Austin with kids

How Many Days Do You Need in Austin With Kids? (My Perfect 4-Day Itinerary)

By Kelsey Kennedy | October 2, 2025

I live in Austin and have tried pretty much all of the “kid-friendly things to do in Austin.” If you’re planning a family vacation here, you might be wondering: how many days in Austin do you really need with kids? Long story short: 4 days (a long weekend) is the perfect amount of time. Here’s…

Dripping Springs Pumpkin Fest

Best Pumpkin Patches In Austin (2025)

By Kelsey Kennedy | September 27, 2025

A quick guide + map to the best pumpkin patches in Austin this year.

Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas

Kid-Friendly Halloween Events Near Austin (2025 Edition)

By Kelsey Kennedy | September 25, 2025

Fall is back, the air is crisping up (kinda…), and Austin is full of festive events perfect for kids and families. Not gonna lie – Halloween and fall events in Austin have gotten EXPENSIVE! If you’re going with a family of 4, expect to spend $100 on admission alone. Here are a few of my personal…

hiking at Walnut Creek Park

Easy Family Hikes Near Austin (Kid-Tested Trails!)

By Kelsey Kennedy | September 23, 2025

Looking for an easy family hike near Austin? I get it! I love being outdoors with my kids, but I don’t always want to commit to a long trek with steep climbs, tons of stairs, or rocky terrain. The good news is there are plenty of kid-friendly hikes near Austin that I’ve explored with my…

Sandy's Hamburgers

Where To Eat Near ACL Fest 2025

By Kelsey Kennedy | September 22, 2025

From pre-fest coffee to post-fest drinks + carbs, here’s where to eat close to ACL Festival.

Goat Farm at Jester King Austin

27 Fun Things To Do With Kids In Austin (That Locals Actually Love)

By Kelsey Kennedy | September 22, 2025

Whether you’re a local or you’re visiting with kids, here are some of my favorite really fun things to do in Austin with kids.

Downtown Austin skyline at night

Do You Need A Car When You Visit Austin? A Mom’s Honest Take

By Kelsey Kennedy | September 19, 2025

Wondering if you need a car when you visit Austin? Ok, hi! Sure! I’ll answer that. As a local Austin resident and someone who is constantly hopping around ATX to eat and explore, I have a feel for where to stay when you visit Austin and how you should plan to get around. ABOUT THE…

21 Best Hotels Near Austin City Limits Music Festival

21 Cool Hotels Near Austin City Limits Festival

By Kelsey Kennedy | September 18, 2025

Because why stay somewhere boring when you could stay somewhere awesome? Here are the best hotels near ACL Fest.

The Thinkery

The Thinkery In Austin: Is The Children’s Museum Worth It?

By Kelsey Kennedy | September 18, 2025

The Thinkery is our awesome little kids museum here in Austin. It’s located in the family-friendly east Austin neighborhood of Mueller, and it’s on pretty much every “best things to do in Austin” guide. If you’re wondering if it’s worth it to visit, I’ll go ahead cut to the chase: YES! I’ve been to this…

Origin Hotel in Austin

10 Fun and Kid-Friendly Hotels in Austin for Your Next Trip

By Kelsey Kennedy | September 17, 2025

When you’re visiting a city, the most important thing to do first is book your hotel! Once that’s taken care of, everything else-restaurants, museums, concerts, and other fun activities-falls into place. I’ve written before about the best places to stay in Austin with kids, and I still stand by what I said: a vacation rental…

Skyline Park

12 Best Playgrounds In Austin (Ranked By My Kids)

By Kelsey Kennedy | September 17, 2025

Austin has some of the best playgrounds in Texas, and lately the city has been busy giving a few of them major upgrades. The Parks Department has poured millions into places like Pease Park, Walnut Creek, and Circle C, making play structures bigger and better, adding shaded areas, and creating safer, more inclusive spaces for…

What To Wear To ACL Festival

What To Wear To Austin City Limits Music Festival

By Kelsey Kennedy | September 17, 2025

There’s a formula to this! Hot tip: no rompers because PORTA-POTTIES.

breakfast in Austin with kids

The Best Breakfast Spots In Austin With Kids

By Kelsey Kennedy | September 15, 2025

You know where Austin really shines? Casual breakfast spots! My kids love going out on Saturday mornings for a big stack of pancakes, and luckily, Austin has plenty of options. If you’re looking for where to eat breakfast in Austin with kids, here are a few of our favorite spots – personally approved by my…

where to stay in Austin with kids

Where To Stay In Austin With Kids

By Kelsey Kennedy | September 11, 2025

When a friend tells me she’s visiting Austin with her little ones and wants to know where to stay in Austin with kids, this is exactly what I tell her: An awesome airbnb, centrally located. And yes, plan on renting a car! Texas doesn’t have reliable public transportation. I’ve lived in Austin forever and I’m…

Jo's Coffee

10 Best Restaurants on South Congress (From a Local Who Eats Here Weekly)

By Kelsey Kennedy | September 5, 2025

I know it’s a bit of an unpopular opinion, but as a local, I think South Congress is still incredible. Sure, it’s not the hippie mecca it used to be, and yes, a few big corporate stores have moved in-but the vibe is alive, the streets are fun, and the food? Absolutely worth it. Here…

Where To Get Tacos and Margaritas in Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | June 19, 2022
De Nada Cantina patio

ATX summers: the sun is out, the days are long, and there’s seriously nothing more delicious than the combo of tacos and margaritas. Let’s face it: tacos + margs is a pretty iconic duo, and Austin Texas has a BUNCH of places where you can indulge. But, as is true with most food experiences, it’s…

14 Best Concert Venues In Austin For Live Music

By Kelsey Kennedy | June 6, 2022
C-Boys Heart And Soul

If Austin is really the “live music capital of the world,” there have to be some awesome concert venues in Austin…right? Yep! The days of teeny tiny bands playing on corner stages and being “discovered” are few and far between. But Austin is still home to dozens of AWESOME concert venues. Some of them are…

Where To Play Bingo In Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | May 11, 2022
Capital Bingo

Since it’s soooo dang entertaining and requires basically zero physical activity, Bingo is probably never going to go out of style. Some Austinites have even made it their primary hobby! (Hey, it’s pretty addicting..)  Besides the obvious entertainment it brings to people, playing this game also has a positive impact because bingo halls are required…

Best Date Night Spots In Georgetown

By Addie Gross | March 1, 2022

If you’re looking for the best date night spots in Georgetown (a suburb juuuust north of Austin) you’ve come to the right place! Whether it’s a happy hour date, a romantic dinner, or a group outing with friends, we’ve got got just the place for you. Austin has so many options for fun date night spots, but the…

7 Absolutely Iconic Queso Spots In Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 28, 2022
Torchy's Queso in Austin

Queso is a quintessential Austin food. It’s a melty, gooey, shareable dish of cheese + various toppings, and it’s always served with crip, salty tortilla chips (some are better than others…more on that later.) Visitors always want to know where to find the best queso in Austin, so here’s a roundup of 7 great options…

Drive-Thru Restaurants In Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 9, 2022
drive thru restaurants in Austin: Top Notch Hamburgers

When you’re driving around Austin and reeeeeaaally want a delicious meal and also reeeeeaaally don’t want to get out of the car, you need a great drive-thru restaurant. Thankfully, Austin has lots of them. Forgo the chain fast food spots, and check out one of these drive-thru restaurants in Austin. Whether you’re trying to avoid…

Where To Brunch In Austin With A Big Group

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 8, 2022
East Austin Restaurants

You’re visiting Austin with a big group for a bachelorette party or a big birthday weekend. You want to know where you can A) enjoy a boozy brunch with a big group that is B) preferably somewhere near downtown Austin or Rainey Street so you can spend the afternoon bar-hopping around. Well, here are some…

10 Cool Coffee Shops in East Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 6, 2022
Palomino Coffee in east Austin

If you’re looking for really cool coffee shops in Austin, you need to head to east Austin! (Side note: east Austin, in general, is pretty rad.) The vibe in east Austin is lots of young professionals, and the 20s and 30s crowd loves a good coffee shop. The only down side is that you’re going…

Where To Stay In Austin For Your Weekend Visit

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 25, 2022
Where to stay in Austin

Yay, you’re visiting Austin! Where should you stay for your weekend visit to this amazing city? We’ll tell you! Since the Austin Things is owned and written by local Austinites, we know all the ins and outs of ATX. Here’s where to stay for your weekend visit. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kelsey Kennedy is a native…

15 Rooftop Bars In Austin With Jaw-Dropping Views

By Kelsey Kennedy | January 24, 2022

Whether you’re visiting Austin for the weekend or you’re a local ready for a fun night, there are few things more magical than sipping a cocktail on a rooftop bar with a view of the city. The confusing part: where are all these amazing rooftop bars in Austin?  Well, some of them are a bit…

The Austin Things

Where To Eat In Austin

Visitor Tips For Austin

Best Austin Activites