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Austin, TX
A friend of mine and her boyfriend always take an annual trip just the two of them to get away from everything and reconnect. For 2017, they went to Austin, Texas. I can’t even describe how jealous I was — that’s the number one place in the state I want to visit. They spent four days eating amazing food, listening to awesome country and alternative music, doing exciting things, and meeting friendly people.
They experienced the true Southern, yet quirky, charm you’d expect from Austin, and they can’t wait to go back there someday. Austin may not seem as shiny and new to people who live there, especially those who’ve been single and looking for a while, but the magic is there. You just have to find it again. Below, we’ve highlighted nine places to go and activities to participate in that will put you right in the singles action!
Online dating isn’t as taboo as it used to be when it first came out in the ’90s — in fact, it’s probably the most popular (not to mention easiest) way to connect with other singles. It only takes a couple of minutes, if that, to create a profile, you don’t have to spend any money if you don’t want to, and you’re around millions of singles who are looking for the same thing as you. To help you out, we’ve reviewed five different dating sites that meet all types of needs.
Starting with the top overall dating site, Match.com works for singles of all ages, orientations, cultures, ages (18+), and locations. Its algorithm finds matches based on your criteria and how you interact on the site (e.g., who you like or dislike), and you can search on your own using numerous filters. Match is the reason behind thousands of relationships, marriages, and countless romantic connections, and you could be next.
Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
Our Experts Say: “Match has facilitated the most dates and relationships of any dating site, and its large audience and high success rate make it our top review...” Full Review »
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User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today's Deal
|
All Singles* |
49%*
51%*
|
39.7 Million* | Try Match FREE |
Elite Singles seeks to have a user base of the highest quality, and it’s definitely on the way to achieving that. Approximately, 82% of the singles on the site are college and university graduates, having earned at least a bachelor’s degree. In terms of age and relationship goals, nine out of 10 members are 30 years old or older, and all of them are interested in a long-term commitment.
Relationships: Serious Relationships
Match System: Search, Receive Partner Suggestions
Our Experts Say: “EliteSingles is a leading dating site just for busy, single professionals. More than 80% of members have earned a college degree, and most are looking for a serious commitment...” Full Review »
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User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today's Deal
|
All Singles* |
44%*
56%*
|
2 Million* | Browse Profiles Free |
The oldest guy I ever dated had about eight years on me, and there were some obvious differences in our way of thinking and the experiences we’d had. Age can make or break a date or relationship sometimes, and for mature singles, we’d say stick with OurTime. The site caters to men and women over 50 and does so by making the entire process as smooth as possible. Those of all tech levels will quickly catch on to how the browsing, messaging, and other features work.
Relationships: Dates and Relationships
Match System: Search by profiles by zip and more
Our Experts Say: “OurTime is well-known in the over-50 dating crowd, particularly because it has a ton of helpful search features and an easy layout...” Full Review »
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User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today's Deal
|
Mature Singles (50+)* |
48%*
52%*
|
8.9 Million* | Over 50? Try It FREE |
CNN reports black men and women make up about 8% of Austin’s population, which totals 964,000 people. It may be hard for black singles to cross paths in their everyday lives, but by joining a black dating site, it’s as easy as falling off a greased log (as my high school geometry teacher used to say). BlackPeopleMeet.com is a leader in this niche because of its size (1.4 million monthly visitors), communication tools (live chat), and trustworthiness (a sister site of Match.com).
Relationships: Deep Relationships or Just Casual Dates
Match System: Search by location, age, more
Our Experts Say: “BlackPeopleMeet.com is the one of the largest and most popular dating sites for black and biracial singles, and the site is used by more than 5 million people a month...” Full Review »
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User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today's Deal
|
Black Singles* |
47%*
53%*
|
5.7 Million* | FREE Trial for New Users |
Trekkie Monster from the award-winning play “Avenue Q” says the internet was made for watching porn, but when you want your sexual fantasies to come to life, you need a site like Adult Friend Finder. Here, you can find hookup buddies, threesome partners, swingers, and every other kind of horny single and couple. You have 77 million members to choose from! Adult Friend Finder will also show you people in Austin who are online now, so you can get to meeting in real life that much sooner.
Relationships: Hookups Only
Match System: Search by location, interest, more
Our Experts Say: “Make no mistake: this site isn't about making friends, it's about finding hookups and casual encounters. No adult site has a larger or more active user base of those seeking discreet fun...”
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User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today's Deal
|
All Singles* |
65%*
35%*
|
25.5 Million* | 3 Months @ $19.95/Mo |
Apps have drastically changed the way we live — if you weren’t addicted to your phone before with just texting, you probably are now with all the apps out there. It’s mind-blowing to think the device in our hand allows us to play games, check the weather, catch up on sports scores, make grocery lists, count our steps, send pics and videos to friends, and, yes, find a date. With the following three dating apps (which, in our opinion, are the cream of the crop), all you have to do is provide a few pieces of information, and they’ll do all the work for you.
User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) | App Cost |
---|---|---|---|
All Singles* |
49%*
51%*
|
13.5 Million* | Free Download |
User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) | App Cost |
---|---|---|---|
All Singles* |
43%*
57%*
|
290,000* | Free Download |
User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) | App Cost |
---|---|---|---|
All Singles* |
48%*
52%*
|
3.8 Million* | Free Download |
According to CultureMap.com, downtown Austin alone has more bars than any other place in the United States. One for every 67 people, or 88 bars in the zip code area that includes downtown, to be exact. We’d love to tell you about each and every one of them, but that could take a while, and we know you want to get to dating. So we’ve selected seven that we think are the epitome of Austin’s singles bar scene.
You don't need an ego to go to Ego's Lounge, but it might come in handy at "one of Austin's best karaoke bars." You can sing your heart out, or listen to the croons of your fellow patrons, every weeknight from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m for free. Ego's Lounge is easy on the drinks and food as well, including French fries and Lone Star. With an off-the-wall location (the parking garage basement of the Texas School for the Deaf), Ego's is an Austin staple.
Drink.Well. is one of the most creative gastropubs in the country, let alone Austin. The drink selection includes more than 75 American whiskies, eight American craft beers on tap, and dozens of wines and spirits. During happy hour (Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.), prices get as low as $1! To soak up all that alcohol, we'd suggest ordering the fried chicken skins, cacio e pepe, and Housemade Twinkies.
The Roosevelt Room is a warehouse district, award-winning bar, live music venue, and event space that opened in 2015. The team's mission is to "make our guests' night better than when they first walked in." The Roosevelt Room offers nine signature cocktails, 53 classic cocktails, a multitude of bottled and canned beers, and still and sparkling wines. In terms of food, the kitchen offers 10 dishes (three small, five large, and two desserts), ranging from marinated olives to a veggie panini and strawberry-Mezcal cheesecake.
Part bar, part hostel, the Firehouse Lounge is located in Austin's oldest standing fire station (circa 1885), and you can enter via a hidden bookshelf in the lobby. Putting off a speakeasy-like vibe, the Firehouse Lounge serves drinks that would've been found during Prohibition, including Sidecars, Negronis, and Gimlets. House cocktails have fun names, like Dopey's Cider, and, if you're in a beer mood, the Fireman's #4 Blonde Ale is the way to go.
One of the most unique aspects of Small Victory is that it has what Zagat calls "a detailed ice program," which means you could be served large cubes, chips, or crushed, depending on the drink. And speaking of drinks, at Small Victory, you can find libations from all over the United States and the world like Hurricanes, Philadelphia Fish House Punch, and Singapore Slings. Its From the Kitchen menu has plenty of cheese offerings — not to mention a whole section just for different types of ham such as prosciutto and coppa.
Imagine you walk into a bar and see dozens of two-top tables in the center of the room. Upbeat music is playing, candles are everywhere, and waiters are walking around with drinks and appetizers. But, most importantly, the bar is full of people… single people, I might add. Every woman sits down at one of the tables, and then a man comes and sits across from her. They talk for a good five to 10 minutes, an alarm goes off, and the man moves to the next table while she stays put, and it starts all over again. This happens for the next two hours or so until everyone has met and exchanged contact info with the people they really liked. This is what a typical speed dating event is like, and it’s one of the most effective ways to meet a bunch of potential dates in one place. For Austinites, Speed Austin Dating is the company to use!
Dates don’t have to be the usual drinks at a bar or dinner and a movie, and singles events prove that. Putt-putt, canoeing, trivia nights, lock-and-key parties, day cruises, cooking classes — these events are meant to take you out of the dating comfort zone. Amazing Singles has a never-ending list of things for Austin singles to do, and one of the best parts is more than likely you won’t feel as nervous as you normally would for a date. Everyone is in the same boat and participating in the same activity, so making introductions and bantering back and forth just flows naturally.
When me and my friends first turned 18, we were so excited about finally being able to get into clubs. Every Friday and Saturday night, we’d get all dolled up and go out. Inevitably, we’d pair off with someone there and spend the next few hours dancing, talking, and, every now and then, making out. Sometimes we’d give out our numbers or get someone’s number ourselves, and sometimes we wouldn’t. The point was we were having fun and meeting people. I don’t go to clubs as much as I used to, but that might be different if the clubs in my city were like the ones in Austin. Along with pricing and attire information, Yelp also has ratings and reviews from actual club-goers in Austin about where to go.
It doesn’t matter if it’s offline or online — it’s nice when you meet someone, immediately click with them, and then lose track of time because you were having such a good conversation. The internet has tons of chat rooms made just for singles in Austin to reach each other — so on days when you don’t feel like leaving the house or putting on makeup, you can turn to at least one of the five sites we’ve listed and still be working on your dating life.
Dictionary.com has many definitions for the word personals, one of them being a noun: “Also called personal ad, a similar notice, as in a newspaper or on a website, placed by a person seeking companionship, a spouse, etc.” Most Austin newspapers have a section where people can share a little bit about themselves and the type of person they’re looking for, and most dating sites have personals pages for them to do the same online. Craigslist.org is one the most popular, but we’d also recommend signing up for DateHookup.com, AustinChronicle.com, DoULike.com, and ClassifiedAds.com because they also rank high among Austin singles.
Barton Springs Pool is an Austin must-see. It’s three acres in size, it can get up to 18 feet deep, and its temperature stays between 68 and 70 degrees all year long because it’s fed from underground springs. Some other cool facts about Barton Springs is actor Robert Redford learned to swim there, and more than 800,000 people have visited the pool over the past 40+ years.
In addition to swimming, you can also take part in various classes, programs, and events such as badminton, Tai Chi, holiday celebrations, dances, live musical performances, and film screenings. If you’re single and an outdoorsy person, Barton Springs Pool, and Zilker Park, in general, should be on your radar.
When my friend and her boyfriend got home, they had a million stories to tell about the time they spent in Austin, and you can tell it had a positive impact on their relationship. It’ll probably be a place they return to for years to come.
Austin can work wonders on its residents’ lives as well, but if you’re single and feeling a little down in the dumps about it, we’re here to help you remember how special this city is and the plethora of opportunities you have in front of you every day. You just have to go after them!
Photo sources: austinot.com, austinchronicle.com, chilledmagazine.com, thrillist.com, do512.com, theabgb.com, npr.org, pinterest.com, 10best.com
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