Austin Ghost Town

Visiting J. Lorraine Ghost Town, Austin, Texas

One of the weirdest but coolest things to do in Austin, Texas, is the J.Lorraine Ghost Town. On my last day in Austin I told my friend Kyle I wanted to shoot guns, so we drove to a shooting range and saw the sign to this ghost town along the way.

shooting range in Austin Texas

I’d never shot a gun before, and as it turns out, I was a complete wimp. For a start I could barely lift the gun, and then I was paranoid I would accidentally shoot myself. I fired it once and that was enough, so I sat on a chair in the sun while the boys did their thing!

Since I hadn’t really taken part in the shooting, I googled the ghost town on my phone, and suggested we go check it out.

Inside J. Lorraine Ghost Town Austin

J. Lorraine Ghost Town, Austin Texas

I loved the welcome sign…”Rent the town for family fun, birthdays, business events, weddings, divorces, graduations” You might end up getting divorced if your partner wanted to get married in a ghost town!

Jokes aside, this place was pretty fun. When I pictured Texas in my mind, I had envisaged cowboy boots, horses, guns, line dancing and the TV show Dallas. So the J.Lorraine ghost town in Austin ticked that box for me! I loved watching Western films as a kid, and the ghost town made me feel like I’d been transported onto the set of a cowboy movie.

Ghost Town Austin

The ghost town is a mock 1800s Texan town, complete with stables, a jail, a sheriff’s office, a general store, a hotel, a blacksmith and a saloon. In total it covers an area of 4.5 acres.

There’s a maze too, but if you go in there you’ll most certainly be stuck for a long long time!  I followed my friends inside the maze, but soon heard them shouting “It’s best if you turn around, we can’t find our way out!” Luckily I remembered the way I came, but the boys ended up having to climb over the fence to get out again!

According to the Facebook Page, “J. Lorraine is a re-created version of the original J. Lorraine that stood just a few miles from present day Manor, Texas. The town was a neutral territory for outlaws and lawmen alike until it was burned by outraged moral citizens from nearby.”

Ghost Town bar

There’s also a Bar & Grill serving beers and wines plus delicious “Ghost Burgers”. If you’re on a budget you can get the $1 hot dogs! At dusk there are sometimes free movie showings on a giant outdoor screen, and there’s also live music on the stage. The Ghost Town hosts techno events and all kinds of shows – check their website for upcoming events.

Ghost Town Austin live music

Austin has the slogan “Keep Austin Weird”…well the ghost town is definitely weird, which makes it awesome! Definitely a fun way to spend my last day in Texas.

Quick Info

The J. Lorraine Ghost Town is open Saturdays and Sundays. It’s closed Monday through Friday. Opening hours vary and are weather permitting so it’s important to check the website to see if it’s open when you want to visit.

Pets are not allowed and you aren’t allowed to bring in any outside food or beverages. Kids are welcome but must be supervised by an adult at all times.

Beer and wine is served at the Ghost Town Bar – price is $6.

Address: 14219 Littig Rd, Manor, TX 78653

5 thoughts on “Visiting J. Lorraine Ghost Town, Austin, Texas”

  1. This is awesome been there once but never had the burger but heard how awesome they were. Will make it a point to go just for a burger.

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