Austin, Texas in 48 Hours

48 Hours in Austin, Texas

5/10/2017

We went to Austin back in 2015 and it is still lingers as one of our favorite towns. We had such a blast in just a short amount of time! You can read about our full road trip story on our Blog Post. Since this place holds such a special spot in our hearts we wanted to write a 48 hour, "can't miss" guide to your visit so you don't miss a thing in the Capital, Live Music City in the heart of Texas!

Some Texas History

Austin is the Capitol of Texas and the eleventh most populous city in the United States. It is situated on the Colorado River in Central Texas and is constantly bustling with growth and activity. Austin is known for its love of the arts and music too. Known as the Live Music Capital City of the World, it is said to have more music venues per capita than any other American city. It is home to the University of Texas and the Austin spurs just to name a few accredited sports entertainments, but sports and music is just a pinch of what this great city has to offer. Austin is one of the fastest growing cities in America and those residing in the area call themselves "Austinites." Rich in history, arts, food, and entertainment, Austin continues to thrive and grow each and every day, pushing it to the top of many folks bucket lists.

What To Do:

Watch the bats while standing on the Congress Ave. bridge. (We were there in mid October. Unfortunately, there were no bats - we hear peak season is June/July though).
Shop at Uncommon Objects
View Austin from the 30th floor at the UT Tower Observation deck - ($6 charge)
Visit Hamilton Pool Reserve (We didn't have the opportunity to visit this cool spot but we have hard it's worth the reservation - Check online to plan in advance)

Austin City Limits (Be sure to check out schedules/events for your chance at seeing a show)
Swim at the Barton Springs Pools (Admission Fee $3-$8 - We didn't go swimming but it was a great spot to take a break, sit under some trees and even have a picnic).
Hike Mt. Bonnell - (also known as Covert Park - alongside the Colorado River - consisting of 5 acres)

Visit the Cannon Lady (Take a chance to snap a photo with "The Hero of Austin")
Go dancing, or two-stepping ... (Austin has a live music venue literally on every block. Just walk down the street and your sure to wind up in one - although there are few that are more well known than others)
Take in a show at the Paramount Theater
Learn about some Texas history by visiting one of the local museums (Bullock Texas State History Museum, Texas Memorial Museum, Blanton Museum of Art, The Contemporary Austin - just to name a few)
Catch up on your reading at South Congress Books

Where To Eat:

Austin is loaded with delicious places to grab a bite to eat with its food trucks on seemingly every corner and world famous barbecue joints. However, in 48 hours you only have a few places that you can visit. Here are a few of our top recommendations.

Jo's Coffee Shop - 2nd Street District
Gourdough's Big Fat Donuts
Salt Lick BBQ (outside of downtown)
The Oasis (Lake Travis)
Historic Avenue B. Grocery
Magnolia Cafe'
Terry Blacks BBQ

Photo Worthy Locations

Austin is one of our favorite cities for taking pictures with an abundance of great opportunities to snap a good photo. Going back to the artistic culture of the town there are murals all over the city that make for some humorous poses (and people watching) as well as lots of incredible natural vistas (like Lake Travis). It's always a good sign when there are so many moments in one spot that you want to capture and freeze to keep with you.

1. Planet K "Texas" Mural

2. The Oasis - Sunsets over a Yummy Dinner