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Top 10 Things to do in Austin in 48 Hours

  • Kara
  • May 14, 2017
Austin, Texas

Hey, your in Austin, Texas! And you want to have a fun weekend, right? Keep scrolling for my quick-glance list of the Top 10 Things to Do In Austin in a Weekend Trip!

  1. Barton Springs Pool: Bring your own town and sunscreen! Barton Springs is natural spring water that the city captured in a half man-made pool area. The floor is natural and it feels like you are swimming in a lake. 
  2. Bangers on Rainy Street: My favorite dinner spot was Bangers, a brat & beer house on Rainy Street. Make sure to grab a table outside, order a flight and try now of their wackier brats (like the bacon and fig or venison one!)
  3. Torchy’s Tacos: Looking for a great taco? Head to the end of South Congress to Torchy’s. Make sure to order a round of chips & quest for the table and try the Democrat taco, my favorite on the menu.
  4. Walk down South Congress to shop: While in South Congress, walk the whole street to window shop (or real shop!) and check out the scene. It’s full of cute stores and restaurants and makes for good people watching.
  5. Mural Hunting: Austin is full of murals. Take an afternoon to try to visit every mural – from the “I love you so much” to the “You’re my butter half” You’ll probably find some new ones along the way.
  6. HandleBar rooftop for live music: If it’s a warm night and you are looking for cheap drinks (think $3 cocktails cheap), head to HandleBar’s rooftop for a relaxed spot and great live music. It boarders 6th Street, so you can head to more bars after. 
  7. Elizabeth Street Cafe for brunch: Underrated and extremely well decorated, Elizabeth Street Cafe is tucked away off of South Congress and offers a great Vietnamese menu. Make sure to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air!
  8. El Alma for happy hour and dinner: It looks small from the outside, but there’s a secret hidden rooftop patio in the back! Tell the host you want to sit there. Order a round margaritas and make sure to try at least once taco with cactus in it!
  9. Sunset boat cruise to watch the bats (BYOB): For one evening, grab a boat ride along the river at sunset to gaze at the skyline and watch the famous bats fly out. Some of the boats allow you  BYOB. Score!
  10. Bar hoping on Rainy Street: Rainy Street is THE PLACE for unique bars and a fun crowd. My favorite spots were Un-Bar-lievable + Container Bar, but you can’t go wrong with any of the bars here.

Hope that helps you get to know Austin at a quick glance! If you have questions or anything to add, leave a comment below!

What to pack for Austin

Kara

I'm the founder of Whimsy Soul (this blog you're reading!) I'm a type 3 enneagram cat lady who lives in San Francisco and loves to find everyday magic to share with others. You can probably find me hunting down hot springs with girlfriends, kayaking, cooking with my husband, petting strangers' dogs or watching like, all the things on Netflix. Follow me on Instagram for even more inspiration!

5 comments
  1. Ela says:
    May 15, 2017 at 11:28 am

    Reading this list makes me want to go back to Austin! When I went last year with my bf, we hiked the Barton Spring trail to the pool. It was raining that day so we didn’t end up going swimming but we looked super fly walking around in our matching Pac Man ponchos!

    Did you get a chance to stop by Gourdough’s? That’s one of my fave spots in Austin. So much so that I went there twice during my stay 🙂

    xo, EK

    Reply
    1. Kara says:
      May 18, 2017 at 2:09 pm

      That sounds fun, still! Though it was so nice being at Barton on an 80+ degree day.

      And yes – I wish they had one here in SF I could eat their donuts all day everyday!

      Kara

      Reply
  2. Reliant Pools says:
    May 19, 2017 at 5:32 pm

    love your top 10 things about Austin! I love #3!

    Reply
    1. Kara says:
      May 20, 2017 at 9:00 am

      Such good tacos! The best in Austin!

      Kara

      Reply
  3. Lars says:
    May 21, 2020 at 11:40 am

    It would be great to host you at our vacation rental next time you are in Austin.

    Reply

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