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 Find Cozy Food In Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 20, 2025
best cozy food in Austin

Cold front in Austin? Cue all the cozy foods! There aren’t many snow storms or cold, blustery days here in Austin, but when they hit us, they hit us HARD. Those freezing wind chills and ice-cold temps are brutal (no thanks to the fact that none of us own a proper winter wardrobe…), but you…

The Prettiest Bars In Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 20, 2025
prettiest bars in Austin

I am not a world-renowned mixologist or sommelier, but I know my way around a cocktail menu. A decade of food writing and city blogging has given me a front seat at some of the hottest cocktail bars in Austin and beyond. But do you know what I keep discovering, over and over again? It’s…

Best Food at the Austin Airport: Quick Guide

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 19, 2025
Parkside at Austin Airport

The Austin Airport is unique in the fact that we have a huge amount of local Austin restaurants located at the airport.  You won’t find a McDonald’s or a Subway at this airport, but you will find local breakfast tacos and famous Austin barbecue at the main terminal at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport. Here’s the…

The Best Bars and Restaurants On Rainey Street (According To An Austin Local)

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 18, 2025
best bars on Rainey

You love, you hate it, but there’s no denying that you’re aware of Rainey Street in Austin. It’s one of our biggest nightlife districts! Here are the best bars and restaurants on Rainey.

Play For All Abilities Park Is One  Of The Best Parks In Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 18, 2025

If you haven’t had the chance to visit yet, Play For All Park in Round Rock is truly one of the best parks in the greater Austin area. This MASSIVE, state-of-the-art park covers a vast area and was thoughtfully designed with inclusivity in mind to make sure that every child-regardless of their abilities-has the opportunity…

The Perfect 3-Day Itinerary For Your Weekend Trip To Austin

By Kelsey Kennedy | February 16, 2025
Weekend Itinerary in Austin

Sure, there are plenty of “best of” lists floating around the Web. But what are the “perfect” things to do to fill your first weekend in Austin? Austin Texas: one of the top travel destinations in the United States. It’s perfect for bachelorette parties, family trips, girls’ weekend getaways, and romantic vacations with your significant…

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…

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…

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.

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