Travel Diary: A Weekend in Austin, TX

Most people like to enjoy longer vacations where you get to relax for more than a couple of days but, only a couple of times a year.  Others enjoy more long weekend vacations, having short bursts of excitement more often throughout the year.  I like to enjoy a bit of both.  So, when an opportunity for a weekend trip emerges, you know I’m there!

Back in March, I took a quick weekend trip to Austin, TX.  Luckily, my trip was during the same weekend as the South by Southwest conference so, not only were there tons of people there but also so much to do!  Austin, TX is a fun city in general, but you throw an event in there and the vibe is even better!  My husband and I enjoyed Austin, TX so much that I hope we get to visit the city again sometime in the future.  However, for now, I’ll keep this post up for my memories.

Anyway, enough of my rambles about this gorgeous Southern city.  Without further ado, check out my recent travel diary of a weekend away in Austin, TX.

Day #1:  6^th Street & Rainey Street

We were staying downtown so I wanted to get the big “Austin bucket list” items out of the way which was to visit 6^th Street and Rainey Street.  Austin’s 6^th Street is their historic street located in the heart of downtown and known for its entertainment.  Think of 6^th Street as very similar to Broadway in Nashville.  The street is populated with tons of bars, live music, and food.  We started our day walking around 6^th Street, checking out the famous Voodoo donut shop and exploring what 6^th Street had to offer.  Then we made our way over to Rainey Street.

Rainey Street is very similar to 6^th Street in that it has live music bars, entertainment, and culture.  The locals like Rainey Street as the “Old 6^th Street” as Austin’s main street was originally going to be Rainey Street.  Over the years, 6^th Street started gaining more businesses and tourists so that ended up being Austin’s bar scene.  However, most locals and some tourists, like me, enjoy Rainey Street more. 

We had dinner at the famous Banger’s Sausage on Rainey Street and did some bar hopping before we called it a night. 

Day #2:  Birding Around South Congress

The next day, my husband and I took it slow.  Since it was almost about 85 degrees that day, we wanted to keep our outdoor activities to a minimum.  However, that wasn’t the case since we walked around South Congress during the day and then ended up on an Uber Bird scooter!  Uber Bird scooters are so much fun if you haven’t tried them already!  I had never ridden one before, so I wanted to try one to ride around town.  My husband was on board and loved the experience as well.

We wanted to explore South Congress for dinner that night however, everyone on South Congress was booked.  So, we ate dinner somewhere close to the hotel and walked by South Congress afterward.  We ended up at an awesome restaurant where you can also play games called Punch Bowl Social.  Once we were done there, we ended our night at 6^th Street again.

Day #3:  All the Wall Art

One thing on my Austin bucket list was exploring the famous wall art that the city had to offer.  Not only is Austin, TX famous for its bar scene and beer gardens but its wall art is well known across the country.  So, both my husband and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to explore Austin’s famous wall art.  Most of the wall art is spread out throughout the city.

In our explorations, I also got to experience the Kendra Scott flagship store- which was also on my Austin bucket list, but I wasn’t sure if we had the time to visit the stunning store.  Luckily for me, the Kendra Scott flagship store was located near one of the Wall Arts that I wanted to see.  Check out all the pictures below.

Stay

Our stay was at one of the hotels closest to the Austin Conference Center.  We wanted to stay in heart of Downtown Austin but still in a safer area so that we could walk everywhere that we needed to.  As a New Yorker, I enjoy walking around and find it easier when things are within a walking distance.  The hotel (have to keep the name confidential, for privacy purposes), was modern and very spacious.  I enjoyed the Downtown Austin views from our room and the ease of the location. 

Food

If you’re visiting any city in Texas, then you know that you must at least try Tex-Mex.  This type of food is created by the Tejano people of Texas.  It is slightly different than American Mexican food in the spices and cheeses that are added to the food.  Both my husband and I tried the Tex-Mex food and fell in love with it.  All the ingredients taste locally sourced and organic.  Additionally, the combination of flavors was like a happy dance in our mouths. 

We also tried traditional American food and some other ethnic cuisines as well (such as Thai).  But our favorite was the Tex-Mex.  Also, they always say “Everything is always bigger in Texas”.  However, Austin is its little world in Texas.  So, lucky for us, the portion sizes were comparable to what we see here in Memphis, TN. 

Well, there you have it for my travel diary for the short and fun weekend trip to Austin, TX!  I hope you enjoyed the highlights of my trip, mentioned in the post above.  What is your favorite city that you visited?  Let me know in the comments below!

Much Love,