Doro Travels: Top 5 Things To Do in Austin, Texas
I have loved Austin ever since I binge watched Season 6 of Queer Eye. I loved the culture, the fashion, and the energy. Being a budding tech hub doesn’t hurt its case either ;)
It’s one of those cities that has been on my list to visit, but is never at the top of the list as I gravitate toward international destinations when I have extended time-off. I took a 12 day vacation to Texas in July/ August of 2022 and visited Austin, San Antonio, and Houston - I feel like 4 days per city was a good amount of time as it left me wanting more!
Austin is truly the perfect city for a young professional with an abundance of restaurants, nightlife, activities (indoors and outdoors), and entertainment. You can get by on foot and with car share if you’re taking a vacation here, which is fantastic.
Greetings from the Austin, TX mural!
Pete’s Duelling Piano Bar, Austin, TX.
Here are my top 5 things to do in Austin, Texas!
1) Watch the bats fly at sunset on Congress Avenue Bridge
From March to November, Mexican free-tailed bats frequent Austin’s Congress Avenue Bridge (and spend their winters in Mexico) - this makes for an amazing sight at sunset as they wake up and begin their night flights. I’d recommend arriving at the bridge 30-45 minutes before sunset so you can find parking and snag a good spot on the bridge!
There are a few active ways to enjoy the show: walking tour, rent a kayak, stand-up paddle board, canoe, or water bike, to name a few. My friends and I opted for the kayak tour with Live Love Paddle ($50-$55USD per person) and as someone with minimal upper body strength, this was a workout (albeit very fun)! We kayaked along the Colorado River to the bridge and bobbed on the water during sunset to watch the bats emerge from the bridge. For a fuss-free, effortless experience, I’d recommend a guided boat tour instead as it got dark REAL fast and we paddled like mad to return our kayaks at the end of the night!
Bats emerging from Congress Avenue Bridge at sunset.
Zoomin’ on a Lime, absolutely terrified.
2) Ride a Lime scooter
Access to e-scooters is not readily available in the Lower Mainland/ Vancouver - there is only a pilot program in Richmond - so I jumped at the opportunity to ride a Lime scooter in Austin. And let me tell you, these things are heckin’ speedy. I felt like I was flying down the road at 9 MPH (14 KPH) and as you can see from my face, I was terrified.
Use my Lime referral code for $3 off your first ride - have fun!
I definitely worked up an appetite, which leads me to my next to-do…
3) Indulge in Texas BBQ - meat sweats and all!
Texas BBQ is renowned and loved for several reasons: the quality of meat, the slow smoking, and the dry rubs and simple seasonings. Traditional Texas pitmasters employ large smokers, often fueled by oak or mesquite wood, to cook the meat low and slow for hours, resulting in a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Texas BBQ typically relies on simple rubs and seasonings to enhance the natural flavors of the meat. Dry rubs composed of salt, black pepper, paprika, and other spices are applied generously to create a beautiful crust or bark on the exterior of the meat. The combination of the right seasoning, meticulous cooking, and expert slicing techniques creates a transcendent BBQ experience - no exaggeration.
We went to Terry Black’s BBQ and it did not disappoint. K and I shared brisket, ribs, mac and cheese, and cornbread (my fave!!). It doesn’t look like much but the meat sweats kicked in real quick - if you weren’t planning to already, wear your stretchy pants.
Interior of Terry Black’s BBQ, Austin, TX.
Brisket, ribs, mac and cheese, and cornbread at Terry Black’s BBQ, Austin, TX.
4) Experience Austin’s nightlife on 6th Street or Rainey Street
I’m sober curious (aka 95% sober but I will drink during special occasions) and I can never say no to good vibes. For this night out, we opted for spontaneity and started at P6 Lounge Bar (at The LINE Austin), a bar that was a parking garage in a past life with an incredible view of the South Austin skyline, but wound up bopping along 6th Street, checking out bars, pubs, and eateries they came our way. We stopped by Pete’s Duelling Piano Bar and sang our hearts out to some Maroon 5 and other classics!
I’d also recommend checking out Ego’s on SoCo for nighttime karaoke - definitely a little divey and situated under a parking garage, but I like to think that that adds to the charm. The choir/ music nerd in me adored it.
So stinking thrilled at Allens Boots with my cowboy hat, which I unfortunately didn’t end up buying.
I love visiting new fitness studios when I travel and I loved Solidcore (apparatus pilates)!
5) Shop on South Congress Avenue (SoCo)
You know me… I love a good shop. South Congress Ave (also referred to as SoCo) has a charming amount of shops - both chains and boutiques - for one to explore! I’d recommend the following:
Reformation - simply because we don’t have it in Vancouver
Allens Boots - an Austin ICON with beautifully crafted cowboy and cowgirl hats and boots
Kendra Scott Jewelry - fine and demi-fine jewelery using bold and colourful gemstones
Oh, and obviously pilates - I took my first Solidcore class in Austin and LOVED it. Similar to one of my favourite workouts, Lagree, Solidcore is a high-intensity, low-impact full-body workout done on a reformer-esque machine, called the Sweatlana. The studio vibes were modern spin meets pilates, with blue lights and an almost rave-like quality.
What are some of your must-dos in Austin? Let me know!
