Wellness Guide To Austin, Texas
Lately, it seems like “everyone’s moving to Austin” + after visiting, I get why! We visited in February during an ice storm + even though most of the city was shut down when we were there, we had a blast. [Side note: I do not recommend visiting in February lol — especially if it’s your first time visiting Austin!]
Austin is so funky + I love it — so many colorful murals, eclectic restaurants, + very youthful. The city felt so alive. Even though Austin is extremely fast-growing, it gave me “small town energy.” Maybe that’s because I’m used to Chicago + LA, but the city was very drivable + everyone was so friendly. We were talking to some of our friends that live therewere talking to a group of peopel who live there + they said that because *most* people are not from Austin, everyone wants to make friends.
So, if you’re in the market for a new place to live… maybe Austin is calling?!
Stay
If it’s your first time in Austin, I recommend staying on (or close by) South Congress! Here’s a few hotels to check out:
Coffee
There’s TOO many amazing coffee shops in Austin… try them all!
- Greater Goods Coffee — our fav. So good!
- Patika
- Merit Coffee
- Idlewild Coffee
- Try Hard Coffee Roasters
- Intelligentsia
- Proud Mary Coffee
- Alchemy Juice + Coffee
- Freewheelin’ Coffee
- Manana
- Revival Coffee
- Fleet Coffee
- Sa-Ten
- Cosmic Coffee
- Radio Coffee + Beer
Cafes
- Paperboy — wanted to go here so badly, but it was full both days we tried! Learn from our mistake + make a reservation. 😉 They also have a takeaway window!
- Cafe No Se — cute spot for brunch inside the South Congress Hotel (+ easy takeaway coffee!)
- Two Hands — Australian inspired brunch cafe
- Bouldin Creek Cafe — vegetarian casual cafe
- The Salty Donuts — I don’t even like donuts, but this place was so cute
- JuiceLand — get your juice + smoothie fix here
- SunLife Organics — my fav smoothie shop from LA made it’s way to Austin!
- Tiny Grocer — cute grocery store with a takeaway cafe inside
Casual BBQ + Tacos + Pizza
- Franklin BBQ — The most famous BBQ in Austin. Expect a very long line. 😆
Anthony Bourdain: “It (Franklin BBQ) is the best. It is the finest brisket I’ve ever had. I can’t imagine anyone could surpass this.”
- La Barbecue — Women owned… which is a big deal in the “male dominated” BBQ industry!
- Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ
- Terry Black’s BBQ
- Micklethwait Craft Meats BBQ
- Veracruz Tacos
- Granny’s Tacos
- Rosita’s Al Pastor
- Nixta Taqueria
- Torchy’s Tacos
- Cenote
- Home Slice (pizza by the slice)
Restaurants
Highly recommend making reservations in advance! The food scene in Austin is quite popular 🥰
- Loro — *MUST… Asian smokehouse from the chefs of Uchi + Franklin BBQ. Literally everything on the menu is outstanding. (no reservations + causal)
- Suerte — *MUST… Get the Suadero Tacos… so good. Oh! + the fancy chocotaco dessert!
- Uchi or Uchiko — Date night spot for sushi
- Neighboorhood Sushi — Another date night spot for sushi… try both + see what you like more! 😉
- Launderette — Love the vibe of this restaurant
- Aba — Love this Mediterranean restaurant… it’s in a super cute area on South Congress, too
- Clark’s Oyster Bar — Crispy snapper + lobster rolls? Yes please
- June’s — Upscale diner vibes
- Barely Swine — Seasonal tasting menu ($$$$)
- Better Half Coffee + Cocktails — Despite it saying “coffee” in the name, it’s an all day restaurant lol
- Odd Duck — More casual sister restaurant to Barely Swine
- Bars/Drinks = Goldie’s Sunken Bar, Kitty Cohen’s, Banger’s Sausage House + Beer Garden (cute outdoor space), The Continental Club (live music), Zilker Brewery Company (brewery). *Sixth street is closed to cars every weekend, which is nice
Wellness
#1] Sukha Yoga: LOVED this yoga studio. It also had a cute coffee shop attached to it. They have various workshops + offerings, too, so check out their website. I also really wanted to go to Practice Yoga Austin. Next time!
#2] Lady Bird Lake: The boardwalk around Lady Bird Lake is a 10 mile loop. Amazing for walking or running. Also, we saw a lot of paddle board + kayak rental companies on the lake!
#3] Barton Springs Pool: Swim in Barton Springs! Google photos of “Barton Springs Pool” + you’re going to be obsessed. FYI: It’s open Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, + Sunday from 8am — 10pm.
#4] Deep Eddy Pool: Deep Eddy is the oldest swimming pool in Texas. If you visit Austin in the summer, check out the pool-side movies!
#4] Go hiking! There’s actually A LOT of hiking in Austin (surprisingly!). Barton Creek Greenbelt is the most popular (this is a helpful post). Here’s a guide to 8 Hikes In Austin.
#5] Mama Rising Circle: If you’re a mama in Austin, check out Rooted Beings. They host monthly mama rising circles in person in Austin — “a gathering for conscious mamas seeking to find a tribe of like-spirited women in all season of motherhood.”
Explore
#1] Take a photo with Greetings From Austin Mural: Did you even go to Austin if you didn’t take a photo of this mural? Lol
#2] Shop on South Congress Street: So much shopping! From brands like Parachute, Lululemon, + Madewell… to fun, local shops like Allen’s Boots (famous cowboy boots stores). One of my favorite stops was Maufrais (hat shop) + Neighborhood Goods (super cute department store).
#3] Picnic in Zilker Park: Truly amazing view of the city.
#4] Explore the music scene in Austin: While South by Southwest + Austin City Limits might be the most “well known” festivals — there are so many concerts + events in Austin. Check out this site to see what’s playing when you visit!
- The first Thursday of every month, South Congress Hotel has an event celebrating local art, music, + culture. + it’s free!
#5] Visit a ranch: This might not be everyone’s cup of tea — BUT, we went to Roam Ranch in Fredericksburg (90 minutes outside of Austin) + had such a great experience. They host a lot of a variety of events on their property. Also, Fredericksburg is Texas wine country ☺️
Pro Tips:
- I definitely recommend renting a car, as the Austin neighborhoods are pretty spread out + you’ll want to explore them all!
- Best time to visit: Fall
- How long? A weekend is perfect!
- Have kids? Check out the “playscapes” in Austin — these are public playgrounds that typically include food trucks + coffee. Perfect for the whole fam to hang out!
- Love the site Visit Austin — gives you a deep dive on places to stay, things to do, + shares an event calendar!
Did I miss any of your favorite spots in Austin? Let me know 🥰
Love,
Elisabeth