I visited Austin, Texas for President’s Day Weekend and it was such a blast! I fell in love with the city and the vibe while I was there and I already know that I want to go back and visit again soon! There were so many cool places to explore and I’m sharing a few of my favorites below. Keep on reading for all of my ATX recommendations based on what I did, where I ate, shopped, went out, and took photos!
Where to Eat
Jo’s Hot Coffee Good Food – 1300 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704
I went to Jo’s my first morning in Austin to grab breakfast and some coffee and to snap a few photos of the infamous “I love you so much” wall. I got there at around 8am on a Friday and didn’t have to wait in line for anything. By the time I finished my breakfast and left, there was a line for both the wall and breakfast. I got their potato, egg, and cheese breakfast tacos and an iced vanilla latte with skim milk. It was the perfect way to start my first full day in ATX!
Josephine House – 1601 Waterston Ave, Austin, TX 78703
I popped over to Josephine House for happy hour with my friend Hanna, and I had the BEST burger there. (I seriously considered coming back a second time during my trip to have another one. It was THAT good!) They called it the “Josephine House Burger” and it came with grafton cheddar, harissa aïoli, and grilled red onion, on a housemade bun with a side of frites. We also got Palomas which were delish!
Café No Sé – 1603 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704
I went to Café No Sé my second morning in Austin for brunch and I can honestly say that my eyes were bigger than my stomach. Everything I got was SO good, but I wasn’t able to finish it all! I ordered the ham and cheese croissant; the red quinoa porridge which came with strawberries, kiwi, cocoa nibs, and toasted pistachio on top; and a shaken coffee (basically an iced coffee). The pricing wasn’t terrible at all for how high quality the food was!
Eureka! – 200 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78701
I went to Eureka! for dinner one night before going out on 6th Street and I got their blackened fish tacos with sweet potato fries. I’m not a fan of super heavy or spicy food, so these tacos were the perfect choice for a lighter dinner! Their sweet potato fries were pretty good, but they were definitely on the sweeter side and came with a syrupy sauce drizzled on top. This spot definitely has a major sports bar atmosphere to it, but they also had some really good live music.
Sawyer & Co – 4827 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
Hanna and I grabbed lunch at Sawyer & Co. on a Sunday and I was so hungry when we sat down! The food was so good and they had mimosa pitchers in multiple flavors, which was fun! The atmosphere of this spot was super cute and even though it was kind of chilly outside we were able to sit on the patio thanks to the heat lamps and covered seating! Definitely a quintessential breakfast sort of spot.
Whole Foods – 525 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78703
When I was growing up, my mom constantly shopped at Whole Foods. However, I have never ever seen a Whole Foods as huge as this one, and with so many hot bar and salad bar options! I put together something at their salad bar after a day of exploring and shopping in the Lamar area and it was so good. This Whole Foods has a ton of outdoor seating, so I got to relax and regroup while enjoying a healthy meal at the end up a packed day!
Medici Coffee – 1101 W Lynn St, Austin, TX 78703
I needed to get some blog work done and answer some emails on my last morning in Austin, so I headed to Medici for some coffee and wifi! I sat at the bar and was able to just chill and work while sipping on my coffee. It was the perfect productive but also relaxing vibe to start my final day with!
TRACE – 200 Lavaca St, Austin, TX 78701
On my last day in Austin I wanted to grab a quick lunch before heading to the airport. I popped into TRACE at The W for a yummy watermelon mocktail, pimiento grilled cheese, and creamed kale. This kale was INCREDIBLE and their lunch special was super affordable. The waitstaff was also super sweet and prompt with getting me all my food and my check since they knew I needed to catch a flight!
Where to Grab Drinks
On my first full night in Austin, my friend Hanna took me on our own little bar crawl to some of her favorite spots. I was able to get a pretty good feel for Austin nightlife while I was in town and my favorite area was definitely Rainey Street! The entire area is made of up old houses that have been turned into cool bars. Here’s where I grabbed drinks while I was in town.
Whisler’s – 1816 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702
This was the first bar we went to and it was one of my faves! The atmosphere was super cool and it reminded me a lot of one of my favorite bars in Bucktown in Chicago. They had chandeliers hanging above the bars and the walls were covered with writing, signatures, notes, etc. It had a very boho hipster vibe to it and I’ll definitely be coming back next time!
White Horse – 500 Comal St, Austin, TX 78702
We didn’t stay here too long since it was pretty packed, but Hanna spotted the musical artist Shaky Graves walk in while we were there! Drinks were also pretty cheap here compared to Chicago, so that was a definite plus!
Container Bar – 90 Rainey St, Austin, TX 78701
This was probably my favorite bar that we went to while I was in town! Container Bar is made up of a bunch of old industrial shipping containers and they had a fantastic DJ the night that we were there. The mood, music, and drinks were all solid. 10/10 would recommend if you’re going to Rainey Street! (photo cred: @containerbar)
Bungalow – 92 Rainey St, Austin, TX 78701
After Container Bar we walked next-door to Bungalow. Honestly, the best thing about this spot was their “I hate you so much” wall, which obviously deserved a photo op! (Pictured below under “Where to Take Photos”)
Icenhauer’s -83 Rainey St, Austin, TX 78701
This spot had a fire pit and was playing 90s throwbacks. Need I say more?
The Library – 407 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78701
The Library on 6th Street had fantastic live music when I was there and they had margaritas for $4.50! The duo that was performing was playing popular songs like “Bittersweet Symphony” and “Little Lion Man.” They’d play the song at the regular tempo and then their fiddler would go double-time for certain sections. I wish I’d gotten there earlier to hear them play a bit longer! I most definitely would go back for the music.
Where To Take Photos
“I love you so much” Wall – 1300 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704
Obviously I had to snap a photo in front of the iconic Austin ilysm wall! It’s on the side of Jo’s on South Congress, so I got my photo op and a bite to eat, killing two birds with one stone!
Elizabeth Street Cafe – 1501 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704
I wanted to come here for a meal while I was in town, but it didn’t work out this trip. While passing by, I snapped this photo of their adorable pastel porch. They have a beautiful patio on the side with a trellis wall of greenery and I definitely want to eat here next time I visit. The food is supposed to be really good!
Greetings from Austin Mural – 1720 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704
Again, another classic Austin location where I knew I had to snap a photo! (Pictured at the very top of this post.)
“I hate you so much” Wall – 92 Rainey St, Austin, TX 78701
This wall is located inside of the Rainey Street bar, Bungalow, mentioned above.
HOPE Outdoor Gallery – 1101 Baylor St, Austin, TX 78703
The HOPE Outdoor Gallery is an Iconic spot in Austin and I feel like I’ve seen so many photos taken here from various friends’ travels to Austin. They’re unfortunately going to be demolishing it soon, so I had to pop by and visit before it’s gone!
Hotel San José – 1316 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704
I saw this spot while strolling down South Congress and popped through the gate to discover the cutest courtyard complete with a pond filled with little goldfish! I hear that they also have a great happy hour and serve frosé!
Austin Motel – 1220 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704
Another iconic Austin spot. I love that they have “let love in” displayed on their sign.
ATX Sign – 5th & Lamar Austin, TX 78703
This is a newer photo op spot that I just happened to come across while exploring on my last full day in Austin. The sweetest older couple was struggling to snap a selfie in front of the sign and when I offered to take a photo for them they were kind enough to return the favor!
Where to Shop
Kendra Scott South Congress – 1400 S Congress Ave A-170, Austin, TX 78704
When in Austin, the birthplace of the Kendra Scott brand, I had to pop by the original store on South Congress! It was SO cute and the girls were all super sweet and friendly as I looked around!
Maya Star – 1508 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704
Maya Star is a cute and quirky little boutique that has a wall full of these fun animal and dinosaur shaped succulent planters! (I wanted to bring one of these guys home with me SO badly!) They also have a bunch of random themed socks on the opposite wall which would be fun gag souvenir gifts for friends and some cute clothing throughout the store.
By George – 524 N Lamar Blvd # 103, Austin, TX 78703
By George was definitely on the pricier side, but they had some gorgeous pieces and the airy feel of the store is very open and welcoming!
TOMS -1401 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704
This tiny TOMS store was super cute and they had a cafe where you could grab a cup of coffee for while you were shopping around! They also had a porch out front where you could chill mid-shopping spree and drink your coffee.
Cove Boutique – 1318 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704
This store had a similar esthetic to By George, but was a bit more affordable! I loved this little seating area that they had outside.
Anthropologie – 601 N Lamar Blvd #100-A, Austin, TX 78703
I always get kinda lost in Anthro… Time just slips away while I’m looking at all the pretty things! This location is especially large so I spent a decent amount of time looking around and they had plenty of great goodies!
Kick Pleat – 624 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78703
One of the girls at By George actually told me about Kick Pleat when I asked for shopping suggestions! Again, a little bit out of my price range, but the design of the store was super pretty and simple. I loved the way that the store was merchandised and quite a few things caught my eye while I was looking around!
Outdoor Voices – 606 Blanco St, Austin, TX 78703
Outdoor Voices was by far my favorite place that I shopped on this trip! I wasn’t familiar with the brand before, but it reminds me of a more low key Lululemon, with softer and comfier clothing! I love the pastel hues that that carry and I ended up purchasing these leggings while I was at the store! I can tell you now that they won’t be my last pair… and OV is coming to Chicago some time soon, so I’m pumped!
For anyone reading this that’s going to be visiting Austin any time soon, have SO much fun! Please feel free to reach out for any more info or if you have suggestions of your own for when I go back! Also, stay tuned for my upcoming Instagram roundup where I’ll be sharing all of my Instagrams from the trip and linking everything I wore.
