8am: Breakfast tacos

Kick-start your day at Veracruz All Natural food truck (1704 E Cesar Chavez St), home to fruity aguas frescas and plump breakfast tacos loaded with scrambled egg, stretchy cheese and sausage.

10am: Barbe-queues

There’s no avoiding the two-hour wait to sample Austin’s best barbecue. At Franklin Barbecue (900 E 11th St), your patience will be rewarded with slabs of smoky brisket. Further east at John Mueller Meat Co (2500 E 6th St), tuck into slide-off-the-bone pork ribs with a side of pinto beans.

1pm: Boutique hopping

Nip down to South Congress Avenue (known as SoCo) for bespoke cowboy boots from Allens Boots (no 1522), eclectic antiques at Uncommon Objects (no 1512) and vintage frocks from Lucy in Disguise with Diamonds (no 1506).

2pm: Sugar fix

Housed in a shiny Airstream trailer, Gourdoughs (1503 S 1st St) doughnuts range from the sublime – Miss Shortcake (cream cheese and strawberries) – to the ridiculous – Mother Clucker (with honey butter and a side of fried chicken).

3pm: Green groceries

Balance all that excess with a quick spin around Whole Foods Market (525 N Lamar Blvd). Spread over 7430 square metres, the iconic grocer’s flagship store brims with organic fruit and veg, artisan breads and cheese, and all manner of feel-good foods.

4pm: A spin and a splash

If the sun’s shining, borrow a bike for the two-kilometre ride to Zilker Metropolitan park on the edge of town. Stroll through the gardens or swim in Barton Springs Pool, a 1.2-hectare concrete pool fed by warm underground springs.

6pm: Smart sips

For killer cocktails, slip into Peché (208 W 4th St), a sleek, Prohibition-style cocktail lounge specialising in absinthe, whisky and gin libations.

7pm: Bat watch

The jury’s still out on this odd Austin institution, but if the thought of seeing 1.5 million bats emerge from the Congress Avenue Bridge at sundown tickles your fancy, then be sure to find a spot on the lawn by 7pm.

8pm: Refined dining

Austin’s most exciting restaurant is Qui, fronted by Paul Qui of TV’s Top Chef fame. His cutting-edge, vegetable-heavy menu offers inventive share plates with a multicultural bent, offering – among other delicacies – Filipino ceviche and cheddar ice cream with crispy waffle.

10pm: End on a high note

This is America’s live music capital – and the Red River District is the heart of the action. Catch big-name acts at Stubb’s (801 Red River St), swing dance and sip cocktails at East Side Show Room (1100 E 6th St), or take your pick of dirt-floored honky-tonks along the strip.

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