Austin Adventures

I’m being a little more timely on this trip.. haha!

I’m not beating you all to the questions but I am racing a few of you on the details of our Austin, Texas trip. Here’s the synapsis of the food and coffee I think you need to have while there, as well as the things you should see!

Just a timeline reminder for you, we arrived on a Thursday and left on a Sunday afternoon. We were there for a weekend in May and it was not overcrowded or terribly busy. We had a blast! Although we did melt into puddles with the heat and humidity, it definitely isn’t like Colorado down there!! This list is almost comprehensive and in no particular order!

Where we stayed:

We stayed in an Airbnb in the most perfect location for almost all of the events throughout the weekend! I’ll link it here! It was perfect distance to the wedding venue, the after party, ice cream, and pizza. I’m sure there were other great things within walking distance but those were the highlights. The best part of this Airbnb is Pete, the pig!

What we ate:

Along South Congress Avenue is an amazing pizza place called Home Slice Pizza. Everything we tried there is a must have. The garlic knots are my favorite of course 😉 Our Airbnb was literally right behind the restaurant! It has the cutest door wall behind the patio dinning area along with an insane amount of fun ping pong table. 

We went to Trudy Del Mar for pre-wedding brunch with the groom and I had the best omelet I think I have ever had. It was every amazing flavor possible, and even had fresh eggs! (You can really taste the difference in fresh versus store bought eggs. Once you have fresh you hardly ever want to go back and it can be like comparing apples to oranges.)   

Down the street a bit is a delicious ice cream shop called Amy’s Ice Cream. The Mexican Vanilla is Nate and I’s favorite from there. We went numerous times… I love the Dr. Pepper Mexican Vanilla Float and Nate constantly thinks about the Mexican Vanilla in a sugar cone with sprinkles. Highly recommend Amy’s Ice Cream as a can’t miss at some point when in Austin. Empathy is painted on the side and I love how subtle but impactful it is. 

Freebirds World Burrito was a delicious burrito place, comparable to Qdoba or Chipotle, but very yummy, in my opinion. We all tried something different. I liked it so much I forgot my phone there and had to walk back and get it before heading to the bat bridge!

Pinthouse Brewing was where the rehearsal dinner was. While I didn’t do any  drinking, plenty of the party did. The food that Pinthouse provided was delicious! They had a variety of small portioned foods that made an entire meal. And the dessert was next level… Just ask my husband! 

What we saw:

We did a lot of walking and saw a variety of street markets and vendors. Some were grouped together in sections that look like they are they together long term. For example, The Lawn was an adorable little set up for truck vendors but looked like they are set up for the season as they were in trucks/ trailers that were well set up and not pop up tents. 

We didn’t stray too far from South Congress since almost everything we needed was right there. Along the main were more vendors and markets, each with their own uniqueness, and several street performers. You are never short on music in Austin!

What we drank: 

Manana is a coffee shop inside/attached to the South Congress Hotel. When I tell you it was amazing, it truly was amazing! I think I had it 3 times while there and 2 of those times was in the same day! They don’t carry your typical coffee syrups or flavors. Instead they have their own house made syrups that are very unique and I recommend you chat with a barista about them. I loved their lattes!

Summer Moon is another pretty delicious coffee shop. It was recommended to me by family that we pop in there to try it. On our way to the airport we finally made it in. Their coffee is fire/ smoke roasted and full of flavor! They have their own special drink mixes that I believe I need to go back and try more of. Their menu seems very simple but very full and I could easily spend an entire month in there. (Maybe I should start a coffee shop blog? hmmm… I have been enjoying  a lot of random spots lately….)

White Tiger is a fun indoor/outdoor bar where the after party was. Lots of outdoor seating with the option for live music. We unfortunately didn’t stay long as everyone was exhausted at this point and most had flights to catch in the morning. I did really enjoy the atmosphere to hang with our new friends. 

The Meteor, yet another delicious coffee shop. I will tell you that Austin does coffee really well! Both the espresso and the food here were quite satisfying. The building is fascinating- we believe it was an old garage shop based on the look of the building. The music overhead definitely fit the theme and gave a lot of spacey vibes. They have alcohol for sales, more like specialty and niche craft brews; however they are not for consumption at the shop. 

Baker Street Pub & Grill was one of the only other places we got something to drink- I think? It was a very full and fast weekend. The environment was a lot of fun! It was jam packed busy with loud live music inside and the Avs on the TV outside. By the way did you see that amazing 4 second goal in game 6 against St. Louis? Holy buckets! The entire group of us from Colorado became quiet loud with that one. I can’t speak on their drink selection as I only had Dr. Pepper and water but judging by the variety I saw every order, they have a huge selection. 

What we did:

Allens Boots was an experience we are sure to never forget! We all got hats or hat supplies. I had mine shaped in store. The customer service is unmatched! They seemed to know several customers, welcome new ones, and not shy away from any question. Each staff member was knowledgeable and caring. They took the time to help out with whatever they could, including providing shots for a bachelor party that came in! If you need a hat or boots I highly suggest you pop in here and get a true taste of the southern hospitality. And you can bet I wore my new hat as often as possible down there!

The bat bridge is something I had never heard of until one of our friends suggested seeing it the first night we were there. It was intense and very neat to see. Around one and a half million bats all take flight from under the bridge at or around dark. Tons of people gather on and under the bridge to see it nightly. In the fall when they have pups (baby bats are called pups!) there is more than double taking flight than what we saw. It was a solid 25 minutes of seeing bats take off and fly around. If bats don’t creep you out you should park yourself there for a bit one night! Here’s a link for more information on when and where.

South Congress Hotel is where our friends were married. It made a beautiful venue with plenty of space for the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. Excellent layout throughout the entire place and lots to offer indoors with air conditioning! If you are looking for a simple but elegant place to get married in Austin, check out the South Congress Hotel!

 

To wrap this all up, if I have any advice to give you it is this: (A) travel with your friends and vacation with your friends- it makes a huge difference, (B) pack more clothes than you think you will need in Austin- it is terribly humid, (C) always ask the locals what to eat and what to see- they often know the best spots! 

Congratulations to our beautiful friends on their wedding- may you live happily ever after! 

 

Happy Travels!
xx
Hal