Dallas Moms Blog received a complimentary stay at the Radisson Hotel and Suites Austin Downtown to experience their newly renovated hotel and restaurant while we were touring the city. All opinions are 100% my own.
Dallas is a great city, and we’ve got lots going on here, but sometimes I just want to get out of town! When I can only get away for a weekend, and my budget is telling me it better be a drive (not an expensive airline ticket), the first place I think of is Austin, TX.
Austin has so much to offer for a couples’ getaway, a family trip, or a weekend with girlfriends. Regardless of what style of trip it is, the best way to experience Austin is to stay downtown. My husband and I were excited to try out the newly renovated Radisson Hotel & Suites Austin Downtown right on Lady Bird Lake. The high quality facilities and amenities coupled with the extremely competitive pricing quickly revealed that this is the hotel to book in Austin. We weren’t the only ones thinking that. The lobby was full of friendly bustle, especially in the full service Starbucks we passed on the way to the elevators.
But once we got to our room, serenity and silence reigned. The colors and textures in the room were gorgeous, and the sleep number mattress on the bed beckoned me to play with the controls until I had created a fluffy cloud for a bed. The rooms must be well made because we didn’t hear another television or guest the entire time. I think I actually slept better in the hotel than I do at home. Of course, the absence of three children probably helped with that, too…
We were tired when we arrived in Austin so we decided to eat dinner at the hotel restaurant Dine. We had a table by a wall of windows overlooking the water. The food was inventive and locally sourced, and the service was top notch. It was nice to get a high quality meal without even leaving the hotel.
After dinner we both felt refreshed enough to slip through the gated pool area to the nature trail that runs along the lake. We had seen people gathering on the Congress Avenue bridge during our meal. We wandered down to a boat dock to watch the famous Austin bats fly from under the bridge at dusk. It wasn’t a good night for bats (they don’t leave en masse every evening), but we enjoyed a breathtaking sunset. 
Want to Explore Downtown Austin?
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The next day we explored downtown. We walked to the Texas State Capital and took a FREE guided tour. I learned a lot about our State government, and the inside of the Capitol was beautiful. Then we walked to the famous Stubb’s BBQ for some of the best BBQ I’ve ever eaten. Even the sides were great. {Be sure to order the Serrano cheese spinach!} After lunch we returned to the hotel for an afternoon of lounging by the pool. Located just outside the bar and restaurant, the Radisson’s saltwater infinity pool (with continuous fountains arcing gracefully into the water) was a highlight of the recent hotel renovations! It even had poolside food and drink service.
Later that evening we grabbed the car and ate at Fonda San Miguel, an upscale Mexican restaurant many of our friends had recommended. I like to try new restaurants, and this one will be added to our list of “favorite restaurants” in Austin. After dinner we browsed BookPeople, Texas’ largest independent book store. I can’t even choose a favorite restaurant or activity from the day because they were all so enjoyable in different ways.
The next morning we took a short walk to Moonshine Grill, which has one of the best Sunday brunches in the city. I had eaten here on a girls’ weekend years ago and wanted my husband to try it. He loved it. (I knew he would.) Another thing we did on that girls’ weekend was shop the downtown boutique stores until we dropped. I did not make my husband try that, for which he was grateful. I guess I’ll have to plan another girls’ trip soon to enjoy that aspect of downtown Austin.
I was fully relaxed on this trip. The Radisson’s location made it super easy to walk to the sights and restaurants that interested us, though I was always tempted to stay in because the hotel was so luxurious. That’s a nice dilemma to have. We ended up enjoying the best of both worlds.
Do you have a favorite spot in Downtown Austin? Let us know in the comments below! We love recommendations!
Disclosure: Dallas Moms Blog received a complimentary stay at the Radisson Hotel and Suites Austin Downtown to experience their newly renovated hotel and restaurant while we were touring the city. All opinions are 100% my own.
