Austin

What I did:
Texas State Capitol-
Austin is the Capitol of Texas, so the State Capitol building is located in Austin. They offer free tours of the building, and they also allow people to watch the political process in action.

Barton Spring Pool-
Barton Springs is a natural spring in Austin. Because it is a natural spring, the water stays cold even on hot days. The area is also “top optional.” The springs flow out of the pool into a river where I was able to rent a paddle board.


Zilker Park-
Zilker Park is a nice, large area where you can play a variety of sports. While I was there people were playing volleyball, soccer, and frisbee. Dogs are also able to run free there.


Graffiti Park at Castle Hills-
Graffiti Park has walls filled with graffiti. Apparently, the graffiti is painted over and changes regularly.

Onnit Academy-
The Onnit Academy is probably the best workout facility I have ever been to. They have equipment that it oftentimes not available at other gyms. The environment there was awesome, the people were very nice, and everyone was focused on personal improvement. They even have a cafe with great, healthy food.

10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Austin-
10th Planet Jiu Jitsu is a famous No-Gi jiu jitsu family of gyms. The people at the Austin location were super cool.

Bat Watching-
Each day around sunset, bat fly out from under the Congress Avenue Bridge. It interesting to see such a large number of bats in a city.

Rainey Street-
There are a large number of restaurants and bars on Rainey street with good food, good drinks, and good live music.

Where I ate:
Franklin BBQ-
Franklin BBQ has some of the best barbecue in the world. The meal I ate there is one of the best meals I have eaten in my life. However, be prepared for a long wait, and if you arrive late there is a chance they may be out of what you wanted to order. I would suggest going with a few friends and something to keep you entertained for a couple hours.

Home Slice Pizza-
Home Slice is a top rated pizza place in Austin. I’m not a huge pizza fan, but it was very good.

Amy’s Ice Cream and Lick Honest Ice Cream-
Both of these places had great tasting ice cream and very unique flavors.

Açaí Hut-
Açaí Hut is located in a food truck park near Barton Springs. It is run by Brazilians that make authentic açaí bowls.

Craft Pride-
Located on Rainey Street, Craft Pride offers some of the best craft beer in Austin. Also, they had a food truck on site while I was there.

Veracruz Tacos-
Veracruz Tacos is a great taco place in Austin. It was called one of the top taco spots in America by the Travel Channel.

La Barbecue-
While I didn’t like it quite as much as Franklin, La Barbecue had some great barbecue food and a short wait time.

Cuvée Coffee Bar-
Cuvée coffee offers a great nitro that they can and send across Texas.

Floppy Disc Repair Company (Red Headed Stepchild)-
Though it appears to be a repair store for old computer equipment, things aren’t always as they seem. The door has a keypad that is unlocked by a four digit code that changes weekly. I got the password next door at the Handlebar after grabbing a drink there. After entering the passcode and going in the door under the Floppy Disc Repair Company sign, I entered the Red Headed Stepchild speakeasy. They offer great, unconventional drinks in a cool environment.

The Firehouse Lounge-
The Firehouse Lounge is located behind a set of bookshelves in the lobby of the Firehouse Hostel. They offer good drinks and snacks. They also feature live music on select night.

Torchy’s Tacos-
Torchy’s Tacos is a great taco place in Austin. I suggest ordering from their “secret menu.”

Whole Foods Market-
Whole Foods got their start in Austin, and have since spread across the world. They offer a variety of healthy food options. They were recently bought out by internet giant Amazon.

Mozart’s Coffee Roasters-
Mozart’s had a great cup of nitro with a nice waterfront view.

Halcyon and Houndstooth Coffee-
Both of these coffee shops offered a good cup of coffee.

Where I stayed:
The Firehouse Hostel-
The Firehouse Hostel was a nice hostel in downtown Austin. Although the bedrooms and common room were relatively small, there was a speakeasy behind some bookshelves in the lobby.

HK Hostel-
HK is an old house that has been converted into a hostel. It is across the street from Veracruz Tacos and is very close to La Barbecue. Also, the gas station next door somehow doesn’t only have a great craft beer selection, they also serve nitro coffee on tap!

How I got around:
Busses-
Austin has a fairly good public bus system. Also, bus passes can be purchased online through their transit app.

Lyft, Uber, Fasten, and Ride Austen-
Lyft and Uber had been made illegal in Austin, but they were both allowed to operate again before I arrived in Austin. Fasten and Ride Austen are local rideshare apps.

My favorite thing:
My favorite part of Austin was the Onnit Academy. There people there were super cool, and it had a great environment. They have a cafe, workout facility, Muay Thai gym, and Jiu Jitsu gym all on site (and all top of the line).

My least favorite thing:
There wasn’t much to dislike about Austin. However, if it was a little closer to the ocean and had a beach, it would be even better.

For next time:
Next time in Austin I want to spend more time at the Onnit Academy. Also, I want to check out a few more speakeasies in Austin.