Ashley & Christian
Austin Recs
Things to Do: Shopping & Dining on South Congress
The site of our engagement photo shoot, South Congress is home to cute boutiques, fun vintage shops, and great restaurants that are perfect for a half-day of "bopping." A few local highlights include: Austin's original Amy's Ice Cream for a sweet treat; Prima Dora for funky, eclectic local souvenirs; Allen's Boots or Heritage Boot Co. to get your Western wear fix; Maufrais to decide whether you're a hat person; and the iconic "i love you so much" cursive graffiti mural on the side of Jo's Coffee Shop.
Things to Do: Mayfield Park, Laguna Gloria, & Mt. Bonnell
If the weather is nice and you're looking for a way to spend some leisurely time outdoors, any combination of these three nearby attractions would be an excellent choice. Mayfield Park & Nature Preserve is small, hidden gem of a park that features lovely gardens, historic structures, and free-roaming peacocks! It's located right next to The Contemporary Austin's Laguna Gloria sculpture garden, and a little further up a hilly road (car ride strongly recommended) you can take in sights of downtown and the lake from the scenic Mt. Bonnell overlook. Mayfield Park and Mt. Bonnell are free to visit, but you'll need to book tickets in advance to visit Laguna Gloria.
Best Breakfast Tacos: Tacodeli
Because here in Austin, breakfast tacos really are their own food group 🤤 Ashley's go-to's: The Otto, Sirlion Egg & Cheese, and Chorizo Egg & Cheese. Christian's faves: the Migas taco and Jamón el Suavecito. Pro tip: you can order online ahead of time! Other runners up in the highly competitive breakfast taco category include: Tyson's Tacos, Pueblo Viejo, Veracruz All Natural, and Torchy's Tacos.
Best Tacos: Discada
Look, we know it's a hot take to declare any tacos as the best tacos in Austin. But for Discada, we stand by our claim. Discada cooking, also known as cowboy-wok cooking, is a northern Mexico technique where layers of beef, pork, and vegetables are cooked in the juices of the previous layer in a specially built plow disc. This food truck has mastered the technique and we highly recommend you treat your tastebuds to a trip here. They only serve one kind of taco (because again, they're seriously that good) in servings of 3, 5, or 8. They're pretty small, so go ahead, treat yoself.
Best Barbecue Recommendations
Can't leave Central Texas without some smoky meaty goodness? We've linked Eater's list of the best barbecue spots in town below, and we actually stand by all of their recs. To help narrow down a bit... Want something that's within 15 minutes of downtown and has quick service + delicious food? Head to Terry Black's, La Barbecue, or Stiles Switch. Looking for something a little more exotic / non-traditional? Check out Loro or the Leroy & Lewis food truck on Pickle Rd. Are you a diehard barbecue fan who's willing to drive far &/or wait in a long line to taste "the best"? Hit the road to get to Interstellar or Valentina's, or wait in the iconically long line at Franklin's. (Pro tip: most of these spots let you order online ahead of time!)
Best Tex-Mex Recommendations
If you're visiting from out of town and looking to try some fabled Tex-Mex, consider yourself warned: the queso is addictive, the burritos are saucy, the margs are strong, the portions are huge, and the fajitas sizzle for a reason (read: skillet is very hot - no touchy). The original Chuy's on Barton Springs holds a special place in the Helms family's heart not only for its wonderfully campy décor (Elvis is a pervasive theme) and drinkable jalapeño ranch dip, but also for nostalgic reasons: undergrad UT student Lynn made many a meal of their happy hour chips, queso, & margs, and later in life Lynn & Chris took photos in the photobooth at this very same location just hours after they got engaged at The Oasis! Some of our other favorite Tex-Mex spots around town: Matt's El Rancho (get a Mexican Martini & a large Bob Armstrong dip); Polvo's (the S. First location is the original with an authentic feel; the downtown location has a great patio); Tamale House East; and Habanero Cafe.
Barhopping: Best Beer Gardens
Given Texas' deep German roots, there's no shortage of great beer gardens (biergartens?) around town. If the weather is nice out and you're looking for a good group spot, stop by one of our faves to grab a pint and a pretzel at a picnic table: Central Machine Works (cool industrial vibe, good pizza, large indoor space so good for inclement weather as well); Easy Tiger (multiple locations, good new German food); Scholz Garten (has been around since 1866, excellent old school German décor & food); and Cosmic Coffee & Beer Garden (large outdoor cute natural space with cocktails, beers, coffee, and a bunch of excellent food trucks).
Barhopping: Whisler's & East 6th Street Bars
If you're looking for excellent cocktails with the vibe of a rum runner's hideout - plus the best smashburger in town - Whisler's is your spot. It's also a good place to barhop to/from other solid watering holes on East 6th Street, including: Lazarus (beer + tacos), Zilker Brewing (beer + spicy fried chicken), Grackle (dive bar + rotating food truck), and Lefty's Brick Bar (everything + pizza/hot dogs/bar food).
Best Wine Bar: LoLo
A great spot to grab a glass (or perhaps a bottle??) of wine with friends. They carry a wide variety of reasonably priced natural bottles for sale as well if you'd rather grab one to go. Other good wine spots around the city include The Grove on W. 6th St. and The Austin Winery on St. Elmo Rd.
Things to Do: Peter Pan Mini-Golf
This place is about as campy, classic Austin as it gets and we wouldn't have it any other way. No reservations required, $8 to play 18 holes, and a BYOB policy (coolers welcome, just no glass) make this one of the cheapest and most memorable ways to spend an hour in Austin. Grab a group and hit the links!
Things to Do: Blanton Museum of Art
This art museum on the campus of the University of Texas has the largest and most comprehensive collection of art in Austin, and is home to artist Ellsworth Kelly's iconic 'Austin' stone building pictured here.
Things to Do: Wonderspaces Austin
An immersive and interactive art show with a full bar, Wonderspaces houses a rotating lineup of 14 extraordinary large-scale art installations that will keep you wowed for hours. This is a great option for a rainy or cold day as this attraction is entirely indoors – just be sure to purchase tickets ahead of your visit.
Latenight: Cheer Up Charlie's
Whether they're hosting a Neon Cowboy Drag Show with DJ Boi Orbison or a strictly 2000s bangers Y2K night, you never know what to expect at Cheer Up's and that's what makes it magical. An indoor and outdoor stage mean there are always live performances happening at this queer cultural hub, and their wildly fun and inclusive atmosphere make this one of our favorite, authenically Austin bars in town.
Latenight: Coconut Club
This multi-level club features music of all types, but largely draws a strong house crowd which makes for excellent dance parties. Whether you stay downstairs with the fog machines and lasers, head upstairs for an open-air rooftop club vibe, or get lucky and catch the monthly Perreo Club reggaeton dance party, you're sure to have an excellent time. We've also heard amazing things about Outer Heaven Disco club, and if you're willing to brave Dirty 6th Barbarella is always the OG dance bar option.
Latenight: Local Fast Food Joints
Looking for something greasy to help soak up the night? Raising Cane's (chicken fingers + addictive sauce), P. Terry's (1950s drive-thru menu vibes + prices, only in Austin!), and Whataburger (Texas' In-N-Out equivalent) are all local or semi-local fast food joints that are open late and truly Texan.