While you're in Austin
Below are some of the places that we really enjoy. If you want to find something that we haven't listed below, a really good website with lots of information is Austin360.com.
Places to eat
- Hut's Hamburgers - Austin's best burger joint. Carrie recommends the Ritchie Valens, and Ben's favorite is the Wolfman Jack.
- Chuy's - A Mexican restaurant that is a favorite of the Sundbecks. Be sure to ask for creamy jalapeño and put it on everything, especially the chips!
- Whole Foods Market - At one time one of Austin's best kept secrets, now it is a well-known worldwide natural and organic foods supermarket. They offer a wide variety of foods in their cafe. It's also a fun place to browse through and shop.
- Conan's Pizza - Austin's own Chicago-style deep dish pizza, this is a Zinnecker favorite.
- Austin Land and Cattle - Not to be confused with Texas Land and Cattle, this superior steakhouse is one of Austin's best.
- Hyde Park Bar and Grill - A more upscale restaurant for American food with great burgers and amazing fries you have to try. If you're really hungry, ask for the Horseshoe burger; you won't be disappointed.
- Waterloo Ice House - While you're checking out Waterloo Records, stop in for a great burger. If you're not in that part of town, there a few other locations as well.
- Matt's El Rancho - Some of the best Tex-Mex known to man can be discovered here (a little more upscale while remaining Austin casual).
- Thundercloud Subs - There are approximately 26 billion locations around the city. Great subs, go for the Thunder Sauce, and try the Veggie sub (if you're into that kind of thing).
- Austin Pizza Garden - A gourmet pizza place visited almost too often by the Sundbecks for lunch after church at FEFC.
- Amy's Ice Cream - Only about 2 gazillion locations. There's one right around the corner from Waterloo on 6th street. Pick an ice cream and a mixin. Ben is always loyal to Just Vanilla with Reese's, while Carrie is a little more adventurous.
- Mozart's Coffee Roasters - On the lake, this coffeehouse has a huge wooden deck, perfect for watching the sunset. Also voted one of the top 10 places for dessert in the Nation by Bon Appetit magazine.
Things to do
- Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail - Located in central Austin, this hike and bike trail is definitely an Austin favorite (Claire has seen Patty Griffin and Luke Wilson walking around the trail several times).
- Waterloo Records - The record store for the Live Music Capital of the World. If you like music, you need to visit this place.
- Alamo Drafthouse Cinema - Who said it wasn't OK to eat quesadillas and drink a beer at a movie? Not Alamo Drafthouse! Located one block east of Halcyon, this cinema has movies and other performing entertainment.
- The Drag - Located on the UT Campus, this eclectic stretch of Guadalupe Street has shops of all kinds. Dobie Theater is located here.
- Sixth Street - If you're looking for nightlife, Sixth Street is definitely the place for you. With over 100 bars, restaurants, and other forms of entertainment, there's sure to be something for you on Sixth Street. For a lower-key evening, check out Fourth Street, especially Halcyon, located at Fourth and Lavaca.
- Dobie Theater - For indie flicks, each theater has a unique theme. Located on The Drag.
- Barton Springs - Since we're getting married in the hottest point of the summer in a city where temperatures can exceed 100 degrees, you'll want to take a cool and refreshing dip in one of Austin's oldest places to play. The best part is that you can work up a sweat at the Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail and walk straight to the Springs. As the name suggests, Barton Springs is spring-fed, and temperatures remain at 68 degrees year-round.
- South Congress Avenue - Like The Drag, this trendy street features a lot of eclectic shops and restaurants.
- Mount Bonnell Park - Another cool place to check out the sunset. At 775 feet above sea level, this beautiful spot overlooking Lake Austin is generally considered to be Austin's highest point.
- Barton Creek Greenbelt - Once of Austin's most treasured outdoor spots, the Barton Creek Greenbelt is over seven miles long and has trails the whole way. Even though water isn't always running in Barton Creek during the summer, you can work up a sweat hiking, biking, running, or just walking the dog, and then take a dip in Barton Springs, located in Zilker Park at the bottom of the Greenbelt.
- Austin Museum of Art - This modern art museum's original location is Laguna Gloria, a beautiful historic building which houses continually changing exhibitions. There is a second location downtown.
- Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum - If you're at all into history, you should definitely check out this museum in Downtown Austin. Feel free to bring the kids, too, as this museum has an IMAX.