Austin, TX Recommendations

We traveled to Austin, Texas this Christmas for a family wedding. We had a blast spending quality time with family and exploring the quirky land of breakfast tacos and barbecue. Here’s a list of things we did that I would highly recommend to anyone who’s planning a trip!

Things to Do

Hamilton Pool Preserve —

The result of thousands of years of water erosion, this collapsed grotto surrounds a beautiful natural pool. Make sure to check the park website for dates that require a reservation as this preserve does get busy. On dates that a reservation is required, you will not be able to get into the park and will be turned away! There is a reservation fee and a park entrance fee that is only payable by cash, so do keep that in mind as well.

The hike down to the pool is short and straightforward, but it is rocky and uneven, so bring proper footwear. I per usual wore my favorite OV sneakers and recreation pants, which I’ve packed for every trip I’ve taken since purchasing them.

I’m wearing a thrifted lavender sweatshirt (similar here and here), OV sneakers, recreation pants, and Need Supply sunglasses.

L is wearing an Everlane shirt, Uniqlo sweatpants, and Adidas Ultraboosts.

Behind the scenes of Instadaughter/wife life as captured by my mom LOL.

South Congress Ave —

Take a stroll through this iconic avenue and check out the many vibrant shops, boutiques, and restaurants that line it. Several of the recommendations I list below are located on South Congress.

Murals —

There are so many neat murals in Austin. We saw the Greetings from Austin, Love From Austin, You Make My Heart Sing, I Love You So Much (included in the coffee recs section below), and You’re My Butter Half murals.

Greetings from Austin. Love, L’s backside.

I’m wearing an Everlane tee, Madewell blazer (similar here), Lo & Sons bag, Madewell corduroys (old color and out of stock— similar here), Veja sneakers, and Need Supply sunglasses.

L is wearing an Everlane shirt, Uniqlo sweatpants, and Adidas Ultraboosts.

Blanton Museum of Art —

Located on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin, the Blanton Museum of Art is by far the most impressive university museum I’ve visited. Set aside a good two to three hours to explore the expansive collection. Of special note is Ellsworth Kelly’s Austin, his final piece of art and only building. Austin is the stunning culmination of a life dedicated to the study of form and color.

L is wearing Everlane jeans in athletic fit, a J. Crew flannel, Patagonia fleece, and Adidas Ultraboosts.

I’m wearing a padded headband (low stock—similar here), Madewell straight jeans, a moto leather jacket (similar here), Uniqlo mockneck fleece, and Veja sneakers.

Things to Eat/Drink

The Funkadelic —

There are many excellent brunch spots in Austin, but I loved The Funkadelic for its eclectic menu and emphasis on sourcing from local farms and vendors. So deserving of their ATX best brunch award, and as an added bonus, there’s free parking!

Texas Honey Ham Company —

Breakfast tacos to die for. Make sure to get some ham in your taco.

Amy’s Ice Cream —

Cozy ice cream chain based in Austin. A vast array of traditional and quirky, eclectic flavors, with the option to add mix-ins like Cold Stone.

Home Slice —

Simple but delicious NY-style pizza. Perfect for a quick snack while exploring South Congress. Pro tip: You can go inside and order and often the line is significantly shorter than the line outside the store.

Suerte —

A great option if you are looking for something on the swankier side. Inventive Mexican food using traditional techniques and seasonal ingredients. Don’t have any photos but the food presentation and interior were also beautiful. Worth the $$$.

Uchiko —

Innovative Japanese fine dining by one of the few American sushi masters Tyson Cole. He’s also won the James Beard Award. Take full advantage of the amazing happy hour here—trust me, your wallet and tastebuds will thank you because this is place four dollar signs on Yelp. Happy hour (at least when we went) is daily from 5-6:30 PM. We enjoyed everything we ordered (and we ordered nearly everything off the menu).

Franklin Barbecue —

The hype is warranted. Incredible smoked meats and highly recommend, but we also didn’t have to wait in their infamously long line, so maybe we’d feel differently if we had. Pro tip, if you want to skip the line, you can pre-order (do it ASAP), but there’s a minimum order requirement of five pounds of meat.

Houndstooth Coffee —

Went to two locations because we loved the coffee so much, but if you can only stop by one go to the location at the Domain! Beautiful interior and very spacious. I was very into the colorful subway tile situation. I also loved the cold brew.

Summermoon —

A coffee shop with multiple locations throughout the city. Known for their moon milk, which is a sweet and creamy milk they add to their espresso drinks. L and I usually take our coffee black and don’t like super sweet coffee drinks, so if you’re like us, I’d recommend adjusting the sweetness level to your preference. The levels go from quarter moon, half moon, three quarters moon, to summer moon, in order of sweetness. Quarter moon was plenty sweet for me.

Jo’s Coffee —

Another excellent coffee spot. I love the location on South Congress, which has a nice outdoor, covered space to chill and people watch. It’s also home to the “i love you so much” mural.

All opinions are my own, and this post is not sponsored by any brands. It does contain affiliate links, which may give me a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support as it helps me keep this blog going! I fully support each of the brands mentioned.

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