First Date Spots in Austin

Plan a date night or special occasion at Lutie's, a Hancock restaurant on the grounds of the Commodore Perry Estate, a resort set in an old mansion that has been restored.

The garden setting is part of the evening, and great cocktails round it out.

Sit at the bar while vinyl records spin, settle into a semi-private cabana tent lit with chandeliers, or choose the tent by the outdoor oyster bar at Justine's Brasserie, a French brasserie in Govalle. Date nights, late nights, and sitting outside are all part of the draw.

Garlic-herb butter comes with the escargots we recommend.

Small Victory, a Downtown cocktail bar, has mostly two-seat tables set side by side. A few stairs inside a parking garage lead up to it, and it is a spot for great cocktails and first dates. Browse a large spirits list, plus sherries and wines by the glass.

For a first date with a little mystery, head down an alley beside The Driskill to Here Nor There, a Downtown cocktail bar with old-school hip-hop inside.

Climb 102 steps to the top of Mount Bonnell, the city's highest point, for 360-degree views of the skyline and Lake Austin. The free hilltop viewpoint in West Austin is a sunset first date pick, and you could add a Tacodeli meal to the visit.

Wander together past lily ponds and wild peacocks at Mayfield Park, a West Austin garden walk that is an easy place to take a date. The peacocks roam among water lily and lotus ponds enclosed by old rock walls.

The park is open daily from 5am to 10pm, and the walled gardens are open when they are not rented for an event. Wear shoes you can walk in, since the dirt, grass, and cobblestone paths are uneven. Pets are not allowed.

Walk the botanical garden and trails together at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in southwest Austin, a daytime outing. A free self-guided TravelStorys audio tour gives you something to listen to and talk about along the way.

Adult admission is $15 Monday through Thursday and $18 Friday through Sunday. Plan to eat elsewhere, since the Wildflower Cafe is temporarily closed for remodeling.

Meet at the original Houndstooth Coffee, a third-wave cafe in a North Lamar strip mall in Rosedale. More Houndstooth cafes are Downtown, on East MLK, and at Rock Rose and Laurel, and the website lists each location.

Fleet Coffee, a Cherrywood coffee shop, is known for its cereal-milk Fruity Pebble cortado. We'd start with that cortado if you want something playful.

Spend an afternoon with art downtown at The Contemporary Austin, a museum with plenty to look at. The Jones Center is open Wednesday from 12 to 9pm and Thursday through Sunday from 12 to 6pm.

Adult admission is $10, and Wednesday evenings and Thursdays are free.