Four Perfect Days in Austin Texas for the Solo Mystery Tripper
Traveler(s): Chelsea
Trip Type: Domestic, Long Weekend
Transportation: Plane, Train, Boat, Bus/Other
Lodging: Hotels, Whole Homes/Cabins, Private Rooms
Interests: Adventure/Action Sports, Architecture, Art, Open Air Markets, Cafes/Bakeries, Comedy, Hiking, Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurants, Local Culture, Music, Relaxation, Wandering
Hello! My name is Chelsea, I am a small town Missouri girl. I am a 28 year old small business owner and a part time EMT and I am married with amazing fur children! 2020 was the first year that my husband was not going to be able to celebrate my birthday with me, so I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and do something special for myself. That something special ended up being a four day mystery trip, SOLO. Yep you read that right, solo, on my lonesome, me, myself, and I. Now for some of you that’s a normal thing and that’s awesome, but for me, I don’t spend much time by myself and I have an irrational fear of eating alone. Despite all this, I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and also do something that is my first love, traveling.
My solo traveling experience ended up being great, in part because I was sent to an amazing city: Austin, Texas! Check out my guide for how to spend four perfect days in Austin. . .
That pretty much sums it up…
Day 1: Getting to Know the Neighborhood
My flight landed at about two o’clock in the afternoon, which gave me lots of time to get my trip started! I grabbed the first cab I could find and headed to get checked in to my hostel, HK Austin. This was my first time staying in a hostel so I was a little apprehensive but Pale Blue set me up with a private bedroom and bathroom so I could ease my way into the hostel way of life. HK is a beautiful, old, well kept, Victorian home right in the heart of East Austin. The staff was beyond helpful and friendly, and all the doors had passcode locks on them, so I always felt like myself and my things were safe. I will definitely be staying in a hostel again.
After unloading all my luggage and getting settled in my room I was starving and anxious to head out into the city to explore. I took a quick look at the amazing guide Pale Blue had put together and decided I wanted some good old BBQ for late lunch. I headed to La Barbecue, just a couple blocks away from HK and decided on ordering a la frito loco with sour beer brewed down the street at Blue Owl Brewery. The frito loco is pulled pork, chopped beef, chipotle slaw, beans, fritos, cheese and jalapenos served on a martin potato bun and let me tell y’all, it was delicious. I had to take some of the jalapenos off because my Missouri stomach wasn’t ready for how spicy Texas likes theirs but otherwise this meal was amazing. I sat on the front patio and people watched while I sipped my beer and decided where to head next.
A Frito Loco and a sour. It’s nice to meet you too, Austin.
After my late lunch I set out so find the Fiesta Gardens which had piqued my interest in the Pale Blue guide. The 10 minute walk to the gardens was very enjoyable and I got a feel for the East Austin neighborhood that almost felt like a small town within a big city. Once getting to the gardens I realized that the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail starts here. This trail is beyond amazing and became my favorite feature of the city. The trail follows the Colorado River that runs through the city to downtown and makes a loop to the other side and follows to Lady Bird Lake. The trail has numerous places to hop on and off all over the city. One side is a well-kept dirt path and the other is a floating boardwalk. I walked down the trail until the sun started to fade and then I turned back to make sure I made it back home by dark.
One of our authors many fond memories from the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail.
On my walk back to the hostel I walked past Launderette which I had read about in the guide book and knew I wanted to stop at. Late dinner on a Sunday in January was not busy but I have heard they usually have a wait list. I sat at the bar so I could admire the beautifully decorated restaurant. The bartender was very friendly and made me a Better Bird (a little sweeter than normal to match my taste). It was perfect! The cherry on top was the straw that changed color with temperature. I asked them what to order for dinner and she suggested the Brick Chicken, which is what I had been eyeing, and it was hands down the best thing I ate during the entire four days in Austin. It was cooked perfectly and the sauce was amazing! They are known for their birthday cake ice cream sandwiches, so of course I had to get one for dessert. It tasted like cookie dough, so delicious. I walked back to HK in a borderline sugar comma.
Day 2: Exploring the City
The next morning, I got up ready to conquer the city. I set out for breakfast at a place called Juan in a Million. This is the first time I had ever been served chips and salsa at breakfast, so I was already having a great day – and if there is one thing you need to know about Austin, it’s that they are all about the breakfast tacos. So of course, I had to try one here and it did not disappoint! I sat at a booth by the window so I could people watch as I ate, the perfect breakfast combo.
Breakfast and tacos at once!? You can do that!?
After filling my stomach, I headed out to mural hunt. Austin is brimming with amazing murals, but at the top of my list was the famous “Greetings” mural on the side of Roadhouse Relics, which is a gem all on its own. So I set out on a stroll to First Street, enjoying the scenery as I went. Once I made it to the mural I took a minute to admire this beauty for all its worth, then took a step inside Roadhouse Relics to admire the neon art of Todd Sanders. I am a huge fan of Todd’s and one day hope to have a piece of his hanging in my home. I strongly encourage you to stop by and chat with him or at least watch him work! After prying myself out of Todd’s shop I headed to the SoCo neighborhood, popping into any bookstores I came upon and soaking up the city life around me.
Our author had to swing by Roadhouse Relics.
Since I was already in the area, I wanted to mark another food spot off the guidebook list and ate lunch at Lucy’s fried chicken. Their neon sign out front immediately made me happy and sitting at the bar with the friendly staff made my choice perfect. I went with the devil’s cove club served with vinegar chips, which I always love, and topped it off with s’mores pie. Lucy’s is known for its interesting pie choices and I almost went with the sweet tea, but just couldn’t pass up the s’mores!
One more off the Austin food tour bucket list…
After my feet got a much-needed break at lunch I was ready to head to the other end of the city and check out Zilker Park and Barton Springs Pool. Zilker park reminded me of Forest Park back home in St Louis, it had walking trails, volleyball courts, and tons of picnic areas. But my favorite part about this park is the huge area for off leash dog play! Charleston used to be the most dog friendly city I’d ever visited, but Austin has officially taken the top spot. You can tell these people take their pets everywhere. It made me so happy even if it did make me miss my girls back home so much! I also found where the Ann and Roy Hike and Bike Trail connects to Zilker Park. I’m telling you guys, that trail will literally take you anywhere in the city! So when I was ready to head back I hopped on the trail knowing it would pop me back out a couple minutes from the hostel.
By the time I decided to head back to the hostel I was so exhausted. I don’t think I have ever walked that much in one day. But I had so much fun exploring and I truly felt like I covered every inch of the city. As this was a solo trip I was grateful to be alone because my husband would have never been down for that much activity in one day without lots of naps, and I don’t have time for naps! I ordered a calzone from Southside Flying Pizza and had it delivered to HK because by the time I got back, I physically couldn’t do anything but lay in bed. The calzone was delicious, and I slept like a baby that night!
Day 3: My Birthday
This was the big day, my 28th Birthday! The reason I came on this mystery trip in the first place! This was also the day Pale Blue had scheduled a couple of surprise activities for me. I was very excited to get going and to see what the day held for me. I grabbed a to-go breakfast taco and strawberry donut from Lou’s, on the corner across from the hostel, and ate on my way to meet my guide for my morning activity.
I met Andrew, a graffiti artist and my morning activity guide, at a coffee shop about a ten-minute walk from the hostel. We spent the morning with a small group wandering around East Austin looking at graffiti and talking about the artists in the area, what it was like to be an artist in the city, and the different techniques they use to make the designs. We ended the tour getting to practice our own graffiti form under Andrew’s supervision. It was a blast! It was something I would have never thought to sign up for on my own, so I am so happy Pale Blue put me in the group. Andrew was a really interesting guy to get to know and a very talented artist who raced a lotus in his free time. Can you say cool?
Our author’s own custom piece.
I grabbed lunch at Eastside Tavern which is a BBQ joint, and after lunch I headed back to my room for a quick nap so I was ready to go out for my last night in town and my second planned activity!
When I opened the envelope for my second Pale Blue planned activity, I saw it was a comedy show. I was excited, but a little nervous to go alone. I headed over to the Fallout Theater, hoping the comics wouldn’t call me out. The theater ended up being a very cute little place and on Tuesdays they host a show called Playpen, which is a night for comedians to practice new jokes. It’s also a night to bring your own booze. With it being an almost open mic type of vibe, there was a mix of really funny and really bad comedians, but honestly the really bad ones made us laugh just as hard out of awkwardness, so, I’d consider it a win-win.
Luckily, our author was able to avoid any call-outs from the comics…
I had waited until after the show to eat dinner, so I was starving by the time the show let out. I walked down the street and went into the first bar that looked like it was still serving food, Surf ‘n Turf Po Boy. I got buffalo wings and fries and it hit the spot for a late-night meal.
After eating, I was eager to get going because I had plans to go to the famous White Horse: a 2-stepping bar that always has live music and a dance floor full of partners swinging each other to the beat. Exactly what I wanted to watch! This bar was bursting with western charm and stiff drinks. I spent the rest of my night watching the talented couples show off on the floor. Around midnight I decided I should get back. I will say that even in the middle of the night no matter what road google maps took me down, I never felt unsafe in Austin. On my stroll back, I enjoyed walking down the famous 6th street and seeing all the hot spot bars and nightlife. Even on a Tuesday night the city was hoping.
Dancing the night away at the White Horse.
Day 4: Soaking Up the Sunshine and Saying My Farewells
On Wednesday morning I slept in, as my body was really starting to feel all the exercise I was getting. My flight didn’t leave until four in the afternoon, so I had most of the day to tell Austin goodbye. I packed my luggage and asked the hostel to hold it until later in the afternoon. The staff was very accommodating and let me keep my bags there to grab right before I headed to the airport.
I had one more place to cross off my list of must eats and brunched at Holy Roller. I did call a cab to get there as my feet were sore from the last couple days. I was the first one in the restaurant that morning and sat at the bar. This place is so beautifully decorated, I couldn’t stop looking around as I waited for my pancakes and eggs. Holy Roller did not disappoint and was a great last meal of my trip.
For the last couple hours in Austin I couldn’t think of a better way to say goodbye than to walk down my favorite part of the trail and hang at Lady Bird Lake. I walked down to the dock and laid in the sun for a while and just soaked up the sunshine before heading back to the cold that awaited me in Missouri. Everything about this mystery trip was absolutely amazing. Pale Blue did a fantastic job putting it together. And more importantly, I encourage you to take a solo trip. Get out there and spend time with yourself. Enjoy it. It was exactly what I needed to relax and renew.
About the Author
