ACL Festival 2025: Everything You Need to Know

September 30, 2025 | by Heywood Hotel
Austin Events, Austin Music

One of Austin’s favorite annual traditions is back. For two weekends in October, more than 100 of the world’s top music acts come to town for Austin City Limits Festival.

This year, ACL Fest takes place October 3-5 and October 10-12. The 2025 ACL Fest lineup includes headliners Sabrina Carpenter, Hozier, The Strokes, Doja Cat, Doechii and Luke Combs, among many others, and promises to bring vibrant energy to Zilker Park.

Whether you decide to go for one day or all three, one weekend or both, here are our best tips for navigating ACL. We’ve also included our staff picks for who to see at this year’s festival!

Where to Stay for Austin City Limits Festival 2025

One of the best hotels near Austin City Limits Festival is none other than the Heywood Hotel.

Conveniently located just three miles from Zilker Park, the Heywood Hotel offers seven intimate rooms, a private courtyard, and a dedicated concierge team to help you make the most of your ACL Festival weekend.

The private courtyard at the Heywood Hotel in Austin, Texas.

Why choose the Heywood Hotel for ACL 2025?

Our MICHELIN-rated boutique hotel offers an unparalleled, personalized experience that sets the stage for an amazing festival weekend.

The Heywood Hotel is your home away from home during ACL Festival 2025.

Boutique luxury with Austin charm

The Heywood offers a handcrafted boutique experience unlike any other hotel in Austin. We’ve designed our spaces with a personal touch to provide a unique blend of comfort and local flavor.

Think of us as your home away from home. We offer free parking, good coffee, and ridiculously comfortable beds. After a day filled with a lot of walking, dancing, and high-energy fun, our quiet, beautifully designed rooms are the perfect place to retreat and recharge.

Plus, all ACL Festival reservations receive a free welcome basket of goodies.

Convenient location (with free parking)

The Heywood Hotel is proudly located in East Austin, just blocks from downtown Austin. Whether you plan to use a rideshare or catch the shuttle that departs from nearby Republic Square Park, our central location makes getting to ACL Fest a breeze.

How to Get to ACL Festival in 2025

It’s important to keep in mind that there is no parking available at Zilker park during ACL Fest, and parking in the surrounding neighborhoods is prohibited.

ACL Fest offers complimentary shuttle rides to and from Zilker park throughout the festival weekends. Simply head over to Sand Beach Park at the corner of Walter Seaholm and Electric Dr. in downtown Austin to catch a ride on the shuttle for a convenient trip to and from the festival. The shuttle begins service at 11:30am each day of the festival and drops off at the same location at Zilker Park throughout the day and through the evening.

Rideshares are also an option. ACL recommends using Lyft and entering “Austin City Limits Music Festival” or “Zilker Park” as your destination. This year, there are three designated drop off and pick up locations outside of Zilker Park, each less than half a mile from a park entrance or exit. When leaving the festival, ACL Fest requires that you exit the park and leave the restricted area prior to being able to request a ride.

At the Heywood Hotel, we consider ourselves lucky to be just three miles from Zilker Park. And for guests attending ACL Fest, traveling from the hotel to the festivities is a breeze. Guests can take advantage of the hotel’s free parking on site, then make their way to the park or to the complimentary shuttle via rideshare. The Heywood team is also more than happy to help coordinate bike rentals. Hop on a bike and take the scenic route to ACL on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail.

What to Eat at ACL Festival

Austin is a foodie town, so it’s no surprise that some of Austin’s best bites can conveniently be found inside the ACL Eats Food Court. Below are some of the local vendors you can expect to find at ACL 2025:

Cuantos Tacos
Bananarchy
Austin’s Pizza
Chilantro
KG BBQ
Discada
Gati Ice Cream
JuiceLand
La Santa Barbacha
Amy’s Ice Creams
The Mighty Cone
Veracruz All Natural
…and many more!

Most restaurants include gluten-free and vegetarian options, guaranteeing that there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

What to Bring to ACL Fest

In order to make the most of ACL, it’s important to bring a few essentials along that will help you feel your best for each performance.

Clear bag or small clutch or fanny pack: ACL Fest’s bag policy for 2025 requires that bags be clear and not larger than 12″ x 12″ x 6″. The only exception is for a small clutch or fanny pack that’s no larger than 6″ x 9″ and only has one small pocket.
Water bottle: Bring an empty reusable water bottle or hydration pack and fill up at one of the water stations to stay hydrated throughout the day.
Blanket or chair: With a full weekend of festivities ahead of you, you’ll want to sneak in plenty of moments to recharge. In between sets, find a shady spot to lay down a blanket or set up a chair to relax and give your body a chance to rest. Heywood guests can also borrow one of our beach towels for the weekend.
Sunscreen: This goes without saying, but attending an outdoor festival means you’ll be getting a lot of sun exposure. Protect yourself by packing non-aerosol sunscreen and re-applying throughout the day. Note that aerosol sunscreen is prohibited for 2025.

Be sure to check the list of allowed and prohibited items on the ACL Festival website before packing for the day.

Who to See at ACL Festival 2025

With more than 100 acts to see at ACL Fest 2025, there is a little something for everyone. Our team at the Heywood is still discovering many of these artists, but here are some names that grab our attention:

Kayla’s Picks

Kayla, the operations manager at the Heywood Hotel, describes her music taste as a blend of indie, alternative, and pop, with a soft spot for duos that bring a folk-inspired vibe. That’s why she’s especially excited about this year’s ACL lineup and felt it was tough to narrow it down to just four favorites!

Cage the Elephant: I’m a long time fan and their music brings me back to my teenage years. Always a dream to see them in person!
Hozier: “Take Me to Church” started my love for him, and the love grew even more with his most recent album.
Modest Mouse: I’ve seen them before and they’re a great pick if you love indie/alternative music from 2014.
Passion Pit: Another alternative pick — I think their show would be super fun to dance to!

Dani’s Picks

Dani is an executive assistant at the Heywood and a huge fan of many of the artists featured this year! She said her style of music leans more mainstream and it was hard to select just four, but these are her picks:

King Princess: Their sound is so clean and sharp. Plus, they put on a great live show!
Rainbow Kitten Surprise: “It’s Called: Freefall” is a song I play on repeat. Their harmonies are amazing!
T-Pain: All of his music is so fun! And he has a fantastic voice behind all the auto-tunes. Check out his cover of “Tennessee Whiskey!”
Dr. Dog: Their harmonies scratch my brain and their sound is a comfort.

Sam’s Picks

Sam is on the content team at the Heywood. She leans toward pop music and looks forward to acts who put on a fun show. These are her picks:

Djo: I became a fan of Joe Keery after watching him in Stranger Things, and his latest album, The Crux, sounds like it could be a soundtrack for the show with its 80s-style beats.
Sabrina Carpenter: She’s such a fun performer! Plus, Sabrina has a new album coming out in August, which leads me to believe her ACL appearance will be one of the first chances to hear it live. Stake out your spot by the stage early!
Doechii: She mixes hip-hop, rap, R&B, and even a little pop for a truly unique musical style — I have no doubt her performance will be memorable and fun!

And if you want a taste of Austin’s music scene, here are some local bands worth seeing at ACL 2025:

Dylan Gossett: A rising country singer-songwriter born and raised in Austin, you can catch Dylan Gossett on Friday of both weekends.
S.L. Houser: Sara L. Houser is a songwriter and musician who has been active in the Austin music scene for over a decade. Catch her on Saturday during Weekend One.
Geto Gala: Geto Gala is a hip-hop collaboration between Austin artists Deezie Brown and Jake Lloyd. Catch them live on Sunday during Weekend One.
Farmer’s Wife: An indie band based in Austin. Catch Farmer’s Wife on Friday during Weekend Two.
Asleep at the Wheel: A Grammy-winning Western swing and honky-tonk country band, Asleep at the Wheel has been a timeless Austin favorite since 1973. Catch Asleep at the Wheel on Friday during Weekend One of ACL.
Huston-Tillotson University Jazz Collective: The contemporary jazz ensemble is part of Austin’s only Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Watch the Huston-Tillotson University Jazz Collective on Sunday during Weekend Two.

Not attending the fest? They Heywood team put together an ACL 2025 Playlist so you can enjoy this year’s artists wherever you are!

Featured image by Roger Ho, courtesy of ACL Festival.