Per my Instagram, I’m sure you know I was in Texas for my sister’s bachelorette party this past weekend. Since it was my first time there and SxSW is this Friday, I figured what better time than the present to round up my top 11 things to do in Austin!
SOUTH CONGRESS STREET
This neighborhood is a must-stroll for both locals and visitors. The one annoying thing about Austin is that there is NO Uber… take a beat and remember the days before our favorite app. Ride Austin and Fasten (ask for Wade) are definite downloads as soon as your plane lands. Both suck, but beggers can’t be choosers.
FEATHER’S BOUTIQUE
South Congress is known for their vintage shops, and Feather’s is by far the best. The selection of women’s vintage threads, plus jewelry and shoes, is a close second to my all-time favorite vintage store, Decades (on Melrose). I found this vintage Blackhawks jersey that I can’t stop thinking about – – should have snagged it!
AMY’S ICE CREAM
After wandering up and down South Congress Street a few dozen times in hopes for a sweet treat, we finally found the cutest ice cream truck, Frostin. This little gem was suggested by an Austin local, but it ended up being just a prop for photo shoots. Literally devastated, we took a poll from a few randoms and Amy’s was the winner, so my thirst was quenched with the most delicious acai berry smoothie.
HOTEL SAN JOSE
This bungalow-style, dog-friendly hotel is also located in the South Congress neighborhood of Austin. We had the best time (post-brunch @ Perla’s) enjoying each other’s company in the leafy courtyard bar, which offered light snacks, occasional DJs, plus a wading pool – shockingly, no one fell in.
PAPERBOY
Just a short walk from our Airbnb, Paperboy, a navy-blue trailer, which offers farm-to-table breakfast sandwiches, bowls, toasts & coffee, perfectly captures the eclectic scene of Austin. Lactose intolerant customers (such as myself) will have to drink their coffee black as there were no dairy free options.
LAKE TRAVIS
I didn’t get to fully experience what Lake Travis had to offer because in true fashion, it poured rain the day we took our charter. We spent most of our time below deck, but had it been a sunny day, I can only imagine what kind of trouble you can get into out there.
RAINEY STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT
This cute little street of historic homes (many of the bungalow style) in downtown Austin was definitely more up our alley than Sixth Street. The renovated houses turned bars fill the adorable neighborhood-y street with string-light covered patios and food trucks. It’s also the perfect mix of locals and non looking for a fun night out.
PARLOR ROOM
Probably my favorite bar on Rainey Street, Parlor Room was made for an Instagram moment. This bar totally recognized the value of attractive aesthetics; see: hot pink living room/black and white tile bar.
LITTLE LUCY’S MINI DONUTS
This pink dessert cart (located on Rainey Street) serves fresh, hot mini-donuts – the perfect snack for a late night out. Apparently the pumpkin, cinnamon sugar are to-die… ask my sister who ate 16 of them.
LEGEND COFFEE CO.
Located next to the longest line I’ve ever seen for BBQ is Legend Coffee. Aside from the best seat in the house, this little wooden trailer has the best coffee and the sweetest baristas. We asked a few committed consumers why on earth they would be waiting in a four hour line and apparently the brisket at Franklin’s is world class and the best in the U.S. If you’ve tried it, let me know if it’s worth it.
MOOJO
This quirky, modern and vegan-friendly dessert spot is one-of-a-kind. Think gourmet ice cream meets warm cookies. Is your mouth watering yet? What spoke to me most about Moojo is the vegan and gluten free options they offer so everyone can enjoy. Traveling with allergies can be really difficult, so Moojo was definitely a breath of fresh air! Also, they have swings as seats, so there’s that as well.
