Great spot to see a little bit of everything Austin has if you're looking for both outdoorsy time + a little shopping (although it's changed quite a bit since we moved here!) We'd recommend starting near Jo's Coffee and walking towards Downtown. You'll get a great view of the Capitol from the South Congress bridge and can access the Ladybird Lake trail from there. Kayaks are available to rent throughout this area as well. *This is a pretty touristy area that we don't frequently come to BUT it is a place we often bring out-of-town guests and they enjoy it!
This is our go-to for a quick breakfast + cafecito on the Sundays. We usually get a few breakfast tacos, iced lattes and sit on the porch to do the crossword puzzle. East 11th street is a super cute neighborhood with other cafes, restaurants + unique shops all within walking distance.
Some of Austin's BEST food trucks are in this park, including Kaliegh's favorite breakfast sandwich at The Marylander. Our friends Fred & Maurice of Brown Sugar Bake Shop have a cookie trailer here that you can even shop inside -- Kelcy's favorite cookie is the Chocolate Chip with Sea Salt. Don't leave without trying a coffee from Desnudo! The lines get pretty long on the weekends but it's worth the wait.
Hands down our favorite burger spot in town -- it's dive-y, consistent and super relaxed. Kaliegh's go-to is the Uptown Burger.
Great area if you're looking for some night-life or a live show. -Elysium: goth bar, can be kinda dance-y on theme nights -Swan Dive/Barbarella: 2-in-1 bar with live music at Swan Dive, and DJ sets in Barbarella -Cheer Up Charlies: colorful, queer bar that frequently hosts live music, themed DJ sets + drag shows