You’ve no doubt heard this quote by Red Wassinech that went totally viral once he put it on bumper stickers…read on to figure out exactly why the city of Austin is weirdly wonderful and worth a visit!
Practicalities
Austin, like a lot of Texas, remains hot and humid almost year round. Our favorite time to visit is in the fall, when temperatures are starting to drop just slightly and the humidity is less intense.
Make sure you pack a bathing suit on your trip to Austin! This city is perched on the Colorado River and very close to Lake Travis, meaning there are tons of awesome water activities to try out.
Where to Stay
Luxury: Thompson Austin. This hotel is really hot at the moment and offers a beautiful elevated pool. It’s mere steps away from 6th street and a short walk from the river as well.
Midrange: Aloft Austin Downtown. This hotel has floor to ceiling glass windows offering sweeping views over Austin. It’s also a hop, skip and jump away from 6th street.
Budget: Homewood Suites by Hilton Austin Downtown. These suites have everything you need to enjoy Austin, and the hotel is a short drive away from major attractions.
What to Do
There are so many amazing things to do in Austin, but we want to point out an event that MANY people flock to Austin for. That would be Austin City Limits! This awesome music festival takes place over two weekends in Zilker Park and features diverse lineups.
It’s worth noting the dates of this music festival even if you don’t want to attend, because prices for hotels will be super high and the city will be packed during these two weekends. Zilker Park, when not hosting ACL, is a really beautiful hilly park and definitely ideal picnicking grounds.
Castle Hill is home to an amazing and beautiful graffiti park, but that’s unfortunately now closed. The neighborhood around here still offers great views over the Austin capitol building.
For a classic Austin view, head to Pennybacker Bridge. Keep in mind there is no official parking for this overlook and it is about a ten minute climb/scramble up to this viewpoint. It’s totally doable though and worth the views! We actually saw a couple getting engaged while up here.
If the hot weather is getting to you, cool off at one of the many snow cone shops in the city. For some reason there are tons of these all around Austin, and you really can’t go wrong.
As far as water adventures, you’re going to want to head to Lake Travis. Here you can find all sorts of water rentals including kayaks, paddle boards, pedal boats, tube and more. It’s the perfect place to cool off from the Texan sun. If you’d rather stay dry, there are also larger boats offering cruises and delightful views.
Where to Eat
Start your day with a decadent Southern brunch at Trudy’s. There are a couple of locations for this authentic Tex-Mex chain, but we visited the Central Austin one. The menu is extensive and you really can’t go wrong.
Austin is known for its amazing barbecue. For a delicious feast check out Salt Lick Barbecue. You’ll have to wait, but it’s worth it, and you can purchase lemonade or freshly popped popcorn if you’re really hungry. You get to eat on cute picnic benches with classic red and white checkered table clothes, and the food is absolutely amazing.
If you’re looking for some late night fun, then 6th Street is the place to go. There are tons of restaurants and bars offering live entertainment and delicious drinks. Part of it is closed off to cars making it easier to walk around this iconic street of Austin.
For a decadent sweet treat to end the night, visit Gourdough’s Big Fat Donuts. We visited the food trailer on 1st street but there is also a public house as well. This is the Funky Monkey donut with grilled bananas (we can also recommend the Nutty Valentine). There are so many delicious options to try.
Looking for more fun under the Texas sun? Check out our Texas landing page here, or Itineraries here!