One day in Austin
Sep 20th, 2006, 06:03 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One day in Austin
Hello,
My husband and I are driving this Saturday 9/23 from Dallas to Austin for the first time and spending the day there. We would like to spend the day in a nice neighborhood where we can sit in an outside restaurant, walk around, do some outdoors sightseeing and then have dinner at some nice place.
I would appreciate your suggestions.
Where do we go to see the bats? Is this a must-see?
Thank you in advance.
My husband and I are driving this Saturday 9/23 from Dallas to Austin for the first time and spending the day there. We would like to spend the day in a nice neighborhood where we can sit in an outside restaurant, walk around, do some outdoors sightseeing and then have dinner at some nice place.
I would appreciate your suggestions.
Where do we go to see the bats? Is this a must-see?
Thank you in advance.
Sep 20th, 2006, 06:11 AM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,254
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Welcome to Austin! We're so happy to have you here!
The bats are under the Congress Street Bridge, which is just a block south of the downtown sector.
Just as a heads-up, this Saturday the Longhorns are hosting Iowa State at 2:30 pm, so the area around the stadium will be packed from about 10 am until the evening. The restaurants will be hopping at night, as well as downtown, with fans.
I would always suggest Hula Hut for a nice Tex-Mex dinner (right on the lake -- in fact, we ate there just last night!). But any restaurant you go to will be busy because of the home game. I might suggest you eat early wherever you eat, before the game is over.
The bats are under the Congress Street Bridge, which is just a block south of the downtown sector.
Just as a heads-up, this Saturday the Longhorns are hosting Iowa State at 2:30 pm, so the area around the stadium will be packed from about 10 am until the evening. The restaurants will be hopping at night, as well as downtown, with fans.
I would always suggest Hula Hut for a nice Tex-Mex dinner (right on the lake -- in fact, we ate there just last night!). But any restaurant you go to will be busy because of the home game. I might suggest you eat early wherever you eat, before the game is over.
Sep 20th, 2006, 07:24 AM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,200
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi Cheerios,
Austin is pretty small so I'm not sure if there is one neighborhood where you'll want to spend the whole day. I would suggest you go to the Clarksville area downtown. It is a nice residential area with nice, old homes but within walking distance of many shops and restaurants.
In the neighborhood, at the corner of N. Lamar and Fifth/Sixth Streets is Whole Foods. This would be a great place to have an outdoor lunch. This is not an ordinary Whole Foods and is well worth seeing. There are about six or seven small restaurants inside as well as a ton of prepared foods and a huge food bar. There is an outdoor patio area where you can take your food. I love to get the cheese platter from the cheese bar and pair that with a nice bottle of wine.
There's a huge parking garage under the store so you could leave your car there while you explore the area on foot. Across the street from Whole Foods is The Book People, a huge book store with gifts, etc. On the other side of the street is Waterloo Records if you're looking for some great music. They can help you out with some good Austin music if you're interested.
A little ways up Sixth Street is Z-Texas which is also a great place to eat outside or just get some drinks and appetizers. Along that road are art galleries and more shops. There's also Sweetish Hill Bakery if you need a treat.
Also, there are cute shops directly across the street from Whole Foods on N. Lamar and up N. Lamar for a few blocks. All are easy walking distance.
I would also head downtown and see the Capitol Building. It's really nice and fun to explore on the inside. The grounds are great too, especially during good weather. If you like museums I would recommend the Bob Bullock Museum. There's an IMAX theater there too. The newest museum, The Blanton, is across the street. I am not a big fan but I've only been once since they opened so I need to try it again.
For a nice dinner that evening I would go to the Roaring Fork. It's right on Congress Street at Seventh (I think). Dining at the bar is fun there too. If you want to eat lunch here I believe they have an open patio upstairs overlooking Congress St.
Another fun area to visit is South Congress Street. That's just over the bridge from downtown. The neighborhood prides itself on being funky and the shops prove that! And lastly, if you want to take a nice walk, just hit the trails that run along Town Lake.
And just to give you a few more places to think about for lunch or dinner, I also recommend Dona Emilia (South American cuisine) and the Shoreline Grill. The Shoreline is directly on Town Lake next to the Four Seasons. Great location.
I hope I haven't given you too much information. Just ask if you have any questions. Hope you have a great time in Austin!!
Austin is pretty small so I'm not sure if there is one neighborhood where you'll want to spend the whole day. I would suggest you go to the Clarksville area downtown. It is a nice residential area with nice, old homes but within walking distance of many shops and restaurants.
In the neighborhood, at the corner of N. Lamar and Fifth/Sixth Streets is Whole Foods. This would be a great place to have an outdoor lunch. This is not an ordinary Whole Foods and is well worth seeing. There are about six or seven small restaurants inside as well as a ton of prepared foods and a huge food bar. There is an outdoor patio area where you can take your food. I love to get the cheese platter from the cheese bar and pair that with a nice bottle of wine.
There's a huge parking garage under the store so you could leave your car there while you explore the area on foot. Across the street from Whole Foods is The Book People, a huge book store with gifts, etc. On the other side of the street is Waterloo Records if you're looking for some great music. They can help you out with some good Austin music if you're interested.
A little ways up Sixth Street is Z-Texas which is also a great place to eat outside or just get some drinks and appetizers. Along that road are art galleries and more shops. There's also Sweetish Hill Bakery if you need a treat.
Also, there are cute shops directly across the street from Whole Foods on N. Lamar and up N. Lamar for a few blocks. All are easy walking distance.
I would also head downtown and see the Capitol Building. It's really nice and fun to explore on the inside. The grounds are great too, especially during good weather. If you like museums I would recommend the Bob Bullock Museum. There's an IMAX theater there too. The newest museum, The Blanton, is across the street. I am not a big fan but I've only been once since they opened so I need to try it again.
For a nice dinner that evening I would go to the Roaring Fork. It's right on Congress Street at Seventh (I think). Dining at the bar is fun there too. If you want to eat lunch here I believe they have an open patio upstairs overlooking Congress St.
Another fun area to visit is South Congress Street. That's just over the bridge from downtown. The neighborhood prides itself on being funky and the shops prove that! And lastly, if you want to take a nice walk, just hit the trails that run along Town Lake.
And just to give you a few more places to think about for lunch or dinner, I also recommend Dona Emilia (South American cuisine) and the Shoreline Grill. The Shoreline is directly on Town Lake next to the Four Seasons. Great location.
I hope I haven't given you too much information. Just ask if you have any questions. Hope you have a great time in Austin!!
Sep 20th, 2006, 07:52 AM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 25,876
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't live in Austin, but on my recent daytrip to Austin, I followed fellow Fodorites' advice and ate at the Roaring Fork. The food there was fabulous and service was very good. I would not hesitate to recommend it to you.
I also checked out the Blanton Museum of Art - it's worth going in even just to see the building and the beautiful ceiling.
Here's my daytrip report if you're interested:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34808787
I also checked out the Blanton Museum of Art - it's worth going in even just to see the building and the beautiful ceiling.
Here's my daytrip report if you're interested:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34808787
Sep 20th, 2006, 10:42 AM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 25,876
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There's an article on Austin in the Travel section in the NYT from this past weekend. It may give you some more ideas:
http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/09/1.../17Goingto.htm
http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/09/1.../17Goingto.htm
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
sunny16
United States
9
Jun 26th, 2006 08:24 PM
