Bye Bye Love

The best breakup spots in Austin: 7 places to consciously uncouple

Look, we've all sung "Summer Nights" at karaoke — we know how the story goes. Boy meets girl, boy and girl spend all summer together, awkwardness ensues come fall. And while it worked out for Danny and Sandy in the end (much credit goes to her liquid leggings), chances are the flame on your summer fling is soon-to-be-snuffed.

But which Austin locales should serve as the scene for instigating singledom? Fret not, conscious uncouplers, we've got you covered. Here are some of the best (and most Austin-y) places to break up.

ACL Fest

If you can hold out until October, this is a can't-miss. Sure, you probably bought the tickets together, and yes, it may make things a little awkward under your marijuana leaf-adorned flag, but there's a bevy of benefits here that can't be ignored. First, think of all the other fish in the sea! Your recent ex is sure to lick their wounds, but they won't be alone for long. Thousands of Austin's finest flock to this annual event, so the odds of staying single are slim. And then there's the alcohol! Drown your sorrows in $9 tallboys and all will be well. If that's not enough, take solace in the fact that at this point, there's a good chance you'll run into Ryan Gosling.

Whole Foods

It's hard to think of an attractive Austinite epicenter more concentrated than the healthy grocer's flagship Lamar store. Do the unfortunate deed at one of the store's several more intimate offerings — think the trattoria or Bar Lamar. Pick up a (vegan) frozen pizza for after.

Lala's

Because if you have to get dumped, at least you can bask in the Christmas spirit, right?

Romeo Rose's Birthday Party

Now infamous for his laundry list of musts, puffy shirt-loving Romeo Rose is ringing in his birthday on September 18 with a shindig at downtown locale Lanai. His promotional video (seen here) boasts free drugs, celebrity guests (Guns and Roses!) and more. What's not to like? Show up with your significant other and leave alone, creepier than ever. Ladies, remember that clothing is optional, and so is your dignity.

East Side Show Room

It's hard to make a scene at this swanky east side locale, so if things don't go your way after a few craft cocktails, all will be well. The National will be soundtracking your every word, and the dim lighting means no one will see the tears of the one you've jilted.

The Side Bar

This is a tricky one. You have to time this just right, because with "Side Bar pours" flowing freely, one drink too many and your soon-to-be-ex won't remember what happened. But if you do things one drink in, it might actually work out! Then you can console your former flame with some cheap drinks — and you may even reconcile before the night is through.

Fun Fun Fun Fest

Technically this keeps your flame burning past the summer months, but Austin's grungier fest is another option to sever ties. Think of this as more of a tough-love scenario. Between the metal from the Black Stage and the hip-hop from the Blue Stage, the breakup practically writes itself. And when it's all over, you can laugh it off with the cast of Silicon Valley. It's a win-win!

No go forth and prosper, and remember, there's always next summer.

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Study This

Austin is the No. 7 most educated city in the country, says Forbes

Photo by Dan Dennis on Unsplash

UT Austin gets a lot of praise, but this study includes degrees from everywhere — as long as the recipient lives in Texas.

Austin and San Antonio don't get all the same opportunities as the even larger cities in Texas, but in a recent study they prove they're prepared. Both made the top 10 in Forbes Advisor's "Most Educated Cities In The U.S." list: San Antonio was No. 4, and Austin was No. 7.

Other Texas cities made the list of 100, but some fell surprisingly far behind. Dallas made No. 20, followed by Houston at No. 79 and Fort Worth at No. 93. In some even more surprising twists, the smaller city of Garland was the fourth in Texas at No. 26, and El Paso, Corpus Christi, and Laredo all beat Houston.

This study compared the 100 largest cities in the country as of the 2021 census, using metrics like high school dropout rate, percentage of adults age 25 and older with some college, but no degree, undergraduate college completion rate, and percentage of adults age 25 and older with an advanced degree. There were also some lower-weighted metrics about equity, studying racial and gender college completion gaps.

Although many education studies fall into praising the University of Texas, this one considers education as a whole — while still mentioning the university once.

In San Antonio, the bachelor’s completion rate for people 25 and up was 67.30 percent, and 29.56 percent of people in that age group have advanced degrees. The study doesn't have much to say about educational opportunities in the city, focusing instead of its tourist potential. But it did note that the city had one of the smallest racial gaps for higher ed, which was only -5.49 percent. Its gender gap was 0.97 percent, and its high school dropout rate was 4.53 percent.

San Antonio's Trinity University did great in a Niche study that came out in early September. It was the No. 18 best small college in America, and topped the list entirely in Texas. Among bigger fish, it was also the No. 20 best liberal arts college in the country (and again the best in Texas), and made No. 4 in general for best colleges in Texas.

In Austin, 59.89 of people 25 or older completed Bachelor's degrees, and 22.76 percent completed advanced degrees. The racial gap was much worse at -10.87 percent. Its gender gap was a bit less than San Antonio's, at 0.69 percent, and its high school dropout rate was more at 7.56 percent.

Of course, this is where the study mentions UT, which is based in Austin. It made WalletHub's 2024 ranking of the best colleges and universities in Texas and earned the No. 2 spot; clinched the No. 6 spot in Niche's ranking of the best public universities in the country; and earned No. 2 in a list of best undergraduate programs for entrepreneurs by the Princeton Review, among other accolades.

Just breaking into the top 20, Dallas' Bachelor's degree completion rate was 57.05 percent, with 21.37 percent attaining advanced degrees. The racial and gender gaps were −14.99 percent and 1.64 percent, respectively. Much further down the list, Houston's Bachelor's degree completion rate was only 32.99 percent, and only 10.97% achieved advanced degrees. High school dropouts were at 8.90 percent, and the racial and gender gaps were −4.99 and 2.10 percent respectively.

Here are all the Texas cities on the list of 100, in order from most to least educated:

4. San Antonio
7. Austin
20. Dallas
26. Garland
49. El Paso
59. Corpus Christi
76. Laredo
79. Houston
81. Arlington
83. Irving

More information on the study by Forbes advisor, including full city rankings and expanded methodology, is available at forbes.com.

education universities