Everything's bigger (and better) in Texas.
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Austin: It's been on the top of your must-visit list for ages, and your bachelorette party is the perfect opportunity to indulge. Audacious, edgy, and oodles of fun, this Southern town has just the type of vibe you want for your pre-wedding getaway with the girls. What's to love? The easier answer would be what's not to love. Austin is home to one of the world's largest music scenes, has tons of vineyards set among its borderlands, and is packed with charming bars, world class restaurants, and a buzzing entertainment district. In short, the city promises to be the perfect playground for your bridal clique, no matter what kind of activities you'd like to fill your days and nights with.
Since the vibrant downtown straddles a man-made lake, the city entices you to be active during the day, either on land or in the water (kayak, Stand-Up-Paddleboard, or water ski activities are all possible). Later, you and your girls can stay up late into the night at any one (or more!) of Austin's bevy of captivating bars, music venues, and restaurants. Bonus: A shopper's paradise, ATX offers plenty of retail therapy. Stop by some of their many mom-and-pop boutiques or family owned stores for city-inspired souvenirs.
Ready to map out your own bachelorette party in Austin? Consider this your ultimate guide. Here, our picks for where to stay, eat, and party.
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Where to Sleep
Miraval Austin
Nestled into the heart of Texas Hill Country, this property is so much more than a hotel. A mix of a spa resort, heath retreat, and luxury experience, this "wellbeing space" is a place where you and your best friends can relax, recharge, and reconnect ahead of the big day. It's also an all-inclusive, which means you can direct all of your energy inward (and not towards the final bill).
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Where to Sleep
Four Seasons Austin
On the banks of Lake Lady Bird at Congress Avenue Bridge, this opulent hotel has front row seats to one of Austin's more unique tourist attractions—the urban bat colony's nightly show. That's right, on summer evenings you can watch the city's bat population fly out from beneath the bridge! It may sound odd, but it's stunning to watch, and visitors flock to this area to see the mesmerizing flight. If you choose this spot as your home base, take advantage of the Girls Getaway package, which includes nightly rosé and snacks, a $50 per night room credit, and 20% off at the renovated spa. Hens, what more do you need?
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Where to Sleep
Hotel Van Zandt
Swish Hotel Van Zandt, a Kimpton, named for one of the city's favorite musicians, stands tall above Rainey Street, a refurbished, clapboard house-filled neighborhood that's brimming with trendy bars and eateries. On its fourth floor, Geraldine's Restaurant, named for a guinea fowl that once roamed the barrio, encompasses an eye-catching pool deck, complete with fire pit and bar.
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Where to Sleep
W Austin
Whatever. Whenever. That is the W way. And the W Austin, conveniently soaring amid the Second Street District, has that mantra down. From Nightswim on Thursdays, complete with live music, to access to the famed Austin City Limits music venue, this Silver LEED haven also features AWAY spa, a haven for pampering with pals.
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Where to Sleep
Lake Austin Spa Resort
One of the world's top destination spas, this lake house-themed resort lies on the lake's shore on the outskirts of town. Take over the retreat's exclusive water taxi en masse for a champagne-fueled, splash-soaked arrival. Once you're on the property, stop at the Instagram station to send out enviable posts, then lie by the pool, SUP on the lake, or indulge in some of the spa's more than 100 treatments.
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Where to Sleep
Hotel Ella
For a historic stay, frolic to a bona fide mansion set between the University of Texas and downtown. With a courtyard pool for sunning, weekend afternoon tea service at its restaurant, Goodall's Kitchen, and an infusion of Southern-chic style, this hotel exudes modern elegance.
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Where to Sleep
The Westin Austin Downtown
Most people say The Westin Austin Downtown has the swankiest rooftop pool in town. Rent a cabana there for your entire group, where a package offers munchies, an 80-ounce Guitar cocktail, and a bottle of booze, complete with mixers. Located within walking distance to most everything, it boasts artful, music-centric décor and spacious guest rooms. Don't miss the delectable Southern menu at the hot spot's signature restaurant, Stella San Jac.
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Where to Sleep
Lone Star Court
Have a hoot at this ranch-inspired hotel, which is conveniently located in Austin's happening new nothern district, The Domain. Sip adult beverages at the hotel's onsite bar, The Water Trough, and splash in the pool, which was created to resemble a classic Texas swimming hole. Vintage amenities, like a full-sized SMEG refrigerator stocked with Texas snacks, will seal the deal.
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Where to Sleep
Hotel St Cecilia
Hidden in a garden haven and just a holler from rollicking music venues and SoCo's buzz, Hotel Saint Cecilia was created as a spot for celebrities to cocoon. That makes it the ideal bestie hideaway. A Victorian mansion with 14 artsy rooms and a nostalgic yard, this one's a groupie favorite.
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Where to Eat
Mattie's
With peacocks strolling by, enjoy this re-imagined Austin icon, a century-old home full of Texas hospitality. Peach mint juleps and retro milk punch channel your inner Southern belle. Drink them on the Victorian porch beneath the umbrella-style oak trees.
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Where to Eat
Fonda San Miguel
Interior Mexican cuisine reigns supreme at this neighborhood kingdom of savory delight. The restaurant that put Austin on the gourmet map, Fonda (as locals call it) has lots of eye-catching artwork and a back pocket full of grandma's recipes. The best brunch in Texas, it lays out an abundance of gourmet offerings, from house-made tortillas to mole enchiladas. Margaritas? Como no!
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Where to Eat
Bullfight
Sharing defines your friendship, so gather around a table full of tapas at Chef Shawn Cirkiel's intimate, relaxed Spanish restaurant—a must for dinner with the crew. A playful hangout with al fresco seating, this bodega tempts with chef's seasonal version of classic Spanish drinks and dishes—from sangria to crispy squid with aioli.
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Where to Eat
Sophia's
Begin on the deck with a well-mixed libation, then move indoors to experience interiors that evoke the romance of a heyday Hollywood movie scene. Think: electric blue velvet chairs, exposed beams, candle light, and glossy black banquettes. Ideal for whispered gossip with friends, this intimate venue is wedged between West Sixth Streets bars and galleries.
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Where to Eat
Fixe
You played hard last night, so go ahead and sleep in. Brunch is served all day and night at Fixe, a new American-meets-Southern restaurant. Lauded for melt-in-your-mouth biscuits, offering a just-released brunch cocktail menu (which includes five types each of mimosas and Bloody Marys), Fixe dares you to resist their deviled eggs with smoked trout roe and grated ham.
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Where to Eat
24 Diner
You've been whooping it up all over town, reminiscing, guffawing—and let's be honest—tearing up now and again. It may be midnight, but the evening will continue. Your hen team needs sustenance. Good-bye self control; hello lip smacking culinary comfort. From chili cheese fries and milkshakes to chicken and waffles, Chef Drew Curren's got you covered.
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Where to Eat
Irene's
Saturday means All Day Rosé Day at this hip Austin-centric diner in the heart of the city. $4 dollar draft rosé keeps your spirits up, while you and the girls share Pimento cheese & Saltines, pigs in a blanket, and Instagram-worthy avocado toast. Don't forego that strawberry cake.
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Where to Eat
Amy's Ice Creams
With several locations around town, this locally-owned, house-made premium ice cream parlor channels Austin's artistic spirit. Choose from an array of evolving flavors, then watch hat-wearing, juggling dippers whirl your cream into the sky, before peppering and mixing it with the add-ins of your choice. Gummy Bears? Snickers? Twix? Do it!
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Where to Party
The Garage Cocktail Bar
What? You mean your parking garage doesn't serve cocktails? The Garage, a speakeasy seamlessly hidden into a corner of an ordinary downtown parking building, has a vintage vibe. Home to Austin's Official Cocktail 2015 (Dripping Springs Vodka, grapefruit juice, and Peychaud's bitters), it wows as well with a plethora of infinitely potable concoctions and small bites by local wunderkind, Phillip Speer.
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Where to Party
Whisler's
Edgy and on the aast side, Whisler's makes tomfoolery twice as fun with its immense, posse-sized punch bowl drinks. Try the Touch of Love, with rum, amaro, and pineapple juice, among other ingredients. Upstairs, sister bar, Mexcaleria Tobala tempts with an eye-popping collection of smoky mezcal, served in clay copitas.
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Where to Party
The Infinite Monkey Theorem
Graffiti art adorns the wall of this quirky urban winery, which makes its vino from grapes sourced from across the Lone Star state. Composed of various living rooms, IMT invites repose and long hours sampling one-of-a-kind wines. Don't miss the unusual "canned" wines.
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Where to Party
The Continental Club
Perfectly positioned in the hip SoCo, just across the river from downtown, this old school juke joint is hallowed ground in music city. Lit by a nostalgic neon light, featuring a changing, diverse array of music, the venue sits on everybody's bucket list. Several shows a day, from happy hour to late night, tickle you with tunefulness.
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Where to Paty
The Broken Spoke
With its dance floor and rustic interiors, The Broken Spoke lives on as one of the last true Texas dance halls. Pull on your new cowboy boots, practice your twang, and head over for Texas Two Step lessons and a night of doing the Cotton Eyed Joe.
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Where to Party
The Highball
Make Adele proud at The Highball, a trendy karaoke utopia with retro flourishes. Encompassing seven fantasy-like and painstakingly embellished private karaoke rooms, the bar and restaurant brings you drinks and snacks, while you croon melodies inscribed in one of the thickest songbooks found in the United States. Presenting themes as diverse as a haunted house and the circus to an ode to Black Metal, each room promises to inspire your divaness.
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Where to Party
Second Bar + Kitchen
You could belly up to their trendy bar early and gobble up the best sandwich in town (fried egg and avocado, topped with grilled romaine, sweet onion relish, and black pepper aioli), then stay for happy hour, when your coterie can pair perfect truffle fries with cocktails only an alchemist could prepare. Try the rum-licious Heart of Darkness.
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Where to Party
The Townsend
Claiming the soul of Austin's musical heritage with a state-of-the-art stage, this swish bar manages to be both watering hole and serious performance venue. Join your bosom buddies in knocking back drinks with evocative names—like The Bigsby—while you swoon to musical and comedic acts sure to amuse.
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What to Do
Hiatus Spa
Beautify your entire group at Hiatus Spa, which can accommodate all your buddies thanks to its 20 tranquil treatment rooms. Conveniently located near downtown, this state-of-the-art spa suggests you begin with Champagne, then relax into The Shangri La, a package which includes a customized body treatment, visage enhancing facial, and epic mani/pedi.
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What to Do
Wine Wandering
With more than 50 wineries scattered in the Hill Country, which is less than an hour from Austin, it may be hard to choose where to visit. Spend a day exploring the Texas Wine Trail, but plan to linger awhile at Duchman Family Winery, an estate reminiscent of a Tuscan villa. Tours and tastings available upon request.
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What to Do
Sail Away
For the ultimate Austin adventure, board a boat on Lake Lady Bird. With bigger vessels offering lunch or dinner cruises, Capital Cruises also rents kayaks, canoes, and—wait for it—Swan-shaped pedal boats, perfect for the wannabe princess set. If you'd rather balance on a board, donning a bikini, they also facilitate SUP.
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What to Do
Shopping SoCo
Once home to flophouses, South Congress, known as SoCo, now draws throngs for its au courant party scene. With shops galore, including the flagship Kendra Scott, Allen's Boots, and Lucy in Disguise (where you can rent costumes for your soirée), this gallery, restaurant, bar, and shopping district offers something for everyone.
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What to Do
Barton Springs Pool
This 1,000-foot-long historic swimming hole, set amidst the centuries-old pecan trees of Zilker Park, keeps Austinites in the chill year-round. Fed by natural springs, the oasis maintains a constant temperature of 68 degrees, making it the supreme antidote to Austin's sweltering summer heat. Plunge in, but watch out for the pool's own endangered species—an albino salamander!
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What to Do
Hike and Bike Trail
No wonder everybody in Austin looks so fit. They're all biking or jogging around Lake Lady Bird. Join them on the scenic trail that courses along the water like the unofficial living room of the city. Routes range from 3 to 10-miles.
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What to Do
Makeover
Book a bridal makeover party at Christopher Leigh Salon in central Austin. A coddling place with award-winning stylists, the ornately-decorated parlor promises everyone in your party will leave feeling like a movie star. Ask for talented Brenda Garza for the ultimate new hair color.
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What to Do
Blanton Museum of Fine Art
Running the gamut from early European works to abstract creations, the Blanton Museum of Fine Art, which is part of a burgeoning mini-museum district sandwiched between the State Capital building and the University of Texas, presents a prodigious collection of more than 14,000 works. Touted as one of the finest (and largest) university assemblages in the world, its art pieces span the generations. Muse over everything from early European paintings (Peter Paul Rubens) to abstract creations (Mark Rothko) to thought-provoking work by proven emerging artists (Shahzia Sikander). The Blanton's sleek interior provides the ideal backdrop for a monthly soiree called B-Scene, which brings aficionados to the museum for informative talks, concerts, and art exhibit openings.
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What to Do
Photo Ops
For your moment of zen (not to mention some truly unforgettable photos), gather your group for a garden party at the Charles UMLAUF Sculpture Garden & Museum. Grab come cupcakes from Hey Cupcake, located nearby in the Picnic Trailer Park, and check out more than 100 outdoor works of art. Afterwards, continue to some of Austin's famous murals, such as the "I LOVE YOU" wall on South Congress—iconic for group posing.
