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3/18-3/24/2025, Tuesday-Monday - Revisited and Explored Austin, TX

  • joraintree
  • Mar 24
  • 3 min read

We lived two winters in Austin, Texas (2012 and 2013) - we loved it then, and we wanted to see it again. So, we spent a beautiful week there reconnecting with friends and the city, and we had a fabulous time! Following are some highlights from our stay there. Check out the Relive videos for additional photos.


We enjoyed a nice place to stay near the happening SoCo (South Congress Ave) area.
We enjoyed a nice place to stay near the happening SoCo (South Congress Ave) area.

South Congress has more chain stores and less food trucks than before, but it's still full of fabulous restaurants, bars featuring great live music, and cute shops. Still a great area!
South Congress has more chain stores and less food trucks than before, but it's still full of fabulous restaurants, bars featuring great live music, and cute shops. Still a great area!

3/19/2025, Wednesday - Biked the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail


We enjoyed the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail (aka Town Lake Trail or Lady Bird Lake Trail) trail when we were here before, and we knew it had improved a lot since then.


Now a complete loop around Lady Bird Lake, we biked the entire thing. It's a truly fantastic trail!
Now a complete loop around Lady Bird Lake, we biked the entire thing. It's a truly fantastic trail!

We found a nice park along the trail for a picnic lunch.
We found a nice park along the trail for a picnic lunch.

We took a short detour to Rainey Street, which used to be home to a food truck court and many cute bungalows converted to a variety of restaurants. Oh, how things have changed! (We knew they inevitably would.)
We took a short detour to Rainey Street, which used to be home to a food truck court and many cute bungalows converted to a variety of restaurants. Oh, how things have changed! (We knew they inevitably would.)

Just a handful of these old venues still exist, but now they're surrounded by huge high-rises. We tried to eat at a place we liked before and ended up bailing out (that's a whole story) - the vibe just isn't there anymore for us.
Just a handful of these old venues still exist, but now they're surrounded by huge high-rises. We tried to eat at a place we liked before and ended up bailing out (that's a whole story) - the vibe just isn't there anymore for us.

Turtles on the lake! :)
Turtles on the lake! :)

We revisited the Stevie Ray Vaughan statue where, many winters ago, we blared some live recordings of a couple of his concerts. Several runners and bikers on the trail stopped to appreciate a song or few that night. :)
We revisited the Stevie Ray Vaughan statue where, many winters ago, we blared some live recordings of a couple of his concerts. Several runners and bikers on the trail stopped to appreciate a song or few that night. :)

We saw countless Waymo self-driving taxis (available via Uber) driving around Austin, and we watched one successfully navigate itself out of a blocked alley it had expected to go through.
We saw countless Waymo self-driving taxis (available via Uber) driving around Austin, and we watched one successfully navigate itself out of a blocked alley it had expected to go through.

We biked to The Brewtorium in north Austin for the monthly BASHH (Big Ass Social Happy Hour) networking event. In 2013 they were much larger (and downtown), but it was still a fun event, and the food/drinks were good.
We biked to The Brewtorium in north Austin for the monthly BASHH (Big Ass Social Happy Hour) networking event. In 2013 they were much larger (and downtown), but it was still a fun event, and the food/drinks were good.

After the networking event we biked a little further north to Turnstile Coffee Beer Cocktails and Burgers. There we met and caught up with Pete, a friend we made back in 2012 or 2013 at a BASHH event. We then biked home, arriving a bit before 2am - whew!


Here is the Relive video for our 40.29-mile ride that day, with more pictures:




3/20/2025, Thursday - Explored the New and Old 6th Street


After sleeping in and charging the bikes, we rode to downtown and over to East 6th Street, then walked it down to Congress Ave and back.
After sleeping in and charging the bikes, we rode to downtown and over to East 6th Street, then walked it down to Congress Ave and back.

Then we parked our bikes and walked from the east end of 6th Street to the west end.
Then we parked our bikes and walked from the east end of 6th Street to the west end.

We enjoyed happy hour drinks and snacks at a rooftop bar/restaurant on East 6th Street.
We enjoyed happy hour drinks and snacks at a rooftop bar/restaurant on East 6th Street.

With this ride, we passed 1,000 miles on our bicycles since getting them in mid-October 2024 - woohoo!!!


Here is the Relive video for our 12.4-mile ride/walk that day, including additional photos:




3/22/2025, Saturday - Biked the Shoal Creek Trail


We moved to a lovely neighborhood north of downtown.
We moved to a lovely neighborhood north of downtown.

From there we biked the Shoal Creek Trail south to the lake.
From there we biked the Shoal Creek Trail south to the lake.

It's a beautiful trail along a creek. It runs through the heart of the city, but you'd hardly know it.
It's a beautiful trail along a creek. It runs through the heart of the city, but you'd hardly know it.





We watched the undulating wave of bats emerge from the Bat Bridge (the Congress Ave bridge over Lady Bird Lake). We were on the wrong side of the river for best viewing, so it wasn't spectacular, but still interesting.
We watched the undulating wave of bats emerge from the Bat Bridge (the Congress Ave bridge over Lady Bird Lake). We were on the wrong side of the river for best viewing, so it wasn't spectacular, but still interesting.

3/24/2025, Monday - Biked a Loop of Austin


We did a big loop bike ride around Austin this day, and we enjoyed a late lunch at Easy Tiger on the north side. We remember it from it's days at a totally unique venue down on 6th Street. Very different here, but still a nice vibe.
We did a big loop bike ride around Austin this day, and we enjoyed a late lunch at Easy Tiger on the north side. We remember it from it's days at a totally unique venue down on 6th Street. Very different here, but still a nice vibe.

Our path took us on the Shoal Creek Trail, through neighborhoods, onto the Walnut Creek Trail, down to the lake and downtown.
Our path took us on the Shoal Creek Trail, through neighborhoods, onto the Walnut Creek Trail, down to the lake and downtown.




Here is the Relive video of our 31.08-mile ride that day, with many more photos:





 
 
 

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