Austin is a thriving city known for live music, great food and just plain being weird. The city has the slogan keep Austin weird and is often referred to as the live music capital of the world. We traveled to Austin for a long weekend and it did not disappoint, we had a blast! Here are some of our favorite restaurants, attractions and tips on how to plan a great trip to Austin.
Austin from South Congress
Southwest, along with all the major airlines fly into Austin Bergstrom International Airport, so you can use your points and companion status to fly there for free! The airport is only about 15 minutes from the center of the city, which makes for a very easy trip.
You can use your hotel points or free nights at tons of hotels downtown or check out the many reasonably priced Airbnb’s in the South Congress neighborhood. We stayed on South Congress and loved it. We could walk to so many great restaurants, food trucks and shops.
Allens Boots
The food in Austin was out of this world good! Check out these restaurants & food trucks….
- South Congress Café: go for breakfast and get the carrot cake french toast and a bloody mary! Get there early because it fills up fast or try and grab a seat at the bar.
South Congress Cafe
- Torchy’s Tacos: check out their food truck in the trailer park location. The lines are long but so worth it. My favorite was the baja shrimp taco.
Torchy’s Tacos
- Odd Duck: eclectic restaurant that specializes in farm to table small plates with an ever changing menu. Don’t be afraid to try something new as their food is very unique but oh so good! Make a reservation in advance.
Fried Quail
- Café no sé: new restaurant in the South Congress Hotel that has a French country vibe. The ricotta hot cakes for breakfast were amazing!
Café no sé
- Chi’lantro: two words….kimchi fries! These might have been my favorite food in Austin. They have two restaurants and a food truck that should not be missed!
Kimchi Fries at Chi’lantro
- Jo’s Coffee: best coffee and breakfast tacos. Great spot on south congress to sit outside, enjoy breakfast and people watch.
Jo’s
There are so many fun things to do in Austin! We were there during a cold winter weekend so we couldn’t enjoy the many outdoor activities Austin has to offer but we still had a blast! Check out these activities….
- Whole Foods: you may be thinking this is just another grocery store but that couldn’t be further from the truth. This is the original whole foods and has multiple restaurants, food tastings and more beer and wine than you can imagine. Grab a beer from the beer cooler, pay for it at the bar and take it with you as you peruse the store!
Original Whole Foods
- Sixth Street: this is the party street also known as dirty sixth. While it does get crazy after midnight it was a lot of fun earlier in the night walking around and listening to live music. Check out the Blind Pig Pub!
Bar
- South Congress Avenue: do some shopping on South Congress Ave. They have tons of fun, eclectic shops and art galleries. Don’t miss Allen’s boots!
Allen’s Boots on South Congress
- Rainey Street: small street of houses that have been converted into bars and restaurants. If you’re a beer enthusiast then Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden is for you, with over 100 beers on tap. For some great craft cocktails check out Clive.
Beer!
- Texas Two-Step Lesson at the White Horse: learn to two-step at a true Texas honky tonk. The White Horse has free two-step lesson every Saturday night from 7-8pm. Then stay for the live band and show off your new moves!
The White Horse
If you’re looking for a weekend getaway add Austin, Texas to your list. You can’t go wrong with amazing food, live music and everything weird!
Austin Sign