Austin Travel Guide: Sights to See (part 1)

Greetings from Austin Postcard Mural

I had been wanting to visit Austin, Texas for a bit now. I've never been to Texas before this trip, and I had heard from friends what great food there was, and that there is a really cool hipster art and music scene. I loved exploring the capital of Texas and the unique sights and yummy eats! This is part 1 of my travel guide featuring the different sights to see. Part 2 will have the different food spots to try!

Outfit Details

• Obey Shirt Jacket
• Obey Necktie Dress
• Lace-Up Shoes
• Moda Luxe Backpack (use code: THRDS&BRDS15% to save on your purchase)

Sights to See:

• Hamilton Preserve Pool
• Bats of Congress Bridge
• Cathedral of Junk (By Appointment only!)
• Hope Outdoor Gallery (Graffiti Park)

Hamilton Preserve Pool

There is a short quarter of a mile hike to get down to the pool. This is a beautiful area with a collapsed grotto surrounding a natural pool. There are some hiking sticks available at the start of the trail which can be really helpful for the uneven path. There's swimming allowed sometimes depending on the conditions of the water. I would love to see this place during the summer time when there's more water. There is also another trail that goes along the river which can be nice if you want to do some additional hiking. Fees are $15 per car to enter and they are open from 9am-6pm.
Address: 24300 Hamilton Pool Rd, Dripping Springs, TX 78620

Bats of Congress Bridge

This is the largest urban bat colony in North America. There are 1.5 million bats that live underneath the Congress Bridge. Every night, the bats take flight and you can see thousands of bats fly over the night sky. The best viewing is during the spring and summer months before they migrate south to Mexico for the colder months. We really weren't sure if we were going to be able to see them since we visited in December, but luckily we still got a show! The bats typically take flight 20 minutes before sundown, but for us, it was already almost dark by the time they took flight. It's a cool sight to see, and I'd say it's worth checking out if you're even in Austin. Now I know why it's called bat county.

Address: Congress Bridge, 100 S Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701

Photo via Yelp

Cathedral of Junk

This was a really unique place to see - definitely falls into the #KeepAustinWeird category. This place is build in the backyard of a private home and is only available to see by appointment. It's a huge collection of random junk that have some how been constructed together to form a structure. There's a lot to see... stairways have been constructed to allow for a 2nd and 3rd floor. Some areas are themed by color, others by type of item. There's a lot things we saw that provided some nostalgia to my childhood, including old mcDonald's toys, Barbies and AOL trial CDs. You can make an appointment by calling 512-299-7413. He will turn you away without an appointment, so don't even try!

Address: 4422 Lareina Dr, Austin, TX 78745

Cathedral of Junk

There's multiple levels to explore in this very sturdy structure of junk.

Hope Outdoor Gallery

This was one of my favorite places to visit in Austin. It's a multi-level graffiti park where people are allowed to freely add to the gallery. Pro-Tip: bring spray paint to add your mark! It was fun to climb up to the top and also just admire all of the great art people have contributed. From the top, you have a great view of the city and even the capital building!

Address: 1101 Baylor St, Austin, TX 78703

Shop My Look

Stay tuned for part 2, the food portion, of my travel guide!