment.

As the name suggests, Arturo's Underground Café is one of Austin's best kept dining secrets. Located in the North Side area of Austin, it is the perfect spot for breakfast, brunch, or lunch. Try their Mexican-inspired breakfast dishes, like huevos rancheros or their breakfast tacos.

Transportation

Students at UT Austin have many transportation options. The UT Austin shuttle system has ten routes with multiple stops on each route. The shuttle is free for students, faculty, and staff, but you must present a physical UT ID card. Visit the Parking and Transportation website for more information on UT Austin's shuttle routes.

For students who need a ride home after a late night out on the town, UT Austin Night Rides is an after-hours rideshare service provided by Lyft. This service will take you from main campus to nearby residential neighborhoods (West Campus, Far West, Lake Austin, North Riverside, Lake Shore, and Crossing Place. University affiliates must use their UT email address to get access to their UT Night Rides credit.

Biking is another transportation option for UT students. UT Austin is a bike friendly school. Students who decide to take their bikes to campus must register them with Parking and Transportation services, and secure them properly any time they are left on campus.

If a student needs to travel further, they can take a bus. Capital Metro mainline buses are free to UT students, faculty, and staff, as long as they swipe their valid UT ID. The mainline bus system serves many parts of Austin, even to the airport. Austin also offers the MetroRapid Bus, an express bus service that can get students to their desired locations in less time.

Capital Metro MetroRail has nine stations. It is perfect for commuting to the University.

Parking

UT Austin has parking permits available for commuter students. There are ten types of permits, each for different lots and/or garages around campus. Some permits are restricted to dorm residents or non-dorm residents, while some are restricted to weeknights and weekends.

Visit the Student Parking website to find out which parking permit best suits your needs.

Safety

Austin has a has a rate of 4 violet crimes for 1,000 citizens. Compared to other cities in Texas, it ranks #140 out of 193 in safety.

Shopping

If students don't want to depend on the dining halls for food, the best place to go grocery shopping in Austin is H-E-B or H-E-B Plus. They have a large selection of meat, seafood, fruits, and vegetables. It's a one-stop-shop for students' grocery needs, and there are a couple of them throughout Austin.

When students want to shop for clothes or jewelry, they can visit the many shopping malls in Austin. One of the biggest malls is The Domain, which has stores such as Neiman Marcus, Louis Vuitton, and Lulu Lemon. It also has a delicious selection of food, like North Italia, Shake Shack, and Maggiano's Little Italy. Students can also visit outdoor malls like the 2nd Street District and South Congress Avenue. These places have cute boutiques, amazing eateries, and even live performances!