Boozy Bachelorette Party in Austin Texas
Planning the perfect bachelorette party in Austin
Austin, Texas is quickly becoming one of the most popular destinations for bachelor and bachelorette parties in the United States. My flight alone had at least three separate groups heading to the live music capital of the country to party with brides and grooms to be. This is not a guide for finding the cheapest or strongest drinks in town or anything like that. This is more of a low key bachelorette party guide to help you have the best time with your girls in Austin.
The official bachelorette party I attended started on a Friday, but the bride and I added on an extra day to do some exploring.
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Where to Stay in Austin
First things first, you have to find a place to stay that will be comfortable and fit your group’s needs and budgets. There are some seriously fun hotels in Austin that are perfect for a girls’ trip or bachelorette party. If you have a smaller group, a hotel might be more your speed, but if you have a big group, I’d go for a vacation rental. I’ve shared my top picks based on budget and location.
Austin Motel | 1220 S Congress Ave
My top choice would be the Austin Motel for the price and location. This quirky and historic motor court hotel has been completely renovated with funky furnishings and a fabulous pool and lounge area. Located in the heart of SoCo and walking distance from The Continental Club and famous Bat Bridge, the location is ideal. Plus, at $140 per night, the price is reasonable.
Hotel Ella | 1900 Rio Grande
For something with a more classic Southern vibe but a chic, contemporary interior, check out Hotel Ella. This Greek revival-style mansion turned boutique hotel is located in downtown Austin, within walking distance of the University of Texas. Their wrap-around veranda is the perfect place to sit a spell, not to mention their beautiful poolside cabanas when you need a break from the Texas heat.
Vacation Rentals that are good for groups in Austin Texas
If your group is on a budget I would recommend looking into renting a house. There are so many properties available on Turnkey and VRBO Austin you're bound to find something that will work for everyone. If money is no object then I would highly recommend renting out an entire house that way everyone can be together. Most of our group hadn't seen each other in years so it was great having everyone in the same place for a few days. Make sure to get a house big enough for your party. If people are ok sleeping on sofas, great, but don’t assume that when you make the reservation. Having plenty of bathrooms is also key to cut down on time to shower and get ready. Our house isn’t listed anymore but here are a few options that would be nice for a group and offer convenient locations.
Thursday-Sunday Austin, Texas Itinerary
This is a long weekend itinerary for a bachelorette party. If you need to condense your plans down to a couple of days, try a couple of places off this list and you’ll get a great taste of Austin.
Thursday Arrival - Tacos at Torchy's
1822 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX
After checking in to our hotels, we dropped bags and met up for some lunch. We decided to check out Torchy’s for some tacos. This is an uber-casual restaurant with locations around the city making it perfect for a first stop when you arrive in town. Their menu is huge and everything is delicious so you can’t really go wrong. I opted for the Alabama Shake (fried fish) and Carnitas taco and an ice-cold Topo Chico seltzer water. The location on South Congress didn't have their liquor license at the time, but if they had, I would’ve likely gotten a beer. We heard from some locals that they have tasty frozen margaritas too.
Frosé at Hotel San Jose
1316 South Congress Avenue
Bride to be Claire was craving a frosty drink so I took my brother’s recommendation to check out the lounge at Hotel San Jose for some frosé . That was the best decision of the whole trip honestly. Their patio lounge is well shaded and they keep the frozen concoctions flowing. We were also pleasantly surprised to find out it was happy hour, so frosé was half off and $1 off beer and wine, and 20% off of snacks. Score. Happy Hour at Hotel San Jose runs from Monday – Thursday from noon to 5pm (excluding holidays).
Beer Tasting Around Town
You know I can't go anywhere without searching out some local beer. I met up with my friend Andrea and beer blogger Caitlin of Big World Small Girl to do some tasting. They recommended Rainey Street, a funky street lined with renovated bungalows turned into bars and restaurants. If you have any beer fans in your group, check out at these two spots.
Craft Pride | 61 Rainey St - 54 taps, Texas only beer
Bangers Beer Garden | 79 Rainey St - over 100 taps, house-made sausage, beef jerky, and an awesome Sunday brunch
In terms of clothing, there are no rules in Austin. During the day you can be really casual no matter where you go which is great because it is so hot there in the summer. I saw plenty of people rocking breezy maxi dresses with no bra and colorful, printed sets. I wore t-shirts and linen skirts just about every day with either my Converse or Chacos.
Friday Lunch at The Launderette
2115 Holly St, Austin, TX
The Launderette, a laundromat turned swanky cafe, earned early praise from Food & Wine, Southern Living, and Thrillist for their creative cuisine. If you and your girls arrive on Friday afternoon this would be such a fun place for a boozy lunch to kick off your weekend. They have plenty of small plates that would be easy to share. We tried the salt cod croquettes - so delicious. I can't turn down deviled eggs so we ordered some of those too. Topped with smoked salmon and trout roe, they were truly decadent. For mains, I had a hankering for a BLT and was thrilled to find a fried egg BLT with pimento cheese on the menu. Word on the street is they make the best damn ice cream sandwich in the world. Sadly, they were sold out when I was there. If you know how much I love ice cream then you know this news left me truly heartbroken.
Wine Tasting
After everyone arrived we headed to the Austin Winery for a tasting. Wine isn't usually my first choice, but I've been enjoying it a lot more lately. It was about 100-110 degrees the whole weekend, so when we rolled up to the winery and realized it was indoors and had excellent AC, we were ecstatic.
We all opted for the tasting which was 4 pours of your choice for $20 which equaled about 2 glasses of wine. We made friends with the bartender who actually turned out to be the COO and he spoiled us a little with heavy pours. I'm a dry white/rose wine drinker and was happy with the choices they had.
Night Out: What to Wear
The most travel-friendly romper
The heat lingers well into the evening so I still kept my going out look easy as well. Who wants to wear something skin-tight when its 90 degrees? I found this cute romper on Instagram a while back made by a San Diego designer, Lynt. It is made from swimsuit fabric so it is breathable and wrinkle resistant; perfect for a night out in Austin. Throw on a cute pair of Birkenstocks or wedges and you’re good to go. Shop a few other easy outfit ideas from some of my favorite brands.
Pizza & Beer at ABGB
Later we ventured to the award-winning ABGB brewery and pizza beer garden for dinner and some local beer. The place was jam-packed and had a honky-tonk band playing. This is a counter-service restaurant making it a great spot for a large group. All of the pizzas were awesome and the beer ice cold and delicious. They always have several lagers on tap which pair really well with pizza. I tried the Hell Yea (Helles) and Rocket 100 (Pre-Prohibition Style Pilsner), both light and crisp.
Saturday River Float on the San Marcos
When it’s 100 degrees there really aren't too many options when it comes to outdoor activities. I was thrilled to find out our fearless leader had organized a float trip down the San Marcos river with Austin Tubing Trips. There are a few different options when it comes to the trip, private vehicle or group so you can choose based on your group budget. We opted for the door to door service and were picked up at 10am and floating by 11 am. We finished up around 2 pm, long enough to relax and cool off but not too long to keep people from getting overheated or over-served.
Tips:
Pack food - We packed a variety of sandwiches and other snacks to keep the hunger at bay while on the river. If you're looking for something a little more lux, get some picnic supplies at Baguette Chocolat. This authentic French bakery prepares some delicious baguette sandwiches like a Parisian Brie Sandwich on a crusty baguette. If you want some sweet treats to go with they have some delicious macrons too.
Bring booze - We had plenty of beer and local ciders to go around for the day. If you're not into beer then stock up on Euphoria from the Austin Winery. It's a 100% Texas white blend sold in a pouch making it the easiest booze carry on for the river. Don’t forget to pack plenty of water too.
Wear sun protection - It's hot AF in Austin in the summer and if you're floating face up for several hours down the river, you're bound to get some sun. I feel like sunscreen is a no-brainer these days but reminders don't hurt. I prefer natural sunscreens with a zinc base because my skin is really sensitive. I never go out on the water without a sun shirt, hat and shades. Good looking hats and sunglasses are easy to find and nowadays there are so many cute UPF tops available. Athleta always has a variety as well as Coolibar. Shop a few of my favorites below.
Not interested in the river? Check out these Austin pools.
Barton Springs - Spring fed city pool that only costs $3 for residents and $8 for non-residents.
Hotel Ella - Gorgeous pool and cabanas available to the public for $20 and comes with complimentary valet parking. Reservations necessary.
Westin Rooftop Pool - Take in the gorgeous view of Austin while sipping a cocktail poolside.
Saturday Night House Party
Full disclosure, several of us had very early flights on Sunday morning so we played it safe and stayed in after the river. We ordered what felt like the entire menu at Torchy's, and just hung out together. We did play a ridiculous game of Cards of Humanity and watched some classic rom coms with more wine. It was pretty perfect if you ask me.
If your group is looking to party, check out...
6th Street - Here you'll find bars, comedy clubs, dance halls and more
The White Horse | 500 Comal St - Good ole honkey-tonk bar and dance hall with a taco truck parked outside.
The Broken Spoke | 3201 S Lamar Blvd - A true Texas dance hall and Austin institution since 1964.
Sunday Brunch at South Congress Cafe
If you have time for brunch on Sunday morning, head to the South Congress Cafe. Brunch is served daily and on Sundays from 9-4. It's really hard for me to turn down a croque madame but the crab cake bennies are a favorite too! They're known for their bloodys. Just sayin'.
Even if you don't have a bachelorette party to plan in your near future, Austin makes a great place for a girlfriends getaway! Have you been to Austin before? I'd love to hear about your favorite things to do there.