Vacations Blog

Austin skyline at night

If you have ever been to Austin, Texas, then you have probably been to Zilker Park. If not, then I suggest you make this a destination spot when you come. This crown jewel of Austin is over 350 acres just south of Lady Bird Lake (formally Town Lake) right next to downtown. The park is full of activities that you and your family will enjoy!

To start the day off there is nothing better than a swim in Barton Springs Pool. The pool is a natural spring-fed pool with an average temperature of 68 degrees all year long. Even in the Winter there are people in the water so don’t be shy about bringing your swimsuits!

Barton Springs Pool

Outside of the pool there is a giant playground for the kids to burn off some energy and a snack bar for lunch when everybody gets hungry. After lunch you can jump on the Zilker Zephyr miniature train that takes you around the north and east side of the park. While on the train you will more than likely see Wood Woode playing guitar and harmonica for the passengers near Lou Neff Point.

Lou Neff Point overlooks Lady Bird Lake towards downtown Austin. Ducks, swans, turtles, squirrels, people in canoes that they rented upstream on Barton Creek, joggers, and families walking around with their kids congregate here to relax for a moment and take in the beauty of Austin. Rent a canoe while you are there and bring a loaf of bread to feed the ducks!

Canoes and ducks at Lou Neff Point

There are many things to see at Zilker Park depending on what time of year you come. If it is in the Spring then bring a kite and participate in the Zilker Park Kite Festival. The 4th of July fireworks show is also great time to be here. In September you can see three days of live music at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. During the Christmas season there is the Trail of Lights – a magical wonderland of lighting displays and a giant campfire next to the Zilker Tree.

Do you like to play disc golf? Zilker Park has a 9-hole course that is perfect for families to enjoy. This course is not the most challenging in Austin, which makes it a great place to take your kids who are just getting the hang of the game.

After a round of disc golf you can head across the street to the Austin Science and Nature Center where you will find nature trails, Texas wildlife, and activities for the kids.

Zilker Botanical Gardens

One of the most beautiful places at the park is the Zilker Botanical Gardens. The gardens and trails are open year-round and always have a plethora of flowers blooming. There is a Japanese garden with many goldfish swimming around in the ponds. The Botanical Gardens is a popular place for weddings and other events. It is also an amazing spot for family photos.

If you want to see great art at Zilker Park then head over to the Umlauf Sculpture Gardens and Museum. There are over 100 sculptures there and the Gardens can be rented out for special occasions. Charles Umlauf was a 20th century American sculptor that taught at the University of Texas. Some of the work there is from his students.

Are you coming to Austin in the Spring or Summer? Check the schedule for the Beverely S. Sheffield Zilker Hillside Theater to see if a production of Shakespeare in the Park, the Austin Symphony or Civic Orchestra, or the Summer Musicals happening during your visit. Admission is free!

No matter what time of year you come to Austin, Zilker Park has something for everyone! Bring your family, pack a lunch, and don’t forget your camera.

Photos by James Grayson

Fall is here! There are few places in the United States where this is not a glorious time to be outside. Summer’s lazy warmness is slowly fading and being replaced by cool crisp days that energize the soul. Hues of scarlet, gold and deep fiery orange abound. Do you really want to spend this magical time of year indoors? Get outside and stretch your legs!

In my hometown of Austin, I like to do a lot of ’city hiking’. The neighborhoods in town have many more kinds of deciduous trees planted than out in the countryside. They may not all be native to the area, but, they sure put on a pretty show! I love to spend an afternoon, wrapped in a warm scarf and walking the streets and neighborhoods of downtown. The best part is that I can window shop along the way. When, my feet get tired, I just stop in a cozy cafe, like Swedish Hill Bakery, and order a latte or a mug of tea.

If I’d rather be immersed in the great outdoors, I’ll drive out west of town to Pedernales State Park. It is only 30 minutes out and has miles of trails. The cooling weather this time of year makes it possible to hike without going into heat exhaustion. You can hike the canyons and up the rolling hills as well as stroll along the clear rocky Pedernales river.

 These are just some of the options near my hometown. What are some outdoor walks or hiking that you love to do?

Thanks to Mandj98 for the lovely fall photos!

It is rare that one sits up at night, planning a fun vacation that includes the perfect destination, the best things to do, and that fabulous motel. MOTEL?

Ok, so they aren’t exciting. They aren’t the kind of rooms that you dream about staying in,with comfy robes, silky sheets, and room service. However, motels serve a valuable travel purpose. They let you enjoy a stay without swallowing your wallet and sometimes that can make or break a trip.

However, there are motels that can rise above the boring and serviceable. They have that extra flair or creative touch that makes them a little more special. In Austin, Texas….a wonderful travel destination….there is the Austin Motel. This is not your ordinary motel. Established in 1938 as a motorlodge, it has been refurbished over the years into a unique and funky lodging option that captures that old Austin charm.

Its most appealing attribute is that it is located in one of Austin’s best and most convenient neighborhoods. Just south of Congress Avenue bridge and Lake Austin, where millions of Mexican Free-Tail bats swarm every evening. It is a short walk from the famed bars and clubs of 6th street and the Texas Capitol. Plus, it is right in the middle of South Congress. Here you have a multitude of funky shopping, antique stores, hip restaurants and late-night venues. You couldn’t ask for a better location.

The actual motel has very individualized rooms. Each one is decorated differently. Not one room is like another…with entirely different layouts, furniture, wall murals, color schemes, etc. There are some very creative stylings and rooms that are very basic to slightly luxurious. Scroll through their list of rooms and find one that fits your personality! You can easily find one for $70-100/night. The hotel also has free parking, a “50’s style” pool and claims to be “green”.

You can’t ask for a better budget option in Austin. So, here’s to being cool and cheap!

Thanks to Nika for the great Austin Motel photo.

From guest blogger Marsha Takeda-Morrison of Sweatpantsmom

It’s time for another Thursday Thirteen! I was driving around the other day, thinking about how much I love this city. Of course, that was before that lousy driver cut me off on the 405 Freeway and totally harshed my mellow, but that’s a blog post for another day. For now, here a few of my favorite things:

1. Pink’s Hot Dogs – To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure what makes Pink’s Hot Dogs so popular, but for some reason I just feel better knowing it’s there.

2. Guy who sells maps to the stars’ homes on Sunset Blvd. near Doheny – I’ve never actually bought one of these maps, but it’s nice to know that if I ever act on my urge to start stalking Will Smith, there’s somebody who can tell me how to find him.

3. Giant Chair Statue at Pacific Design Center – I love this humongous 30-foot chair, not only for its aesthetics but because we have a running joke: whenever I drive by it with my husband and kids, we always talk about how we’re going to somehow hoist the 10-year old up there and take a picture of her perched on its edge. It’s going to happen, I promise.

4. La Brea Tar Pits – Besides being a great place to take my kids, this place reminds me of my childhood. Also, I have friends who live in the area and have stories of (prehistoric!) tar bubbling up through cracks in their street, which is way more exciting than anything that ever happens on the block where I live.

5. Grauman’s Chinese Theater – Totally overrun with tourists, but where else can you get a close-up look at celebrities’ handprints? Nah, sneaking a look at Shia LeBeouf’s fingerprints at the LAPD isn’t the same.

6. Capitol Records Building – Because it was designed to look like a stack of records! Also, because they’re one of the first buildings every year to put up their Christmas tree made out of lights.

7. Book Soup – Absolutely the coolest book store in the city. Although it makes me sad to go there now, because the legendary Tower Records across the street on Sunset is no longer there.

8. Hollywood and Vine – This famous intersection provides some of the best people-watching in the city. Stopping at that traffic light for thirty seconds always makes me feel like I’ve stepped into a David Lynch movie.

9. Angelyne – I don’t really like Angelyne but she’s my favorite in more of a ‘fascinatingly hideous’ sort of way. Talk to ten different people, and you’ll get ten different Angelyne stories. I once saw her buying clothes at the drug store. She bought some pants, hopped into her pink Corvette and drove away.

10. Watt’s Towers –I urge everyone to get over your fear of driving into this area, and check out these amazing works of art, at least once. Personally, I think your life may be in more danger while trying to shop at Costco during the Christmas rush.

11. Self Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine – I know it sounds all new age-y and touchy-feely, but you should really check this place out. And don’t worry – you don’t have to have a religious bone in your body to appreciate it. A couple of walks around the serene path that winds around the lake and you’ll feel like a new person. If not, at least make yourself useful by feeding the ducks.

12. First Street, Little Tokyo – There’s nowhere else in the city that can say it’s home to my favorite spa, my favorite restaurant and my favorite coffee shop. I’d tell you about all these secret places, but then I’d have to kill you.

13. The Beverly Center – Yeah, it’s just a mall to most people, but it takes me back to my Sex And The City days, when I’d spend hours trolling the stores just to find a perfect dress to wear on a dinner date. Who has that kind of time anymore?

Austin has it all, from luxury suites and fine dining restaurants to budget hotels and cheap eats. If you are planning a trip that falls into the latter category then you will not be short on options. The “Music Capitol of the World” is an easy place to enjoy yourself while pinching pennies. I have put together a list of great hotels that will ensure you enjoy your stay without spending much cash. You might be able to find cheaper hotels in Austin, but, you can be confident that none of the hotels on this list will be a stone’s throw from the interstate, cockroach friendly, or barely inside the county line!

1. Austin Motel: This place is funky, unique, and cheap and located on one of the hippest streets in Austin. It is an old motor lodge, celebrating its 70th birthday this year. Each room has been updated and individually furnished with bright colors and fun patterns. Rooms start as low as $75 and you can walk to the many excellent shops and popular restaurants along South Congress, or take a stroll down to Congress bridge over Town Lake–downtown bars and clubs are a walk or cheap cab ride away as well. This is my pick for best value.

2. Adams House bed and breakfast: This is a beautiful old house in the popular neighborhood of Hyde Park. The area is lined with old oak trees and cute houses. This bed and breakfast has a great lawn and nice communal areas. The rooms are very individualized and cozy. They have several rooms for under 100/night. If you are a state employee, you get a discounted rate. Plus, there is a yummy free breakfast every day!

3. 6th Street Hostel: If you are the type who likes to be RIGHT in the middle of all the action, then this is the place for you. Cheap rooms, nothing fancy, but surrounded by the bars and clubs of Austin’s famed 6th street. If you intend to get a good quiet night’s sleep, then this is not the place for you!

 No matter your style, Austin has a great room for you. So, book a cheap hotel and then start planning all the tasty restaurants, great bands, and fun outdoor activities that you want to do!

An Austin vacation won’t set you back as much as travel to some other U.S. cities (San Francisco and New York come to mind). But, I would go even one step further. I would say that Austin is a terrific city to be in if you are feelin’ broke! All you need is a bike (or your walking legs), a bathing suit, and an appetite for delicious food.

Bring the whole family, your ‘main squeeze’, or just yourself…it’s easy to have a wonderful day ‘on the cheap’!

Here is what I recommend you do…

Ideally, you should borrow a bike from your hotel (or rent one) as Austin is a city that is very bike-friendly–with bike paths that can connect you to much of the center of the city through greenbelts and parks. Another advantage to biking is that the warm Texas heat will be tempered by the breeze you create as you pedal through town. If biking isn’t your style–catch a free Dillo bus or taxi ride.

Get yourself to Zilker Park at Barton Springs Road. From here you are only a minute or two walk from swimming, sunning, playgrounds, and great restaurants.

Zilker is a large and beautiful green space along Lake Austin in the center of downtown. It has a lovely Botanical Garden, playing fields, private groves, and Barton Springs Pool. If you have a family in tow, the entrance to Barton Springs has a large playground and a passenger train that chugs around the park–slow enough that your kids can wave to every man, woman, and dog that you pass.

The entrance to Barton Springs is only $3.50 and you get a hand stamp that lets you come and go as you please. Spread out a blanket under a pecan tree and cool yourself in the shockingly cold water…because it is a natural spring, it is 68 degrees year-round. When you feel the urge, walk right outside and buy a snow cone or corn dog from a vendor and feed the leftovers to the hungry ducks and pigeons nearby.

As the afternoon progresses and your stomach starts to grumble– bike or walk the short distance across the lake to 5th street where you can eat cheap and tasty tacos out of a red caboose at Juanitas.

Once you have had your fill, wander down to Congress Avenue Bridge. As the sun drops below the horizon-watch the millions of bats stream out across the sky as you sink your road-wearied feet into soft green grass and sigh.

Life is good—and you barely had to pay for it!

Thanks to Jslander for the Barton Springs pic!

Know the best dive bar in New Orleans, the most romantic spot to watch the sunset in San Diego, a place to buy a cowboy hat in Dallas, or what to pack when visiting Boston in spring?

The beauty about travel is that anyone can be an expert or a valuable and trusted source.

Most people have a place they know inside and out –a place that they can speak of with both authority and enthusiasm–whether it be their hometown or favorite vacation destination, frequented year after year. We here at the UpTake blog embrace the collective wisdom of the traveling community and recognize that this is made up of the unique and personal experiences of individuals like you!

So, we have invited friends and bloggers from across the country to share their expertise…give us the “inside scoop” on different travel destinations. We hope you enjoy this insider’s look at Austin, Texas. It is the first installment of many!

Interview with UpTake Employee and native Austinite: Alison Osborne

1. Give five adjectives that you would use to describe the “feel” of Austin and its residents?

natural, funky, creative, liberal, and vibrant

2. What is your favorite neighborhood/area of Austin?

There are a lot of great neighborhoods in Austin—Hyde Park with its pecan tree-lined streets, old porched houses and small neighborhood restaurants, is terrific. There is also the funky South Congress area with hip restaurants, great antique and clothes shopping. But, I would have to say, my top choice is Clarksville. It is a small pocket of residential on the edge of downtown Austin….you can ride your bike downtown or to Zilker Park and the lake. The houses are small, full of character, and surrounded by old gnarled oak trees. There are small neighborhood shops like Fresh Plus grocery and Nau’s pharmacy, where you can sit at the soda fountain in the back and eat a greasy cheeseburger after you buy your Advil and Band-Aids. Or you can walk to one of Austin’s finest restaurants, Jeffrey’s, and sit next to Mac Brown (coach for Texas football), local politicians, or whichever celebrity happens to be in town. Best of all, you are a five minute walk to the flagship Whole Foods (it started in Austin) and this location is the largest (and best) one in the country.

3. Which cuisine do you think Austin does best? What is the runner-up?(feel free to share your favorite restaurant)

Austin has excellent food, across the board. There is a big focus here to support small local businesses, so you don’t get many chain restaurants and you do get a lot of unique and creative food establishments. Hence the city motto- “Keep Austin Weird”. That being said, Tex-Mex and BBQ are most prevalent. My favorite thing to do when I come back home is get a big Mexican breakfast at either Cisco’s or Las Manitas, downtown. Freshly made tortillas are my bench mark for a good Mexican restaurant and there are plenty of establishments that make their own here. As for BBQ, everyone has their favorite joint. I would pick House Park or Green Mesquite in town and Salt Lick if you are willing to drive a bit further out.

4. What is the best free thing to do?

During the day—Zilker Park and the hike and bike trail that circles Town Lake (10 miles of trails). You can people watch, feed the ducks, visit the Botanical Gardens, swim in Barton Creek, or go for a hike. In the evening, make your way over to Congress Bridge where over 1,000,000 Mexican Free-Tail bats have their home and depart every evening at sunset. It is a sight to see! Sit on the grassy lawn of the Four Seasons and bring a picnic. The bats stream out for quite some time and their swarming masses resemble a Chinese dragon, undulating across the evening sky.

5. What is your favorite type of entertainment?

I often take it for granted…but, Austin truly has an amazing ‘live music’ scene. On any one night you can find live shows all across the city. There are some great venues downtown along Red River, 6th Street, and the Wharehouse District. (Stubbs, Antone’s, La Zona Rosa) But, there are also some great dives along South 1st , Lamar, and Congress. (Saxon Pub, Continental Club, etc.)

6. List the best family friendly activity?

Most of the year, Austin is either warm or hot. So, swimming is a great family activity. The two best places for this are Barton Springs Pool, in the middle of Zilker Park. (probably better for older kids). This natural spring gushes out of the ground at 68degrees year round and has been made into a giant pool with grassy hillsides and towering pecan trees for shade. It has a very natural feel, resembling a river or creek rather than a pool. Deep Eddy Pool is off of the Town Lake hike and bike trail. It is also a natural spring, but looks more like a traditional swimming pool and has a large shallow end for kiddos. During the summer, they have movie nights where kid’s movies play on a giant projector and you can sit in the cold water to watch the film. (Austin nights are HOT in summer, so this feels great!).

7. What spot would you send a couple, looking for a romantic weekend?

Dinner at Jeffrey’s or Fino. Stay at the Driskill, downtown or Hotel San Jose on South Congress and then see a comedy show at Esther’s Follies, or have a glass of wine by the pool in the dreamily lit courtyard at Hotel San Jose.

8. Describe the perfect day…one that captures what your area/city is all about? In three sentences or less.

Migas breakfast at Cisco’s. Lay-out and swim at Barton Springs. Dinner outside on a restaurant deck with a margarita, served ‘on the rocks’.

9. Tell us about a place that you love to go whether it is in the guidebooks or not.

Ok, I have to pick two(of the dozens I want to mention). One is Shoal Creek Saloon—great neighborhood restaurant and bar on a creek and greenbelt. You can sit on their back patio and drink $2 Pearl Light beer, eat a fried crawfish po-boy or chicken fried steak and watch a Longhorn football game. The other is the Lauterstein-Conway Massage Clinic…..graduating massage students give these surprisingly good massages for $30/hour (no tip allowed as they aren’t yet certified). I don’t know where else you can get a massage this cheap, outside of Southeast Asia! My back and neck miss it immensely!

10. What question did we not ask that we should have (and answer it, of course!)?

I would ask, “What did you not get to mention in this interview that you wanted to talk about?

The East Austin art movement. East Austin is an old and beautiful part of the city that has been a bit run down and dangerous for the last several decades. In the past, you only ventured there for some of the best Mexican restaurants in town. But, there is a big movement to refurbish this area. This movement has been brought about by Austin’s vibrant local art scene. Many galleries and studios are popping up everywhere (and housing prices are going up). The East Austin Studio tour is something not to be missed. Organized by the artists themselves, over 200 artists from 100+ studios from East Austin participate. It is free and occurs every November. It’s a wonderful way to keep up with the creative side of Austin.

Want to share your local expertise. Send us an email or tell us in a comment and we will be in touch.