Sometimes you get lucky - your meeting is canceled while you’re en route or already in a city you’ve never been to, and from what you’ve heard it’s a fantastic city.
Instead of having to sit in a conference room for 8 hours only to get back on a plane and go home, you get to soak up a bit of a city.
Maybe that city you’re in for 8 hours turns out to be Austin, Texas.
Here’s what you do — assuming you don’t get the whole day off and need to work from Austin, don’t know anyone, and it’s not miserable outside.
Morning Work + Coffee Recommendations
There’s a couple of spots you could get a coffee, just kidding that’s a lie — there are hundreds.
Here are two.
If you want a fun outdoor, shaded spot where you sit under an Oak Tree and work for the morning, then try Mozart’s on Lake Austin.
For something in downtown Austin, head over to Jo’s Coffee in the 2nd Street District.
Lunch Spot(s)
To say that Texans love food is a bit of an understatement. From classic Lone Star state hits like BBQ and Tex-Mex to new fusion cuisines at restaurants like Chi'Lantro, you can find just about anything in the capital of Texas.
Here are a few options:
For the barbecue lover, sorry, but there’s no way you’re going to get a bite of brisket from the world famous Franklin Barbecue — the line is ridiculous (think 4 to 5-hours to maybe get a plate or they just run out of food), so go check out either La Barbecue on the east side or Lamberts or Terry Blacks Barbecue.
For the Taco lover, head over to Torchy’s Tacos or to Güero’s Taco Bar, both are located on South Congress Ave.
For the Burger Lover who loves dives, Katie Crenshaw, Retail Event Specialist at YETI and Austin local, says to try out one of her personal favorites — Pool Burger located underneath another one of her favorite dive bars, Deep Eddy Cabaret.
For the person who can’t eat all of the above before they get on a plane — go over to Easy Tiger on east 6th Street and do some light snacking.
Afternoon Hangs Before Your Flight
After lunch and depending on how much food you’ve eaten, we recommend taking a breather and maybe having an adult beverage before you head off to the airport.
Ally Fleming, an Account Coordinator at SXSW and born-and-raised Austin local, recommends spending your afternoon at Hotel San Jose.
The boutique hotel’s backyard patio with table service is a great place to spend an afternoon and somewhat of a local secret hangout even if you’re not staying in the hotel.
At the end of the day, you should be full and satisfied and have a new-found respect for Texas. Grab a ride out to the airport and remember to give yourself plenty of time to get to there, the traffic in Austin is not one to be messed with just like Texas itself.
