GO.
Colorful, creative, active, and eclectic...Austin is unique. Known for it’s great food, fun music scene, and natural beauty Austin is the perfect place for a quick get-a-away or a weeklong stay. It’s one of the fastest growing cities, and it’s known as a place where the quality of life is high.
SEE.
BE.
There are tons of opportunities to just “be” around Austin. The city is surrounded by so much natural beauty. Some of my favorite moments to sit back were brunch at Elizabeth Street Café, swimming at Barton Springs Pool, and watching a beautiful sunset on top of Mt. Bonnell.
EAST 6TH
STREET INTRO TO AUSTIN
We flew in late and picked up our car at the Austin
Bergstrom Airport but of course we had to take advantage of the first of our 3 nights.
We had no problem finding our cute little airbnb located in Hyde Park (deserves
a post on it’s own). We decided to dive right into Austin nightlife by heading to
East 6th. We were hungry and most kitchens were already closed so we hit up
one of chef Paul Qui’s well-known East Side King food
trucks (Thai-Kun).
One of the things that initially attracted me to Austin was it’s well known reputation for good food.
It was either The Liberty Bar or Whistler’s.
We decided on the craft cocktail reputation of Whistlers. We ordered straight from the food truck—and got drinks from the bar.
I had the Thai Kun Fried chicken with sticky rice. It was delicious!
The food was SPICY.
The St. Augustine cocktail and Austin Beerworks American IPA were the perfect drinks to take down the heat.
It was an unexpectedly chilly night so we decided to grab a couch inside but the outdoor patio and lights were tempting.
The garage doors were all open so it was the best of both worlds.
It was either The Liberty Bar or Whistler’s.
We decided on the craft cocktail reputation of Whistlers. We ordered straight from the food truck—and got drinks from the bar.
The food was SPICY.
The St. Augustine cocktail and Austin Beerworks American IPA were the perfect drinks to take down the heat.
It was an unexpectedly chilly night so we decided to grab a couch inside but the outdoor patio and lights were tempting.
The garage doors were all open so it was the best of both worlds.
DAY 1- WACO/ HILL COUNTRY/ LAKE TRAVIS
Elizabeth Street Café- Noodles. Báhn Mì. Boulangerie—1501 S. First St.
A good brunch was a must after our late night.
We headed to Elizabeth Street Café, a little neighborhood spot, on First
Street.
Elizabeth Street is a combo of a
Vietnamese café and a French bakery.
It might be the cutest and most colorful cafe I’ve been to…pastels and pops of colors floor to ceiling.
Happy hour is M-F 3-6, when appetizers, beer, wine, sake, and fruity/boozy punch are $2 off.
All of the girls are wearing some variation of bright floral prints.
There’s a great outdoor porch and a garden patio but since it was chilly out we chose to sit at the bar.
Fresh pastries and Stumptown coffee are also available to grab and go.
The food was amazing. The sweet and savory combo was very satisfying—and the coffee was delish. I wish we could’ve gone back again for lunch and dinner, I’m sure it gets better with every meal.
House Baked Brioche French Toast: Sweetened Condensed Milk
Ice Cream, Blueberry Thai Basil Compote, & Brown Butter Syrup
Crispy Vermicelli Cakes: Crispy Pork Belly, Two Farm Eggs, Herb
& Radish Salad
Capitol Views on
South Congress—1100 Congress Avenue
Post brunch we needed some fresh air before road tripping to
Waco. We decided to check out the South Congress area right around the corner.
Standing loud and proud was the Texas State Capitol building. The capitol is massive. I guess this is the perfect example of the saying, "everything is bigger in Texas."
It’s the 6th tallest capitol and even taller than the US capitol in DC.
Everything was so green and it was a beautiful day to just walk around the park.
It’s a great space to walk around or just sit back and be.
Standing loud and proud was the Texas State Capitol building. The capitol is massive. I guess this is the perfect example of the saying, "everything is bigger in Texas."
It’s the 6th tallest capitol and even taller than the US capitol in DC.
Everything was so green and it was a beautiful day to just walk around the park.
It’s a great space to walk around or just sit back and be.
Waco- Magnolia Market & The Silos—601 Webster Avenue
We thought it would be fun to road trip to Waco, browse the
silos + market, and even check out Baylor University. Waco is
relatively close to Austin so we couldn’t miss the chance experience Magnolia Market. It was an easy drive—a short 100 miles
straight up I-35. The silos aren’t out
in the country they are smack in the middle of town much to many people’s
surprise. We love Fixer Upper. Who doesn’t?
Chip and JoJo and the rest of the Gaines clan are the cutest. However, I think
if you are going to Waco to see them— that’s a bit unrealistic. If you just
want to check out where a lot of the show is filmed and be inspired by the
surroundings, it’s worth the trip.
It’s very family friendly. There’s the store itself to
explore, a large green space to throw the football or play other lawn games,
lots of food trucks, the garden, and even baby goats to check out…lots of photo
opps. The store is made up of
little knickknacks, décor, and serving ware pieces. Don’t expect to see big
items like fixtures and furniture. You can also shop Joanna’s jewelry
collection and the classic Magnolia Farm T-shirts. It’s a pleasant place
(candles everywhere, worship music, pretty artwork, & friendly people) add
to the overall environment. It can be crowded depending on the time you hit it
but it’s a well-oiled machine—just as I would have expected from the Gaines’
family.
Baylor University
My husband works in athletics and his grandfather is a proud
graduate of Baylor University so it was a fun reason for
us to check out the campus located right downtown. The Brazos River runs
through town and campus. Tons of people were out kayaking, paddling, and
enjoying the spring sunshine. Baylor recently built a new football stadium and
walking bridge that’s pretty picturesque. It was a nice little pit stop.
Cameron Park Wildflowers—2601
Sturgis Road
April is Bluebonnet season and Texas is known for its
wildflowers in spring. Cameron Park was the
perfect place to breathe them in. Cameron Park is a beautiful 400-acre oasis in
the middle of town. I’m sure people who need a little escape from life, find
their happy place here. There are countless trails, cliffs, flowers, and river
views. It’s a great place to picnic, bike, fish, hike, or relax. Another fun
fact is that there’s an award-winning zoo at Cameron Park. It’s romantic
and quiet. As simple as it sounds, hanging in the late sun with these brightly
lit wildflowers was one of my favorite moments of our entire trip!
We parked next to Jacob’s Ladder and climbed the 100
zigzagging steps to the top.
We stumbled upon this patch of wildflowers just left of
Anniversary Park
The Oasis at Lake Travis—6650 Comanche Trail, Texas Hill Country
We wrapped things up in Waco just in time to drive and catch
the sunset at Lake Travis. The Oasis on Lake Travis is located about 15 miles NW of Austin in the
heart of hill country. I had seen pictures of the restaurant but I had no idea
how big it was in real life… nicknamed the sunset capitol of Texas, this place
is truly a gem. I knew it was a casual Mexican joint with really pretty views
but that’s about
it. We could hardly find a parking spot.
At first I kind of felt like I was at Disney World swamped by lots people who were also sunset chasers. I was shocked when I found that The Oasis seats up to 2500 people. Somehow we made it Cliffside just in time to catch the sun dip under the horizon. Hundreds of people stopped their conversations to watch this display, people cheered, and there was even a victory bell that rang out when the sun was no longer in sight. I loved how the sunsets there are a celebration!
it. We could hardly find a parking spot.
At first I kind of felt like I was at Disney World swamped by lots people who were also sunset chasers. I was shocked when I found that The Oasis seats up to 2500 people. Somehow we made it Cliffside just in time to catch the sun dip under the horizon. Hundreds of people stopped their conversations to watch this display, people cheered, and there was even a victory bell that rang out when the sun was no longer in sight. I loved how the sunsets there are a celebration!
It was truly beautiful and worth the wait—we somehow lucked
out and didn’t have to wait an hour and a half to be seated like we were told
when we first arrived (they don’t take reservations). The food was pretty good
but the view was spectacular. The chips
+ guac + margaritas were GREAT! This is one of those places where the sunset
really does seem to last forever. The restaurant is built into the cliff and
located about 450 feet above Lake Travis. The houses surrounding the lake are unbelievable.
Cyprus trees and well-manicured lots add to the amazing view. Lake Travis and exploring the wineries of the
Texas Hill Country could be a vacation itself alone. Lake Travis has quite the
reputation of being a luxurious lakeside resort town.
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