The Definitive Guide to Austin’s Social Scene
Where to live, what to join, and who to follow for a thriving social life
⏳ Read time: 4 minutes
Hey there,
Tapping into a city’s social scene is one of the hardest (but most important!) parts of adult life.
A few weeks ago, I shared my playbook for tackling this problem from scratch and New city, no friends? Do this first quickly became my most popular post ever.
Today, we go local. Because Austin isn’t just where I live, it’s where I’ve built the most connected version of my life.
If you haven’t heard, I recently released a 24-page guide to Austin’s thriving social scene. It’s not a sightseeing list or restaurant roundup (though I did sneak in a few favorite eats), it’s a playbook for making friends fast.
You’ll learn
Where to live to maximize connections
The single best event to meet people
30+ clubs and groups with built-in community
A curated calendar of can't-miss monthly events
The local creators I follow to stay in the loop
And more!
Today, I’m sharing a preview of the single best resource for making friends in Austin. If you want me to write a guide for your city, leave a comment and let me know where you live.
The Single Best Event to Meet People in Austin
If you only do one thing from the entire guide, make it this:
Every Saturday at 8AM, 50–100 people meet at Bennu Coffee on S Congress and walk five miles around Lady Bird Lake together. Everyone brings a topic of conversation and aims to speak to at least five different people.
And it’s not just tech bros! Austin’s premier friendship accelerator attracts an incredibly diverse group of curious individuals spanning ages, backgrounds, and interests.
I’ve never seen a more efficient or welcoming way to get plugged in. It’s the fastest way I know to go from “new in town” to “hey, I know you!”
Other Social Hubs I Love
A few of my favorite low-key spots to meet great people:
🧠 Capital Factory – Austin’s entrepreneurial hub. A co-working space with tech-focused events and mentorship programs.
🏓 Austin Pickle Ranch – Highly organized, all-level friendly open play. Easy small talk between games.
♟️ Traveling Chess Club – Weekly chess pop-ups at restaurants and bars. Smart people, no pressure. Play your first game or your ten thousandth. Some events even have DJs and dance parties.
🏃♂️ Good Grief Run Club – For anyone navigating loss, big life changes, or just looking for post-run coffee convos.
🎬 ATX Short Film Showcase – Monthly screenings + mingling. The people here are cooler than me, in a good way.
Who to Follow if You Want Your Feed to Be Fun and Useful
Want to curate your feeds to get the best local content? These are the Austinites who keep my calendar full. If you’re curious why there are so many food accounts, you should probably check out my strategy post.
@atxwitheleanor – Women-first events, pop-ups, and fun social recs
@thedaviddouglass – Hilarious restaurant reviews + real food insight
@atxjulsey – The best comfort food and festival reviews
Chekmark Eats – Deep restaurant cuts and a killer newsletter. The best place to find out about new openings and live music pairings
Lite + Brite – The city’s best underground event roundup
Following these people is how you stop feeling like a tourist and start feeling in the scene.
Want the full guide?
This email is just a taste. The full Moving to Austin guide includes:
The best neighborhoods for making friends (and the ones that will leave you stranded)
30+ groups and activities with real community built-in
The best singles events to kickstart your dating life
The full monthly events calendar
The exact strategy I used to go from 2 to 100+ friends in 6 months
To get it: Subscribe to The Friendship Engineer. You’ll get a link to the guide in your welcome email.
Already subscribed? Just hit reply and I’ll send it your way.
No fluff. No SEO filler. Just the stuff that actually works.
You don’t need six months to feel at home here. You just need one great conversation in the right place and a plan to keep it going.
See you at the Board Walks.
Your friend,
Connor
PS… I’ve recently started accepting private coaching clients. If you’d like to join my Founding Cohort, you can check out the details here. But act fast, I’ve only got two spots left.