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Austin, Texas, is your new favourite city. Here’s why.

Austin, Texas, is your new favourite city. It’s the coolest place you’ve ever been. “But, Cassie, I’ve never been to Austin,” you say. Doesn’t matter. By the end of this post, you’ll agree that it’s the best. Here’s why.

1. It’s weird. And that’s how Austinites like it. In fact, “Keep Austin Weird” is the city’s not-quite-official-but-wholeheartedly-embraced slogan and you’ll see it everywhere.

2. Texas BBQ. Spoiler alert: It’s pretty different to what we have in Oz. While Aussie barbecue tends to besticky and saucy, Texas barbecue is smoky and sauce-free. Until you add your own, that is, which you’re gonna want to do because… WOW. My tastebuds (but probably not my arteries) strongly recommend Salt Lick BBQ’s Family Style buffet – an Austin classic.

Hear that? It’s the sound of my arteries crying.

3. Amazing shopping. OK, this isn’t really a surprise. You’re in the States – of course the shopping’s great. But Austin’s unique mix of luxe labels, indie stores, and awesome outlet malls will do serious damage to your credit card. Check out the 2nd Street District for cool cafes and boutiques (including a ModCloth store and Toy Joy, the best toy shop EVER), the Domain for big-name brands all in the one place, Round Rock Premium Outlet for mega bargains, and South Congress for alternative treasures.

Toy Joy

ModCloth

4. South Congress. SoCo is so cool it needs its own bullet point. It’s home to some of Austin’s most unique stores, including Lucy in Disguise with Diamonds (a vintage and costume shop so fabulous it’s actually overwhelming) and Uncommon Objects (an antiques store with treasures like vintage cameras, strait jackets, and all the taxidermy). It also has some awesome bars and cafes, like the chilled-out South Congress Café.

Lucy in Disguise with Diamonds

Uncommon Objects

5. Dancing in the street. Head to 6th Street on a Saturday night and there’s a pretty good chance you’ll see some. And that’s while everyone’s still on their best behaviour (hey, they don’t call it Dirty 6th for nothing). 6th Street is closed to traffic most Friday and Saturday nights, making it safe(r) for you to stumble from bar to bar. It’s wild and you will have regrets… but you’ve gotta do it.

A quiet night on 6th Street

6. Live music everywhere. Austin is the live music capital of the WORLD and there’s no mistaking it. Most bars have a band, and not just cover ones. Stubb’s Bar-B-Q on Red River Street has a full venue out the back, and if you sit at the bar you can listen to gigs for free. Foster the People are playing when I visit – a decent soundtrack for my beer and buffalo wings 😉

Lurking around Stubbs’s Bar-B-Q

7. Party at Grandma’s house. OK, not literally (unless your Grandma lives in Austin, in which case she’s awesome). But a night on Rainey Street comes pretty close. It’s full of cute old houses that have been converted into super cool bars and clubs. It’s where the grown-ups play once they’re over 6th Street.

Rainey Street

8. Meals on wheels. Forget everything you think you know about food trucks. Austin has perfected them and you never need to eat indoors again. Keep an eye out for Evil Wiener for hot dogs with a twist, Garbo’s Lobster Truck for delish lobster rolls, Baton Creole for creative Cajun (including deep-fried jambalaya on a stick), or Churro Co. if you’ve got a sweet tooth.Track ‘em down with RoamingHunger.com.

9. Street (and backyard) art. Austin is pretty much just one big art space. It has murals in every street, giant guitars on the sidewalk, and parks full of art. Check out Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum (a lush oasis full of bronze sculptures) and the HOPE Outdoor Gallery (a community graffiti park set on the foundations of a failed condo project). But my personal fave is Vince Hanneman’s Cathedral of Junk –a 60-ton tower of brick-a-brackVince built in his own backyard. It’s open to the public, but you need to call 512-299-7413 to make an appointment first.

HOPE Outdoor Gallery

The Cathedral of Junk

10. Giant jackalopes. You know you want a photo with this sucker. Find him at JackalopeBar & Grill on 6th Street.

A drunk-eye’s view of a night on 6th Street

11. Free Willie. Willie Nelson is Austin’s patron saint, and you’ll spot him everywhere. He seems cool – I think we could hang.

Me and Willie

12. Epic festivals. South by Southwest, Austin City Limits, Levitation Music Festival, the Moontower Comedy and Oddity Festival, Bat Fest… There’s always something happening in Austin.

Austin City Limits

13. All the bats. Wait… Bat Fest? Yep, that’s right. Austin is home to the world’s largest urban bat colony. From March to October, 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats chill out under the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge. Every night, starting at 20 minutes to sundown, they go out to feed,while hundreds of people snap pics from the bridge. They’re furry little celebs and we’re their paps.

14. A cupcake ATM. It’s attached to a proper shop, but who wants to order cupcakes the old-fashioned way? Cupcake ATMs are the future, people!

The future is delicious

15. Mimosas and brunch. If there are two things Austin loves, it’s mimosas and brunch. Which is great, cos those are two things I love as well. There are heaps of places to get your fix, but I’ve got to give a (nother) shout-out to Stubb’s Bar-B-Q for their Gospel Brunch (which you’d better book ahead, cos it packs out fast). Also check out Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden on Rainey Street for the Manmosa – a beer stein filled with an entire bottle of champers and just a splash of orange juice. Hey, everything’s bigger in Texas!

16. Cool people. And that’s really the only reason you need. Austinites are some of the best people in the world. Go meet some and find out for yourself 🙂

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