Austin
- Naomi
- Apr 3, 2017
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 12, 2018
After two South by Southwests and one Austin City Limits trip, my love for Austin is stronger than ever. Live music, sunshine, tacos, barbecue, and a plethora of weird things to see and do make the city one of my favorites.
Shout out to my main squeeze, Maryli, who shared her city with me to make all these experiences possible.
When to visit:
Spring and fall are the best times to enjoy Austin's warm weather and abundant water activities but avoid the stifling summer heat.
South By Southwest (SXSW) in the spring and Austin City Limits (ACL) in the fall draw huge crowds and are definitely worth checking out. At SXSW, you'll get a more intimate experience since most performances are at bars and small venues, even for popular acts like John Legend and Weezer, and you'll likely also get tons of free food and booze. ACL, on the other hand, is held at massive Zilker Park and resembles other large outdoor festivals.
How long to stay:
I've visited Austin for three long weekends and it was not enough. Going for major music events was awesome, but meant that there are still many things I didn't get to experience. I'd recommend five days apart from any festival-related activities so you can spend full days river tubing, pontoon boating, swimming at Jacob's Well and Barton Springs, and exploring South Congress street.
What to bring:
Your pooch: bring your dog to bars, swimming holes, and on strolls around the city because Austin is incredibly pet-friendly!
Sunscreen: the Texas sunshine is no joke
Sunglasses: the funkier, the better
Bathing suit: so many opportunities for taking a dip
Gettin' around:
As a tourist, getting around Austin was a pain because of their Uber and Lyft ban. Austin has their own ride-sharing companies, the biggest being Fasten and Ride Austin, but they're pretty terrible. The apps are unintuitive and unreliable-- it took a while to figure out how to enter a destination; they don't provide accurate wait times; and they seem to give an arbitrary price without indicating surge rate. Cabs are available but can be difficult to get at peak times and locations.
Renting a car or bike is probably easiest. Austin has an app called Car2Go that lets you find nearby rental cars and unlock them with your smartphone. Prices are $0.41 - $0.47 per minute, significantly cheaper than Fasten, and you can choose an eco-friendly two seater or ball out in a Mercedes.
Check it out:
Water Stuff:
Barton Springs: one of my FAVORITE spots in Austin, Barton Springs is a huge outdoor pool in Zilker Park fed with natural spring water, making it refreshingly cold on even the hottest days. Entry is $3 for residents, $8 for tourists, but they go by the trust policy.
Secret Beach: park your car and take a short 10 minute hike from the right of the lot to a shallow, sandy part of the river. It's technically illegal to swim at Secret Beach, but that shouldn't stop you from dipping your toes, skipping some rocks, and relaxing in this somewhat secluded spot.
Boardwalk Trail on Lady Bird Lake: take a stroll or go for a jog along the 1.5 mile boardwalk offering beautiful views of downtown. Fish, picnic, and rent kayaks or standup paddle boards.
River Tubing: on my next visit, I'm determined to partake in a tubes and booze party, aka spending an entire afternoon drinking and tubing down the river. There are a few companies that offer trips, including transportation to and from downtown Austin to the river about 45 minutes away. Call ahead to reserve a spot.
Rent a pontoon boat on Lake Travis: didn't get to try this, but would be great for groups
Jacob's Well: also on my list for next time, a really cool natural spring about an hour outside the city
Instagrammable Stuff:
Hope Outdoor Graffiti Gallery: bring cans of spray paint to contribute to this multi-story, collaborative graffiti park with a solid sunset view
Murals: spend a couple hours hunting down murals scattered acrross the city-- "Greetings from Austin", "I love you so much", "Hi, how are you?", "Living the Goodlife in Austin", Mr. Rogers, and more
Mount Bonnell: catch a breathtaking sunset over the river
South Congress: take a stroll down Austin's main street with great food, quirky shops, and random antique (junk) stores
Weird Stuff:
Chicken Sh*t Bingo: head to The Little Longhorn bar on Sunday afternoon for this Austin tradition-- pay a few bucks for a bingo number, then watch in agonizing suspense as a chicken walks on top of a bingo card surrounded by a crowd of eager betters. If the chicken poops on your number, YOU'RE A WINNER!
Mayfield Peacock Park: relax in this pretty park with tons of peacocks roaming around on the grounds and in the trees
Congress Avenue Bridge Bats: at dusk, hundreds of thousands of bats wake up and fly out from under the bridge. Hold your breath and wear a hat just in case.
Nightlife:
Rainey Street: an awesome street of trendy, low-key, kinda hipster bars, including Container Bar, a bar constructed of shipping containers. Many bars are pet-friendly, and there are obviously food trucks nearby.
Dirty 6th: Austin's main going out street, a crowded, noisy, sensory overload far more ratchet than Rainey
What to nom:
Torchy's: quite possibly the tastiest tacos in the world and certainly #1 in my heart. They're hefty, so I recommend ordering only two (three if you're famished), because you MUST get the chips and queso, which ingeniously includes guac inside. There are multiple locations, but I prefer the trailer park version as long as it's not sweltering outside.
Taco Deli: Austin locals are pretty divided on the Taco Deli versus Torchy's debate for best taco restaurant. Taco Deli is undeniably good, but comes off as more upscale than Torchy's. The vegetarian taco with sweet potatoes is a must-try.
Juan in a Million: not for the faint of stomach, this spot serves breakfast tacos bigger than your face. The taste is just ok, but portion size (even of the horchata) is massive.
Franklin's BBQ: Austin's #1 barbecue, though I haven't tried it because it requires waking up early to wait in line or ordering ahead and committing to 10 pounds (talk about meat sweats!)
La Barbecue: Austin's #2 barbecue, but #1 in my book because it's the only one I've tasted, and it was life-changing. Get in line early to make sure you get a massive beef rib. Pro-tip-- place an order 5 days in advance (no minimum required).
East Side Kings: best brussel sprouts you'll ever eat. Top the fried, crunchy goodness with sriracha for an added kick.
Chillantro: the ingenius Korean BBQ-inspired food truck that created kimchi fries. Try them covered in bulgogi-- you won't regret it.
Kebabalicious: I was borderline starving when this food truck appeared and saved me with their massive kebabs
Gordough's Donuts: this place makes donuts for all meals-- breakfast donuts, donut burgers, fried chicken-topped donuts, and dessert donuts smothered and covered with every imaginable sweet. They have food truck and brick and mortar locations.
Lick: unique, gourmet ice cream flavors similar to Jeni's
Final advice -- don't forget to imbibe lots of Tito's and Deep Eddy's -- it's the Austin way.
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