austin weird for a weekend
I came across a great fare so I finally grabbed Austin for a weekend. And right before the Coronavirus but the itinerary can still be enjoyed with minimal effects. Austin's been quite the talk for years now so I was curious to visit. The weather was also perfect for a walk around downtown and a short hike outside the city. So off with a quick flight.
I flew in late on a Thursday so I just grabbed a quick-an-easy cheapy around the airport. Rested and up early for my short Uber ride downtown and an early check-in at The Line Hotel. It's the perfect hotel vibe for a visit to Austin. Not to mention the location and the pool area view of the river. I quickly dropped my bag and started my walk up Congress Ave to my breakfast stop at The Driskill Hotel. The 1886 Café & Bakery with age old quaint Victorian-style was the perfect start to my morning. A little history before the--weird. After enjoying a fresh baked breakfast croissant I took my 2nd cup-of-joe to go. My companion on a short stroll through the lower levels of the hotel. A real pleasure for any architecture & design fan.
Then on to the--weird--for the day. Just a short walk down 6th St you land at the door steps of the-one-and-only Museum of the Weird. A must! A strangely enjoyed pleasure of all things weird. I'll leave it at that to enjoy for yourself. 6th is a quiet walk in the morning but its all action happy hour on. Retracing my steps I went back on 6th to Congress and grabbed some Art at The Contemporary Austin. A brief view but worth throwing into the collection of the day. From there its a straight-shot-view walking up Congress to the capital. And a great time & place to enjoy a light snack in the park. From there I circled around back to the hotel on the other side of town on Red River St. This for some different sights and to hit the views of the river front walk that leads directly back to the hotel.
By the time I got back to the hotel I had put my slip ons to the test and was ready for the pool area. But I thought to myself, I'm not doing the 6th St bar thing and I'm in Austin so..., Its only right to take a shot and a grab a photo of Austins finest. The legendary Deep Eddy Cabaret. Just bang-boom with an Uber and I was back relaxing at the pool until my dinner res. Now, like any other city, the dinner pick could be a long list, and I was saving bbq for after my hike in the morning. So it led me to keep it Austin: funky with quality food and that's precisely what I enjoyed at Launderette. Think re-imagined diner/cafe setting with quality level dishes. It was fantastic and the vibe is just as enjoyed as the food. And with that, and a couple glasses of wine, I was all set for a light headache in the morning for my hike.
In the morning a quick bite and coffee at the hotel cafe. Then check-out and off to grab my rental just a short Uber away. A great hike just 30mins drive out of town is the River Place Nature Trail. Nothing really to write home about but one of the more enjoyed and challenging hikes just out of the city. Plus you get to see more of the area, grab some exercise and earn your ribs for lunch! Now the list of bbq joints is long and I'm sure highly debatable. I went with the beef ribs at a local favorite, Browns BBQ, and it was a damn tasty A+. I went with Browns first because it was a local fav and second because of it's ease. Its a simply food truck outside the downtown area on the way back to the airport. Which was the direction I was headed to grab another cheapy for a close early morning flight out. And that was that. A great town for a quick visit and well worth it.
ProTip: This was a relaxed approach. If you prefer more refreshments, food, social life and music you have probably already visited. If you haven't, really consider.