“What you hear is true.” I’ve waited anxiously to explore Austin and its vibrant culture of food, art, music, and outdoors while also looking for the right opportunity to visit Texas Hill Country, which has been rapidly growing in popularity for its distinct offerings. A friend’s wedding brought us to Wimberley, TX, where we took 48 hours to dive into as much of this charming “Gem of the Hill Country” as we could before moving on to 48 hours in Austin, knocking a lot off of our domestic travel bucket list!
Thanks to Austin Lifestyle Magazine (@austinlifestylemagazine) and She-She Media + Design (@sheshemedia), my husband and I had the most hospitable stay and kick-off to our Austin leg of the trip! She-She Media + Design, LLC is a Texas-based communications firm headquartered in Austin that specializes in public relations and media for a wealth of clientele, including the beautiful and perfectly situated Canopy by Hilton Austin Downtown lifestyle hotel (@canopybyhilton), and Austin Lifestyle Magazine curates local lifestyle content led by Editor-in-Chief, Jen Birn, who shows locals and travelers alike how to live like an #AUSTIN local.
Located in the West 6th District and walkable to a plethora of entertainment, the sophisticated Canopy by Hilton property is unassuming from the exterior and presents a sophisticated interior once navigating your way through its unique entrance. Our chic and modern room overlooked the interior courtyard that houses a cozy firelit patio and seating for dining. Eat on the property at Verbena, enjoy complimentary snacks and shoot pool in the lobby, and enjoy the elevated pool deck with downtown views.
After checking into our room, we met up with Jen who guided our Austin itinerary with some of the most remarkable food on the scene, beginning with Walton’s Fancy and Staple, an artisan deli owned by Sandra Bullock serving up sweet and savory bakery and cafe items amidst a flower and garden shop to add to the charm. After starting the morning with brunch and pastries, we ended our evening with “Dining Redefined” at The Guest House the flavors and the presentation across the board were EXQUISITE!
I’ve rounded out our 4-day weekend in Austin and Wimberley with BOTH our firsthand experiences we highly recommend adding to your Travel Bucket List AND more places on our list that we couldn't get to but still have on our list! #TrueAustin
*For more local lifestyle and travel content from Kansas City Bucket List, visit @kansascitybucketlist on Instagram and www.kansascitybucketlist.com.
48 hours in Wimberley:
Wimberley Inn + Bar: The best little hotel in Wimberley, Texas - where southern hospitality meets hill country charm! Come for a coffee in bed, a drink by the pool, and a star-filled sky.
Wimberley Square + Boots: Wimberley Square is home to a variety of locally-owned businesses, including boutiques, art galleries, antique shops, and eateries.
Roughhouse Brewing: We're a mom-and-pop brewery and kitchen located on our family’s 50-acre ranch between San Marcos and Wimberley, TX. We specialize in tasty foeder-fermented ales, traditional lagers, and cave-aged beers.
Hill Country Collectibles: Art gallery
Wimberley Glassworks: Texas’ premier hand-blown glass lighting and art glass studio, creating exclusive glass collections and lighting since 1992.
Shelter Goods: A kinetic living shop in the heart of Wimberley, Texas.
The Shady Llama: Outdoor beer and wine garden where you can enjoy the beautiful Texas Hill Country and amazing sunset view. Come visit for a beer, glass of wine, soda, or iced tea, and meet one of our six shady llamas up close!
The Waters Point: A luxury boutique resort found in the serene setting of the Texas Hill Country along the Blanco River and Cypress Creek.
Ceremony Botanical Studio: A botanical studio and boutique offering pretty plants and thoughtful goods for the home.
The Let Go: Bar and Lounge
Jester King Brewery: World-renowned, award-winning brewery located on a beautiful ranch on the outskirts of Austin, Texas. We make wood-fired pizza and raise goats in a fun, relaxing, one-of-a-kind environment tied to time, place, and people.
Desert Door Distillery: Desert Door Texas Sotol is... just that. “Sotol” is both the name of our spirit and the plant we make it from. We wild-harvest all our sotol on ranches across Texas; we don’t farm or cultivate any of our sotol stock.
Devil’s Backbone Tavern: Prohibition Era TEXAS Dive Bar & Dancehall, EST 1937 - Certified Independent Live Music Venue- Preserving Texas dance hall culture one weekend at a time.
Garrison Brothers Distillery: As the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas and the first outside of Kentucky to produce authentic, handmade bourbon whiskey, Garrison Brothers Distillery has been a trailblazer since 2006.
CreekHouse Kitchen & Bar: Beneath the trees and overlooking Cypress Creek, we serve classic Texas fare with a sophisticated twist and offer a wide selection of Texas-brewed beers, fine wines, and artfully crafted cocktails.
Wimberley Inn + Bar->
48 hours in Austin:
Canopy by Hilton Austin Downtown: Located in the West 6th Market District, our hotel is less than a mile from the State Capitol, downtown eats, and entertainment. The University of Texas and Zilker Metropolitan Park are within three miles. Our complimentary Canopy Bikes are perfect for a ride along the trails of Lady Bird Lake. Relax in a cabana at our elevated pool terrace with skyline views and a seasonal bar.
Walton’s Fancy and Staple: Walton's Fancy and Staple™ is a Gourmet Delicatessen/Bakery and Café offering delicious Gourmet2Go, one-stop floral services, catering and events.
Lala’s Little Nugget: Founded in 1972, Lala's Little Nugget has long been one of the divining and endearing bars of Austin, Texas for decades. With the halls decked with boughs of holly year-round, Santa and his reindeer perched on the roof and generations of Christmas memorabilia, Lala's is a North Pole oasis in Central Texas!
Lady Bird Lake x Congress Avenue Bridge: The Congress Avenue bridge spans Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin and is home to the largest urban bat colony in North America known as the Congress Bridge Bats. Each night from around mid-March to early November, the Austin Bats emerge from under the bridge to blanket the sky.
Whisler’s: Nestled in a hundred-year-old building, Whisler’s serves expertly crafted cocktails, a spacious patio, a romantic inside bar candlelit for an intimate date, the speakeasy Mezcaleria Tobala, and Thai food from our onsite food truck Thai Kun.
The Guest House: The Guest House brings a blend of comfort and fine dining, inviting you to a place where familiar tastes are reinvented. Experience the crafted simplicity of our cuisine and the thoughtful elegance of our space.
The White Horse: A whiskey slingin' Honky Tonk in Austin.
Sixth Street: With its colorful and bustling array of bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues, it’s a sure bet for experiencing local characters and the vibrancy of the city.
El Arroyo: For almost 50 years, El Arroyo has served up Tex-Mex with a side of laughs on the famous marquee sign in front of our restaurant in Austin, Texas. Whether a local or just passing through, come by and grab a margarita, tacos, and laughs.
Mean Eyed Cat: Named after a famed Cash song, Mean Eyed Cat is festooned with portraits, posters, and song lyrics. Featuring local and craft beers and a creative cocktail list, enjoy the interior space or the open wood patio sheltered under a 300+ year old Texas Live Oak.
Uncommon Objects: Uncommon Objects has been described as “your eccentric uncle’s attic on steroids.” As the ultimate “green” shopping experience, there is something to satisfy your nostalgic yearnings and pique your sentimental curiosities.
Leroy and Lewis BBQ: Inspired by bbq cultures all around the world, we view bbq as a method of cooking, not a specific set of menu items. Local sourcing, inventive barbecue, cold drinks, and old-school hospitality come together here.
Blanton Museum of Art: Recognized for its modern and contemporary American and Latin American art, Italian Renaissance and Baroque paintings, an encyclopedic collection of prints and drawings, and Ellsworth Kelly’s Austin, the Blanton offers thought-provoking and personally moving encounters with art.
Meanwhile Brewing: Meanwhile is a 3-vessel, 15bbl brewery and taproom located in South Austin. Our space features a soccer field, outdoor stage, and private events venue.
Pool Burger: Pool Burger is a burger trailer and tiki bar located right above Deep Eddy Pool and below the Cabaret. Pool Burger's 1968 Airstream serves griddled wagyu beef on homemade buns. The island-vibe yard and decor are inspired by the group's favorite beachside hangouts. The bar features classic tiki cocktails.
Deep Eddy Cabaret: Austin's favorite neighborhood bar since 1951.
Firehouse Lounge: Firehouse Lounge blends speakeasy charm, tucked behind a hidden bookshelf, and the cocktail bar serves up expertly crafted cocktails and locally brewed beers, with a diverse range of live music performances.
Garage: Swanky cocktail bar located in an unassuming parking garage in downtown Austin.
Red Ash: Influenced by the culinary traditions of Northern and Southern Italy, Red Ash features craft Italian cuisine. The star of the Red Ash kitchen is the wood-burning grill, oven, and plancha where red ash is released from the live wood fires.
The Continental Club: The legendary Continental Club opened its doors in 1955 and celebrates over 60 years as one the oldest continuously running clubs in all of Austin.
Jo’s Coffee: Jo’s Coffee is an iconic Austin coffee shop known for its coffee, pastries, sandwiches, and breakfast tacos. Founded in 1999, Jo’s proudly brews their own blend of La Colombe Coffee and is home to the Iced Turbo coffee beverage.
Franklin Barbecue: Tasty smoked meats
Austin Beerworks: Brewery
June’s All Day: June’s offers breakfast, brunch, and grab-and-go pastries & coffee by morning, with an all-day bistro menu late into the evenings. The interior features a vintage jukebox, cozy banquette seating, and a long marble bar.
The Contemporary Austin: Austin's Contemporary Art Museum
Rainey Street: Renovated houses turned into bungalow bars reign supreme on Rainey. Day or night, you’ll find relaxed bar-goers strolling from bar to food trailer to bar again, often with their dogs in tow looking for a kicked-back sip and a bite.
NADC: NADC burger is a double Wagyu cheeseburger made with 6 oz of 100% full-blooded premium Texas Wagyu.
Whisler’s:->
Garage->
Red Ash->
And that's a wrap! Austin and Wimberley are two Texas gems in the heart of Hill Country that can't be missed!