The Ultimate Girls’ Weekend in Austin, Texas: A 3-Day Itinerary

Friday

After landing at Austin-Bergstrom, head straight to your hotel—South Congress Hotel and Austin Proper both put you within walking distance of the city’s most browse-worthy stretch.

Drop bags, freshen up, and stroll to Music Lane, the tree-lined open-air complex tucked just behind South Congress where Hermes, By George, and a rotating mix of local boutiques make “shopping” double as a girls’-trip activity.

Slip into Mañana, the breezy daytime cafe at South Congress Hotel, for an iced matcha or a glass of natural wine, or onto the patio of Perla’s for chilled rose and a dozen oysters, then ease into the evening with a pre-dinner cocktail at Cafe No Se—the candlelit indoor-outdoor space made for the kind of slow catch-up that’s been three months overdue.

For dinner, book Este, the East Austin coastal Mexican restaurant that has redefined what a first-night-in-Austin dinner tastes like; cap the night with a final glass at Flo’s Wine Bar before heading back to the hotel.

Saturday

Wake up slowly and head east for coffee and pastries at Swedish Hill, where the cardamom buns are worth the drive across town. Tiny Boxwoods Austin makes a great second option if you want to sit longer under the live oaks.

From there, slot in a mid-morning class at Homebody Pilates on South Lamar (book at least a day ahead—the 9 a.m. slots fill fastest), then pivot to the day’s main event: a long lake afternoon. Either post up poolside at La Piscina, the rooftop pool and Spanish-leaning restaurant at the Austin Proper Hotel, or—if you want the postcard version of Austin in summer—hire a small boat to take you across Lake Austin to Ski Shores Cafe, the 1950s lake shack with cheeseburgers and frozen drinks delivered dock-side.

Cool off with a swim at Barton Springs Pool in Zilker Park (the 68-degree spring-fed swimming hole is non-negotiable in warm months), then bring the glam back on for dinner at Luties—the seasonal, garden-driven restaurant at Commodore Perry Estate and, full disclosure, my favorite restaurant in the world.

Close out the night with a quiet cocktail at Only The Wild Ones, the speakeasy-style bar that lives up to its name.

Sunday

Save Sunday for a leisurely morning that doesn’t rush you to the airport. Start with espresso and avocado toast at The Meteor, the converted bungalow cafe whose flat whites might be the most reliable in town—or, if you’re closer to Hyde Park, the all-day European-leaning Leona is a stylish alternative.

For the main event, take your pick of brunches: June’s All Day on South Congress for the perfected Negroni-and-burger formula in daytime form, Pecan Square Cafe in Clarksville for hot-pink-clad neighborhood charm and the same MML Hospitality polish behind June’s and Clark’s, Elizabeth Street Cafe in Bouldin Creek for pastel-perfect Vietnamese-French pastries and a sleeper-hit croque-monsieur.

If you’ve still got time before your flight, swing by Tiny Boxwoods for a chocolate-chip cookie to take home or take one more loop through Music Lane—both make for graceful endings to a weekend that earned every minute.