Updated July 21, 2020.
If you’ve been following along with our travels on Instagram and Facebook, you know my sweet husband and I met up in Austin a couple of weeks ago for a quick getaway! My husband used to live there, so he knew all the great places to go and romantic settings to enjoy. Now I’m letting you in on them, too! Here are 10 awesome things to do in Austin.
10. Find Something Weird
Austin’s theme is “Keep Austin Weird,” so it’s not hard to find the unique, unbelievable, or simply uncanny around town! They even have a Museum of the Weird. My favorite find was this “upside down” globe at Uncommon Objects, which is an awesome (and uncommon!) antique shop on Austin’s South Congress Avenue.
9. Take a Ghost Tour
The ghost tour I took in Austin was creepy–in the best way! A costumed guide will take you to haunted places and even show you photographs of the spookiest sort. And they will end their tour with the next item on the list!
8. Stay at or Visit the Driskill Hotel
The Driskill is a beautiful, historic (and haunted!) hotel in the heart of Austin. When you walk in, be sure to look around, look behind you, and look up! And if you are lucky enough to stay there, look out for the Yellow Rose of Texas.
7. Visit the Bat Bridge
You’ve heard of the Bat Cave, the Bat Mobile, and vampires, but have you visited the Bat Bridge in Austin? There are countless bats that have made their home under the Congress Avenue Bridge. The best time to view them is at night, but You can still hear and possibly see them even during the day!
6. Eat at the Magnolia Cafe
This was a fantastic breakfast experience! Not only are the portions Texas-sized, the food is delicious! The guys working there were super friendly, and the food came quickly. It’s a small restaurant, but we were able to get a table immediately for a late breakfast on a Friday morning. The coffee cup below is empty, but it wasn’t for long! At one point I had to put my hand over my mug to make the coffee stop coming!
Keep eating: What to Eat in Austin, TX
5. Visit the LBJ Library and Museum
Living in DC, I’m a little jaded about politics. As a history lover, I found myself disappointed and a little embarrassed that all my history classes stopped at World War II (or earlier), so I really didn’t know anything about Lyndon Baines Johnson. But this museum really helped! I learned a lot (because I didn’t know much!), and the museum kept my interest–something not all museums can do for people!
4. Take a Tour of the Texas State Capitol
This was the first thing we did (well, after eating) when we arrived in Austin. And it was one of the best experiences of the trip! We actually had an Italian woman as our tour guide, but she knew so much, and she was fun to listen to! Texas’s State Capitol is pristine, and so many of the details are symbolic. The word “Texas” is emblazoned an absurd number of times in a million places. Look for the “Texas” everywhere you go!
3. Take a Selfie with the “Greetings from Austin” Postcard Mural
It’s the classic thing to do, and it’s at the northwest corner of 1st and W Annie Streets! There is also a cute little French pastry shop called La Patisserie just down W Annie Street where you can get a delightful coffee and a sweet!
2. Lookout at Mount Bonnell
This was such a romantic thing to do! My sweet husband knew just where to take me. It’s a steep climb up some natural stone steps, so heels are not advisable. It’s not a long walk up, though–not to worry!
1. Walk (or Run, or Bike) Around Town Lake
This was my favorite thing we did on our visit to Austin. It was romantic to stroll arm in arm on this dirt path along the lake. Town Lake is actually just a dammed section of the Colorado River. People were out in full force that day–running along the trail, biking, stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, etc., and I was lucky enough to get this peaceful shot with no people in it!
Are you ready for your trip to Austin? Should I add something to my list for next time? Tell me in the comments below!
And while you’re at it, check out my United States Page for all the American adventures!
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