You’ve probably heard the saying “Keep Austin Weird”, which we definitely should keep doing, but I’m going to propose another unofficial motto, “Keep Austin Lit”. No, not in the 420, Mary Jane way (my nose has let me know that there’s plenty of that already), but in a neon sign way.
We’re not talking about the new LED variety that has made “neon” so accessible that we can all have it in our homes if we wish. We’re talking the relics of the past or made to look like relics, that have beckoned travelers to stop for a bite or fill their tank up since the early 1930’s.
Sadly, glass neon/argon lighted signs have had their ups and downs over the years, but Austin is one of the cities keeping them alive. So while we were there last month we took a couple of nights to venture around town and photograph some of our favorites.
Even the historic Albert Dance Hall gets in on the neon action.
Outside of Austin, if you find yourself in Glendale, California, you can hit the Museum of Neon Art. We spent a lovely afternoon there back in 2017 and can highly recommend it if you love getting your neon on, too. I wish they’d had the MONA Light Walks when we were there.
And, you can bet that the next time we’re in Vegas, we’ll be visiting the outdoor Neon Boneyard at the Neon Museum.
Now before this post goes to the dogs, let me leave you with a non-neon example of Austin keeping it weird!
