Within Austin

make the most of your time

Within Austin

By: Hadeed Khan

Currently, Austin is experiencing rapid growth. The population is exponentially growing. Many businesses are moving here such as Tesla, Amazon and Google. Austin is currently the 11th largest city in the United States of America and ranked as one of the top cities to travel to in the United States of America. It is also known as the Music world capital.

The range of activities to do in Austin is endless. From the beautiful Hill Country to the historic South Congress District, to the numerous fun activities on Lady Bird Lake. This article will show you how to make the most of your time here and help you have a greater appreciation for the city.

An image of 360 Pennybacker Bridge. Image provided by jimnix

"Travel is about the gorgeous feeling of teethering in the unknown." -Anthony Bourdain

Gabrielle Nicole Pharms is an entertainment and travel writer. She lived just outside Houston, before coming to Austin for an assignment. Pharms quickly fell in love with the city and knew she had to live here.

“I was born in Killeen, Texas on the base at Fort Hood,” Pharms said. “Since my dad was a soldier, we were stationed in various places. Shortly after I was born, we moved to Bad Kreuznach, Germany. Then, we moved to Augusta, Georgia. I eventually ended up in the suburbs of Houston, Texas. I loved living in the Houston area because it’s home to excellent eateries, plus a cool music and art scene. My first trip to Austin was for SXSW. I was covering the event for a couple of publications and immediately fell in love with the city’s charm and live music scene. Ultimately, I decided to move here because of my appreciation for the vibe. The energy of the city is contagious and draws you in. I love the combination of the picturesque natural scenery and the unique restaurants and shops within the city.”

Jane Ko is a popular food and travel blogger in Austin. She is known for her blog, A Taste of Koko, and her bestselling book, “Koko’s Guide to Austin Texas.” She was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and moved to Austin when she was younger. he decided to stay here after attending the University of Texas (UT) because of her blog.

“[UT] was the obvious choice since I was here, and It was better than Texas A&M for me,” Ko said. “ [I] decided to stay because of my blog that I started in 2010.” So far, both Pharms and Ko love Austin. Pharms decided to stay in Austin after staying here for short-term periods.

“I love it! I’ve been here for a year and a half,” Pharms said. “I can’t imagine living in any other U.S. city. My husband and I will live out of the country once we’re done with our adventure in Austin.”

Something Ko loves about Austin’s growth over the years is the changing restaurants.

“The restaurant scene changed a lot. I have now tried over four to five hundred restaurants,” Ko said. “I love the city’s energy, and I am very lucky to live here.”

Since she has truly explored Austin, she suggested where someone should stay, what they should do, and what they should eat if someone had three days to spend in Austin.

“Stay at South Congress Hotel,” Ko said, “Do: SUP [Stand Up Paddling] on Lake Bird Lake, and Eat: ATX Cocina, Suerte, La Barbecue, and Kome.”

South Congress is one of the best places to stay in Austin. You can easily walk to Lady Bird Lake and do all of the activities there; additionally you can walk to Congress Bridge during sunset to see the bats fly.

“Stay: The Wayback, Proper Austin, Sonesta Bee Cave (beautiful Hill Country views), Eat: Aba, Stiles Switch (best brisket ever), the outdoors garden restaurant, Nightingale Bistro in Georgetown.” Pharms said, “Attractions: Austin has a burgeoning art scene that would be beneficial to take in. Places such as Wonderspace, The Contemporary Austin, and West Chelsea Contemporary showcase amazing artistry. Also, Austin is home to breweries such as Still Austin, Jester King, and more.”

Sonesta Bee Cave is a great place to stay if you are more into the Nature scene rather than the city life. Even though you will have to do a bit more driving to get around, the scenic drive makes it completely worth it. Pharms also shared what someone should do in Austin if they are just driving by.

“Hamilton Pool Preserve,” Pharms said. “It’s one of the most beautiful natural pools in the world and merely 22 miles outside of the city. Even if you’re not a ‘nature person,’ you can’t help but feel in awe of the preserve.”

Ko also suggested what someone should do if someone was just passing through Austin.

“La Barbecue for some Ko said, “they have the best brisket, beef ribs, and sausage.”

The Domain is a big popular outdoor mall in Austin. It has some of the best hotels, restaurants, and shops. Ko seems pretty satisfied with it.

“ [The Domain] It’s done so much for North Austin,” Ko said. “It has created a lot of jobs, and the shops and restaurants are nice. I’m pretty happy with it.”

Just outside the Domain is the new Austin Q2 Soccer Stadium, Home of the Austin Legends. Pharms is thrilled about it and hopes to visit it sometime soon.

“I’m thrilled we have a soccer team,” Pharms said. “Although I haven’t hit the stadium yet, I look forward to experiencing a game soon.”

Next, Pharms shared one big piece of advice she would give to visitors and people who are looking to move here, or who have recently moved here.

An image of Hamilton Pool Reserve. Image provided by jimnix

An image from Jane Ko’s visit to ATX Cocina. Image provided by atasteofkoko

For visitors, “Don’t be afraid to hit the quaint towns outside of downtown Austin. There are so many places to explore,” Pharms said.

For new citizens or future citizens, “My biggest piece of advice for newbies is to get outside of your bubble physically and mentally. Be open to meeting new people from all walks of life, Pharms said. “That’s what makes Austin distinct.”

One thing that makes

Austin what it is is the small towns on the outskirts of Austin. Some of these towns that you should visit include Round Rock, Georgetown, and Pflugerville.

Lastly, both Pharms and Ko shared their least favorite thing about Austin.

“As with any relationship, there are things I both like and dislike about Austin,” Pharms said, “I am not a fan of all the major corporations moving into town, but it’s the allure of the city that drew them here. So, I can’t blame them for wanting to land in such a cool city!”

Both Ko and Pharms also mentioned that public

transportation here in Austin is very messy and that the city needs to do something about it. Especially since private transportation is just going to get worse as Austin’s population continues to rapidly increase. Luckily the city does have something planned out.

There is a passed plan to add five new rails, three of which are light rails, to help with faster communication, especially in more populated tourist spots such as The University of Texas Campus, The Airport, South Congress, The Domain and the Austin Q2 Soccer stadium.

Overall, Austin is a fun place to visit and you will never forget your adventure. It will be very interesting to see how Austin grows over time and how the tourism scene continues to increase in the future.

An image of Georgetown Texas. Image courtesy of aquilacommercial An image of The Domain mall. Image provided by Austintexas

An image of The Q2 Soccer Stadium for the Austin Legends. Rendering: Jimena Panduro/Austin FC