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Girl Gone Travel

North America, Travel
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July 16, 2010

Living it up in Austin, TX Family Style

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Ok, well, maybe by “living it up” I don’t mean taking part in the awesome music scene in Austin, or going to any of the many great bars, or even shopping.

But, if you are like me, an adventurer with kids, than you will manage to live it up the best way you know how…with kids in tow.

Truth is, we didn’t do much in Austin, well, except eat, and THAT list will come soon enough. What we did do a lot of was spend time with our family there, especially our little nephew whom we hadn’t met until now and for whom we had traveled so far.

From the second I laid eyes on that cute little boy I fell in love, and though I suspected at first that my kids would be upset, they were not for they themselves had fallen in love with their little cousin just as hard and just as fast. Aside from the food, which is great in Austin, we really enjoyed the sights (which we took in when we weren’t napping).

Austin reminds me of Madison, WI in that it is college town. It is larger than Madison and of course warmer, but the vibe seemed similar in many ways. I can’t say that is a good or bad thing. I liked Austin from what I was able to see. It felt young and hip, artsy and friendly.

I also found it to be an active town, with lots of sidewalks and people who love to bike and jog. Dog and kid-friendly it was easy to navigate and we found  a lot of places to take the kids to, from shops to restaurants.

I can see why many people say Austin is a great city. Some of the things that many people suggested we do, but we never got around to was watch the hundreds of bats that come out from under the crevices of the Congress Avenue Bridge each night around sunset to feast on thousands of insects they find along the way. This awesome display is said to go on till October. It’s free and my kids would have totally loved that, except we just never got to it.

Another spot we were told by locals that we should check out was Austin Children’s Museum, which by the way is free to the public every Sunday from 4-7pm. With wonderful exhibits and daily story time it definitely is one way to get in from the hot sun, especially around this time of the year, but we skipped it as well.

Instead we window shopped for boots at Justin Boots where my kids quickly learned, to their disappointment, that the Flintstone feet they inherited from me do not fit well into boots and where I learned that I look darn sexy in a cowboy hat!

We ate ice cream at Big Top Candy, where a regular scoop means bigger than your toddler’s head and where you can find any type of candy treat you’d like even, so I’ve heard, chocolate covered bacon!

But the one place we spent most of our time outdoors was at Barton Springs. Located in the incredible Zilker Park which also had wonderful walking and jogging paths, as well as a dog park and other resting areas, the springs are a cool, relaxing reprieve from the Texas Summer heat and a favorite of many of residents. It is also the home to the rare Barton Springs salamander (Eurycea sosorum).

And so, though we missed a lot of the things that people say there is to enjoy about Austin, we enjoyed Austin for the things it is not: loud, pushy, fast-paced, cold, or rude. It was the opposite of all of that. It was great for us because of the comfort and welcoming feeling it provided us, and yes, for the many, many naps!  For that we are most extremely grateful.

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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7 Comments
  • Brenda B
    July 16, 2010

    That video is absolutely beautiful!!

    Reply
    • Carol Cain
      Brenda B
      July 16, 2010

      Thanks Brenda!

      Reply
  • Kathy W
    July 16, 2010

    That was just incredible. It made me cry. I could just feel the love.

    Reply
    • Carol Cain
      Kathy W
      July 16, 2010

      Aw! Thanks Kathy!

      Reply
    • Carol Cain
      Kathy W
      July 19, 2010

      Aw, thanks Kathy!

      Reply
  • Mommy on the Spot
    July 16, 2010

    I love these pictures! Glad you had a great time!!

    Reply
  • Meats and Other Eats in Austin, TX | NYCity Mama
    July 19, 2010

    […] Big Top Candy for ice cream. What more can I say that I didn’t already in my previous Austin review where I mention the endless supply of any type of candy you could want? Just remember “scoops as big as a toddler’s head” and “chocolate covered bacon”. […]

    Reply

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons and 2 puppies. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

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  • caincarol@gmail.com

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Kicking off my birthday week in one of my favorite Kicking off my birthday week in one of my favorite places in the world: Scotland, specifically Edinburgh. Though hubby is half-Scot this is his first time and I am so excited to explore this city and some of my favorite spots with him. 

In true Scottish fashion the weather is rainy, but that’s to be expected and luckily there’s plenty to do to get out of it. Will share more soon. ❤️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

#scotland #birthdayweek
Seventeen. My baby boy is 17 today. ❤️ Seventeen. My baby boy is 17 today. ❤️
When our kids were little, hubby and I would feel When our kids were little, hubby and I would feel guilty and sad around this time of year because they weren’t getting the experience of a boisterous house full of family - cousins, uncles, aunts, grandparents…they just got us. And for a few years it tormented us, though we always put on a happy face and worked hard to make it as special, and as memorable as possible. We have strived to give them all the love and joy we can. 

And though they have delighted in the rare occasions where we share these moments with others, they have expressed, as recently as this weekend, how much more meaningful and special it is for them when it is just us. The first time they expressed these sentiments to us, years ago when they were much younger, Travis and I realized that while we wasted years being worried and stressed and guilted over not being able to give our kids that picture perfect family-filled holiday experience, we failed to appreciate how what we were giving them…just us two…was and is enough, and something they not only look forward to but are hesitant to share with others.

And they never let us forget it, lest we feel tempted to change things up. Our gatherings may be small, and it may just be us, but for our kids, it is enough and as they have expressed, “absolute perfection”.

May this give solace to those whom have chosen a happier, healthier path for their own family even if it feels smaller than most.
I am incredibly grateful to our local farmers, bak I am incredibly grateful to our local farmers, bakers, food growers, and purveyors. Their craft and labor feeds us, spoils us, and constantly treats us to good food. In preparation for Thanksgiving we picked up a seasonal, straight-out-of-the-farm box from @glennscottfarm. This box is so stocked with goodies that we will be fed for days from it. 🌱

Then we made our way to @amitycoffeeco for freshly baked pies and pastries, which made my morning easier, as everyone feasted on the pastries, and saved me so much work from not having to bake! 🥐

Everything is so, so good with the added bonus knowing we get to both support local farmers and small businesses while feasting on locally sourced and grown food. We are lucky and privileged to live in such a fruitful, beautiful place. ❤️ Shop small and support local. 

Happy Thanksgiving.
The guys went to Los Angeles to take part in a fun The guys went to Los Angeles to take part in a fun music festival. I stayed home. I had so many plans for the weekend: reading, piano playing, working out, long walks, movie watching. Instead, I spent all of Saturday in my pajamas cleaning and prepping @theflxcottage to be filled with family for the holidays, and walking with the puppies along the vineyards - yes, still in my pajamas 😊, and then Sunday sleeping in, meeting a darling friend for late brunch, and walking along the lake during sunset while the laundry was done.

I fought back the urge to open my computer and get work done, and the guilt of not staying busier. 

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This cute coffee spot and creative studio space, @ This cute coffee spot and creative studio space, @montourmarket / @northnewyork is back with more hours and I couldn’t be more thrilled. (Thanks to @syd.fee for update!)

Yummy coffee, fresh pastries, friendly service, as well as locally sourced goodies and artisan goods to shop for. Come out and support this small business and give Montour Falls some love. 💕

#fingerlakes #myflx #flxwinecountry #coffeelover #montourfalls

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