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Texas Forever: A Quick Guide To The Beautiful City Of Austin

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[Photo: Flickr/Jeremy Keith]

Austin, Texas has an insane energy to it with all of the food, music, hiking, and drinking you could ever hope for. I just got back from the city last week, but I have been eager to share my favorite places and things.

I adore Austin a ridiculous amount (enough so that the first time I went there we decided to quit my job and move there) and I cannot express how excited I am to get to be a part of this culture everyday!

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For those of you who are just heading to Austin on vacation (or at least that is what you think now) here are the best things to know about Austin!

Where To Stay

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Austin is becoming a big city population wise, but is still relatively small geographically. I highly recommend using airbnb - that is what I did when I wasn’t staying with friends.

It is a great way to get a lot of bang for your buck and get some insider information on the city while you are at it.

If you are into hiking and outdoorsy stuff, I would recommend staying near Old Bee Cave Road so you can be near Hamilton Pool and some hiking trails. If you are more into the music & downtown scene, stay near 6th street or Rainey street areas. There is plenty to do there.

What To Do

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Catch a show at Stubb’s, Emo’s or the Parish. Music is always the highlight of Austin. I saw Fitz & The Tantrums at Stubb’s and my mind is still blown.

Be sure to explore Rainey Street. It is this rad street where the bars are all old houses or food trucks (except for one made from shipping containers which is equally rad).

You must go stand up paddleboarding at ATX SUP on Lady Bird Lake. The water starts off a little murky, but take a right and head to Barton Creek where it is clear blue and a lot more refreshing.

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Go to the Hamilton Pool for sure. It is the this amazing natural swimming hole that you can hike to. It is a bit outside the city but well worth it!

If you want to party college style, hit up 6th Street (or as the locals call it “Dirty Sixth”). You can get mega cheap long island iced teas at Shakespear’s and dance the night away.

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Go shopping on South Congress. There are some amazingly cool thrift stores, as well as unique boutiques and locally owned shops. Cool vibes and cool people.

Check out the 360 Bridge for some amazing landscapes. There are a few hiking trails off the side of it where you can get some amazing bird’s eye views.

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Be sure to check out Graffiti Park. It was originally a building project that lost its funding was never completed, but since it kept getting vandalized, they decided to just turn it into a place to graffiti with no consequences. There are some amazing artworks to look at, and if you have some artistic skills, it is a fun place to make art of your own!

What To Eat & Drink

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The sushi at Lucky Robot is amazing! Not to mention it is so close to the aforementioned great shopping on South Congress!

Get the manmosa at Bangers. A liter of champagne and a splash of orange juice? Don’t mind if I do.

I know it is obviously not vegan, but if you are a meat eater, Austin is known for its BBQ. Franklin’s is the most famous, but the wait can be up to several hours. We hit La Barbecue and it was magnificent (or so my carnivorous friends told me).

Be sure to hit up Hopdoddy for some insane burgers if you eat meat and a truly magnificent veggie burger for us vegheads.

Spiderworks is a super cool bar to grab a cocktail or a beer and watch some epic poetry slams or live music.

If you have time visit In.gredients, the zero waste grocery store. This place is totally insane and where I plan to do all of my shopping once we move. They sell everything on tap (beer, kombucha, olive oil you name it) so all you need to do is bring in your growlers or glass jars (or buy them there) and boom! No packaging required.

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Sweating bullets in the insane heat? Head over to Sweet Ritual, the most amazing vegan ice cream store eva! They have some crazy flavors, but my favorite has to be the cuban coffee.

Hit up Kerbey Lane for an amazing diner style breakfast. It is not fancy or pretentious, it is just awesome.

Good To Know

Austin is a very quickly expanding city, which means that there is a lot of traffic at peak times. Be sure to allot enough time to get from A to B without stressing!

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