After a long work week, plenty of Austinites eagerly anticipate weekend relaxation, but in this extremely active city, “relaxation” often means “making time for activities you can’t do during the week.” Hence the popularity of Austin “Sunday Fundays”—excursions centered around excellent brunch spreads, outdoorsy adventures, art exhibitions, and fantastic local shopping.

While these end-of-week outings can happen throughout the city, these four Austin neighborhoods host particularly Sunday-perfect eateries, boutiques, galleries, and parks.

South Congress

Enjoy a sunny brunch in the South Congress neighborhood

A neighborhood completely committed to “Keeping Austin Weird,” South Congress boasts a variety of public art pieces, funky shops, chic hotels, and restaurants ideal for a hearty brunch and some enthusiastic day-drinking.

Serving up hangover-quenching morning repasts since 2003, the South Congress Cafe proudly offers its brunch menu seven days a week. However, its most popular service can still be found on Sundays, and patrons can expect heaping plates of all-American cuisine like short rib hash with fingerling potatoes, butternut squash, and peppers; carrot cake French toast with cream cheese pecan syrup; and sweet potato beignets with crѐme fraiche.

Voracious shoppers will find plenty of one-of-a-kind pieces in South Congress’s array of antique and vintage boutiques. Sunday afternoon is a perfect time for combing through the selection of pristine denim and vintage dresses from the 1970s and 1980s at Prototype Vintage Design, wearable pieces from the 1920s through the 1990s at Bloomers and Frocks, and quirky garments and home tchotchkes from the past at Flashback Vintage.

Art lovers flock to South Congress for its burgeoning gallery scene and regular street markets, but you’ll also want to catch the neighborhood’s public murals, all of which make excellent backdrops for Instagram-worthy pics. Among the most popular is the “Willie for President” mural just outside Home Slice Pizza, featuring one of Austin’s most beloved hometown heroes: Willie Nelson. 

Zilker

The South Austin neighborhood of Zilker takes its name from Zilker Metropolitan Park, one of the largest and most well-trafficked greenspaces in Austin. Weekend visitors in search of active outdoor goings-on will find plenty here to keep them occupied.

But first, a “Sunday Funday” must, by definition, begin with a delicious brunch. At Odd Duck on South Lamar Boulevard, you’ll find New American dishes with international flair and a Southern twist, like waffle batter-fried quail with grits, shishito mushrooms, and sorghum maple syrup and an open-faced omelette with Chinese goat sausage, fried rice, and aioli. 

During warmer weather, the Barton Springs Municipal Pool provides an excellent starting point for outdoor Zilker Park excursions. The pool is fed with water from the eponymous spring, ensuring fresh swimming conditions and a consistent year-round temperature of 68 degrees. 

Hikers and bikers can take in the scenic background on the Lady Bird Trail, spanning 10.1 miles along the Colorado River and through the park. Speaking of waterfront activities, Zilker Park offers abundant opportunities to kayak, paddleboard, and row on Lady Bird Lake.

East Austin

One of Austin’s most rapidly-changing neighborhoods, East Austin is consistently defining itself as an epicenter for hip dining and craft breweries. These factors make it a can’t-miss destination for a memorable Sunday Funday.

If you’re in the mood for a quick and low-key Sunday brunch, East Austin’s unparalleled food truck scene will serve you well. Try an acclaimed “migas” breakfast taco (with scrambled eggs, pico de gallo, tortilla chips, Monterey Jack cheese and avocado) at Veracruz All-Natural or a hearty helping of Texas Hash at Paperboy.

For a more classic restaurant-brunch experience, head to Launderette, a trendy American eatery located inside a former laundromat. The menu changes seasonally, featuring locally sourced ingredients and crowd-pleasing dishes like the Winter Benny (sourdough English muffin, poached eggs, celery root puree, ‘nduja, winter greens, and piquillo hollandaise) and house-made chocolate chip pumpkin bread. 

Beer drinkers regularly rave about East Austin’s craft brewery scene, and Sundays provide a perfect opportunity to check out these hoppy establishments. Friends and Allies Brewing Company, Blue Owl Brewing, Zilker Brewing Company, Lazarus Brewing Company, and Hops and Grain Brewing all have East Austin addresses and offer tours, tasting flights, and convivial tap rooms for enjoying a pint with friends on a relaxing Sunday afternoon. If you prefer cider to beer, Austin Eastciders features a beautiful tap room with a full suite of ciders, abundant picnic tables, and a stage for live music and open mic nights.

West Campus

Photo by Derek Key / CC BY

If college sports, historical exhibits, and scenic streets strike your fancy, West Campus offers all of the above, plus plenty of tasty and affordable spots to grab a bite on a Sunday morning.

A charming restaurant located within the Hotel Ella, Goodall’s Kitchen serves a proper English afternoon tea to caffeine-deprived West Campus residents, but also offers an appealing weekend brunch menu including specialties like house-made “Pop Tarts” with cinnamon apple filling and an egg sandwich with fried mortadella, aged cheddar, pickle mayonnaise, and crispy shallots. 

If you head just a few blocks east of the West Campus drag, you’ll find an impressive array of museums, stadiums, and monuments on the University of Texas campus. Especially notable destinations for Sunday sightseeing include the Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, which is home of the Longhorns, the Texas Memorial Museum, the Blanton Museum of Art, and the LBJ Presidential Library.