Zen Moments from Austin

Okay, so . . . my life is a little crazy these days. I apologize for the tardy post. I won't go into all the reasons at the moment for the craziness. I'll touch on that in a later post one day when I'm brave enough to write about it all. However, for today's post ... We all know that my nest is emptying, and that I'm trying to find myself. Figure out who I am beyond mom and wife. One of the things I love to do is travel. I adore traveling. Therefore, in the pursuit of exploration, I took a trip to Austin, Texas, to do research.

I loved Austin. It's not called "The Live Music Capital of the World" for nothing. Every bar, restaurant, pub, you name it, has live music. If you're a musician, it's Heaven with a capital H. If you're a lover of music, it's the perfect place for you. Austin has a wonderful, funky hipster vibe. The city parties until two a.m. and doesn't wake until almost ten a.m. So be aware, early birds. You'll have to find something to do for a few hours.

What follows are a few of my favorite memories from Austin (aka photos).


My first night in town, I visited Stubb's for two young artists. Zach Kellogg and Emily Wolfe.

I visited Zilker Park which has some amazing views of the city skyline.

One night I listened to Next 2 The Tracks at the historic Driskill Hotel.

I stayed several nights in downtown, then I traveled about half an hour north to a spa on Travis Lake in the Hill Country. The scene there was quieter, but just as wonderful. The view from my balcony was breathtaking.

And I hiked Hamilton Pool Preserve, which again was gorgeous and awe-inspiring. The trail is about a quarter of a mile down to the pool. An easy hike with a great pay-off.

So, while this is just the briefest thumbnail sketches of my trip, suffice it to say that Austin, Texas, is a wonderful place to visit and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in music, people, good food, fun eccentric venues, or just a plain old good time. For a more in-depth overview of my trip, visit me on Instagram at mackenzielucas.writer.