BBQ, Views, and Nightlife: An overnight layover in Austin
Author: Janice Vazquez | Last updated: June 12, 2023
In May 2023, I traveled with my family and boyfriend to Los Cabos, Mexico to attend a wedding. During our journey, we had an overnight layover in Austin, Texas, before catching our connecting flight to Los Cabos.
We landed in Austin-Bergstrom International Airport at 6pm. We made our way to the ride pick up area and decided to book an Uber. Our first destination was Aloft Airport, where we asked the uber driver to wait for us while we quickly unloaded our bags. Once that was taken care of, we proceeded to our next destination: Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que. On our way to the restaurant, the uber driver told us her favorite barbecue restaurant is Terry Black’s Barbecue. Trusting her local expertise, we asked her to reroute us to Terry Black’s Barbecue.
Terry’s Black Barbecue
At Terry Black’s Barbecue, I smelled barbecue (bbq) and was excited to go in and try it. We ordered our sides first, which was Mac n cheese, Creamed corn, and Mexican rice. Then we proceeded to the cashier to order the meats. At every cash register, there was a person with a chopping block and several slabs of meat. We had to order the meats by weight (ranging from 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, or 1 lb). First, we ordered 0.50 pounds of brisket, which was cut into four slices. It didn’t look like enough food, so we also ordered beef ribs. The meat cutter informed us that the minimum weight was 1.5 pounds. Our meal of brisket, ribs, and three sides totaled $100.
Tip: take your time to read through the menus and signs in the restaurant before you go up to order. The price is determined by the weight of the meat.
After paying, we proceeded to the seating area. Initially, we didn’t see an open table, but thanks to my dad’s keen eye, he spotted a group of people leaving. At the table, there were 3 different bbq sauce bottles to complement the bbq meats. Me and my mom got the paper plates, utensils, and napkins at the fountain dispenser area.
Once we cleaned the table, we eagerly dug into our plates, savoring the delectable food. Each of us received a slice of brisket and a few slices of beef ribs. Both meats were tender and juicy, leaving us thoroughly satisfied. The assortment of sauces we had at our disposal enhanced the meat beautifully, creating a harmonious combination of tastes. Personally, I loved the creamed corn and found the Mexican rice underwhelming. On the other hand, my boyfriend couldn’t stop raving about the Mac n cheese, proclaiming it was the best he has ever had in his life!
After we finished eating, we visited the smokehouse, located outdoors – next to the restaurant. As we were taking pictures of the smokers, we were greeted by a worker who shared his expertise. He explained the meticulous process of smoking the meat, revealing that it cooks for 7 hours in the smoker! Once it’s ready, he sprayed the beef rib with Worcestershire sauce before wrapping it with paper. This additional step allows the meat to continue cooking for an additional hour, ensuring a perfect balance of tenderness and taste. It was fascinating to witness the care and precision that goes into cooking barbeque.
Sunset View
We were feeling so full that we decided to walk instead of take an uber to Austin’s Sixth Street. We walked through Butler Metro Park, immersing ourselves in the serene surroundings. Then, we ascended the spiral pathway leading to the top of Doug Samh Hill Summit. The climb took us 5 minutes, and upon reaching the summit, we were greeted by a breathtaking sight. From this elevated vantage point, we captured stunning photos of Austin’s skyline and sunset. It was a wonderful experience, with the view of the sunset casting a mesmerizing glow over the entire landscape.
Pedestrian Bridge
Instead of following the spiral pathway down the summit, we cut through the hill making our way to the base of the summit. From there, we continued our journey by walking across the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge, which led us to Austin’s downtown area.
As we approached the end of the bridge, there were two options for exiting: a staircase or a spiral pathway. We took the spiral pathway down as it seemed more interesting.
Nightlife
After our scenic walk, we finally made it to Sixth Street, renowned for its bustling bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues. As we strolled along the street, we noticed many outdoor bars had live music, DJ’s, bouncers, and customers. There was one place called Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Icehouse that was bustling with people drinking and watching a baseball game. We also stopped by Unbarlievable Bar so I could take a picture with an elephant.
Considering it was a Thursday evening around 9pm, we speculated that the night was still young, which explained the relatively small crowd. Since we had an early morning flight looming ahead, we made the responsible decision to forgo the temptation of visiting any bars and instead opted to call an Uber to return to the hotel. If we didn’t have an early departure the next day, we would’ve happily indulged in a few drinks at the bar.
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