An Austin Staycation: Sometimes the Best Getaway Is Right at Home
You don’t always have to leave town to feel like you’ve gotten away. Sometimes the best Austin staycation ideas are as simple as getting out of your usual routine and spending a day exploring the city like you’re visiting for the first time.
That’s exactly what we did recently. We grabbed some coffee, explored a few spots around Lady Bird Lake, wandered through the Austin Central Library, found some great food, and ended the day cooling off with the dogs in one of Austin’s creeks. It was an easy reminder of just how much there is to do right here in our own backyard.
When Getting Away Isn’t in the Cards
We all mean to plan those getaways, but sometimes life has other ideas. Schedules get busy, expenses pile up, and suddenly planning a trip sounds like more work than fun.
That’s when I think it’s worth remembering that living in Austin gives us a pretty great alternative. You can spend a day exploring somewhere you haven’t been, revisit a favorite spot, try a restaurant that’s been on your list, or simply get outside and see a different part of the city.
Our Austin Staycation: Coffee, Trails, Good Food & the Dogs
One of the best parts about an Austin staycation is that you really don’t need much of a plan. We set out to spend the day exploring, stopping wherever sounded interesting along the way.
We started with coffee, then made our way toward Lady Bird Lake to check out some places we hadn’t explored before. From there, the day turned into a little bit of art, a little bit of Austin history, some really good food, and eventually a creek adventure with the dogs.
First Stop: Coffee & Tacos
Every good Austin adventure needs coffee first, and tacos certainly don’t hurt. We started our day at Nomadic Outpost in South Austin, grabbed coffee and tacos from Tacoly Moly, and settled in for a bit before heading out to explore.
It was exactly the kind of easy start that makes a staycation fun. No rushing, no packed itinerary, just good coffee, good food and a whole day in Austin ahead of us.
Then we headed toward Lady Bird Lake to check out the new Wishbone Bridge and see what else we could find along the way.
Explore the New Wishbone Bridge
From there, we headed toward Lady Bird Lake to explore the new Wishbone Bridge near Longhorn Dam in East Austin. The Y-shaped pedestrian and bicycle bridge connects Longhorn Shores, Canterbury Street and the Holly Peninsula as part of the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail.
The bridge opened in 2026 and completed the 10-mile loop around Lady Bird Lake, but you definitely don’t have to walk or bike all 10 miles to enjoy it. We spent some time wandering the trail, taking in the views and discovering a few unexpected things along the way.
Listen for the Ghost Harps Along the Trail
One of the coolest surprises along the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail is Ghost Harps, a public art installation by artist J.C. King at the Holly Shores Trail Overlook. The installation features six wind-activated string instruments designed to create soft, unexpected sounds as the wind moves through them. It’s the kind of uniquely Austin detail you might walk right past if you didn’t know to look, or listen, for it.
We kept wandering and found another little spot worth stopping for, a shady area beneath some huge oak trees with natural stump seating. It’s one of those places that probably wouldn’t show up on a typical Austin itinerary, but that’s exactly what made it fun to find.
Next Stop: Austin Central Library
After spending some time outside, we headed over to the Austin Central Library. Even if you’re not stopping in to check out a book, it’s worth exploring. The building itself is impressive, with interesting architecture, public art throughout the space, plenty of places to wander and some great views of downtown Austin.
One of our favorite spots was the rooftop garden, where we found a place to put our feet up and take a break. And as we wandered through the library, the art was just as much a part of the experience as the books. There are colorful installations and unexpected pieces throughout the building that make it worth slowing down and looking around.
Next Stop: A Little Shady
After all that exploring, we were ready for something to eat. We headed to A Little Shady, a laid-back South Austin spot from the team behind the former Shady Grove. It was the perfect place to grab some food, relax for a bit and keep our Austin staycation going.
If A Little Shady feels a little familiar, there’s a reason. It has roots in the much-loved Shady Grove on Barton Springs Road, an Austin favorite for nearly 30 years before it closed in 2020. A Little Shady brings some of that familiar laid-back personality back, along with several Shady Grove favorites on the menu.
And of course, we couldn’t leave without something sweet. Because if you’re spending the day playing tourist in your own city, dessert absolutely counts as part of the itinerary.
End the Day at Camp Ben McCulloch
We wrapped up the day at Camp Ben McCulloch, where we brought the dogs along and headed down to the creek. After a full day of exploring Austin, ending it with our feet in the water and the dogs splashing around was a pretty great way to finish our staycation.
That’s the thing about an Austin staycation. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Coffee, tacos, a new trail, a favorite local spot and some time outside can be enough to make an ordinary day feel like a getaway.
More Austin Staycation Ideas
Of course, our day is just one way to do it. Austin has plenty of options for building a staycation around whatever sounds good to you, whether that means getting outside, finding somewhere to cool off, trying a new local spot or simply slowing down at home.
Prefer to Stay Closer to Home?
Staying home can still feel like a break from the routine. Sleep in, make a favorite meal, finally start that book you’ve been meaning to read, plan a movie night or spend an afternoon doing absolutely nothing productive. Sometimes the best part of a staycation is simply giving yourself permission not to have a schedule.
Make It a Family Staycation
If the whole family is staying close to home, let everyone have a say in the plans. Have breakfast for dinner, set up a backyard campout, make s’mores, go stargazing, plan a neighborhood scavenger hunt or let the kids choose the day’s adventure. It doesn’t need to be elaborate. The fun part is doing something together that feels different from an ordinary day.
More Austin Ideas to Explore
Looking for more ways to enjoy Austin without going far? I’ve put together a few more local guides with some of my favorite ways to eat, explore and spend time outside around the Austin area.
Favorite Austin Ice Cream Spots
One of my favorite things about living in Austin is that there always seems to be something new to discover, even when you’ve lived here for years. Sometimes the best getaway really is right in your own backyard.
Have a favorite Austin-area restaurant, hidden gem or local adventure we should add to our next staycation? I’d love to hear about it!
From Kimberly’s Newsletter
This Austin staycation idea was originally featured in my client newsletter, where I share local Austin finds, seasonal ideas, real estate updates and other things worth knowing about life in the Austin area.
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