Carly & Daniel
Carly & Daniel
Experience Austin
Here's a C&D Wedding Map with all the
spots below pinned for your convenience!
Fun Outdoors
While you're here, take advantage of the beautiful weather and Austin’s integration of city life and outdoor fun. Town Lake/Lady Bird Lake (it depends who you ask) runs through the city and is swimming with paddle boarders and kayakers at any hour. Over 15 miles of Greenbelt run throughout the city, allowing you to jump off the highway and disappear into the wilderness. The Edwards Aquifer keeps our springs fed and the water cold. We also happily host the largest colony of Mexican Free-tailed Bats in the country, and they put on a great show. Here are a few suggestions if you’re looking for an adventure!
Fed by underground springs, this natural pool stays 68-70 degrees year round. This time of year, it’ll take your breath away but it’s so worth it! Bring a towel, water and some sunscreen. Heads Up! No outside food or beverages (besides water) are allowed in the pool–it’s the only natural habitat of the Austin Blind Salamander, afterall–so don’t go hungry!
Green Belt Hike - Sculpture Falls - Hiking & Swimming (directions to parking)
This is a great hike! Little over 2 miles, out and back. There is a surprising elevation change (550 feet!) as you descend from the highway down into the greenbelt. The car sounds will fade away and you’ll forget you are just miles from the capital! At the end, there are beautiful falls and a great swimming hole. Don’t be tricked–lazy people will stop at the first swimming hole. Keep going. It’s about 40 minutes to the real destination. Worth it. Wear your bathing suit. Bring a cooler!
This is a beautiful 10 mile trail around the lake. There are several access points so you don’t have to do the whole loop. If you want to get out and stretch your legs, this is a great option!
Paddle Boarding on Town Lake
There are several places to rent paddle boards from on Town Lake. Might just depend on where you are coming from (Zilker Park Boat rentals is very close to Barton Springs Pool, for example). Most of them will have one person, two people (sometimes even barge-sized for entire families!) and kayaks. If the weather is nice, you’ll want to make a reservation. Try these: Live Love Paddle, Zilker Park Boat Rental, Ladybird Lake Rentals
See the Bats!
Starting in late March and continuing through early fall, North America's largest urban bat population calls Austin home–1.5 million bats! The bats begin to wake up around sunset. After the sun sets, the show really begins, and hundreds to thousands of bats pour out and cascade East over Lady Bird Lake.
You can catch this crazy nature show for free from the Congress Bridge (face East!) or below the bridge on either side of the river (East side of the bridge, face West). Or, buy a ticket for a Bat Cruise and see them from the water. Even better, rent your own electric boat and be your own tour guide.
Cruises: Lone Star Riverboat or Capital Cruises
Electric Boat Rental: Duffy Boats (at Capital Cruises) or Retro Boats (very Instagramable!)
If golf is your thing, but you don’t take it too seriously, this is a great 9-hole par 3 course in the middle of the city. Great place to practice your pitch! No tee times - first come, first swing!
If golf is your thing and you don’t take it seriously at all, Peter Pan Mini Golf is the best! Two 18-hole courses full of whimsical (and sometimes nightmarish) obstacles from local artists. It’s BYOB so grab your favorite cold beverage (coolers are okay, but no glass) and let the competition begin!
Shopping is an outdoor activity, right? Start on either end of the strip–from Johanna St to the South, and Nellie St to the North–and work your way down one side of the street and back up the other. Everything from vintage shops, cowboy boots and hats, clothes, jewelry, and gifts. Great food and drink spots along the way: Home Slice for a quick slice (or a whole pie, no judgement here), Guerro’s for some real Tex-Mex, Neighborhood Sushi, or Perla’s for a very fancy lunch. Don’t pass up a scoop from Jeni’s Scoop Shop, either!
Visit the market set up all along South Congress. Fridays 10-5, Saturdays 10-5 and Sundays 1:30-5
Dining out
Come to Austin with an open heart and an empty belly! Here’s a list of some of our favorite places to dine out, and especially to share with friends when they come to town. There’s a little something for everyone on this list. The Michelin Guide finally made it to Texas, and 44 restaurants made the Guide. And some of those restaurants made our Guide to Austin restaurants.
These are organized, roughly, by distance from the hotel. Starting with the closest and working our way out.
Este - Dinner Only, Happy Hour
Coastal Mexican with an emphasis on seafood (don’t worry, they have a great steak, too). They opened last year and skyrocketed to the top of the list. Must try: Shrimp Aguachile Negro.
Nixta Taqueria - Bib Gourmand, Dinner Only
Super traditional (they make their own masa!) meets unconventional (then put Duck Confit on it). Outdoor dining, great for a lovely Austin night out.
Wu Chow, Farm to Table Chinese Lunch & Dinner
Seasonal, local, just the right amount of tingly sichuan peppercorns. There’s something for everyone here, from veggie lovers to meat eaters. Order the soup dumplings before you even order drinks. You won’t be disappointed. Must try: Soup Dumplings.
Lin Asian Bar & Bistro - Dinner, Weekend Dim Sum Brunch
If you want MORE dumplings, go here instead. Lin left Wu Chow to open her own spot. She focuses on better chinese cuisine with better and healthier ingredients. The dinner menu is a mix of apps, entrees and dumplings and they do a full Dim Sum Brunch on the weekend. When someone comes to visit who has never been here before, this is a must-stop on our eating tour. Must try: Soup Dumplings; Shrimp & Mushroom Bao
Arlo Grey - Dinner Only
If you’re a celebrity Chef enthusiast (okay, “nerd”!) Austin supports a lot of Chefs you’ve seen on TV. This is Kristin Kish’s spot (of Top Chef Fame). Obsessed with her and her food. Try the rabbit dumplings! And if you’re not that “adventurous”, they have one of the best burgers in town! Must try: Rabbit Dumplings
Fukumoto - Japanese Yakitori & Sushi - Dinner Only
I think it’s the best sushi in town, and they have a non-sushi menu that’s really great too. Must try: Uni Pasta (trust me), YST Maki
Buenos Aires Cafe - Lunch & Dinner, Happy Hour
Argentinian food. Empanadas and MEAT. Ha. You will leave uncomfortably full and very happy. Do NOT go to the speakeasy in the basement. That is not a coy hint to go. Do NOT go. It’s terrible. Must try: Pastel de Papas
Licha’s Cantina - Lunch & Dinner, Happy Hour
Interior Mexican (not Tex Mex!!). Patio Party Vibe. Get yourself a pitcher of margaritas and have a good time. Must try: Arroz con Huitlacoche (don’t google it, just eat it)
Canje - Dinner Only
First Caribbean restaurant in town. The restaurant is so fun, the food is a punch in the face, in the best possible way. Bold, spicy, rich, bright, juicy. All the best food words. The meat is great, the seafood is great, the veggies are great. Love, love, love this place. Must try: Wild Boar Pepper Pot
Kemuri - Bib Gourmand, Dinner Only
Japanese Yakitori meets Texas BBQ and they fall in love. And it is true love. If you want to go all out, call ahead and reserve the Smoked Tuna Collar. It’s as big as the table and comes with a bento box setup. You’ll lick the bones clean! Must try: BBQ Unagi
Elizabeth Street Cafe - Lunch & Dinner, Happy Hour, Weekend Brunch
French Bakery meets Vietnamese cafe. With so many restaurants in town, it’s hard to repeat one too often. But I’m a regular at this place. I even own the cookbook! Very casual, very chic. Must try: Ginger Chili Oil Dumplings
Foreign & Domestic - Dinner only, Happy Hour
Nose-to-tail/farm-to-table/root-to-fruit eating. In their words, “Our menu is foreign in style, while domestically sourced. Our menus change with the season, farm availability, & on chefs’ whim. “ One of my absolute favs. Must try: The Menu changes all the time, but there will always be Popovers.
Ramen Del Barrio - Bib Gourmand, Lunch only
Okay, this one is OUT there (distance wise) but it’s worth it. Mexican-fusion Ramen Shop with an attitude. They get busy but service is fast. Get there early though, because they’ll sell out of the good stuff! Located at the Hana World Market food court if browsing Asian Grocery Stores is your jam (it’s mine). Must try: Carnitas Tonkatsu (and if you go on a Sunday, they have Menudo Ramen!)
FOOD TRUCKS
It would be a disservice to the Austin Food Truck scene to not call out some of the best ones.
Distant Relatives - West African BBQ. At Meanwhile Brewing.
KG BBQ - Egyptian BBQ. At Oddwood Brewing
Little Nishi - Sashimi & Handrolls. Two Locations: South 1st Food truck court, and Armadillo Den.
Cuantos Tacos - Mexico City style street tacos. VERY close to the hotel. In a little food truck court off 12th.
Toyloco Tacos - More tacos. You can never have enough tacos.