One of my favorite cities in the world is Austin, Texas. It's quirky, full of life, love and energy. It's also one of the most health conscious cities in the U.S. which means it has tons of places to run and bike outside, as well as lots of places to get delicious good-for-you (and not-so-good-for-you food! I currently do not live in this lovely city, but I'm hoping to get back there soon! Here are just a few of the reasons, I love Austin!
1) The Food (Of Course!)
Austin prides itself on sustaining local businesses, which means there are tons of locally owned restaurants and fewer chains. I'm such a big, big fan of this! You can find so much more character and charm in small restaurants. Owners put their heart and soul into the food they create and I'd argue the food tastes better because of it! Not to mention, Austin has tons of great Mexican food.
Who doesn't love chips and queso, tacos and a margarita on a warm summer night?!
Hill's Cafe in Austin, TX.
They have the BEST patio! They have live music on a small stage most nights of the week and the trees are filled with Christmas lights. I love hanging out here, eating some chicken fried chicken and listening to live music in the summer under the stars.
Player's Restaurant in Austin, TX.
There's nothing gourmet about this place, but I LOVE their chocolate malts and burgers! Everytime I visit Austin, I head straight from the airport to this place.
Kerbey Lane in Austin, TX.The best breakfast in town - I love this place! If you've never tried (or heard of) migas, this is the place to try them! The migas at Kerbey Lane basically consist of scrambled eggs, pico, tortillas, cheese, sauce and queso - delicious! Their sticky muffins are also delicious (and cheap! $2.35?! You can't beat that!) 2) Shopping
Austin has some of the best vintage and boutique shopping out there! South Congress is full of great little stores and on the first Thursday of each month, the entire block throws a little mini party with sales and free drinks. There's also a great section right near UT's campus with adorable clothing stores!
There are also so many great vintage jewelry stores around town, that I really don't think I'll ever buy new jewelry again!3) Greenbelts
As I mentioned before, the city of Austin is a very health-conscious one. There are so many great places to run and bike right in the city. There are many, many greenbelts around town, but my favorite one is the original 10 mile Town Lake Loop. It's a dirt path surrounded by trees and water, making it a perfect place for runners and walkers.
It's such a gorgeous, green place, that you forget you're right in the middle of downtown!
4) Mt. Bonnell
After I've eaten and shopped to my hearts content, I like to head up to Mt. Bonnell to watch the sunset in Austin. You park your car, work up a bit of a sweat walking up some steep stairs before getting to the top of Mt. Bonnell.
Looking down, you see tons of gorgeous mansions and a great view of the river. Some people take a picnic, some just take in the sunset, while I like to look down and pick out my future home!
5) Gruene
Okay, so this one isn't exactly 'Austin', but about 45 minutes south of Austin is the town of Gruene...and I adore it! Gruene is a tiny little town whose motto is
'Gruene, TX...Gently resisting change since 1872.' In the town of Gruene, you'll find a really cool, old open-air dancehall called Gruene Hall. It's so old in fact, that it's recognized as the oldest dancehall in Texas! The place looks like it could collapse around you, but there's just so much charm and life in this old building. There's always live music and it's the perfect place to hang out while you're waiting for your table at The Grist Mill. (More on that in a second!)
Gruene Hall in Gruene, TXAs I alluded to earlier, The Grist Mill is a fantastic restaurant right in town. This place, without question, is my favorite place to eat outside! The building is amazing! As you might imagine, The Gristmill is located in an old gristmill. It's an enormous restaurant with tables situated throughout. (I can't imagine being a waitress in this place!) There's a giant wooden patio in the back with trees all around, that overlooks the Guadalupe River.
It really feels like you're eating in a giant tree house! Stop by for lunch and try the BEST chicken salad sandwich you've ever had in your life!
The Gristmill in Gruene, TX
There are also a bunch of little old shops on the main street in town. There are a couple of antique stores which are fun to go through, but my favorite is a little general store that has lots of little Texas trinkets AND delicious scoops of Blue Bell ice cream! Blue Bell ice cream is the best and is a Texas tradition. My favorite is the strawberry!
I'll grab a scoop of ice cream and enjoy it's creamy goodness while I walk down to the Guadalupe.
Strawberry Blue Bell Ice Cream
And on to my other favorite thing in Gruene...the Guadalupe River! The Guadalupe River runs right through the town of Gruene.
In the summer, thousands of heat-weary Texans grab a tube and a cooler of drinks and float down the Guadalupe. On any given day, you can find people relaxing on the river and enjoying the views. It just screams summer!
6) Alamo Drafthouse
Another one of my favorite ways to spend a Saturday night is to catch a show at The Alamo Drafthouse. Not only is it a movie theater, but it's a restaurant and bar as well! They show regular, new movies, but also show independent and older films as well. My favorite times to go are when they have special events. People dress up, interact with the movie and just have a generally awesome time! For example, a couple of weeks ago, they had a Back To The Future Trilogy Feast!
They played all three movies in the series and served a six course dinner with the menu being based off the movies. And, as an added surprise, Christopher Lloyd pulled up in a Delorean to introduce the show and do a Q&A!
It really doesn't get much cooler than that, folks!
There are several things in Austin that I have yet to experience yet, but I'm making a list so I can knock them out soon!
1) Swim at Hamilton Pool Preserve
2) Take a Stargazing Tour at Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve
3) Visit the Austin Farmer's Market
4) Hang out in Texas Wine Country
5) Eat at one of the many trailers
6) Experience Kite Day
7) Swim at Barton Springs
