Austin is coming back to life, and things are returning to normal after a crazy couple of years. And that means one thing – South by Southwest is on! This year, SXSW is back in person from March 11-20. Every year, this conglomeration of tech, film and music festivals brings thousands of people to the city. But there’s much more to Austin than SXSW – squeeze in a couple of these must-do activities for a local’s view of our city.
Tacos
If Austin food can be boiled down to one word, it would be tacos. No matter what type of cuisine you’re craving, you’ll find it wrapped in a warm tortilla. Start off at Taco Joint, which has a couple of locations to choose from. They make their tortillas in-house, and their breakfast tacos are peak perfection – at only $3 each, you can get all of your favorites.
Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ is where you can get a two-for-one: mouthwatering barbecue delivered in taco form. This food truck is good any time of day, but beware – it’s not unusual for them to sell out, especially on weekends. If you strike out here, you can head over to Suerte instead, a more upscale Mexican restaurant with a nationally acclaimed chef. You won’t regret either option.
Murals
Awesome street art is one of the quirky parts of Austin that you’re not going to find just anywhere. You’ll find them all over the place, and in all sorts of styles, from old-school and retro to modern and sleek. This mural tour is the best place to check them all out and see which ones you want to visit most – and which ones fit your Instagram feed best. Personally, we love the soaring mural that you’ll find on the corner of Brazos and Second Street in downtown, which is perfect for striking a pose in front of. You also can’t go wrong with a pic of the Butter Half mural on MLK Jr. Boulevard, or the classic Greetings from Austin mural on S. First Street.
Live Music
SXSW not enough live music for you? Well, you’ll find plenty more tunes to enjoy in The Live Music Capital of the World. SXSW has its own offering of free events that you can attend with or without a badge, including the Outdoor Stage. COLLiDE is also taking over Rainey Street again this year, showcasing a variety of innovative bands from March 15-18. Tons of restaurants also offer live music, so you can grab a bite at the same time. We recommend Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden, but you have plenty of options to choose from.
If you’re looking to create a stronger brand presence, amp up your social game or anything in between, we can help. Please reach out to Barbara Wray at barbara@wickmarketing.com or (512) 479-9834.
