Stephanie & Nicholas
Things To Do
Barton Springs
Go to Barton Springs for a beautiful scenic walk around the trails, kayak or paddleboard on the Colorado river, toss around some football, or take a swim in the natural water springs. Hands down, one of my favorite places to relax in Austin!
Rainey Street
The best place for casual drinks and food trucks. Some of our favorites include Bangers (100 beers on tap and 30 different sausages), Craft Pride (for good beer and music), Four Brothers (Venezuelan Food Truck) and Viva 313 Pizza (Detroit style inside Craft Pride) .
Oasis Texas Brewing Company
Located in a great plaza with an ice cream spot, shops, and restaurants, but our favorite spot is definitely the brewery! Oasis Brewery has a great view of Lake Travis, with a large outdoor patio with games, bonfire at night, and the one of our favorite sunsets.
Terry Black's Barbecue
Austin is known for its Barbecue and this is one of our FAVORITE BBQ in Austin! It's a bit expensive but worth all the meat sweats. Great brisket, the best bbq sauce, and a large selection of sizes.
South Congress Avenue
South Congress is a great walking area with great eats including our favorite Torchy's location, the Big Top Candy Store, Nicholas's favorite margarita place - Güero's Taco Bar, and lots of cool shops.
Mount Bonnell
Mount Bonnell, also known as Covert Park, is a prominent point alongside the Lake Austin portion of the Colorado River in Austin, Texas. It has been a popular tourist destination since the 1850s. The mount provides a vista for viewing the city of Austin, Lake Austin, and the surrounding hills. Prepare to go up some serious steps!
Blanton Museum of Art
The Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas is one of the largest university art museums in the U.S. with 189,340 square feet devoted to temporary exhibitions and permanent collection galleries. Visit the website to see current exhibits.
Black's Barbecue Austin
One of Stephanie's favorite BBQ places - Black's has a distinct smoky taste that makes it stand out. A great option if you are looking for local eats.
Sixth Street Historic District
Sixth Street is THE party place in Austin. There are many things to do including Museum of the Weird (where Johnny Depp used to live), Easy Tiger to grab a beer and pretzel, souvenir shops, and more bars than I can count. You can listen to live music all weekend just walking up and down the street. Nearby in downtown you can also visit the Texas Capital Building and local store Wild About Music. This is a very busy area - please use personal responsibility if visiting.
Franklin Barbecue
Expect to be up really early. Long lines form early for brisket, pulled pork & other smoked meats at this lunch-only spot. Make sure to get there early! (6am or earlier) Best in Austin!
Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve
Mayfield Park is a historic cottage, gardens and nature preserve in west Austin, Texas on a bluff overlooking Lake Austin. Originally built in the 1870s, the cottage was purchased by former Texas Secretary of State Allison Mayfield in 1909. See over the 24 wild peafowl living around the cottage!
Longhorn Cavern State Park
Longhorn Cavern State Park is located in Burnet County, Texas about 1 hour away from downtown Austin. These caves are beautifully unique and packed with history. Make sure to get your tickets and reserve your time slot ahead of time!
Enchanted Rock
Enchanted Rock is a pink granite mountain located in the Llano Uplift about 2 hours from downtown Austin. It is a steep hike up the rock and has beautiful trails around. Make sure to plan ahead and purchase your tickets weeks in advanced!
Inner Space Cavern
Inner Space Cavern is a karst cave located in Georgetown, Texas about 40 minutes from downtown Austin. The cavern was formed by water passing through Edwards limestone. The cavern is estimated to be around 20-25 million years old but were only open to the surface since the late Pleistocene period 14,000–45,000 years ago. Buy tickets ahead of traveling!
Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center
Westcave Discovery Center is located 40 minutes west of downtown Austin. Wildlife-rich conservation sanctuary home to a canyon waterfall, a wet grotto & savannah trails. Tickets are very limited. Plan weeks in advance!
Hamilton Pool Preserve
Hamilton Pool Preserve is a natural pool that was created when the dome of an underground river collapsed due to massive erosion thousands of years ago. The pool is located about 23 miles west of Austin, Texas off Highway 71. Tickets fill up very fast. Plan weeks in advance!