Emma @ theweekendabroad.com on Mouthwatering BBQ, Ramen, SUPing and More: A Weekend in Austin
My most recent long weekend trip took me to another toasty destination – the big state of Texas! And more specifically, the very hip and colorful town of Austin, which I knew mostly from being known as Portland, Oregon’s unofficial sister city (they both have the same slogan!). With the exception of a layover in Houston once, this was my first taste of Texas. And I do mean that literally – food was definitely the highlight of our stay. What I would do for more of that BBQ… Alas, all I have now are photos and memories of those glistening slabs of meat. Anyway, I digress. I highly recommend Austin at this time of year for its hot-but-not-too-hot weather, delicious food, outdoorsy offerings, art, and local shops! Here are the basics of our trip and what I recommend doing on your weekend in Austin, Texas!
My Weekend in Austin Basics
- Flights: From San Francisco (SFO) to Austin (ATX) I paid $257 roundtrip in mid-April.
- Accommodations: I am really grateful that my friend and I did not have to dish out any cash for this portion, as we were able to stay at her cousin’s apartment, which is on the outskirts of north Austin.
- Weather: With the exception of one stormy night, I thought the weather was perfect! It was around 25C each day with the mornings and nights being quite chilly (just bring layers!).
- My 3 favorite things we did in Austin (aka my top 3 recommendations):
- Grab a beer and bar hop along Rainey Street Historic District
- Eat delicious BBQ
- SUPing along Lady Bird Lake
15 Things to Do on a Weekend in Austin
Note: There were so many other things we wanted to do, but were short on time! Especially the hikes!
What they call the Dirty 6th in Austin (photo courtesy of thrillst.com)
1. Bar and club hop around 6th Street (apparently known as the Dirty Sixth) – What an incredible nightlife district! My favorite thing about it was that there was NO COVER at any of the clubs so if you weren’t a fan of one place you could easily hop next door without worrying about being ripped off. We had a lot of fun checking out the different spots along 6th.
Wall of succulent-filled dinosaurs in a shop on South Congress
2. Walk along South Congress (aka SoCo) – home to hip boutiques, hotels, and eateries, South Congress is an area where you could spend an entire day sinking your teeth into the vibrant culture of Austin. Take in the many murals and find yourself or a friend a unique gift from the colorful shops!
Beers at Banger’s on Rainey Street
3. Grab a beer and bar hop along Rainey Street – already mentioned as one of my favorite things we did in Austin, Rainey Street is the street I wish I could pick up and drop right into my town. Formally known as the Rainey Street Historic District, the street is lined with beautiful old bungalows that have been transformed into charming bars equipped with aesthetically-pleasing outdoor seating fit for any sunny day.
Extremely juicy meats at Terry Black’s
4. Eat BBQ – I’ve had BBQ before, but not like this. We unfortunately did not plan well so spent much of our trip driving from BBQ joint to BBQ joint trying to find the ones with the shortest lines! In the end, we ended up satisfying our BBQ cravings at Terry Black’s and SLAB BBQ, which I would both recommend.
The OG ramen at Tatsu-Ya
5. Try the BEST RAMEN in America – According to various publications last year, the best ramen in America can be found in Austin of all places! Ramen Tatsu-Ya is a counter service ramen spot in East Austin, which we had the pleasure of trying. Was it the best ramen I’ve ever had? I’m not entirely sure, but it was definitely good. And well-priced at ~$10 (much better than the $16-18 ramen price points here in California). We got there just before noon and totally beat the rush.
The multi-level HOPE Outdoor Gallery
6. View and climb the HOPE Outdoor Gallery – One of the many unique sights we saw in Austin. A free outdoor gallery where literally anyone can paint and leave their creative mark. Climb to the top and get a pic of the Austin skyline!
Picturesque Texas State Capitol
7. Check out the Texas State Capitol – I’ve seen a few beautiful city hall and capitol buildings, but this one might take the cake! Shimmering in a light shade of pink and surrounded by greenery, it’s another excellent free activity in Austin.
The unique Ellsworth Kelly Chapel at the Blanton Museum of Art
8. Walk through history at the Blanton Museum of Art – Only $5 for students and located on University of Texas’ campus, this art museum is a must for art lovers. Also a great escape from that Texas heat for a few hours!
The most popular view at University of Texas at Austin
9. Explore the surrounding University of Texas at Austin‘s campus – After our jaunt at the Blanton Museum of Art, we took a stroll around campus.
Relaxing sights at Lady Bird Lake
10. Go Stand Up Paddle Boarding at Lady Bird Lake – I finally got to try SUPing! We got a very affordable Groupon for 1 hour of SUPing through Texas Rowing Center along the river and it was probably the most relaxed I’d felt in ages. The weather was perfect and I got to work out my core!
With one of the many colorful walls at The Domain
11. Shop and eat at The Domain – A hip and very new-looking shopping center (equipped with a Whole Foods of course) that we spent our last night at. If you didn’t know already, Whole Foods’ is headquartered in Austin. Dinner at the Domain’s Culinary Dropout was delicious.
The refreshing Barton Springs Pool
12. Go for a swim at Barton Springs Pool – Since we had just been SUPing, we opted to just sit outside the Pool and catch our breaths for a little while. It’s really pretty and costs $5 to enter.
Gus’ Famous Fried Chicken: Just so mouthwatering.
13. Eat fried chicken at Gus’ World Famous Fried Chicken – Potentially the best fried chicken I’ve ever had and the price is right. While the chicken was delectable, what was even more mouthwatering was the chess pie we had for dessert. Highly recommend.
A shop in East Austin
14. Shop local around East Austin – We stumbled upon the hip and unique shops of East Austin because of a BBQ joint attempt during our stay. Fun fact: it is home to the best mango sticky rice I’ve ever had (keep scrolling to see where it is).
Fun with art/real estate in Pease Park!
15. Stroll along Pease Park – and take a look at these cool branch-made “houses”! This park is also home to Eeyore’s annual birthday party (yes, that’s Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh). How very Austin.
More of Our Weekend in Austin in Photos:
Can you believe this is at the back of a Tom’s store in South Congress?
Manana, a hip coffee shop I worked out of one afternoon on South Congress
Mr. Rogers on South Congress
A very serene space at Blanton Museum of Art
Can you believe it’s made out of hair combs?! At the Blanton Museum of Art.
The Hope Outdoor Gallery
Assholes at the Hope Outdoor Gallery
It’s hard to tell, but this is in front of a Whole Foods!
Grabbing Amy’s Ice Creams in downtown Austin
A wall at Rainey Street
Incredible mango sticky rice at Dee Dee in East Austin
More delicious BBQ at SLAB BBQ & Beer
Thoughts or questions about vacationing in Austin, Texas? Let me know in the comments!
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