The video above is a driving tour of Leander TX, capturing the town as it exists right now — a fast-growing Austin suburb about 25 miles northwest of downtown, with a population just under 70,000. David Bridwell shot this footage on his way to play a gig in Georgetown, and the result is a solid look at what Leander has going on, from its Old Town strip to the much-hyped Northline development that's still taking shape.
Old Town Leander and What's Coming with Northline
Leander is primarily a residential community. It's full of master-planned neighborhoods and the kind of commercial development you'd expect — strip malls, HEB grocery stores, restaurants. But two areas stand out. Old Town Leander is a short, walkable strip with some restaurants, a few spots for drinks, and a little live music. It still has some of those older homes around it that predate the growth boom. Then there's Northline, which sits at the northernmost stop of Austin's Cap Metro light rail system. The plan is for Northline to become an urban village with housing, restaurants, and shops — essentially a new downtown for Leander. It's not there yet, but the rail connection to downtown Austin already works, and that's a real draw for people who want suburb living with a transit link to the city.
What Live Music Venues Are in Leander TX?
Leander isn't a live music destination on the level of Austin or even Georgetown, but there are a few spots worth knowing about:
- Maggie Mae's Leander — One of the most popular spots in town for live music and drinks, carrying on the name well-known from Austin's Sixth Street
- Smooth Village Food Truck Park — A food truck park with plenty of space and food options, located in Old Town Leander
- Night Owl — A newer spot that was coming online at the time of filming and could potentially feature live music
- Wahoo's Fish Tacos — Another new addition to the area with signage up during the tour, another potential future music spot
For a proper night out with live music, a lot of Leander residents head into Austin or over to Georgetown. In the video, David Bridwell ended up at Barkin' Armadillo Brewing in Georgetown for their summer music on the patio series, where he performed an original set for the crowd.
Getting to Leander from Austin
Highway 183 is the main artery, and in decent traffic the drive from Austin takes about 30 to 35 minutes. The Cap Metro rail line is the other option — it runs from downtown Austin all the way up to the Leander station, making it one of the few Austin suburbs with a direct light rail connection. That accessibility is a big part of why the area has grown as fast as it has, and why the Northline development is being built around that transit stop. If you're heading up for a show at Maggie Mae's or just exploring Old Town, either route works fine.