I recently traveled to Austin for a family wedding. Even though I’ve lived in Dallas for almost a year (I can’t believe I am typing that!), this past February was the first time I had ever made the journey over to Austin. The slogan for this great city is “Keep Austin Weird”. The great thing about Austin is that it is a cute little city, it’s easy to navigate, and it has a ton of trails and hiking options just outside the city. In addition to it being a cute little city, it def has all the entertainment to make it a fun destination for a weekend getaway- especially for a girls weekend or a bachelorette weekend (which we saw many out during the day celebrating)!
What I found so interesting about visiting this city was how different it was from Dallas. I drove from Dallas to Austin to meet my family at the place we were staying which was located just outside of the main city, up in the hills, and the very first impression that I had upon entering this fabulous city was that it reminded me of California/ LA hills. Immediately, I felt like I had left Dallas, Texas and entered a whole new state, one that was a blend of CA and a landlocked state- but not the Texas that I had been used to in my year of residing in this state. Throughout the weekend I realized that aside from being in the same state, these two cities don’t have much in common at all. Austin has a much more open minded feel along with a huge artsy scene! So for those of you who find those qualities in a city of interest for your next weekend getaway, consider checking out this fun little but really blooming city.
Everywhere you go in this city you will be rewarded with gorgeous street art and different food options! Honestly, just one day of exploring the downtown was enough to peak my interest in returning for another fun weekend, possibly a fun girls weekend!
If you have one day in Austin for a work trip or are doing a quick girls weekend getaway, here is what I did that I loved and would recommend to all of you!
My Weekend In Austin:
Where We Stayed In Austin:
Crystal Creek Retreat – Knowing we would be a big group we
booked a big house slightly outside of Austin and I had to review it because I just have to say this os the perfect house for a big group traveling to Austin whether it be for a relaxing girls weekend or for a bachelorette! It is technically a spa but with the pool, hot tub, and open living space with a little cottage located in the back you def could make this a fun location for a big girls (bachelorette) trip! I could write a whole post dedicated to this spot because it was perfect for a trip to Austin. You get the most beautiful look from up in the hills overlooking the outskirts of Austin!
Eats In Austin:
We didn’t get to go to a ton of places being that one of our major meals was at the wedding(wish I could recommend the wedding food!) and we bought groceries ahead of time to keep at the house for quick breakfast before exploration time but these were a few delish spots:
Habanero Cafe– This cafe serves delish texmex that we went to for lunch, located right within walking distance to some of the popular shopping destinations located on the main strip.
Manana – A must visit for coffee lovers or those who want some quick baked goods to go! This menu isn’t just limited to coffee and small scones, but they offer gluten free baked goods, salads, breakfast taco’s and much more!
Entertainment & Shopping In Austin:
If you have a quick weekend trip, head to Congress Ave. for the main strip of Austin, filled with restaurants, cafe’s, shopping and much more! These were some of the cool shops to stop into:
- Maya Star– Located on the main strip of Austin, Congress Ave, this store will stand out to you
regardless of whether you are looking for a girly boutique or not because of its sign in bright pink colors! Being that I am easily drawn to such a color, I made this my first stop on Congress Ave. Funny but true story- I had packed a few options to wear to the wedding in Austin but as I was shopping at this relatively affordable young adultclothing store, I stumbled upon the perfect floral midi dress that I felt would be even better than my options that I packed, and all for half the price of the dresses I originally bought for wedding attire. Needless to say, if you are a girl in your twenties or thirties looking for cute and stylish yet affordable clothing- ranging from (my favorite type of clothing to shop for) date night tops to (wedding guest) dresses, make sure to check out Maya!
- Austin Boots – Okay so I know I said that Austin feels like a different state from Dallas,
but this is the big exception! If you are from outside of Texas and want that Texas vibe- check out this store there are few quite like it! My niece and nephew ended up with a special gift of cowboy hats and now they look like they could be Beth and Rips son and daughter (Yellowstone reference). - Feathers Boutique Vintage – Looking to shop vintage?! This is the other pink shop that stood out to me while visiting Austin but with its location on a side street off of congress ave. we almost missed it! But it has such cute vintage clothes to choose from.
As mentioned, Austin has awesome trails and places to get out and about and walk around, these were some of our fav spots:
- Barton Springs Pool – While it was too cold for us to go swimming in February, this is def a popular spot that people recommended when I was heading to Austin as a spot to just check out. It is apparently fed by a natural spring so people can swim whenever the weather presents as warm enough (which as we know is most of the year).
- The Ann And Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail – Walk along this beautiful trail if you are looking to get moving a bit during your stay in Austin. There were so many turtles along this hiking and bike trail, it was an awesome walk.
These are just some of the thousands of spots Austin has to offer and I would love to hear from y’all what some of your favorites were?!