Where to Stay
There are so many options in Austin! To streamline, we have secured a Room Block at a hotel that has some comforts with mindfulness to your budget.
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​This hotel has it all! Food, drinks, history, and proximity to major Austin attractions. It was the first high-rise hotel on Congress Ave. and opened its doors in May 1924. There are on-site parking options, in addition to nearby garages if you opt to park elsewhere. There is also a pool and hot tub, so pack your bathing suits!
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If you want to do your own thing and find another hotel or a B&B, that's cool! We feel that the South Congress and Capitol areas of downtown are safe, accessible, and close to all of the wedding festivities.
​We have a room block! We have secured a great room rate for our guests requiring overnight accomodations: in or out of town. Our block runs from Thursday, February 26th to Monday, February 2nd. To reserve your room
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701 Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 457-8800​
Getting There ​​​​​​​​​
Flights:
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Our hotel block (CLICK HERE) and venue are approximately 15 miles from the Austin-Bergstrom airport (ABIA), which is generally a 20-30 minute drive, depending on traffic. The airport is nice, but classically undersized for a city the size of Austin. We were careful to ensure our wedding is not on a high-traffic weekend for Austin - no ACL, SXSW, F1, or college football to contend with - but recommend booking your flight at least 30 days in advance. Our favorite airlines servicing ABIA are Delta and United.
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Rental cars and rideshare:
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For our out of town guests flying into Austin, there are several rental car options, but you will likely find that you do not need a car. While it is a short drive from our hotel block to the venue, we have chosen a hotel that is in close (walking) proximity to food, drink, drug stores, and grocery. Several rideshare groups service Austin, including Uber, Lyft, and Waymo - you may also want to take out one of the electric bikes or scooters! As we are in Texas, public transit is virtually non-existent. ​
Parking:
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Our hotel block includes valet and self-parking options. Metered street parking is also available throughout the city. Austin is notoriously difficult to park in (especially if you are driving anything except a subcompact car) so, when we are spending time in the city, we like to dump our car and be on foot for the rest of the night or weekend.
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For parking at our wedding venue, please route to the garage located at 2401 Longview Street, Austin, TX 78705; there are 67 complimentary spaces provided to our guests during the event on a first-come basis. From there, it is a two block (0.2 miles) walk to The Mansion! Metered street parking is also available. As detailed on the home page, if you are unable to walk that distance, please contact us and we can accommodate on-site parking for you. ​​​​​​​​​
Once You're Here
Austin is rich and vibrant year-round. It was difficult to narrow our favorites to share with you because there are just so many options. We can't wait to hear what you discovered and how you spent your time here.
Eat:​
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Fancy-ish: We certainly aren't going to turn down a trip to Hestia. We also love hitting up South Congress and ponying up to the bar at Vespaio or grabbing some oysters and shoestring fries at Clark's across town. Aba is a nice option for something mediterranean and Suerte brings interior mexican to the east side. Reservations are recommended at all of the above but you may get lucky and find room at the bar if you're a walk in.
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Barbeque: Merritt's family has the BBQ thing figured out, so we rarely go out for it. But, if you are an out-of-state guest, you have to do the tourist thing and chow down on some brisket! We recommend Lamberts for close proximity and Franklin Barbeque if you want to see what the hype is all about. Be prepared to wait in line at the latter!
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Tacos and casual fare: Sometimes you just need a good taco. There's not much in Ed's life that can't be fixed by a trip to Taco Deli. There are several locations throughout the city - make sure you try the Salsa Dona!! El Mercado is nearby and serves up mexican food usually accompanied by live music. If you are willing to brave Dirty 6th, grab a burger at Casino El Camino, an old punk rock haunt, and hit up one of the best jukeboxes in the state. For breakfast or bunch, Bakery 1886 in the historic Driskoll Hotel is a solid option. Elizabeth Street Cafe can cure your hangover (or whatever ails you) with a big bowl of pho.
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Drink:​​​
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Caffeine and Juice: Thankfully there isn't a JuiceLand in San Marcos or Merritt would be broke. There are several locations throughout the city - grab a smoothie, fresh-pressed juice, or plant-based grab-and-go snack and feel good about what you are putting into your body. We love the Wundershowzen. If you are feeling adventurous, head to the east side and grab a coffee from Medici Roasting or a tea from Zhi Tea, a former employer of Ed. Medici has other locations throughout the city and the matcha latte is 10/10.
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Cocktails: Here Nor There is a very cool speakeasy - who doesn't want to be greeted by a stuffed bear with a plate of welcome cocktails? Exactly. Make reservations and check your email for your passcode. We love to stumble into Peche at the end of the night because it makes us feel cool when Ed orders absinthe. If you are a tiki-phile or just a wannabe (like us), you definitely need to go to Tiki Tatsuya for an immersive experience. Their food is also stellar. Another speakeasy but it so deserves to be on the list - Midnight Cowboy (reservations needed), which is located on Dirty 6th in a 90s-era brothel ("massage parlor").
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Wine: We are hyper-critical about wine lists (ahem) so, if it's on this list, you know it's good. June's on South Congress is named after an old sommelier friend of Ed's who runs a tight beverage program and kitchen. House Wine is an old Austin staple that is locally owned and operated and keeps their options well-priced. Upstairs at Caroline has a nice by-the-glass list offered in an open-air space.
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Beer: We aren't huge beer drinkers, but do have some recommendations (disclaimer: this list was not approved by our beer-loving brother, Jerry). St. Elmo Brewing Company has high-quality options and usually has a dedicated food truck parked on-site. Lazarus Brewing Co. offers everything from beer to cider to kombucha to espresso, and has indoor seating and an all-weather patio for you to enjoy your selection. Zilker Brewing and Taproom is an instagram-worthy option with many seasonal rotations.​
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Do and See:​
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Active/outdoors: We ​love to take a stroll or run around Town Lake (Lady Bird Lake) - there are several places to drop-in to the hike and bike trail, including near our hotel block. If you would rather get on the water, you can rent kayaks and paddleboards at Austin Rowing Club - don't swim in the water, though. It's.... icky (unless you want a penicillin shot). You may want to walk across the Congress St. Bridge at sunset and see North America's largest urban population of bats emerge. Bring a book and blanket to lounge and people watch at Zilker Park. If you are feeling athletic, hike Barton Creek Greenbelt. You may also be interested in checking out the Texas Capitol which is a few blocks from where Ed works.
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Chill/indoors: The Blanton Museum of Art is located on the campus of University of Texas and features art from various periods and in many modalities. For our history buffs (looking at brother Tommy) or anybody wanting to learn more about the great state of Texas, may we recommend the Bullock Texas State History Museum. Although he was a graduate of Texas State University (where Merritt works), the great and late president LBJ opted to have the Lyndon B. Johnson Library and Museum on the University of Texas campus. The Paramount Theatre and Austin City Limits (ACL) Live are also cultural icons and may have a show during your visit.
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Doing it for the 'Gram:
No shame in the game - we understand that you want to play tourist and snap some pics in those Insta-worthy locations. The famous "I love you so much" mural is on South Congress Ave. near several other cool murals and places to peruse, including the "Greetings from Austin" mural and the Austin Motel - so close yet so far out. You may also grab some pics with whatever is in bloom at the Zilker Botanical Garden.
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