Absolutely beautiful and aesthetically pleasing on the inside. I loved visiting this store and hope…read moreto return soon.

Rainey Street is not what it used to be 10 years ago…read more That's not awful, but it's also not good. I remember visiting when it wasn't as commercial, wasn't as loud, not as many bars, not the large hotels, and it was cute little old bungalows and restaurants that felt homey and it was charming with a food truck area. None of that appears to remain - it's vastly different and has grown. I'm not entirely sure if I think it's for the better or the worse, but much of the charm I loved is entirely gone.

I never realized there was a listing on Yelp for Sunken Garden Springs!…read moreIt's one of my favorite areas to visit when spending days over at Zilker &/or Barton Springs. It's man-made and has been around since the late 1930s. This water feature is a sanctuary to the endangered Barton Springs salamander among others. It runs along Barton Creek from Barton Springs Pool. The walls are concrete and limestone. It's a peaceful area and it is protected with fencing for the safety of the endangered species. If you want to check it out, it's best viewed when hiking the trails that lead up to and around it. Absolutely worth a visit.

Running or cycling on the Butler Hike & Bike Trail (aka Town Lake Trail), you're often moving too…read morefast to take in all the little scenic joys to be had along the 10+ miles of pathway. When I had a couple of hours to spare this morning, with a nagging injury keeping me from my typical Saturday AM long run, I took it as an opportunity take a leisurely stroll with a few turns off my regular loop, which led me to discover the hidden jewel of Sunken Gardens Springs. This home to a couple of endangered local salamander species has a long and interesting history as a public venue in Austin. The short version: it was developed in 1937 as one of FDR's public infrastructure initiatives, and generations of Austinites recall swimming, sunbathing, and even attending performing arts performances here. Like so many things in our ever growing city, the structures were not well maintained and began to crumble, creating a safety hazard. As with Eliza Springs on the other side of the creek, it was also found to contain some precious creatures with federal Endangered Species Act protections. For these reasons, public access would no longer be allowed until remediations could be completed. For the long version, see the City's master plan for restoring the spot https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Parks/Barton_Springs_Master_Plan/BSPMP-08of16.pdf and the most recent report on efforts through 2013 https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Prelim_Engineering_Report_Sunken_Garden_Improvements_Phase_1_2013-10-29.pdf. These days, you can stop on the bridge over the rushing springs to listen to the water flow or turn north to watch dogs play in creek. If you're curious like me, you can walk up the overgrown path behind the fenced enclosure to take a peek at the clear pool down below and imagine what it must have been like to take a dip in the olden days. To access, just come down the part of the trail on the south side of Barton Springs Blvd towards Barton Springs Pool, staying to the south of the creek. As you approach the dam (aka the free swimming/dog play area), the Sunken Gardens will be on your left. Alternatively, park behind the softball field off Robert E. Lee Road and drop into the trail there. GPS 30°15'48.8"N 97°46'05.1"W

Pretty sure my mouth was open in excitement the first time we drove down SOCO! lol ..Does not…read moredisappoint. Just about everything your little heart desires is all here on this street . Very vibey , vintage shops , foodie finds , plenty of shopping , fun crowds and yes parking requires some effort but it's worth it . Grab a bite and get your steps in !

The epitome of "what once was"...has now become a haven for tourists…read more And that's ok. However, there are a few places that I like to go to on South Congress that can be difficult because of all the people and cars. It's ok, Austinites know how to deal with it. That said, I will venture over when I wanna go to JoAnn's, the Austin Motel, and of course, I go to The Continental for shows whenever I can. The street is very eye-catching and has a lot to offer.

They come by where I live and I walk and see them everyday…read more Kind of unbelievable... what's crazy is that they do not fly south for the winter. They stay year 'round. Pretty amazing, considering they survived the winter storm... When it gets really cold they don't come by. I wonder where they hole up... We had a few out today. I love them

There were no birds. Not sure if location was wrong. Maps took us to an intersection.read more

This is such a rad annual event. It was my first time attending and it was so cool to see neighbors…read morecome together with magnificent displays. This tradition has been going on since the 80s when neighbors would gather holiday lights left behind by UT students and other neighbors. You can experience all kinds of cool and innovative light art here from advocacy to religion, kids stuff, traditional Christmas and more. It's really a sight/site to behold!

We strolled along 37th Street this afternoon. We played Frog and Toad tic-tac-toe, read the posters…read morefor 37th Street mayoral candidates, and marveled at the dazzling rubber duck river and the Hogwarts miniature. The walk took about 15 minutes.

We had friends visiting from out of town and we toured them around Austin. The City is known for…read moreits bright and beautiful murals. First stop, Greeting from Austin Postcard Mural. It contains all the things Austin is known for Capitol of Texas, Lady Bird Lake and Congress Avenue Bridge (with 1M+ bats underneath), University of Texas Tower, symbols of Austin being the "Live Music Capitol of the World" and our Texas Flag. Folks visit this mural daily to take pictures. It likely commemorates their wonderful time in Austin, TX.

What a great piece of public art for a great city. The fact that one of the things Austin is known…read morefor is great art and murals is one of the things I love most about it. I first visited this glorious postcard years ago as part of a self-planned and self-guided mural tour with my boyfriend. The colors of the mural are eye-catching and it makes for a great souvenir photo for tourists and residents alike. This is absolutely a "must-see" for visitors.

Looks like the sky space has two yelp pages, so I'm posting my thoughts here as well…read more A 5 star review of James Turrell's Skyspace by Courtney T.: https://www.yelp.com/biz/james-turrells-skyspace-austin?hrid=fY2tFreMSX8ZNqVBFwBVaw&utm_source=ashare&ref=yelp-android

I kinda had no idea what to expect. I intentionally didn't read much about The Color Inside. I knew…read moretwo things: Turrell and UT. Oh, and free. FREE. We made a reservation because we wanted to go at sunset. Without a reservation, you might get in but it's first come first served. We arrived extra early because if you're not familiar with UT and all of its ongoing construction, it can be challenging to find the Art Center. We asked some friendly students to point us in the right direction and got to the exhibit right on time. We checked in with the student on duty. There's a circular waiting room to the right of the check in desk where I saw people waiting. Some were sitting on the benches, others were actually lying on the floor. Geez how long had they been waiting? I sheepishly whispered to the student receptionist that I wasn't quite sure what the deal was. She advised that we could go right in. Right in to that circular waiting room? uh, yeah. that IS the exhibit. it fits maybe 20 people comfortably. and suddenly lying on the floor seemed perfectly reasonable. So we laid out our jackets and lied on the floor (there are blankets available at the exhibit in case you are a floor-lier without a jacket). we looked up. the roof is sort of canopy-like, and white, with a big blue oval dot in the middle. there are led lights in the base of the canopy that shine upwards casting a glow on the canopy. so we're lying there. and...we're lying there. and like i said we had no idea what to expect. after a while we saw a red plane fly by and we realized that the blue oval dot was actually a hole to the sky. ok, cool. and we're lying there just looking up. and then, things started to happen. i'm not going to tell you the details of the exhibit. you have to go experience it for yourself and be wowed. i will tell you that the key to the exhibit is patience (and the ability to lie on the floor). if you are patient, you will be vastly rewarded. 5-stars vast.

Stop #2: Austin, Texas Mural…read more If you are a Texan, you walk proud Texas tall. This mural reminds me of the things Texas is proud of such the hill country, the many waterways, cowboys and cowgirls, beaches (Yes! Texas does have beaches), parks and nature sites and rodeos. The Alamo is prominently featured int he mural (located in San Antonio, TX and one of Texas' top tourist attractions).

First checked this mural out back in 2016 or so and it's been a favorite of mine to show to friends…read moreand family when they're in town. If you're like me and like to do your own tours, make a mural tour and add this to your list. Sometimes when we're in the neighborhood, we'll stop and take pics. I am a huge fan of public art and this adds to the charm of our city.

She's the iconic stretch of road in Austin where it all goes down!…read more It's where in 2005, the Real World Austin cast spent most of their time out at the bars at. And the iconic Danny fight that led him to surgery, Wes to defend him & Melinda to nurse him into love with her all happened right at Sixth St & Trinity. 10 years later, Shia LaBeouf was arrested here for public drunkeness & Johnny Manziel got in a big fight here, too. This may shock you based on what you've just learned but Sixth Street is full of bars. It's known for it's nightlife, specifically the Dirty Sixth between Congress & I-35. It's pedestrians only on the weekends and I was surprised how the bars try to get people in. It was fascinating witnessing them begging women with promises of shots & drinks to try to get them in the door. I personally do notttttt vibe with that kind of atmosphere, my anxiety hates people pressuring me so I just tried to say no to everyone and walk as fast as I could through at night! lol Aside from the bars, Joe Rogan stand up spot Comedy Mothership is in the middle of all the action. You'll find peticabs if your feet are hurting to bike you to where you need to go. Good people watching at night. That being said, before all that madness starts I enjoyed the more lowkey scene on the street. I went to the Museum of Weird and a coffee shop during the day, but most of the shops were closed. Chaotic at night, chill during the day, if you're in Austin, you'll surely see all sides of iconic 6th St.

Sixth Street is love/hate isn't it? There are many places on either side of the street (crossing…read more35) that I absolutely love. An absolute tourist haven and that can mean super packed sidewalks and tons of traffic on any given summer evening. I bet it's safe to say this street is the party capitol of the country. Ok, maybe not but darn close. Tons of restaurants with great food, bars that are great and some not so great. Life in Austin.

Watching thousands of bats pour out from under a bridge is one of those experiences that sounds a…read morelittle strange until you're standing there thinking, "Okay, this is actually really cool!" The Austin bat bridge on Congress Ave. is such a unique experience, and even better, it's completely free! It definitely isn't a secret, though. A lot of people gather to watch the bats emerge, so I'd recommend getting there early if having a good viewing spot matters to you. Personally, I prefer watching from under the bridge. From that vantage point, you can actually see the bats coming out from underneath, which is the part of the experience I enjoy most. Another plus is that this doesn't have to be your only activity while you're in the area. There are plenty of other places nearby to check out, so it's easy to make the bat viewing part of a larger outing rather than your entire plan. PROS * Completely free * Such a unique Austin experience * Fun to watch the bats actually emerge from beneath the bridge * Plenty of other places nearby to explore CONS * It draws a lot of people, so arriving early is important if you want a good spot BOTTOM LINE: This is one of those simple experiences that's worth doing at least once when you're in Austin. It costs nothing, it's memorable, and there's something pretty impressive about seeing that many bats emerge at once. I'd absolutely come back and do it again, preferably from underneath the bridge.

We have come to the South Congress Bridge twice to see bats. The first time, we sat on a blanket…read moreunder the bridge and saw a swarm of bats come out with people on the bridge as a backdrop. We thought we had gotten a raw deal seeing them from below. This time around, we waited on top of the bridge. There was a spectacular sunset and fantastic view of the skyline with daylight and with moonlight. When the bats came out, we once again saw a swarm of them. Again, it was really hard to see details since they're flying so fast and there is low lighting. If you're out here just to see bats, I think you'd be better off going with a tour. They take people out by boat or kayak, talk a bit about the bats, and then shine a red light under the bridge so that you can see them better. If you're out to get a view of the skyline at sunset and to see a swarm of bats without much detail, I think it is worth a visit.