Downtown (6th St.) safety?

[passionatearts]

You'll be fine if you just use some common sense. Austin overall is a pretty safe city.

My only word of caution is that you avoid parking along Neches St or Red River St between 6th St and 9th St. That area attracts a lot of vagrants and suspicious characters. If you park around there, don't be surprised if one of them approaches you as you're getting out of your car and asks you for money so he can "watch" your car.

There are several parking garages near the Austin Convention (safer than parking in a surface lot) that are not too far from Esther's Follies.

[eichlerfan]

Originally Posted by JazzOne

He "tried" to expose himself? Does that mean he was unsuccessful? LOL What a douchebag.

Thankfully yes, he was not successful. They have a bouncer/waiter that got him out of there.

[theloneranger]

Originally Posted by inthecut

Coming from Chicago, 6th street is Disney World....read into that what you will...

The most Magical place on earth?

[JazzOne]

Originally Posted by eichlerfan

Thankfully yes, he was not successful. They have a bouncer/waiter that got him out of there.

That's worth a nice tip. Good restaurant then.

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by passionatearts

You'll be fine if you just use some common sense. Austin overall is a pretty safe city.

My only word of caution is that you avoid parking along Neches St or Red River St between 6th St and 9th St. That area attracts a lot of vagrants and suspicious characters. If you park around there, don't be surprised if one of them approaches you as you're getting out of your car and asks you for money so he can "watch" your car.

There are several parking garages near the Austin Convention (safer than parking in a surface lot) that are not too far from Esther's Follies.

Also, harder to identify bums in Austin...not like they are supposed to wear a "bum" uniform or insignia, but they do tend to blend in to crowds better, and will act like a regular resident, and strike up a chat with you...when they feel ready, they just hit you with the panhandling.....
also, there is a halfway house near 6th, so sometimes there may be a heavy presense coming from the same at any time....I've seen them active even on quiet Sunday afternoons...

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by theloneranger

The most Magical place on earth?

No, just that I find it pretty safe, well-policed, and antiseptic......ala the piano duel/sing a long bars...pizza slice emporiums, very safe bars with rooftop gardens.....90% of the problems come right when they let the bars out.......they should stagger the times, and allow a handful to keep open till 4 for the stalwarts who make trouble.....let them drink at some 4 am dive till they fall down...

[capcat]

It's not so benign late. Or at least a knife at the throat didn't seem so a few years ago. I don't think much has changed since then, but read they're stepping up patrols. However, you should be fine at Esther's and then on to somewhere else.

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by capcat

It's not so benign late. Or at least a knife at the throat didn't seem so a few years ago. I don't think much has changed since then, but read they're stepping up patrols. However, you should be fine at Esther's and then on to somewhere else.

I would say that one is 100% safe before midnight anywhere DT Austin, but as you approach 2AM, the mean folks, bullies, dummies, and such take over........and ALL are very loud!