Austin Bound
I am so excited today to introduce another awesome member of our team and turn over the blog for a fun ride, with Jodi, on her recent trip to Austin, TX!
I recently was able to spend a weekend in Austin on a girl’s trip. What a fun city with a unique vibe! We all need a little time away to have fun, and refresh ourselves from time to time —however I may have had too much fun as I came home needing a LONG nap!
Our first night we started the evening with some great Mexican food (of course, we are in Texas right?), then headed to 6th street to experience the legendary night life. What a night of people watching! Although in true Texas charm, we had great hospitality and met friendly people throughout the night. Texas really does have some of the nicest people you will ever meet. We ended our evening with a stop to Voo Doo Doughnut. My sister-in-law first introduced me to Voo Doo, when we were visiting her in Portland where it originated. So, when I saw that they had a location on 6th, I had to introduce these interesting treats to the rest of the girls. If you find yourself near a Voo Doo Doughnut, run, don’t walk and grab yourself a Grape Ape or Neapolitan!
On Saturday, we took a day trip to parts of the Hill Country for a wine tasting tour. Our first stop on the tour was Hawk’s Shadow Winery. A family owned winery, named after one of their horses. It has a beautiful view that you can take in while enjoying their wine.
Our next stop was Duchman Family Winery. It was gorgeous, and felt like you were on the sprawling grounds of an Italian villa. I could have spent all afternoon there under their large trees and picnic tables.
Our third stop was Fall Creek Vineyards. This spot was a quaint vine covered home that they made into a tasting room. It was a perfect spot to sit and chat with the girls over more wine. Here, I found a bottle of their Chardonnay to bring home with me, one of my favorites from our day of tasting.
To round out our day our last stop HAD to be Deep Eddy Vodka Distillery. A must, if you are a vodka connoisseur. They had a spacious indoor area, with large windows taking in the Texas sun, and a generous outdoor space complete with plenty of outdoor games. This was quite the hang out spot for a carefree afternoon, and apparent that locals come to enjoy Deep Eddy’s just as much as tourists. I especially enjoyed their Ruby grapefruit vodka, very refreshing. A perfect drink for our hot summers, and yes a bottle also found its way home with me!
Overall it was a perfect day in the beautiful Texas hill country, enjoying Texas wine and taking in the views and scenery that the hill country has to offer. We ended our evening back in Austin with great food on West 6th, at The Grove. Fabulous food and service, I highly recommend it!
The next morning, we of course had to stop and do some shopping before heading home. Round Rock Outlets do not disappoint a nice spot for a little retail therapy.
Texas is a great state with many sites, and attractions. You don’t have to go far to find a fun city for a weekend away! I hope this may inspire you to set your sites on Austin and the Hill Country for your next weekend road trip!
