Heading to Austin Christmas bars is one of our favorite December activities!
Over the past few years, Austin has really embraced the holiday pop-up spirit.
When it comes to Austin Christmas Bars in 2024, there are some favorite spots returning for another year, changes to some mainstays, and even more brand new Austin Christmas bar pop ups.
Zilker Park has been keeping Austin festive with the Trail of Lights for many years, but last year holiday-themed pop-up bars packed in guests thirsty for some holiday spirits.
This year, the trend has grown with additional festive options which will hopefully meet the demand of last year’s holiday-bar demand.
Grab your ugly Christmas sweaters, read through this complete guide to Austin Christmas bars, and plan our weekends accordingly!
Ice Rodeo at the Four Seasons with Austin Ice Skating and Holiday Cocktail Cabanas
Head to the Four Seasons Austin for a decked out holiday experience!
Featuring an ice skating rink with real ice on top of the hotel’s pool, chic cabins, and even a life-sized gingerbread airstream!
Pull up to a fire to roast house-made s’mores, including Executive Pastry Chef Amanda Pallagi-Naim’s Hennessy-infused marshmallows for adults.
Enjoy festive cocktails and snacks in between your triple axels, tickets are $40 and include a skate rental and skating session. Get your Ice Rodeo tickets ahead of time before you arrive.
Four Seasons, 98 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78701
Photo: Mario Andrade Photography
Incredible Decorations at the Gibson Street Bar
Head to Lamar to Gibson Street Bar for bountiful over-the-top decor plus an instaworthy sleigh photo-op.
We tasted specialty themed cocktails like the Ho-Ho-Ho Hot Toddy and Santa’s Little Cider made with Flor de Cana 7-year rum.
Reservations are not accepted, first come first served.
1109 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
An Iconic Holiday ATX Staple – Donn’s Depot
Donn’s Depot is an Austin honky-tonk destination on West 5th street that is filled with patrons from young to old.
Their owner loves the holiday Christmas season so much the bar turns from old school country casual, to a holiday tinsel town.
40+ people come to decorate Donn’s Depot every single year.
Enjoy the decorations with a festive libation.
Don’t stress though, you can still get your two-step on while taking on the holiday cheer.
1600 W 5th St, Austin, TX 78703
Photo: W Hotel
Fairmont Hotel Ugly Sweater Holiday Lounge
The Fairmont Austin is transforming their 7th floor to a holiday experience.
The ugly sweater themed pop up will feature fire pits, igloos and cabanas at the pool level for rent.
Of course they’re also offering festive cocktails and snacks inside the bar as well.
Be sure to try the coquito which comes in an awesome surfing santa tiki mug!
Pop by or reserve a cabana for your group. You can also reserve their decked out “santa suite” for a stay to remember.
Fairmont Austin, 101 Red River St. Austin, TX
Nickel City’s Sippin’ Santa Tiki Pop Up
Nickel City is an East-Side bar that recently received national fame by dressing up as Moe’s Bar for Halloween.
They’ve also won numerous awards for their craft cocktails in a welcoming dive-bar atmosphere.
Now they are gearing up for a holiday celebration with decorations, novelty drinkware, and craft cocktails fit for the season.
Their cocktail menu is part of the national holiday pop-up circuit from Beachbum Barry and features festive drinks like the Sippin’ Santa.
You can even buy cool holiday tiki mugs to take home!
1133 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702
Hotel Van Zandt’s Holiday Bar Rooftop Igloos
Geraldine’s at the Hotel Van Zandt off of Rainey street is transforming their pool deck into a giant snow globe once again.
This is a limited time pop-up, so you won’t want to miss it.
Order some appetizers, a cheery cocktail and get festive prior to a night out on Rainey Street.
The snow globes are outfitted with record players and games.
605 Davis St, Austin, TX 78701
Peppermint Parkway’s Drive Through Experience with Bar Lounge
Circuit of the Americas is back with their Peppermint Parkway experience.
While this drive through light show event is more of an interactive outing than a traditional bar, know that they do offer the Peppermint Pub bar in the Peppermint Plaza.
You’ll find cocktails alongside amusement rides, snacks and even a mistletoe kissing booth.
Talk about a cute date night idea.
You can even bring your dog along if they stay in your vehicle for the drive through light show. Get your Peppermint Parkway tickets ahead of time.
Circuit of the Americas, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd, Austin, TX
Photo: Monica Payne
Year Round Holiday Bar – Lala’s Little Nugget
For Lala’s Little Nugget, this holiday bar craze isn’t a trend, it’s a way of life.
Lala’s is a year-round holiday bar, adorned with glowing lights and Christmas decor.
This is a cash-only bar so bring some bills for drinks and coins for the old school jukebox.
All year long!
2207 Justin Ln, Austin, TX 78757
The Most Popular Austin Christmas Bar – Miracle on 5th
Returning for a yet another year, Miracle on 5th Street will open in the event space next to The Roosevelt Room, one of our top cocktail bars in town.
You can expect twinkling decorations and holiday drinks from some of the best mixologists in Austin.
Their drinkware is also so fabulously festive that they have extra holidays cups that you can buy to take home with you.
307 W 5th St Unit A, Austin, TX 78701
Experience “Snow” at the JW Marriott Edge Rooftop
For a festive time on a downtown rooftop in Austin, head to the JW Marriott Hotel.
Their Edge Rooftop Snow Much Fun pop up offers holiday decor, firepits, and the best surprise of all: snow!
While it’s actually more like foam instead of actual snow, it creates a magical ambiance perfect for a date night or an outing with families.
The “snow” falls every hour on the hour.
JW Marriott Austin – 110 E 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701
Pinkmas at the Museum of Ice Cream
The Museum of Ice Cream is always the epitome of festivity, and it’s no surprise that they’ll be decked out for the holidays.
This year, celebrate the holidays by going PINK!
Pinkmas features instagramable pink trees, holiday music and treats. They will be offering limited-edition Pinkmas cocktails.
Museum of Ice Cream, 11506 Century Oaks Terrace, #128, Austin, TX 78758
Walk Through Luminations
Luminations is an all-new light installation spanning almost two miles across the Texas Arboretum.
This is not a traditional bar, but you can get a spiked hot cocoa or a specialty cocktail at Luminations.
Buy your tickets ahead of time as well as prepaid, guaranteed on-site parking, if desired. Free parking is available at St. Augustine University.
There will be rotating food trucks on site to enjoy with your cocktails.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
4801 La Crosse Ave, Austin, TX 78739
Iconic Austin Trail of Lights
The Austin Trail of Lights is an ATX icon.
While not a traditional bar, it wouldn’t be fair to exclude this nostalgic light show since they do have a bar located inside the lounge of the Trail of Lights.
Zilker Park gets illuminated with 2 million lights for the 59th annual event.
Be sure to check the Trail of Lights Event Calendar for the select nights offering free admission or buy your tickets in advance for ticketed evenings.
Grab a cocktail and a snack from the many food vendors after your stroll through the lights.
Zilker Park, Austin, TX 78746
Y’allidays at Inn Cahoots
Head to the East side of Austin to Inn Cahoots for a holiday pop up!
Celebrates the season with tons of Christmas lights, bands and DJs performing holiday songs!
Enjoy holiday cocktails, s’mores, as well as photo moments at this large venue.
Santa himself will be making an appearance on Sundays in December.
Keep an eye out for additional fun events throughout the month.
1221 E 6th St, Austin, TX 7870
Holly Jolly Bar at Wanderlust Wine Co.
It’s the best time of the year! The Holly Jolly Holiday Bar at Wanderlust Wine Co. over-the-top holiday pop-up bar for cocktails, entertainment, and memory making!
The halls will be decked with floor-to-ceiling tinsel, trimmings, ornaments and more, allowing you to immerse yourself in holiday magic.
Warm up with seasonal cocktails and bring your friends to partake in some holiday cheers, whether it’s glittery jello shots or cocktails in festive ornament glasses.
Each ticket includes a 90-minute reservation and a holiday-themed welcome cocktail or mocktail. Additional drinks available for purchase on-site.
702 Shady Ln, Austin, TX 78702
Jingle Jangle at The Dead Rabbit
The Dead Rabbit is a top NYC cocktail bar that opened up in a cozy spot on Austin’s 6th street.
This cocktail bar always has the best Irish coffee that we have tasted outside of Ireland! The boozy coffee is warm and the cream on top is smooth, warm, creamy, and topped with fresh nutmeg.
Head there during the holiday season for unique holiday crafted cocktails and holiday decor.
Enjoy seasonal dishes, festive music, themed cocktails.
204 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78701
Mozart’s Light Show
An Austin tradition, Mozart’s on Lady Bird Lake brings lots of cheer with an expansive holiday light show on their patio.
Maybe after all those cocktails you’ve guzzled from the Christmas bars all across town, you need to head to a coffee bar.
Grab a hot cocoa or a latte and head to the patio to take in over 1 MILLION twinkling lights.
3825 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, TX 78703
Best Holiday Bar on Rainey St – Lucille’s
If you’re on Rainey Street, head to Lucille’s. They go ALL OUT for both halloween and holiday decor.
On a warm December day their outdoor patio covered in lights can’t be missed.
This is also a dog friendly bar, so bring your pooch!
There are even specialty cocktails available at the bar.
77 Rainey St, Austin, TX 78701
12 Bars of Christmas Crawl
Instead of putting together your own DIY holiday bar crawl, you could just buy a ticket to the 12 Bars of Christmas Bar Crawl.
Stumble your way down Austin’s famous 6th Street with hundreds of others in ugly sweaters and Santa suits on December 16th.
Your ticket gets you holiday swag and drink specials across the 12 participating locations.
Austin’s Christmas Bars will keep you jolly all December long.
Plan a double date, a girl’s night or even get a festive libation before cooking up a warm and comforting holiday meal at home.
Or, if you want to transform your OWN home into a holiday cocktail wonderland, try whipping up our Apple Cider Sangria Recipe, A Christmas Tree Old Fashioned Recipe (it uses a simple syrup infused with pine!), Easy Mulled Wine, or a better-for-you Apple Hot Buttered Rum.
You’ll also likely love this round up of 35 Amazing Christmas Whiskey Drinks.
Hope this guide helps to make your holidays more spirited!
Click this link to pin this post for future reference. If you visit one of these spots based on our recommendations, let us know by tagging @coupleinthekitchen on social media!
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