Frontiers: 16 Sites You Must Explore in Austin, TX

Whoa, Austin. I was not prepared for your awesomeness. Even after a day of Pinterest-scouring, getting recommendations from friends and obsessively mapping out every detail (including Plans B and C for things to do, if our A-game didn’t work out), Austin surpassed my expectations in every way.

Austin, I think I love you. Mean it.

When Nate headed to the city for a week for work, I gleefully booked a flight for a long weekend to explore the area. Back in 2010, I had seen a story about unconventional wedding cakes in Every Day with Rachael Ray, and snapped a photo of a tie-dye cake featured, from a bakery in — you guessed it — Austin, which later became the inspiration for our wedding cake. So of course, sampling The Cake That Started It All became the main focus of my trip, and I excitedly (okay, geekily) emailed the owner of Blue Note Bakery, sending a gushy, fangirl email asking if they could make a special mini-cake for us while we were in town. Here it is:

And here’s a closeup of the slice (which, full disclosure, we ate at a windy bus stop since there were no picnic tables or anything nearby. I doubt we were the oddest sight to see that day):

Angela and the Blue Note Bakery team couldn’t be kinder or more accommodating. They’re more of a cake studio, specializing in orders for weddings and other events, so you can’t just waltz in and order a dozen cupcakes, but if you want something truly special, call a week or two ahead and place an order. It’s worth it.

Of course, there’s a lot more to Austin than its tie-dye “South Austin” cake. With the help of a few incredible guides (thank you, Indeed team, Aide & Matt Davison and Matt & Kirsten Congrove!), we got to experience the city that keeps it “weird” like a local. Or semi-local, because we had to do the touristy stuff too. Had to.

Here are our favorites:

FOOD:

Terry Black’s
1003 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX 78704
Austin is not lacking when it comes to killer BBQ. There’s the infamous Franklin’s, with it’s rise-at-the-crack-of-dawn, wait-for-hours-but-it’s-worth-it reputation, Stubb’s, Salt Lick — and they’re all worth hitting up, but when in Austin, you can’t forget about Terry Black’s. The smoked turkey and brisket are must-haves.

Torchy’s Tacos
1801 E. 51st St., Austin, TX 78723 (Multiple locations)
Since breakfast tacos are a way of life in Austin, you’ve got to order them at least once (if not every day). When you do, try the Monk Special for a bacon, egg and cheese taco with green chiles, or if you want to combine two Texas specialties at once, go for the Wrangler: beef brisket, scrambled eggs, jack cheese and tomatillo sauce, wrapped in your choice of a flour or corn tortilla. If you’re feeling really adventurous, order something off the menu, like the chicken-tender-topped Hillbilly taco.

 Gourdough’s
1503 S. 1st St., Austin, TX 78704
When I saw that Gourdough’s doughnuts started at $4.25, I gave the food truck (er, trailer?) a healthy dose of side-eye. How good could I doughnut be?
Really, really freaking good, it turns out.
The doughnuts have a crisp, funnel-cake like exterior that gives way to a pillowy, light-as-air dough you just want to savor, again and again, until that fried delight disappears. Plus, it comes in an insanely decadent array of flavors — from the Mother Clucker, a doughnut topped with a chicken strip and honey butter, to the Black Out, which features a combination of brownie batter, fudge icing and chocolate-covered brownie bites.

Other Places to Eat:

• Hopdoddy Burger Bar — Arguably the best burger in Austin
• Trudy’s TexMex — With $3 Happy Hour margaritas and massive taco platters, you’re practically guaranteed to have a great night
• The Coffeehouse at Hideout Theatre — Come for the iced coffee, stay for the free improv in the theater in the back

 

FUN:

Top Golf
2700 Esperanza Crossing, Austin, TX 78758
This isn’t like any driving range you’ve been to before. The field features several color-coded targets, like a series of bullseyes, which award you different points depending on how close you get to them. You can play seven different games involving these targets, and the system tracks your score — kind of like bowling — so there are no points to tally or mini-pencils to keep track of. As if that weren’t enough, blasting music and a full restaurant and bar make the place feel like a nonstop party.

Dillon Panther Field
Flow Ln & Del Valle St., Austin, Texas 78617
If you’ve never seen an episode of Friday Night Lights, go watch it now. We’ll wait.
Now that that’s over, feel free to tweet us how obsessed you are (so we’re not alone), and swing by the football field where many of the show’s scenes were shot. It’s on a back street next to a Holiday Inn, slowly fading out of existence like the show itself. Vulture compiled a complete tour of the show’s filming locations, though I’ve heard the BBQ place no longer exists…and the Alamo Freeze is just another Dairy Queen (tear).

Rainey Street Bars
77 Rainey Street, Austin, TX 78701
A series of historic houses along Rainey Street have been transformed into bars and restaurants (including a beer garden!), making for a bar crawl that feels more like a neverending block party. Head to Lucille Bar to sip a cocktail while lounging in a hammock. Bangers and Container Bar also come highly recommended.

While You’re Shopping Along South Congress (Because You Must and You Should), Don’t Miss:

• Luxe Apothetique — Master the high-low mix: Marc Jacobs bags and designer dresses sit side-by-side with $10 Austin street art souvenirs.
• Austin Rocks — The mecca for Texas’s boho-rocker style. Think fringe-y kimonos, concert tees, guitars, maxi dresses and Stevie Nicks-inspired scarves.
• Francesca’s — The Second Street shop has the charm, friendly staff and style of a hometown boutique, even though the brand is certifiably a chain at this point.

 

FULFILLMENT:

Mount Bonnell
3800 Mount Bonnell Road, Austin, TX 78731
To get to what many consider the best view in Austin, you’ve got to put your hiking boots on. The .3-mile trek features what may seem like a neverending staircase, but when you get to the top, you’ll enjoy an awe-inspiring look at the Colorado River. Go around sunset, and bring a picnic, if you want to be all cutesy-romantic like that (why not, right?).

 

Cathedral of Junk
4422 Lareina Dr, Austin, TX 78745
Austin has a healthy appreciation for finding the art in everyday life, and no one does that better than the self-proclaimed Junk King. Vince Hannemann, a sculptural artist, literally takes one man’s trash and turns it into his treasure. You can tour his multi-story cathedral, built over the past 25+ years, and explore all of the trinkets tucked inside for a $10 per group fee. Just make sure you call ahead (512-299-7413) to secure a time to visit.

The Hope Gallery at Castle Hill
1101 Baylor Street, Austin TX 78703
No two visits to The Hope Gallery will ever be the same, and that’s only half of what makes this graffiti-emblazoned wonderland incredible. Artists are continually tagging it, creating layers of art upon art that reflects the current moods, inspiration and ideas pulsing through the city.
The other half of what makes this ever-evolving free art gallery awesome? It’s open to everyone: You can fill out some paperwork, submit a design and get tagging too.

 

Watch the Bats Under South Congress Bridge
Marvel at nature in a whole new way: Every night around dusk, an estimated 1.5 million bats fly out from under the South Congress Bridge in search of dinner (no blood, just bugs). The bats migrate to Mexico during the winter, so your best chance of catching this sight is late March through November. The Congroves recommend kayaking under the bridge, so you can see them all swoop by overhead.