hiking at Walnut Creek Park

FREE In Austin: Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park (And It’s A Gem!)

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 6, 2025

I love scoping out free things to do in Austin, because sometimes it seems like the cost of simply walking out your door is $400 these days! (Does anyone else feel this way?) There are loads of free things to do in Austin, but one of my very favorites is finding incredible public parks and…

Best South First Street Restaurants

Where To Eat On South First Street

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 6, 2025

South First Street is a powerhouse of amazing restaurants in Austin. It runs parallel to the popular South Congress Ave, but unlike the tourist destination that SOCO has become, South First is mostly full of locals who have found their favorite neighborhood restaurant or bar. After years of living walking distance to these restaurants, I’m…

SXSW live music | How To Do SXSW For FREE!

How Does SXSW Work + How To Do SXSW For Free 2025

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 5, 2025

South By Southwest Festival (also known as SXSW, SX, or “South By”) is a massive festival that happens in Austin Texas every spring. Although it started in the 1980s as a small-ish festival of 700 people, it has expanded and it’s now one of the biggest international stages to showcase the best and brightest in…

House Wine

Best New Restaurants in Austin (With Map) – February 2025

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 3, 2025

It’s hard to keep up with all the new restaurants opening in Austin! Use this guide + map to find something new to try near you.

Top Notch

20 Classic Austin Restaurants For Your Bucket List

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 15, 2025

Austin has a rich history of restaurants; some have even been around since way back in the mid-1800s!  If these classic Austin restaurants have managed to stick around that long (amidst all the trendy, modern-day restaurants that are opening nearly every week), we all want to know why. And so, after running around the city…

Mexta Restaurant Review: I Wouldn’t Recommend It

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 13, 2025

Well, I already shared my TL;DR in the title, so I’ll go ahead and cut right to the chase about the new Mexico City-inspired restaurant in downtown Austin: Mexta isn’t going to be on my Best Restaurants in Austin list, at least for now. Here’s my review of Mexta where I’ll share both the (very)…

Uchiba Austin patio

Uchiba Is My Favorite Of The Uchi Restaurant Empire

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 10, 2025

I recently went on a double date to Uchiba and felt compelled to say why this restaurant is my very favorite among the Uchi restaurant empire.

Black's BBQ Austin

9 Austin BBQ Spots You Need To Visit

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 9, 2025

Whether you’re local to the Austin area or you’re visiting for a long weekend, one thing is really clear about this town: we love our barbecue. I mean, we LOVE it. In fact, ever since Franklin Barbecue put Austin on the map for being one of the best places in the United States to eat…

East Austin Restaurants

Map Of The Best Breakfast Tacos In Austin (For 2025)

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 9, 2025

It’s not hard finding breakfast tacos in Austin, but what about the best ones? We’re talking about soft homemade tortillas that are softly dusted with flour, warm, fluffy eggs, and homemade, fiery salsas. Sure, you can get decent breakfast tacos on just about every street corner in Austin. If you’re a and you want to…

home slice pizza

55 Fun Things To Do In Austin With Kids (2025)

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 9, 2025

Whether you’re a local or you’re visiting with kids, here are 55 really fun things to do in Austin with your family.

Day Maker Is The New Diner Concept From Jack Allen’s Kitchen, And It’s Awesome

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 9, 2025

I absolutely LOVE a diner (like Phoebe’s, Kerbey Lane, and 24 Diner), in no small part due to Gilmore Girls’ influence on my upbringing. Hello Luke’s diner! But also because a big plate of chilaquiles and a hot cup of coffee on a random Tuesday morning? Yes please. Day Maker Half Day Café just opened in…

Salad at Local Foods in Austin Texas

Discover the Best Healthy Restaurants in Austin For 2025

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 8, 2025

We’re bringing some of our favorite healthy Austin restaurants – yay! Austin has a lot of places for fresh lunches, allergen-free treats, vegan meals, and hearty dinners here in town. If you’re thinking the healthy restaurants are boring, think again. Austin is known for being a foodie’s paradise, but you don’t need to gorge on…

24 Diner breakfast in Austin

22 Places To Indulge In Weekday Breakfast In Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 6, 2025

Sure, weekend brunching is practically a professional sport here in this foodie city…but don’t forget about the often overlooked weekday breakfast spots in Austin! There are plenty of good reasons to indulge in something delicious on a random Wednesday morning. powered by Proxi About me: I’m Kelsey, a bestselling travel book author and the creator of…

Homeslice Pizza

The 30 Best Austin Restaurants in 2025

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 1, 2025

The 30 best restaurants in Austin right now, from $4 street tacos to $200 tasting menus.

A Map Of The Best Happy Hours In Austin For Cheap Eats + Drinks

By Kelsey Kennedy | December 11, 2024

Austin is known for its food scene, but those restaurant tabs can add up pretty quickly  The solution? Austin happy hours! You can often try the same amazing menu items at a fraction of the cost. Plus, happy hour is just…happy.  PS: weekend-specific happy hours in Austin are here. powered by Proxi About me: I’m Kelsey,…

Best Restaurant Bars In Austin For Solo Dining

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 13, 2025
EZOV

If you have the urge to go out and enjoy a fabulous meal at an Austin restaurant but you don’t have someone who’s available to join you…go anyway! Dining solo is amazing! And there are so many great Austin bars for dining solo.  For starters, it’s totally normal to dine solo and you shouldn’t be…

The Best Bars and Breweries Near Q2 Stadium

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 13, 2025
bars near Q2 stadium

Q2 Stadium is the gorgeous home of Austin’s major professional league soccer team, Austin FC. It’s pretty far north in Austin (located in the North Burnet section of North Austin), and it’s one of the newest sports facilities in the country, consisting of 20,500 seats. During those fun soccer game days, this stadium is crowded…

The Best Playgrounds In Austin (With Parking Info!)

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 13, 2025
Walnut Creek Playground in Austin

The city of Austin has recently invested in some significant remodels on the playgrounds in Austin. Luckily, it’s warm nearly year-round in ATX, so you can enjoy these magnificent public parks during any month. This roundup includes parks all over the Austin area, from Round Rock all the way down to Circle C.  When you…

Where To Eat In Austin During SXSW 2025

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 13, 2025
Austin patio

Alright y’all, it’s just about time for SXSW 2025! *Cue the trumpets.* Thousands of people are coming to town for this festival, and in addition to seeing amazing bands and panels and interactive events, everyone is asking, “but where should I eat in Austin during SXSW???” Hi! I’m here to help. I’m a long-time Austin…

A List Of All The Bars on Menchaca Road (Ranked)

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 12, 2025
South Austin Beer Garden

Let’s be honest…there are too many people on Rainey Street and Downtown Austin on any Saturday night. Those two popular spots for nightlife in Austin are typically packed, so we’re always searching for more venues for drinks and live music. Austinites love to go out and have a good time, and we need more venues…

How To Plan The Perfect Bachelorette Party In Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 12, 2025

All the best hotspots you need to book ASAP + every detail you need for planning the ultimate bachelorette weekend in Austin.

13 Epic Spring Break Ideas In Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 12, 2025
spring break ideas in Austin

SPRING BREAK!! If those two words in all caps don’t make you want to jump in a swimming pool and open a can of ice-cold beer, not sure anything will… 😉 Austin Texas is one of the premier destinations for spring break travelers around the country. Why? Sun, tacos, music, swimming. Do you really need…

15 Most Instagrammable Spots In East Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 12, 2025
Mercado Sin Nombre

If you’ve spent any time in east Austin, you know that it’s adorable. It has that “Austin-y” feel, with weird murals and old buildings and lots of local restaurants and shops. And of course, there are a bunch of cool spots to visit in this part of Austin, like amazing east Austin restaurants you need…

10 Best South Austin Restaurants

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 11, 2025
Elizabeth Street Cafe

South Austin restaurants have never been better. Just when you think you’ve hit up all of the great places to eat and drink in south Austin, another great restaurant opens.  And this restaurant scene is quite different from the new restaurants that are opening in downtown Austin, which are often multi-million dollar build outs at…

Jester King Brewing: Austin’s Best Kid-Friendly Brewery

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 8, 2025
Jester King goat farm

I’ve visited Jester King Brewery more times than I can count, and most of those times were before I became a parent. But since bringing two little boys into the world, I can confidently call Jester King austin best kid-friendly brewery for a full afternoon of fun.  If you’re looking for something fun to do…

The Best Austin Breweries With Playgrounds

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 8, 2025
St Elmo Springdale

Craft breweries in Austin are a family event. Here are some of the best breweries with playgrounds.

23 Coolest South Austin Coffee Shops

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 8, 2025
Carpenter hotel coffee

I normally wouldn’t say that coffee shops are “cool.” I’d call them serene, calming, or excellent places to work or start your day. But in this case, these South Austin coffee shops are cool. And that’s not just because South Austin, in general, is just a cool little area of ATX… It’s also because the…

Better Half Bar Is Still The Best Lunch In Downtown Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 7, 2025
Better Half Bar beens and greens

It’s not new, and it’s not a trendy, but Better Half Bar in downtown Austin is still the best place to get lunch in downtown Austin.  Better Half Bar is an all-day coffee shop, restaurant, and bar. They have a robust coffee program that opens early in the morning, an all-day menu featuring breakfast, lunch,…

Evan LeRoy (James Beard Nominee) Launched A Special Menu, And It’s Insane

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 6, 2025

There are only two Austin nominees in the James Beard Award – Best Chef Texas category, and Evan LeRoy is one of them. And if you haven’t been to the new LeRoy and Lewis brick-and-mortar restaurant in South Austin, seriously, what’s wrong with you? 🙂 I’ve been geeking out about LeRoy and Lewis being one…

Lace Up Your Hiking Boots: Here Are The 15 Best Hiking Trails in Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 6, 2025
Violet Crown Trail

Austin is a very outdoorsy city with lots of great hiking trails. Ask anyone who lives here and they’ll tell you that the terrain of Austin, with the limestone cliffs and numerous creek beds, lends itself to lots of great, easy hiking. So if you’re looking for a fun weekend adventure, here are 15 of…

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