I went to Austin for a few days for a work summit. Most of our time was spent in meeting rooms in the W hotel, but I was able to check out a few things while there. Here’s what I did:

How I Got There

There aren’t too many direct flights from D.C. to Austin; I flew United nonstop from Dulles. 

Where I Stayed

W Hotel: Good location a short walk from Sixth Street. The hotel had a chic design with an industrial edge. Large rooms had awesome attention to detail, especially the bathroom toiletries. Two words: face wash!!! 

Day 1

Blue Dahlia: Cute spot for tartines and breakfast/brunch food. It’s a bit dark inside, but there’s a nice outdoor seating area if it’s not too hot out. 

La Condesa: Upscale Tex Mex is the name of the game at this large high-ceilinged restaurant with moody lighting. 

Rainey Street: When this residential area was rezoned into commercial real estate, historic houses were turned into quirky bars. Most of them have back yards or outdoor patios, and food trucks pull up to serve eats. Basically it feels like you’re drinking in a buddy’s backyard, not a bar.

Day 2

Bat Cruise: Every night between March and November thousands of bats that live in the crevasses under the South Congress bridge fly out around sundown to feed. You can stand on the bridge to look down at them, or hop on a boat cruise to tour a bit of Lady Bird Johnson Lake. The boats float beneath the bridge to watch the bats. You’ll get better photo ops from the boat because you get the bridge scene too. Tip: get a boat with a covered roof; it’ll protect you from the bat droppings.  

Swifts Attic: Not your average menu here. Inventive courses whip up weirdness like spicy edamame with pop rocks and bacon-wrapped Gorgonzola. Try the ball cocktails: the flavored ingredients are frozen in an ice cube ball that flavors the liquor in the glass as it melts.  

White Horse: An east side honky tonk where you’ll find a quirky mix of folks. Think sleeve tattoos and ironic hipster t-shirts with unironic cowboy hats and two-step dancing. 

Rain on 4th: This gay bar on 4th Street has a dance floor with cages and an outdoor back bar.