*Updated July 14 at 2:30 p.m. Now that downtown Austin is no longer a deadzone, we've expanded this from the 13 best spots to the 18 best spots. We'll update the map and hotspots daily.
Unless you live under a rock, you're probably playing Pokémon Go in Austin right now. With an unprecedented level of immediate success, Pokémon Go has trainers of all ages braving the heat in search of new Pokémon. Now that downtown and central Austin have finally been filled with Pokéstops, we've compiled a list of the best places in and around the city that will help you catch 'em all.
The Capitol
Hailed as one of the few Capitol buildings in the country larger than the U.S. Capitol, Texas's gorgeous Capitol is also home to a dizzying number of Pokéstops and gyms. With over 20 Pokéstops and a highly contested gym, the Capitol is a fantastic place for beginners to advanced trainers. Just remember to be mindful that it does contain many memorials, so be mindful and don't mess with Texas.
Auditorium Shores
All of the Pokémon starters are beloved, but none perhaps as much as Charmander. So, you might be asking yourself, "where can I catch Charmanders in Austin?" Head to Auditorium Shores near Riverside and you won't be disappointed. Before the Pokéstops went live in downtown Austin, Auditorium Shores was still home to a great array of Pokémon. With the update, there's a Pokéstop every 20 yards.
South Congress
Since the update, South Congress, starting at the Congress bridge and extending seemingly forever, is an absolute treasure trove of Pokéstops and gyms. You can access four Pokéstops while you're taking a selfie in front of the "I Love You So Much" sign alone, and there's even more when you're near Uncommon Objects. Find parking anywhere in SoCo, and you'll have enough stops to never pay for Pokéballs again. Near the South Congress Bridge, you'll find a trio of gyms at the Chevron Gas Station mural, the Austin American Statesman, and the Nightwing Statue.
Gyms and Pokestops
- Jo's Coffee (I Love You So Much sign)
- The Austin American Statesman
- Riverside Chevron*
- Snack Bar
- Austin Motel
- Amy's Ice Cream
- Freebirds
- Geek Powered Studios Stag Statue
- Twomey Auto Works
- Ms. P's Electric Cock
- Heritage Boot
- Home Slice Pizza
- South Congress Books
- The Church on Congress Avenue
- Allen's Boots
- Uncommon Objects
- Yard Dog Art
- Guero's
- Hey Cupcake*
- Dominican Joe's
- Embassy Suites Hotel
The Arboretum
With many shops comes many stops, and the Arboretum is now jam-packed with Pokéstops and gyms for anyone in the area. Park in any parking lot and you'll be met with a slew of dozens of Pokéstops and multiple gyms. As with other locations, Amy's Ice Cream seems to be centrally located around multiple spots you can access without moving, and the pond by 360 serves as a relaxing place to sit and battle at the gym. The other has a wide array of Pokémon, most notably Squirtles.
- The Arboretum
- Amy's Ice Cream
- Estancia Churrascaria*
- Eddie V's Prime Seafood*
- Renaissance Austin Hotel
- Cheesecake Factory
- Barnes and Nobles
- Triumphant Love Lutheran Church
- Trader Joes
- Newk's Eatery
- Pier 1
- P.F. Changs
- Petco
- Manuels
- Saltgrass
Southpark Meadows
Southpark Meadows offers a great playground that serves as a kid-friendly gym and has three Pokéstops available without having to walk. Amy's Ice Cream patrons are proudly dropping lures as they enjoy their frozen treats, making the spot an absolute hot zone to catch all types of Pokémon. The sheer amount of lures used in the area have made finding rare Pokémon here commonplace.
Gyms and Pokestops
- Amy's Ice Cream
- Jason's Deli
- Waterloo Ice House
Riverside Softball Complex
Live near Riverside? Look no further than the amazing softball and disc golf complex by the Pleasant Valley bridge. Many of the spots are available right from the parking lot, and the area is constantly loaded with lures by loving trainers.
- Krieg Softball Complex
Moontower Saloon
The South Austin staple is home to volleyball, live music, food trucks… and more importantly a gym and multiple Pokéstops. Stop by for a drink, and stay for the chance at catching some strong Pinsirs.
Burnet Road
From 51st Street northbound to Lucy's on Burnet Road, almost every parking lot is home to a Pokéstop. Start your journey with the gym at Tiny Pies and work your way north to Lucy's, where there are a dozen stops in between, most notable at Miguel's Gallery and Garden. It's the perfect road to drive or walk and catch as many as you can on the way. You'll no doubt run into others doing the same.
Gyms and Pokestops
- Tiny Pies*
- Second Time Around
- Stars In Your Eyes
- Auto Stoppe
- Miguel's Gallery and Garden
- Chi'lantro
- Valet Motorcars
- Recycled Reads
- Monkey Nest Coffee
- Hat Creek Burgers
- Lucy's Fried Chicken*
Further up Burnet
Take a ride a little further North on Burnet, close to 183, and you'll find even more clusters of stops with a gym located at P. Terry's. Stops include: the Gas Pipe, Taco Cabana, Waterloo Ice House and Slick Willies.
Gyms and Pokestops
- P. Terry's*
- Slick Willie's Billiards
- Waterloo Ice House
- The Gas Pipe
- Taco Cabana
Central Park by Central Market
One of the closest Pokéstops to the UT campus while downtown's devoid of Pokéstops, Central Market and the park by the surrounding hospitals is home to three Pokéstops, and a crowd of students dropping lures. Rhyhorn, Eevee, Growlithe, and Scyther have all been caught in the area.
McKinney Falls
Want to explore one of Austin's best parks? Want to catch Pokémon at almost every stop on the walking trails? With Dratini's at every single turn, McKinney Falls has multiple gyms and stops to keep you occupied during your hike. If you're a higher level, there are reports that some rare Dragonairs and Dragonites appear occasionally.
W. Anderson
The shopping centers at West Anderson are a gold mine of Pokéstops, with almost half of the stores offering Pokéstops. Stop by Dragon's Lair to pick up your favorite new comic, and battle at the gym. Dragon's Lair is also home to Austin's Pokémon League, which allows trainers to play both the trading card game, and the video game. Stops include Dragon's Lair, Terra Toys, the Goodnight, Alamo Drafthouse, Mighty Bird, Zen Japanese, and Starbucks. As a bonus, head across the road to Ross Dress for Less and Austin Art Space.
Gyms and Pokestops
- Dragon's Lair*
- Thundercloud Subs (stop located at mural)
- Terra Toys
- The Goodnight
- Alamo Drafthouse Village
- Mighty Bird
- Zen Japanese
- Starbucks
- Ross
- Dos Batos
- Austin Art Space
Brentwood/Crestview
Apart from being home to one of the coziest neighborhoods in Austin, Brentwood offers a wealth of Pokéstops in a fun neighborhood walk. Stop at Blackstar Brewery for a local beer and a gym, and stop by Little Deli on your way to another gym at Brentwood Neighborhood Park. Make sure to hit every church on the way, as the Hope Chapel, Faith Lutheran Church, and First Cumberland Presbyterian are all Pokéstops as well.
Gyms and Pokestops
- Black Star Co-op*
- North Austin Lion's Club
- Little Deli
- First Cumberland Presbyterian Church
- Faith Lutheran Church
- Hope Chapel
- Northwest Baptist Church
- Brentwood Neighborhood Park*
Mueller
If you're in the Mueller area, make sure to stop by Bartholomew District Park, which, though small, is home to multiple Pokéstops. Go across the street for a gym at the nearby Torchy's. Only a short drive through Mueller's brand new neighborhood, and the Thinkery is also home to multiple stops and a gym.
Gyms and Pokestops
- Bartholomew District Park
- Torchy's Tacos*
- The Thinkery*
Slaughter Lane Alamo
The Slaughter Lane Drafthouse is not only one of the nicest, comfiest movie theaters in Austin, but it's also a gym conveniently next to a Pokéstop from the bar next door. You can't be on your phone while you're watching a movie, but during the famous Alamo pre shows, you can battle it out with other movie patrons.
Wildflower Center
With nearly 10 stops and a gym, the Wildflower Center is the perfect place to explore and catch lots of Squirtles and Koffings.
Cedar Park
A little North of Austin? You're in luck, because Cedar Park is full of more Pokéstops and gyms than all of downtown Austin currently. The best gyms in Cedar Park are Rattan Creek and Millburn; excellent for Eevees.
Hyde Park
In the Hyde Park area? Start at the In-n-Out on Airport and make your way down 45th, where you'll find a Walgreens on Guadalupe (pronounced Guad-a-loop for those new to the area) with an excellent gym, and a good parking lot for trainers to congregate.
- In-n-Out
- Walgreens
Our list is growing every day. Help us grow by sharing your favorite Pokéstop or gym with us at PaulyPresleyRealty@gmail.com. Include "Pokémon Go" in your email's subject line to help us plot it on the map! For the most serious Pokémon trainers, contact our agents to find the perfect house for rent in Austin, so you can continue the hunt in your favorite neighborhood.
Posted by Brad Pauly on
25 Responses to Pokemon Go in Austin: 13 of the Best Places to Catch 'em All
North Austin Christian Church off Rutland Drive is a gym. :)
Posted by Victoria on Wednesday, July 13th, 2016 at 7:26pmThe arboretum at 183 and 360 is a great location for stops as well as gyms.
Posted by Brenten on Thursday, July 14th, 2016 at 12:24amGym at Alamo Drafthouse Slaughter Lane and a poke stop at 400 Rabbit next to Alamo Drafthouse.
Posted by James on Thursday, July 14th, 2016 at 7:52amRattan Creek Park is not in Cedar Park, not even really that close to Cedar Park proper. Closer to RR but it is Far NW Austin.
Posted by PokeMom on Thursday, July 14th, 2016 at 1:46pmIt is in RRISD. It has been annexed by Austin.
There is another popular spot right down the street Springwoods Park that is a Magmar nest.
Milburn park is the place to be at in cedar park.
Posted by Jonathan on Thursday, July 14th, 2016 at 4:44pm16 pokestops and 2 gyms.
The Veterans Memorial Park in Cedar Park is also pretty amazing. I think there are like 8 pokestops (3 right next to each other, so you can just sit in one spot and cruise for a bit) and 2 gyms. There's always a lure going off there, too.
Posted by Anna on Thursday, July 14th, 2016 at 4:57pmLakeline Mall in Cedar Parks has a gyma and many pokestops
Posted by Jena on Thursday, July 14th, 2016 at 6:08pmDont forget the suburbs! I work at the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave and there are probably 20 pokestops there, and 2 gyms (one is across bee cave pkwy) I head to work a half hour early to farm before the crowds get there ;)
Posted by Kathleen on Friday, July 15th, 2016 at 8:55pmSouth Lamar from Bluebonnet to Ben White is full of Pokestops.
Posted by Jarid Craig on Friday, July 15th, 2016 at 11:34pmMage's Sanctum is a gym and there are 2 pokestops in the parking lot. At Slaughter and Manchaca.
Posted by Poke traveler on Saturday, July 16th, 2016 at 9:13pmPioneer farms in NE Austin has a ton of pokestops. Not sure what can be caught there though.
Posted by Boogiemon on Sunday, July 17th, 2016 at 3:32amThe Domain was updated with about 30 Pokestops alone! It's a great area to catch pokemon, and most of the stops are constantly lured.
Posted by Lauren on Monday, July 18th, 2016 at 1:00amMueller pond by the thinker.
Posted by Burt on Monday, July 18th, 2016 at 6:52amDowntown Round Rock is excellent as well as Heritage Park and Pfluger Park in Pflugerville.
Posted by Meg on Monday, July 18th, 2016 at 12:25pmThe entrance to the Capitol building right off of 11th, there are 3 pokestops pretty much overlapping each other, pretty often they are set with lures too and around lunch time it's nonstop.
Posted by Scott on Monday, July 18th, 2016 at 4:06pmAll along McNeil Dr from the McD's on Parmer to Exposition Blvd. Uou find Pokéstops and gyms. The McD's itself is a hot spot for pokèmon.
Posted by Pokerun16 on Tuesday, July 19th, 2016 at 9:16amIf you are in the outskirts of Austin like my self there is also bastrop. Bastrop has over 10 pokestops on one road. As a passenger in a car I was able to get just about everyone of them since the speed limit is like 30.
Posted by Cassandra on Tuesday, July 19th, 2016 at 9:25amThere is a Gym @ Avenue B Grocery (Hyde Park) , Pokestop & Gym @ Shipe Park (Hyde Park) , and across the way there is the Ghost Bike pokestop on Avenue G and another pokestop on Avenue H near the Elizebet Ney Museum. pokestop Avenue F (hyde Park) (Wells La Rue House [Historical])
Posted by Joseph on Tuesday, July 19th, 2016 at 6:21pmStop on Iron Cactus downtown rooftop and the Stonelake water fountain on the patio.
Posted by Eric Leonard on Wednesday, July 20th, 2016 at 1:15amThere's three hot spots around Jerry's Artarama!!
Posted by MeowieIndustries on Wednesday, July 20th, 2016 at 5:33amCheck out downtown round rock, there's 8 or 9 stops in a square mile.
Posted by Joey on Friday, July 22nd, 2016 at 8:35amThere's a gym at Mary Moore Searight Park in far South Austin (off of Slaughter).
Posted by Lisa on Saturday, July 23rd, 2016 at 9:40amIf you're looking for Magmar, Dick Nichols pool seems to always have at least a half dozen of them
Posted by Collin on Saturday, July 23rd, 2016 at 5:39pmWells branch park I think Katherine fisher is the actual name is a vulpix nest
Posted by Amber on Saturday, July 23rd, 2016 at 7:29pmThere is 3-4 poke stopes at the frint of circle c park
Posted by Supbitches on Sunday, August 7th, 2016 at 9:13pmLeave A Comment