Heading to Austin, Texas ... suggestions welcomed

[spikechiquet]

Hi. Yeah....still alive. This whole "work from home and actually work and then enjoy the rest of the day with your family" is very odd. Now I never have time to just sit at a desk I don't want to be at and check SJ.com.

Anyway...my wife has a business trip to Austin the last week of this month and I am tagging along for fun.
I'm going to get some work done while down there but for the most part, I am a free man for four days and other than the breweries I will be interviewing for stories, I would like some suggestions on what to check out while there.

I'm sure I will hit up 5th and 6th Streets at least one night.
Austin City Limits doesn't start taping until March, so I will miss out on that.
One of my former co-workers covers Texas, so I'm sure I can get him to give me the 10 cent tour of the campus
I already am planning on taking my wife to the original Salt Lick in Driftwood

So, other than that...what else should I look to be doing? I'm staying on the northside, near Austin Beerworks.

If anyone here on SJ is a local, please let me know and maybe we can meet for a drink or lunch!

 

[Riptide]

 

[Donny in his element]

I find Austin overrated. Am I alone?

 

[SpeedTchr]

Make sure you visit the LBJ Library. Well worth seeing, if only for the animatronic ol' Lyin' *******.

Depending on the weather, take a dip in Barton Springs Pool. Always 68 degrees.

The state capitol building is very impressive. Also, the Bullock State Museum.

Scholz Garten if you want a beer in a historical setting.

You won't be there at the right time to see the hordes of bats each night under the Congress Ave. bridge.

South Congress is kind of fun to stroll down.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

You're getting in before SXSW, which turns Austin into a complete zoo. That's a good thing.

 

[User 1019]

texaswinetrail.com

Good way to kill a few days. Several day trips can be done from Austin if you plan them right.

 

[Ace]

Round Rock Donuts.

 

[Flip Wilson]

I agree on the capitol. It's a beautiful building. I was waiting in line to get for a reading at last year's Texas Book Festival, and people were talking about the hinges on the doors leading into the capitol. It's that kind of beautiful.

And if you're going to be on the UT campus, visit the Harry Ransom Center. It's a liberal arts-type museum, with lots of art and manuscripts and -- and I find this fascinating -- the first known photograph.

Harry Ransom Center

 

[Riptide]

Make sure you open carry. It's all the rage!

 

[SpeedTchr]

Flip is right. The Ransom Center has some awesome stuff.

 

[Buck]

Isn't Franklin's barbecue supposed to be the best?
I don't know if it's worth waiting in the legendary line, but it's pretty well known.

Taco Land is no more: An Oral History Of Taco Land 10 Years After The Death Of Ram Ayala
Although I heard someone opened a new joint and copped the name, which isn't cool.

Anyway, never been, but those are the two semi-famous places I know of in Austin.

 

[SpeedTchr]

No food is worth standing in a long line for.

Unless it's after a hurricane or something. Then, maybe.

 

[Webster]

Franklin's was great, although a friend did the waiting. We also got BBQ from Iron Works, which was pretty excellent as well.

The truck food is top notch and I also had good Mexican at Guero's on South Congress

 

[SpeedTchr]

If it's after midnight and you have a hankering for pancakes, try Kerbey Lane Cafe.

 

[spikechiquet]

Thanks all! I'll post thoughts if I go to any of these, many I hope to be able to go to.

 

[spikechiquet]

Make sure you open carry. It's all the rage!

First time I got an Uber, the guy asked me if I carried.
Not sure if it was his protection...or if I was just stupid for getting in (especially with all the crap that happened in Michigan with an Uber driver).

But, I'm still alive.

 

[spikechiquet]

Just finished three fantastic tacos (chicken, brisket and coconut shrimp). Thanks for the suggestion. Baby Acupulcos is good also

 

[JC]

Cocaine with Johnny 8ball.

 

[Buck]

Tacoland, we ate a lot of figs
They passed around a bottle
And we took a lot of swigs
It's nature's plan
To go on
Down to Tacoland

 

[Fly]

Two words: Jester King

Bring me back some cool glassware and some brewery-only releases :-)

have a blast my man!