5 things to see & do in austin, texas
Deep in the heart of Texas is a city so eccentric, you’d think you were no longer in the Lone Star State anymore. Austin is home to some of the best Mexican food, live music and outdoor experiences an urban city has to offer. When I visited in the fall for my friend Sam’s birthday, I found myself in a whole new world while somehow feeling right at home. With its indie coffee shops, access to nature, and booming tech scene, there’s a lot to Austin that reminds me of Seattle. As you make your own travel plans to this anomaly of Texas, consider checking out these five things to see and do.
shopping on south congress
Austin has an eclectic array of thrift shops and high-end athleisure stores (think Alo and Outdoor Voices) all located on South Congress Avenue. My favorite thrift store was Feathers, where I found a vintage Ralph Lauren button down that I ended up wearing to a dinner on the trip.
bar hopping on rainey street
I’ve enjoyed nightlife in a lot of different cities, but the vibes on Rainey Street are unmatched. This district has a bar for everyone, from the circus-themed Unbarlievable, to the Container Bar—which is literally made of shipping containers. You never know what you’re going to see on Rainey Street, so expect the unexpected.
tacos, bbq & tex-mex
The food scene in Austin centers around three food groups: tacos, BBQ and Tex-Mex. Tacos get their own category because you can find so many iterations of them in the city: upscale ‘tacos de pescador’ at Comedor, classic street style tacos at Cuantos Tacos, and hearty breakfast tacos at Try Hard Coffee Roasters. We had the best brisket from a food truck called Big Vinny’s BBQ and ended our trip with traditional Mexican fare at ¡HOLA! Tamale House.
entertainment on 6th street
There’s a reason why Austin is touted as the ‘Live Music Capital of the World’ and it’s because of entertainment districts like 6th Street and Red River. On our first night in Austin we went to Cheer Up Charlies and enjoyed live music from a local indie band while sipping on kombucha cocktails.
biking through the city
Getting around Austin was incredibly easy thanks to the city’s bike-friendly infrastructure. We traveled from our Airbnb in Central East Austin to the shopping on South Congress Avenue via Lime Scooter in just about 15 minutes. For those that are a bit more serious about biking, there are plenty of trails, parks and courses in Austin.
