As a Louisiana GRITS (Girl Raised in the South) living in the Midwest, I appreciate any chance I get to head south. The people, culture, food, and even hot sun are things I often miss. Last week, I had the chance to go to Austin for one of my annual girls trips, and we had the best visit! I had been a couple of times years ago, but it was even better than I remembered. Here are some of our favorite things that we did while we were there.
Dining
For dinner the first night, we went to Stella San Jac. They’re known for their “#16 Biscuits”, which were fluffy and delicious and served with whipped honey butter. I also had a great cocktail, an Austin Mule, made with Reyka Vodka, lime, and house-made pineapple-fresno (chili peppers) ginger beer. It was the perfect balance of sweet and savory.
For Saturday brunch, we went to Clark’s Oyster Bar, which had a great lobster roll and was my favorite restaurant in terms of design. How cute is this?!
For dinner, we headed to ATX Cocina, which had been recommended by a friend. They serve modern Mexican food, which is gluten-free. The thought of gluten-free Mexican food had never crossed my mind, but it was really good. We shared a bunch of different things, and our favorite was the guacamole, served with long corn chip strips.
On Sunday, we ventured out to Lake Travis, which is about a 35 minute drive from the city. It’s so gorgeous. You feel like you could be on the Mediterranean coast. We rented a boat for a few hours and were living that “lake life”. Afterwards we went to The Oasis on Lake Travis, the “sunset capital of Texas”. The food is solid, but the amazing views are the reason to go.
If you want to be on the water but don’t feel like trekking out to Lake Travis, check out Barton Springs Pool. The pool itself is fed from underground springs, so it’s the perfect temperature for swimming.
Shopping
The first couple times I went to Austin I didn’t get a chance to do much shopping. I’m sure glad I did this time, because they had such well curated boutiques.
By George – Luxury Fashion & Lifestyle
Kick Pleat – Designer Women’s Clothing & Accessories
Katie Kime – Home Decor & Fashion
Wildflower Organics – Home Decor & Fashion
Shabby Slips – Interior Design Studio
We also made sure to stop by the Outdoor Voices (Activewear), Billy Reid (Clothing & Accesories), Jonathan Adler (Home Decor), and the flagship Whole Foods Market.
Outdoor Voices
Billy Reid
Jonathan Adler
Going Out
For our two nights out, we went to Sixth Street and Rainey Street. Sixth Street is one of the most iconic streets in Austin and what made it the “Live Music Capital of the World”. It’s like a combination of Bourbon Street in New Orleans and Broadway in Nashville. It’s dirty and filled with college kids and bachelorette parties, but entertaining and does have really good live music.
Sixth Street | Image: Ian Aberle via Flickr CC
Rainey Street was more of our speed. It is tucked away with a neighborhood-y feel and filled with trendy bungalow bars and restaurants. It was fun checking out the different bars, and there were tons of food trucks everywhere.
Rainey Street | Image: 6street.com
Hotels
We stayed at the The Westin Austin Downtown, and it was great like most Westins are. I for one am partial to the Westin signature white tea scent, and it greeted us each time we walked into the lobby. My favorite part though was the rooftop pool. It had great views of the city and a delicious frosé.
I also recommend the W Austin and historic Driskill Hotel.
I hope you find this helpful, if you are heading to Austin. My next trip is to Paris and London with the boys, and I can’t wait to share that with you soon!
xx,
