Hi,

As part of what seems to be becoming an Amtrak & bus summer ritual to Mexico and/or Central America (yes, I’m a teacher), I stopped in first St. Louis MO, then Austin TX before continuing to Monterrey Mexico. I had visited Austin once before around 2014-2015 around New Year’s and had enjoyed most the State Capitol tour as well as the Bullock Museum of Texas History that visit.

So, this year was my first visit in summer to the Texas capital. This time I opted to stay on South Congress, at the Austin Motel, an area of the city I didn’t see last trip (last time, I was in Clarksville near the original Whole Foods). It was an interesting location, with plenty of dining options around and a quasi counter-culture vibe, especially at the Austin Motel. I went to Torchy’s Tacos, which is definitely not a run-of-the-mill taco joint and tried an Austin specialty, breakfast tacos at Joann’s. The one thing that seems to have exploded in this area of Austin are the electric scooter rental stands; I’d heard of this phenomenon but here they were like locusts!

Yes, it was 101F, but what made the heat bearable was the pool access. Yes, the hotel pool but also the outing I did to Barton Springs Pool, a naturally sourced HUGE outdoor pool in a stunning setting. Although I took an Uber to the pool, I also took advantage of being its vicinity to hike along the Greenbelt Trails that go from Barton Springs and bring one to gorgeous rapids and tranquil pools of a Colorado River tributary amidst greenery that feel worlds removed away from city living. The cool water of the spring-fed pool (big enough to do laps) felt divine as I swam laps after the hour-long walk.

Yes I actually think, despite the heat, that this summer visit was a better choice weather-wise than the winter visit to Austin a few years back. I had heard that a New Year visit was dicey and let’s just say the dice didn’t roll my way, with it being a sort of bone-chilling humid and cloudy cold when I went.

One nice thing about a summer rather than winter Austin visit is joining with the folks who come to observe the bats emerge at sunset from the Congress Street bridge. The bats came finally after 9pm and it was quite the sight and squeaking sound to see hundreds come out, even though they were much smaller-looking than I had imagined. From the park under the bridge, they appeared almost like dim moths in the red light of the tour boats, to my eyes.

All in all, I came out of this visit appreciating Austin more. I feel the city’s greatest asset is the terrific nature access on trails and the very unique Barton Springs Pool.

Happy travels!

Here’s some photos of the stellar nature, all in the heart of Austin

The beautiful Barton Springs pool

Rapids along the Greenbelt trails

A cliff adjacent a tranquil pool, Greenbelt Trail

Hi, Daniel! Nice trip report. I’ve never been to Austin but the bats could tempt me.

Thanks for reading and commenting, emalloy, birdie and northfork280! Birdie, indeed, seeing the bats was a unique experience!

If curious, here is the trip report for the Mexico/Central America part of my trip, using Austin as a springboard.

Buses: Austin & Mexican Gulf Coast to El Salvador

Thanks, sludick! That means a lot.

Thanks tdudette. Thanksgiving I imagine would be a good time of year to go, although I hope the sharp temperature drop did not leave you unprepared. Where next? Immediately after Austin, I saw some incredible Mayan archaeological sites in Mexico, El Salvador and Honduras, as well as some new towns/cities in those countries and the amazing Cańón del Sumidero (see trip report in Mexico & Central America). If you mean, where after that? That, I have no idea! I usually come up with a plan for my Christmas vacation in maybe late August or September and next summer’s foray in maybe February or March.

Baldone— San Antonio is usually *my* jumping off point for travel into Mexico. There’s much I appreciate about SA. It was fun however to mix it up by beginning in Austin instead this year.