Best of Austin 2013

I’ve decided to take a look back on all the events, restaurants and places I mentioned this past year and make an “end of the year top ten”.  He we go:

10. ACL Music Fest - The weather can be a downer but you can’t beat the band selection.

9. Driftwood Winery – Try the Starry Night.

8. Pieous – Homemade mozzarella!

7. Ester’s Follies – I mean, who doesn’t like to laugh?

6. Gourdoughs – No risk gluttonous goodness!

5. Austin Zoo and Sanctuary – Sponsor one of the animals and help support the sanctuary.

4. The Paramount Theatre – The best place to see a classic film.

3. Museum Day – One of the best times to catch up on all the art, sculptures and exhibits in town.

2. Downtown Walking Tours – Free historical tours of our city.

1. My Austin vacation home  – Just a little shameless promotion!

If you haven’t checked any of these out yet, make it your 2014 Resolution to do so! Have a safe and secure New Year!

Holiday Season in Austin, Tx

This time of the year is about family, food and fun.  This city offers a ton of events to make this season more festive and memorable.

The Paramount Theatre – Two weeks of classic holiday films.

Ballet Austin Academy – Go see the Nutcracker performed.

Another tradition is the annual lighting of the Capitol Christmas Tree.

Blue Genie Art Bazaar – A place to pick up gifts for loved ones and for yourself.

Austin's Trail of Lights  - Light displays and decorations located in Zilker Park.

Evening out in Austin

Are you looking for ideas of what to do for date night or just a night out on the town? Here are some suggestions that will suit all types of tastes:

Continental Club – Located on South Congress this club has a wide variety of musical * from country, rock, blues and jazz.

Broken Spoke – Learn to line dance at a true Texan dance hall.

Botticelli’s – Bring a date and enjoy the Italian cuisine and the ambiance.

Gourdough's – They offer an impressive variety of specialty donuts. Stop in for dessert or for a late night snack. 

Free Stuff To Do in Austin

One of the great things about Austin is that it’s hard to get bored since there is an event, activity and/or concert happening every day. But going out can get expensive. Luckily there are a lot of things to do around town that are free. Here are five ongoing free events to get you started:

    Blanton Museum of Art – Check out the largest museum in Austin for free Thursdays.

      Harry Ransom Center – Located on University of Texas campus, donations are welcome but not mandatory to see the different sculptures, photographs and exhibits.

     Downtown Historic Street walking tours – Meet at the Capital and learn about the history of Congress Ave, Sixth Street. 48 hr. advance reservations are required.

   Texas Capitol – Learn about Texas legislature and the state’s history. Daily guided tours are offered throughout the day and are about an hour.

   Independence Brewing Company – First Saturday of the month they offer brewery tours, beer samples and live music. 

 

Fests of Austin

With SXSW coming up hard and fast, I figured this would be a great time to put together a list of some of Austin’s amazing festivals. Whether you’re into music, film, food and everything in between there is an event for it.

SXSW – A huge two week festival with a mix of interactive, movies, music and comedy events and parties throughout Austin.

Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival – Sample a huge variety of hot sauces and salsas. Picking your favorite is harder than you think.

Zilker Kite Festival – Every year around March, people gather to Zilker Park to fly kites.  It’s a perfect place to set up a picnic and enjoy the festivities.

Pecan Street Festival – Two times a year 6^th street turns into an arts and craft haven.

Fusebox Festival - This unique festival presents a variety of performance art, dance, film and music showcases. 

Don’t break the bank staying downtown, check out my lake house in Austin (near Lakeway). Click to inquire about 3207 Brass Buttons Trail, Austin, TX 78734, USA.

Austin Day Escapes

Looking to explore the vast Hill Country? Just outside of Austin’s city limits there is a plethora of places to visit for the afternoon or the day. Here is a small list of some "must do" activities and excursions:

Driftwood Winery – This is a great place to bring a picnic and open a bottle of wine from their tasting room. The view of the winery is amazing and a perfect place to watch the sunset. 

Krause Springs

Krause Springs – Located in Spicewood Springs, this is an amazing swimming destination to check out during the summer. There are 32 springs which feed the man-made pool and natural swimming holes.  Camping and picnicking is allowed.

Cypress Valley Canopy Tours – A great place to bring the family to explore your sense of adventure. They offer zip lining, swimming and hiking. 

Hamilton Pools – Another beautiful place to go swimming during the summer. It’s a bit of a hike to the pool so wear your good walking shoes!

Enchanted Rock – This state park is located out past Fredericksburg, TX but totally worth the drive. Take your backpacks and set up camp! There is plenty of hiking, rock climbing, exploring and bird watching to even make a weekend out of it.