What makes a great party city? Is it the people? The places? Is a city’s nightlife only as good as the trends it represents? You’ve probably never given these questions any thought—but, fortunately for you, we have, and so have our readers.
As longtime champions of going out, Time Out set out to find the world’s best cities for nightlife in 2024. Our teams surveyed thousands of people in some of the best cities in the world about where they like to go and what they like about their city’s nightlife scene—Affordability? Quality? Music? All of the above?
The results of our annual survey led us to this year’s ranking of the World’s Best Cities for Nightlife and the pick we’re most interested in: Austin. Coming in at No. 5 on the global list, Texas’s state capital received the third-highest quality score, with many folks pointing to 6th Street and Congress Avenue as their top spots to hang.
People also love Barton Springs, a refreshing attraction that Austin local and former Time Out New York editor Jillian Anthony says “doubles as Austin’s sexiest dating pool.” When she’s not there, you can find her and other Austinites at Cheer Up Charlie’s sweaty dance parties.
Night swims and Saltburn parties might not be what first comes to mind when you think about going out, especially in Texas, but Austin is proof that nightlife is changing and the newest and coolest is happening there.