Sarah WallockI’ve been dying to go back to Austin since the summer of 2019 when I first visited. The only thing I could think was love at first sight. It was truly heavenly.
For Thanksgiving, I knew I could get a few days off around work and jumped at the opportunity to head back and visit such a special place.
Last time, we paddleboarded, ate tacos, and explored by foot. This time, Nick and I were traveling with my parents so we got a rental car, traveled a bit further out, and slowed down our pace. It was nice to be able to enjoy the city in 6 days rather than 3.
Thanksgiving was an adventure in Austin. From enjoying Mediterranean food on the night of the holiday to munching vegetarian food at the famous Bouldin Creek Cafe, there was no shortage of incredible food in sight.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at a swanky Airbnb on the East side around East Cesar Chavez. We decided on it because the house offered us enough space for 4 people and it had more privacy than a hotel would have.
One our first trip to Austin, Nick and I stayed at a hostel around Lady Bird Lake. This area had more nature, which we took full advantage of, but less accessibility to coffee and restaurants.
When I visit Austin again, I will probably stay in a different neighborhood to further experience another subsection of the city.
How We Got Around
Originally, we had planned to walk and Uber our way around on our Austin adventure. Very quickly, this turned into renting a car. As we were on a trip with 4 people with a variety of different needs, it gave us the most flexibility to have our own car.
We Ubered downtown to Enterprise and luckily, they still had a few rentals available. Throughout the trip, Nick and I walked between neighborhoods and took a Lime scooter home from a night out. With my family, we drove in the rental car and walked various places.
When I return to Austin, planning for our transportation could go either way. It is definitely a good walkable city for people who are fit and active, but depending on your needs and desires for the trip, a car is a very helpful tool.
What We Ate
What didn’t we eat in Austin?
We had bomb gluten-free chocolate donuts from Mr. Natural. I went every single day to get coconut vegan ice cream at Gati. I would fly back to Austin just to have another ice cream. This is not a joke.
We enjoyed a brunch at Launderette. I made Nick drive with me to the other end of town in the pouring rain to get arepas on South Congress at Plaza Colombian Coffee. The Colombian spot even had maracuya juice and it reminded me of being back in Ecuador.
Those are just a few of the many culinary highlights. I’ve save my two favorite meals of the trip for my blog post, The Best 3 Travel Experiences in Austin.
