City Guide: East Austin

Just a hop, skip and a jump away from Houston, the city of Austin is one of my favorite places to visit for a weekend getaway. Rick and I met in Austin, and got engaged in the city, so it’s safe to say #ATX holds a special place in our hearts. Because there are so many different things I love about Austin, and could no way fit it into one travel guide, I’ve decided to break it down by area for y’all – the East Austin travel guide.

We recently did a quick weekend getaway to Austin for a close friend’s wedding. We love Austin for it’s food and music scene, the nightlife, the outdoor activities and more. Rick and I like to call it the little slice of California in Texas. Looking forward to sharing this East Austin travel guide with you, and keep on the lookout for other parts of Austin coming soon to the blog!

Where to Stay 

The Guild // One thing Rick and I truly love about visiting Austin is how the city feels so different from Houston, but at the same time we know it so well that we feel like a local. There are plenty of hotels to stay at in the greater Austin-area, but we love calling one of The Guild’s furnished apartments and condos home for our Austin getaway. The Guild offers a new concept in hospitality, offering boutique accommodations amongst locals within the city. For our most recent getaway, we stayed at the East 6th at The Corazon property. Nestled in an up-and-coming area of Austin, the East 6th area features some seriously awesome restaurants, a super walkable area and some cool food trucks and art galleries. Our studio was exactly what we needed for the quick trip, and we loved cozying up in the king-sized bed after a night out and a full kitchen for late night eats. The old vinyl records and local coffee were a nice added touch, too. The best part about The Corazon, it’s extremely accessible. Especially when you’re driving in from Houston, East Austin is one of the first areas you drive into as you make your way into the city. It’s not nearly as congested as the University-area and features both ample amounts of parking and walking/biking areas. But if East Austin and its hipster feel aren’t exactly what you’re looking for in your Austin getaway, you can always check out other Guild properties across the city, here.

Where to Eat 

Blenders & Bowls // We discovered the East Austin location of this darling little smoothie and Acai joint, on our first full day in East Austin. Literally just a couple block walk from The Guild, we somehow made it back to Blenders & Bowls twice in less than 48 hours. Trust me, if you’re an Acai bowl addict like Rick and I are, then you will not be disappointed! My go-to was ‘The OG’ and Rick’s favorite bowl was called ‘Nutty by Nature’.

El Chilito // A few different locations in Austin, but we were close by to the East Austin location and happened upon it when we were both hungry for a midday snack. Reliable Tex-Mex that’s casual; you just walk up to the window and order. The chips and queso were yummy, and my quesadilla was just what I needed for an afternoon snack.

Pueblo Viejo // My best description for this joint is a little hole-in-the-wall taco shop. It’s a walk-up counter with super authentic tacos. Rick had some seriously delicious beef tacos, and I couldn’t resist the chips & queso. Neither disappointed at all! Just a few minute walk from The Guild, if you’re on the hunt for some delicious and authentic tacos, then you need to stop in here.

Royal Blue Grocery // Directly next door to Blenders & Bowls, this grocery store features everything you could most definitely need, plus some really delicious coffee. I recommend stopping in for some delicious coffee, like my personal favorite, the latte.

Second Bar + Kitchen // The one evening we did have free on this Austin getaway, we headed into downtown for a date night dinner at Second Bar + Kitchen. The restaurant is in the heart of downtown and truly gives you an Austin experience. When we aren’t sure what we want to do off the menu, we opt to share. The seasonal salads and cheeseboard did not disappoint. Plus, I’m always a huge fan of a unique cocktail list, and this spot offers ones that are both unique and delicious!

What to do 

Walk the area // As I mentioned above, there are so many places that are within walking distance in the East Austin area. For one, downtown is just under the highway, you can easily walk there. There are plenty of food truck parks and shops to browse in East Austin. I personally love checking out the local coffee shops too. Bring your Fitbit because you will get in those steps, and walk around the area. You might just run into a cool gathering at an art gallery or an outdoor festival on the corner.

Rent a bike // Austin is known for its ease in terms of biking the city. Yes, there are hills (it is the Hill Country after all!), but the city is really friendly towards its bicyclist counterparts. With that being said, there are a lot of kiosks around the city where you can rent a bike with the simple click of an app. Check out the app Austin B-cycle to find out the closest rental locations near you!

Nightlife // East Austin is a hotbed for some seriously cool and hipster bars and nightlife. We love checking out different bars every time we are in town and up to it. We walked from our hotel, and stopped at Shangri-La, which looks a bit of a dive on the outside, but it’s super funky and cool inside. Definitely try a frozen party drink! From East Austin you can quickly get to 6th street, both Dirty and West (my favorite), as well as Rainey Street. Rainey is a super cool and walkable area with some awesome bars that were once historic homes and buildings, redone and made into awesome gathering areas for some cool nightlife!