Some of the best hipster things to do in the U.S. include visiting a fake store in the desert, getting bacon on your donuts, viewing unusual pop art, and drinking booze while watching the latest movie releases.
Yes, hipsters who’ve outgrown boring old tourist attractions like the Statue of Liberty, Disney World, and Mount Rushmore need some activities of their own. Fortunately, as a post-hipster myself, I have some ideas!
True hipsters would probably avoid popular spots altogether, so the title of this post is a bit misleading. But let’s ignore that semantic inconsistency and instead focus on some of my favorite cool hipster attractions from around the country.
And feel free to share a comment with your favorite suggestions as well!
My Favorite Hipster Things To Do in the USA
Fremont Fair & Solstice Parade – Seattle
Every year, Seattle’s artsy neighborhood of Fremont hosts a fair and parade where people dress up like maniacs and celebrate the summer.
The Fremont Fair & Solstice Parade is unique because it features no vehicles and no advertisements – just wacky folks in silly costumes out to put a smile on people’s faces.
Before the parade, a group of cyclists in body paint ride along the parade route as part of the World Naked Bike Ride. The bizarre floats follow shortly after.
When the parade ends, revelers move to a central location for a fair where artists can show off and sell their work. The best part? Everything is free.
The Andy Warhol Museum – Pittsburgh
The world’s largest museum dedicated to a single artist, Pittsburgh’s Andy Warhol Museum showcases the pop art junkie’s paintings, photographs, films, sculptures and installations.
The seven-floor facility (usually only four or five are open at a time) also includes newspaper clippings from Warhol’s life and a display of covers from his Interview magazine.
Occasionally, temporary exhibits from other artists are displayed, and the Warhol regularly hosts ultra-cool concerts by artists and bands like John Vanderslice, St. Vincent, Antony & the Johnsons and Black Dice.
This is a must-visit whenever you are in Pittsburgh.
If you’re an art enthusiast, see also our article about the Banksy exhibits at the Amsterdam Moco Museum.
The Alamo Theater – Austin
If you’ve ever heard screaming children at a movie theater and thought, ‘Why can’t there be a theater that doesn’t allow kids?,’ check out the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Austin, Texas.
Children under six are not permitted, except for special events, and those under 18 must have a parent. The theater serves alcohol and food with table service.
It’s like combining the dinner-and-a-movie date experience into one location. The Alamo even creates its own amazing pre-movie entertainment – when I saw the latest Star Trek movie, the previews included clips of Star Trek parodies from various tv sketch shows.
Voodoo Doughnut – Portland, Oregon
The obvious indie hangout in Portland is Powell’s Books, one of the world’s largest book stores. But Voodoo Doughnut isn’t far behind in terms of the cool factor.
They put all kinds of quirky toppings on their donuts, from banana chunks to Cap’n Crunch cereal to bacon slices (oh yes!)
The donuts are only slightly more than what you might pay at Dunkin Donuts. And they also have several vegan donuts to satisfy those who think meat products are evil.
My personal favorite? The chocolate cake donut topped with chocolate icing and Cocoa Puffs. Nom nom…
Voodoo has recently expanded to several other cities, including Denver, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Orlando, and Tempe.
Prada Marfa – Marfa, Texas
There’s a fake Prada store in the middle of a lonely stretch of Texas desert, just sitting there waiting for you to come take funny Instagram photos. Hipsters, what are you waiting for?
Prada Marfa was created as an art installation designed to be a commentary on consumerist society. Tourists show up daily to get their photos.
Actually, the entire town of Marfa is pretty damn hipstery. There are street art murals, funky coffee shops, and interesting thrift stores. If Austin is the hipster capital of Texas, Marfa may be next in line.
Seven Magic Mountains – Las Vegas
Just a short drive from the Las Vegas Strip sits the outdoor art project known as Seven Magic Mountains.
Hundreds of people come here daily to see the giant stacks of boulders that have been shaped into towers and painted with bright neon colors.
Las Vegas isn’t known as a city with a ton of hipstery activities, since so much of the city is about gambling and excess. That makes Seven Magic Mountains a cool find out in the desert.
Gum Wall – Seattle
A few different cities have gum walls, but Seattle‘s is perhaps the most well-known.
The Gum Wall is literally what it sounds like – a brick wall with thousands of pieces of used bubble gum. Tourists come by and add their own saliva-soaked gum wads to the art piece.
It’s silly, and a little disgusting, but it makes for some funny pics, and that’s what really matters, right? The Gum Wall is right in Pike Place, so it gives hipsters an excuse to visit the famous tourist mall.
Junkman’s Daughter’s Brother – Athens, Georgia
The Junkman’s Daughter’s Brother – the name alone tells you this place is a bit odd. The store is like the well-known mall gift/toy shop Spencer’s, multiplied by a hundred.
From t-shirts to novelty toys to posters to games, the Junkman has the perfect store for a college town, which makes its location in Athens, Georgia a good fit.
This store has opened and closed a few times, but right now it’s still in business. Visit and give them your support!
There’s also a Junkman’s Daughter (minus the brother) in Atlanta’s hipster Little Five Points neighborhood.
Banksy Exhibit at the Moco Museum – Amsterdam
I’m adding one non-USA item to this list, because it’s such an ideal hipster activity. The mysterious artist Banksy has earned underground and mainstream cred for his anti-establishment art pieces over the years.
The Moco Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands has one of the best collections of Banksy art anywhere in the world.
The exhibits include fake British bills with the face of Lady Diana on them, and a massive snake with Mickey Mouse in its stomach.
Banksy’s art is unique and thought-provoking. Anyone who visits Amsterdam should stop by to see it.
What are your favorite urban hipster things to do?
