How does 6th Street compare with Bourbon Street (San Antonio, Austin: university, live)

[tallahasseehero1]

I don't really want to turn this into a "which is better thread" but you can if you like . I am visiting Austin in a few weeks and I just want to have something to compare it to.

I know both streets are great party areas. In terms of live music, affordability, diversity of bars, promiscuity,.... really whatever you want to talk about....how do the two compare?

Also, what is your favorite bar on 6th Street?

[cBach]

If you're looking for Bourbon Street, 6th Street isn't going to satisfy you. None of the risque behavior and college aged kids instead of the better mix of ages on Bourbon.

[love roses]

I agree. Bourbon Street beats 6th. Halloween on 6th can be pretty fun though. Off the top of my head, you don't have street musicians playing in the Square all day and there isn't the saturation of history there either. There is History to the area, just not as old. For Texas, I get more of that feel from the Riverwalk area in San Antonio. Maggie Mae's used to be one of our favorites, but now we kind of just prefer Pig n' whistle pub (I'll have to double check if that's the right name). Fado's is usually a good place. Most of the time, we just get drunk and don't really pay attention to what club we stroll into after a while.

[luksky]

I might add that you can't walk around with your drink in hand on 6th street either. It's been a few years since I have been on Bourbon Street but I remember walking around with our drinks downtown Bourbon Street...unless things have changed there in recent years...

[Idlewile]

Originally Posted by love roses

I agree. Bourbon Street beats 6th. Halloween on 6th can be pretty fun though. Off the top of my head, you don't have street musicians playing in the Square all day and there isn't the saturation of history there either. There is History to the area, just not as old. For Texas, I get more of that feel from the Riverwalk area in San Antonio.

This. 6th street, in contrast to Bourbon Street, does not feel at all historic. 6th is like any bar street in any town of this size with a university nearby.

[HappyTexan]

6th Street is nowhere near what Bourbon Street is.

[rogramjet]

Both 6th Street and Bourbon Street reek of vomit and stale beer. They are best viewed at night, when inebriated. In daylight, both are frightfully gross. If you're in Austin, hike around Lady Bird Lake, visit the Blanton, and have a cocktail at the W. Just a friendly suggestion...

[ImOnFiya]

Originally Posted by rogramjet

Both 6th Street and Bourbon Street reek of vomit and stale beer. They are best viewed at night, when inebriated. In daylight, both are frightfully gross. If you're in Austin, hike around Lady Bird Lake, visit the Blanton, and have a cocktail at the W. Just a friendly suggestion...

No, they are not. OP, please beware of any post which has massive generalizations (typically, they are not true). For the record, there are 3 different bar districts which Austinites refer to collectively as "Sixth Street". There is the most popular stretch of road from Congress Ave. (the center of the downtown Austin) to I-35 which has the cheap, shot bars called "Dirty Sixth". To the west, from Congress Ave. to Lamar Blvd. which is called "West Sixth" which has the business professional upscale bars (which also has the infamous distinction as the bars producing the most DUIs). Last, from I-35 to Chicon St. in East Austin, there are the alternative, "hipster" bars known as "East Sixth/Eastside Sixth".

[LiveUrban]

Bourbon is a narrow street so it can get super packed. 6th Street is wide and still manages to fill up every Friday/Saturday night.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by rogramjet

Both 6th Street and Bourbon Street reek of vomit and stale beer. They are best viewed at night, when inebriated. In daylight, both are frightfully gross. If you're in Austin, hike around Lady Bird Lake, visit the Blanton, and have a cocktail at the W. Just a friendly suggestion...

rogramjet, I'm a bit puzzled - where do you live? You post in both the Austin and Fort Worth forums as if you lived there.

I have to agree with ImOnFiya that this is a gross generalization (which is one thing that made me wonder just how familiar with Sixth Street you really are. Or Bourbon Street, for that matter.) and that what Sixth Street is like depends on what stretch of Sixth Street you're on.