In August I got to go to Austin for the second time and if I had to use one word to describe my trip, it would be clarity. I spent all of July and the beginning of August planning my event, working, and blogging, so I was so excited to have a weekend away to do absolutely nothing except relax. Who knew I could love a place in Texas so much? I know I told you guys I’ve been to Austin before, but only once and to be very honest I was veeeery unimpressed. But, this time I got to see a side of Austin I didn’t see last time. The first thing I LOVED was the view from the hotel room. It was right on the water and it was beautiful to wake up to, even if it was just for a weekend. Usually I try to take a ton of pictures on my trips, but I didn’t get too many this time around *sorry in advance.* I was too busy taking in the beauty of Austin.

I LOVED that people were actually outside kayaking, running, bike riding, etc. If you’ve ever been to Dallas, you’d know people are barely outside unless it’s on a patio at happy hour. Or at least that’s what it seems like.

I am definitely someone who craves beautiful scenery and I love exploring outdoor activities. I love to see greenery, mountains, and water. I love a good hike to get some of the best views of any city (within reason because I’m TERRIFIED of heights), I love bike riding along the water or anywhere for that matter (I’ve found myself bike riding on a few vacations), and water activities.

I know I pride myself on traveling cheap but this weekend trip was way more than I wanted to spend. The peace of mind I got while I was out there was so worth it, though. I’ll try to share a few ways you can save money while sharing my trip to Austin with you guys.

First things first, find an affordable hotel. The view was great, but for what we paid the AC barely worked and everything following the initial booking was expensive. The parking was a bill within itself. So, find an affordable place with FREE parking. Don’t get me wrong though, if you’re looking for a nice view of the city right in the heart of downtown with valet services to pull your car around, then stay at the LINE. But, if you’re looking to have a weekend trip within a budget there are PLENTY of other options.

The first night we got there we went to a drive-in movie at Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-in that we just looked up online. I was able to find it on Groupon (you guys should know I love Groupon by now) for $20. The groupon included two tickets, two popcorns, and one s’mores roasting kit. If that isn’t a GREAT deal I don’t know what is. One movie popcorn is usually about $20 (I don’t know that to be true but movie theater anything is so expensive). AND when we got there they ran out of sticks for us to roast our marshmallows on so they gave us free candy in exchange even though we told they we could share. This was the first thing we did and I’m pretty sure Austin already had me sold at this point. People were just parked laying on the roofs of their cars or the back of their trucks watching The Sandlot from a radio station. SUCH A NICE SUMMER TIME VIBE FOR SO CHEAP. Nothing like a bonfire, good snacks and the sandlot on a big screen. (yes, you get to choose your movie and yes we chose The Sandlot)

Obviously at this point you guys know I love brunch, so of course we went to brunch. There are a TON of brunch restaurants in Austin so find one with great brunch deals. It’s not hard to find restaurants with brunch deals. When you’re looking for restaurants to go to be sure to check out their menu and call to see what their brunch prices are! But, if you’re looking for a nice rooftop with a pool to have brunch at go to Geraldine’s. Their brunch was BOMB. The best breakfast potatoes ever. Their drinks were pretty expensive but they’re meant for multiple people, so if you go with a big party you can definitely split it and make it worth it.

There are bikes and scooters for rent practically everywhere, which is in most cities at this point. But, Austin is the perfect place to bike. We rode a few miles on a trail by the water and it was $11. If you haven’t used these bikes or scooters before, you book it right through the uber app and just leave it anywhere when you’re done. So if you want to enjoy the scenery and get a good work out in, definitely use the bike rentals.

If you’re looking to party of course it’s a no brainer to go to 6th street, but it was my least favorite part of Austin if I’m being honest. All I’ve ever heard about Austin was that 6th street is the place to be. But, to me it was just very loud and over-crowded. But definitely try it at least once and form your own opinion on it. There was a small strip just a few streets down from the line where the Container bar is that was much more enjoyable to me.

We saved the best thing for last. We went to Waterloo Adventures on Lake Travis. Of course I was able to find a BOGO ticket deal on their Instagram for Sundays! It was buy one get one half off (very worth the money by the way). Honestly, I do not like swimming in the lake but it seemed like an experience I didn’t want to miss out on. You get on a boat and they take you out to the bounce obstacle course on the lake. They have hammocks where you can lay out all day. They also have a bar and a food truck with food. There are VERY minimal options for those who don’t eat meat, so be sure to eat before you go there. You can be there all day, so it really is worth what you pay. The big obstacle is timed, but you can pay for extra time. But, the rest of it is open to you all day.

I can’t wait to go back to Austin! I think it’ll be so beautiful around the holidays.

Talk to you soon,

Theknowledgeableother