I absolutely love to travel as most of you know and during summer especially I usually take trips to far-off destinations, but with my pregnancy approaching the third trimester I figured this summer I’d stay domestic and explore more of the good ole US of A! This go ’round I decided to check out Austin, Texas.  As my first visit to the city I must say I was very impressed! I really enjoyed the laid-back vibe, there were tons of great places to eat and explore and overall I simply had a great time. Here’s a round-up of some hits I think you may want to check out if you’re ever in Austin:

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WHAT TO DO & SEE

The Domain – This large outdoor shopping center is chock full of retail shops, bars and restaurants.  It’s great for just hanging out and there are so many cute spots for awesome photo ops!

Sixth Street – If bar hopping and partying is your thing then you should definitely head to downtown Austin at night to experience 6th Street! On one of the most iconic streets in Austin you can be your best merry self and walk in the blocked off street where you’ll find a ton of cover-free bars where you can pop in and have super affordable drinks, do a little dancing and just enjoy the festive vibes! As the night came to a close I stopped into Voodoo Doughnut and I loved that they had a nice variety of vegan treats!

2nd Street District – This area of Austin is great for taking a leisurely outdoor stroll and checking out the cute boutiques or you can grab a seat at one of the many eateries and people watch. I dropped into Popbar a cute little place that serves handcrafted gelato on a stick and grabbed a tasty PopSorbetto to cool off after walking around 2nd Street.

Rabbit Food Grocery – I’ve never been to an all vegan grocer so when I heard that there was one in Austin I had to stop in. I usually pick up my specialty items from Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s or my local market, so I really enjoyed the fact that I could pick up literally anything and not have to worry about reading the label to make sure it was vegan! The store is pretty small, but well appointed and carries a lot of interesting foods. If you’re vegan or veg-curious this is definitely a place you should check out. I found a few new food items there that I quite like!

Take a Dip – Austin in the summer gets HOT! We rented a super cute Airbnb apartment that had a pool in the complex which was very convenient, but there are several cool spots around the city you can go to to take a refreshing dip such as Barton Springs Pool and Zilker Metropolitan Park!

San Marcos Premium Outlets – Ok, so this is technically about 35 miles outside of Austin but it is definitely worth the trip if you have time and like to bargain shop! The store selection at this outlet is massive- it has everything from high end designer stores to your typical fast fashion brands.  On my first San Marcos outing I found lots of amazing deals especially on baby clothing (Score!)

 

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avec les filles bf SHIRT / h&m striped SWEATSHORTS / boohoo pom + tassel SLIDES / amazon circle BAG

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wall love at The Domain

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boohoo off-shoulder TOP / h&m bf JEANS / amazon yellow aviator SHADES / shein BAG (same style here) / shein clear SANDALS / j. crew gold BRACELET

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hunting for new vegan fare at Rabbit Food Grocery

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amazon 2-piece chiffon beach SET / amazon black faux pearl SLIDES (more here)

 

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WHAT I ATE

Citizen Eatery – First stop on the food train was Citizen Eatery, a charming casual contemporary vegetarian eatery with many vegan options. There were quite a few things that caught my eye on the menu but I decided to go with the vegan flapjacks and a side of vegan sausage crumbles. My meal was divine and the service was friendly and efficient! I also loved how bright and airy the restaurant is as it certainly set the mood for a calming, relaxed, highly enjoyable brunch.

Li’l Nonna’s Pizza – I heard Li’l Nonna’s had the best vegan pizza in Austin so of course I had to try it out myself to see if it lived up to all the hype. It’s quite difficult to find decent vegan pizza so I was a little skeptical beforehand, but my 3-cheese vegan mozzarella with beeteroni pie was delightful. I ate an entire 14″ pizza by myself. No shame.

Sweet Ritual -After running around and exploring the city I stopped into Sweet Ritual – an all-vegan ice cream shop for a cool treat. I got a double scoop of vanilla and unicorn poop ice cream on a birthday cake cone with rainbow sprinkles (SO GOOD!)

The Beer Plant –  I had Sunday brunch at a plant-based bar and kitchen called The Beer Plant. The Beer Plant is actually Austin’s first vegan gastropub, and I’m so glad I got the chance to stop by on my trip to the city.  Not only was the atmosphere absolutely delightful, but the food and drinks were tasty too! I went with the hash skillet that came with butter and toast which was all quickly devoured.

lovely time at Citizen Eatery

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stellar vegan ice cream from Sweet Ritual

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Sunday brunch at The Beer Plant

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