Austin, Texas Adventures | Travel Recap

Planning a trip to Austin, Texas? Here’s my list of must-see & must-eat places for your travel adventures!

This month I took my first trip to Austin, Texas for a little getaway with E to visit some of his family. Austin has been on my list of cities to visit for a few years now, so I was really excited about this trip!

I’m really glad that we had a few Austin locals to show us around because I probably wouldn’t have experienced half of what we did without their expertise and guidance. Getting local insider tips is always a good thing to do when visiting a new city!

Below is a list of places we ate, things we did, and places to check out in Austin. If you’re planning a trip to Austin any time soon, hopefully you’ll be able to check out a few of these spots.

Where to Eat in Austin

Torchy’s Tacos –> you may have seen my recipe post last week for Blackened Salmon Tacos that were inspired by this Austin hot spot!

Thai Fresh –> their Pad Thai is one of the best I’ve tried & they serve Thai Tea ice cream, which I now crave on a weekly basis!

Holla Mode –> speaking of ice cream, this place serves Thaî-style ice cream, a technique I hadn’t seen before. You should really watch the video on their site of the ice cream being made to get the full picture!

Emmer & Rye –> this place takes food & cocktails very seriously and we all loved it. The menu changes daily to make the most of farm fresh ingredients and features shareable plates + a dim sum cart option. Bon Appetit named Emmer & Rye as one of the 50 best new restaurants this year.

Juiceland –> this popular juice joint has locations all around the city and the surrounding area. The menu is extensive & the juices are tasty!

[bctt tweet=”A list of best places to eat in #Austin, Texas ” username=”KarmanRD”]

What to Do in Austin

Paddle boarding on the River –> this was my first time paddle boarding and I loved it! Getting a view of the city from the water was amazing, plus paddle boarding is a great workout 🙂

Esther’s Follies –> if you’re looking for a laugh in Austin, check out Esther’s Follies on 6th for a hilarious comedy/magic/musical production. They’ve been around for 40+ seasons and run two shows every Friday & Saturday night plus one on Thursdays.

Bats at Congress Avenue bridge –> this is the COOLEST thing to see! At dusk on summer nights, approximately 1.5 million bats leave their home under the Congress Avenue bridge and fly into the night to eat insects. You can see in this picture people standing on the bridge to watch the largest ubran bat colony in North America emerge.

Where to Go in Austin

Rainey Street –> we didn’t get to spend much time on Rainey Street but this is where Emmer & Rye is located. It’s one of the new, trendy areas of town located just off the river downtown.

The Oasis –> E’s uncle took us to The Oasis on Lake Travis for a breathtaking view + a margarita to help beat the Texas heat! Even though it was crazy hot sitting out on the restaurant deck, I could have sat there all day taking in the view!

The Shady Grove –> a casual dining spot located in the Barton Springs area serving up Austin-inspired food. We went on a night they had live music outdoors under their large pecan tree (hence the name Shady Grove!).

[bctt tweet=”A list of must-see & must-eat places in #Austin for your #travel adventures! ” username=”KarmanRD”]

Hope you all enjoyed this travel recap on Austin, Texas! Leave me a comment below if  you’ve been to any of these places or if you have suggestions I should jot down for my next visit.

p.s. Thanks to all of you who entered the Ragu Homestyle Sauce + Pasta Kit Giveaway! It was by far the most successful giveaway on the blog so far so I really appreciate you sharing and participating in the contest. I’ll have another one coming up soon!

Have a wonderful holiday weekend everyone 🙂