6AM City In-house

The best of 2022 🏆

Our top five stories of 2022
The Austin skyline, as seen at nighttime
The Austin skyline has seen some changes in 2022 — and even more are yet to come. | Photo by @kateheartscake
Time flies when you’re having fun, Austin, and boy did we have fun in 2022. This year, we sent 230+ newsletters with the goal of keeping our community informed, activated, and engaged.

We wanted to look back on the top ATXtoday stories from 2022 and give a huge thank you to our readers and members of the community that made this year so spectacular.

1️⃣ Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center to be transformed into a “Field of Light” | May 12
Our readers were captivated by this 16-acre art installation, which contains 28,000 glowing orbs. Our reel showcasing the exhibit on opening night was also one of our most-liked for the year.

2️⃣ Facebook’s parent company Meta signs historic lease in Austin | January 9
A lot has changed since Meta announced it would lease all of Sixth and Guadalupe’s commercial space. The company now plans to sublease its space in the 873-ft tower, which was set to be the tallest in the city — a title that has been reclaimed not once, but twice this year.

3️⃣ Nine must-visit rooftop bars in Austin | May 16
Our round-up — and our accompanying interactive map — of Austin’s best rooftops soared high, with Zanzibar and P6 earning the most clicks.

A rendering of Sixth and Guadalupe.

Sixth and Guadalupe played a starring role in two of our top five stories for the year.

Rendering courtesy Gensler


4️⃣ Nine concerts to see this summer in Austin | May 10
What can we say, Austinites love a show. Check out our most recent roundup of winter events, which includes upcoming festivals.

5️⃣ Behind the design for Sixth and Guadalupe | January 18
We spoke with George Blume, lead architect for the massive Sixth and Guadalupe tower (which topped out in November), about how to go about building a ~600,000 sqft skyscraper in the middle of downtown Austin, all while dodging capitol view corridors, historic sites, and height restrictions.

And that’s a wrap on 2022. Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year, Austin!
Celtic Axe Throwers

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Friday, Dec. 23
  • Austin Trail of Lights | Friday, Dec. 23 | 6-10 p.m. | Zilker Park, Barton Springs Rd., Austin | $20-$170 | It’s the last night of the year to attend Austin’s signature holiday event.
Saturday, Dec. 24
  • Peppermint Parkway | Now-Friday, Dec. 30 | 6:30-9 p.m. | Circuit of the Americas, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd., Austin | $40-$95 | This drive-thru light display ends at Peppermint Plaza, which includes a holiday market, zipline, COTA Karting, a kissing booth, and carnival rides.
Sunday, Dec. 25
  • Ice Skating at the Long Center | Now-Sunday, Jan. 1 | Times vary | The Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 W. Riverside Dr., Austin | $15 | Spend Christmas on ice, with a backdrop of the Austin skyline.
Monday, Dec. 26
  • Clocked Out Comedy Show | Monday, Dec. 26 | 8-9:40 p.m. | The Creek and The Cave, 611 E. 7th St., Austin | $8 | This 21+ comedy show with HBO’s Dave Jay will have you in stitches.
Tuesday, Dec. 27

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
100+ MORE EVENTS
6AM City In-house

Weather
  • 31º | Mostly sunny | 0% chance of rain
  • Last night’s hard freeze is expected to be repeated tonight and tomorrow night, and the arctic blast may bring with it the driest air ever recorded in Austin. Care for your home and fellow Austinites this weekend using these tips. (KXAN + Austin American-Statesman)
Civic
  • The City of Austin is operating cold weather shelters from now until Sunday, Dec. 25 for people in need of a safe haven from freezing temperatures. Residents can register and access transportation between 6-8 p.m. at the One Texas Center at 505 Barton Springs Rd.
Development
  • Tesla plans to add 174,000 sqft to its East Austin Gigafactory, according to recent filings with the state. Plans indicate the company could start construction on the $58 million expansion this month. 🏗 (Austin Business Journal)
Real Estate
  • One of Rainey Street’s last single-family homes is on the market and up for grabs, if you happen to have a spare $10 million. The bungalow on the corner of Rainey and River streets was built in 1945, and occupies a 3,375-sqft lot. (Austin Towers)
Travel
  • Pack your bags, Austin. At least nine new routes — to cities including Miami, Baltimore, and Sacramento — are coming to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in 2023. See the full list to plan your next vacation. ✈️ (KXAN)
History
  • Did you know there are 209 National Historic Places in Travis County? Buildings, objects, sites, and city blocks all across Austin are worthy of preservation. Contact your State Historic Preservation Office if you’ve got a tip on an unsurveyed historic place.
Ranked
  • Get the confetti ready. Austin made the top 100 of best cities to celebrate New Year’s. Austin was ranked No. 12 based on criteria that considers everything from the amount of nightlife options to the price of a cab ride at the end of the night. 🥂 (WalletHub)
Drink
  • Scrambling to find a last minute gift? Enter: Flaviar — a subscription for those who love premium spirits. Send loved ones a gift subscription and they’ll have the opportunity to taste new, rare, and limited edition spirits of their choice each month. 🥃*
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6AM City In-house

Taking a break

Update: We’re taking a break
City Editors London and Figi, standing in front of the Austin skyline
We’ll see you in 2023, Austin. | Photo by David Douglass
As we sit down in front of our laptops for the last time in 2022, it’s nice to reflect back on the year behind us and be thankful for all the great stories we were able to write.

From reflecting on 70 years of Peter Pan Mini-Golf to meeting furry friends at Purrfecto Cat Lounge, we had fun sharing this wonderful city with you. Thank you for being a reader of ATXtoday.

We will be taking a break next week, catching our breath and spending time with friends and family. Your next regularly scheduled newsletter will hit your inbox Jan. 3, 2023. We hope you’re able to step away as well. And if you find yourself with some downtime, here are a few ways to get out there and explore Austin:
Have a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year.
- Figi and London
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by London.

Editor’s pick: Since City Editor Figi shared her New Year’s resolutions yesterday, I guess I’ll share mine too. This year, I’m hoping to:
  • Relearn Spanish (did you know I majored in the language at UT Austin?)
  • Plant a garden in my backyard
  • Explore Austin even more (send me your favorite spots)
Share your resolutions with us, and we might feature you in an upcoming newsletter.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? The story behind Austin’s horseback Santa, Sam Grey Horse.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Laura Figi, London Gibson, Dayten Rose, Josh Kranzberg, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Camille McLeod | Advertise with us.

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