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Family Road Trip to Austin, Texas: Top Things to See and Do

Earlier this November my family and I traveled to Austin, Texas. It was our first time in Texas and we were excited to explore the city together. This article covers our highlights — the activities we enjoyed and the food we ate. Full disclosure: I mainly went for the food.

Picture of my girls at Austin Central Library.

Hello friends! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. A couple of weeks ago we spent time in Austin and I wanted to share our family trip with you.

We feel grateful to have traveled several times this year. Traveling together has been a goal for our family, and this trip followed our visits to Nashville, Tennessee and Lake Havasu, Arizona earlier in the year.

Table of Contents

  • Planning for a Family Trip to Austin
  • First Thoughts upon Arriving in Austin
  • The Restaurants We Tried in Austin
  • What the Children Did in Austin

Planning for a Family Trip to Austin

I like to plan trips by researching the destination thoroughly. For Austin I searched for family-friendly activities and the best places to eat. I watched several YouTube videos about where to eat in Austin and even streamed a local-focused episode of Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix.

During my research I took note of a few things:

  • The Thinkery (Austin’s children’s museum) kept being recommended — multiple friends and sources told me it was a must-visit for kids.
  • Austin has an abundance of notable restaurants. The recommendations varied widely across videos and posts, so I ultimately trusted my instincts when choosing where to go.
Kids playing at Farmer's Market at Austin Children's Museum.

First Thoughts upon Arriving in Austin

We landed at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on a Sunday afternoon. One of the first things we noticed was how many people in the city felt familiar to us — it was comforting to see a diverse community.

Austin felt calm and welcoming. Driving from the airport to our hotel was noticeably less stressful than driving in California; traffic and driving styles felt more relaxed. Overall, the city felt homey and pleasant, a great first impression for our visit.

A plate of shrimp and grits at a restaurant in Austin, Texas.

The Restaurants We Tried in Austin

Food is one of my favorite parts of traveling. As a food blogger, trying new dishes inspires me and teaches me new techniques. Here are the spots we visited:

  • Green Mesquite BBQ: Ordered via Uber Eats. We enjoyed the pork ribs, smoked turkey, and brisket, plus standout sides like homemade-tasting cornbread and creamy mac and cheese that the kids loved.
  • Whataburger: A Texas fast-food staple. I tried their sweet-and-salty burger and the seasonal White Chocolate Raspberry Shake — rich, creamy, and satisfying. My husband enjoyed the cobb salad and the kids liked the kid’s meals. It was fun to try a regional favorite.
  • Colleen’s Kitchen: My favorite meal of the trip. Everything on the menu sounded tempting; I chose chicken pot pie, shrimp and grits, biscuits, collard greens, skillet cornbread, and mac and cheese. The chicken pot pie hit the spot and the biscuits tasted like true homemade biscuits.
  • 18th & Over Austin: Located on the 18th floor of the Hilton Garden Inn, we had beef short ribs over polenta, pork chops with caramelized onions, and tacos. The polenta reminded us of corn fufu. The food was delicious though portions were on the smaller side.
  • The Peached Tortilla: I picked up food from here at the airport on our way home. Their brisket tacos were flavorful and inspired ideas for our Taco Tuesday at home. Their lunch bowls also looked very appealing.

We planned to visit more restaurants but ran out of time. Other places I want to try next visit include Lady T Kitchen, Torchy’s Tacos, Franklin’s BBQ, Zed’s Real Fruit Ice Cream, Louie Mueller BBQ, and several others. I’m saving that list for our next trip — suggestions are welcome.

Kids playing at Thinkery museum in Austin, Texas.

What the Children Did in Austin

  • Austin Central Library: We love libraries, so visiting the Austin Central Library was a highlight. The six-floor, 200,000-square-foot building is impressive — the biggest library we’ve visited. The older girls browsed books while the younger ones played with toys. Best of all, it was free to enjoy.
  • Thinkery (children’s museum): Thinkery was everything we hoped for. After moving away from Minnesota and missing children’s museums, it was a joy to see my kids engage with hands-on science exhibits and play areas like the farmer’s market. They spent hours exploring and learning.
  • Road Trip to Houston: We dedicated a day to drive to Houston to visit a friend we hadn’t seen in about nine years. The three-hour drive included lunch from Whataburger, which the kids enjoyed and which made the trip feel even more special.

We wanted to visit Mt Playmore, the largest indoor playground in Austin, but we didn’t have time on this trip. Austin’s reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World also makes us eager to experience live music on a future visit.

We spent four days in Austin, which felt like the perfect amount of time to relax, explore, and make memories. It was a wonderful break from routine and a great family adventure.

Thanks for reading about our family trip to Austin, Texas. If you enjoyed this recap, I hope you’ll stay for more stories and recipes.