Austin

Introduction

A visit to Austin was super high on my bucket list, so I was glad when I was finally able to go! This time around, I traveled a little bit differently than I usually would. Since I was here for ~1 week while working remotely, I let myself explore at my own pace.

If you’re trying to get around Austin, I recommend either renting a car or using the city buses. To use the city buses, simply just download the CapMetro app. Bus tickets are very reasonable. If you’re staying further away from the city center, then renting a car is more economical since Austin can be very spread out.

For each section, bolded places are the one I strongly recommend. To make an itinerary out of this, I would say you can pick one thing from each section to structure a “day”.

Nature

Lake Travis - the lookout was absolutely stunning. The shops and restaurants are definitely tourist traps but it’s worth going to see the lake and the view.
Pennybacker Bridge Overlook
Greetings from Austin sign
Lady Bird Lake and the boardwalk - I loved the scenery around here and walking along the lake is just a great way to spend an evening after the hot summer weather cools down. Definitely do stand-up paddleboarding in the lake!
Mayfield Park - Very interesting place to see some peacocks.
Mueller Lake Park
Barton Springs Pool - This is the most refreshing place to visit during a hot Texas day. I loved the vibes but it costs $9 to get in, the water is COLD (might be your thing, depending on how hot it is and you see some algae in the water) but it's pretty much the natural experience.

food

Ramen Tatsu-Ya - I got the OG tonkotsu, chashu rice bowl, and karaage. Overall pretty good, especially the tonkotsu.
Franklin Barbeque - Be prepared to wait for a while. They open at 11 and I definitely recommend getting there earlier than that. The brisket is amazing!
Mozart’s Coffee Roasters - This location is so amazing since it’s right on the lake. I came here to do some work and realized there is live music on the weekends. I got the spinach quiche and a strawberry smoothie. But if I were to go back I would definitely go when there’s live music and get one of their coffee specialties.
Tumble22 - I got the OG chicken sandwich, collard greens, and 8-piece bites. It was alright.
Jo’s Coffee - This place was great to do some work. I got the iced turbo and the chipotle grilled chicken sandwich with fries. The sandwich wasn’t bad but the iced turbo and the fries are amazing. The iced turbo balances the sweetness of typical coffee well!
Terry Black’s - Oh my god this place had such good BBQ that I went there 2 days in a row. You’ve got to get the brisket, ribs, and sausage. I just did quarter pounds since it was just me. The sides are also really good – I liked the Mexican rice and the green beans.
Try Hard Coffee Roasters - I also came here to work remotely and I got the hash bowl and chai rider. Hash bowl was good but too small for what they charge. However, oddly enough I liked the chai rider - it had a very interesting flavor profile that I feel like isn’t for everyone. They also had an “indoor DJ” playing some tunes!
Amy’s Ice Creams - The ice cream here was truly spectacular. I got the Rainbow Weather with Belgium chocolate, cold pressed vanilla, and strawberry ice cream with M&Ms and fruity pebbles as toppings.
1618 - The vibe of this place was something else. I went there with a friend and we got a Vietnamese bowl – the chicken lemongrass and pad Thai which was super good! They also had a live band playing at the time we came in, which just added to the ambiance.
The Vegan Nom - These tacos are cheap and they're vegan! Apparently they have $2 tacos for a select item on the menu every day, so I got 2 of those and 2 of their breakfast tacos. It only came out to $12!
Chi Lantro - Basically just a Korean version of a Chipotle. I got the tofu noodle bowl which was very tasty.
Bouldin Creek Cafe - This vegetarian spot is fantastic! Super lowkey ambiance and I got one of their breakfast sandwiches, tacos, and the masala mocha. Overall, this was a great spot to sit and work remotely for a bit while munching on some amazing food!
The Buzz Mill - A super cute vibe of a coffee shop and it's open 24 hours! The person working gave me some solid recommendations and the cold brew he gave me was amazing. Also, free wi-fi with no password!

Attractions

Greetings from Austin sign
EpicSup - my friend and I went paddleboarding in the early afternoon and I would say this was easily the highlight of the trip. The paddleboarding on weekdays was $14/hour or $34 for unlimited. Unlimited is the better value since you will probably take longer than 2 hours. Also, there are a lot of other vendors that rent paddleboards out but we just went with the cheapest one. Seeing the downtown skyline was surreal!
Texas Capitol
Texas Governor’s Mansion
Sixth Street / Historic Sixth Street Mural

I would also at least recommend passing through these areas/neighborhoods: