• Austin Events Calendar
  • Giveaways
  • Sponsor
  • Invite
  • Write
  • About
  • Contact

The Austinot

Discover Austin Texas! An Austin blog with hundreds of unique articles.

  • Discoveries
    • Austinot Loves
    • Activities
    • Day Trips
    • Local Business
  • Food & Drink
    • Food
    • Drink
  • Entertainment
    • Events
    • Film
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Theatre
  • Culture
    • Arts
    • History
    • Museums
  • Et Cetera
    • Non-Profits
    • Podcast
    • Archives

11 Uniquely Austin Gifts to Level Up Your Local Shopping Game

December 13, 2016 by Joleen Jernigan 2 Comments

Drazah Texas State Capitol Night Photograph

Local photographer Drazah’s close-up night shot of the Texas State Capitol would delight a history buff or devoted Austinite (Credit: Drazah Photography)

Scratching your head looking for that perfect gift? Searching for a memorable souvenir for out-of-town guests? Our guide to the city’s creative minds will help you find the Austin gifts you need to keep it local. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Discoveries, Local Business Tagged With: christmas

5 Ways to Winterize Your Holiday Season in Austin

December 5, 2016 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

Winterize Holiday Season Austin

Credit: John Cabuena

The holiday season in Austin can be magical. The Zilker Tree. Armadillo Christmas Bazaar. Brightly decorated cedar trees along Route 360. Everything falls in place for a beautiful season, with one exception: cold weather.

Growing up back east, Christmastime was synonymous with freezing temperatures. Bundling up to go shopping, frost covered windows, parks and forests transformed into Norman Rockwell paintings by blankets of snow. In Austin, not so much. It’s tough to get into the holiday spirit while wearing sandals and shorts.

Luckily, there’s a number of ways to add a little “brrrr” to your holiday season in Austin. It may not be a winter wonderland, but a touch of Christmas cold can lead to extra warmth in your heart. Let’s get chilly! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Activities, Discoveries, Entertainment, Events Tagged With: christmas

How to Shop Small and Shop Local This Holiday Season

November 25, 2016 by Sommer Brugal Leave a Comment

Shop Small Shop Local Flow Chart

Becky Simpson, the creative behind Chipper Things, encourages you to shop small with her signature flow chart

There’s nothing more exciting than finding the perfect gift for a loved one or close friend. Sometimes it jumps out and screams, “buy me!” Other times, you have to spend a little time searching.

Luckily, there are plenty of opportunities to shop. Mark your calendars because we’ve compiled a list of our favorite pop-ups, markets and bazaars around town this holiday season. These are the shopping events you won’t want to miss. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Discoveries, Local Business Tagged With: christmas

Trail of Lights Celebrates 50 Years of Spinning Under the Zilker Tree

November 8, 2016 by Kelli McDonald Leave a Comment

Ferris Wheel at Austin Trail of Lights

The Ferris wheel is a new favorite at Trail of Lights (Credit: Dear Wesleyann Photography)

For 52 years, Austinites have walked Trail of Lights as part of their holiday tradition. And for 50 years, the moon tower located off Barton Springs Road has been transformed into a glowing tree–dubbed the Zilker Tree–where visitors stand under the lights and look up while spinning around for a wonderfully disorienting effect.

Five years ago, Trail of Lights was privatized to take the monetary obligation away from taxpayers. The future of the holiday extravaganza seemed rocky at first, but now the event is arguably better than ever with a giant Ferris wheel, charitable events and Austin vendors helping to make the event memorable. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Entertainment, Events Tagged With: christmas, trail of lights

Your Guide to a Memorable Austin Christmas Staycation

December 21, 2015 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

Austin Christmas Staycation

Friends, food and family. The three F’s of the holiday season. Amid the chaos, lights and Amazon wish lists, there’s one constant: the old-fashioned family get-together. A chance to reconnect with the ones you love.

But not everybody heads home for the holidays. For whatever reason, many of us will be hanging out in Austin for the holiday season. And Austin can become a ghost town over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

But don’t despair. Put on some real clothes, turn off Netflix and head out on the town. For those doing an Austin Christmas this year, here are eight events that’ll make your holiday full of memories and fun. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Activities, Discoveries, Entertainment, Events Tagged With: christmas

5 Austin Holiday Events You Have to Experience for Yourself  

December 17, 2015 by Kristin Leigh Leave a Comment

Holiday Events in Austin

Credit: soultga via sxc.hu

I love the holidays in Austin. This is the time of year that locals bask in the mild weather, enjoying unparalleled nightlife minus the frostbite, while the rest of the country hunkers down and endures another snowy winter.

What better way to celebrate this amazing time of year than with some incredible, can-only-happen-here holiday events? These are my favorite picks for getting into the festive spirit this season. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Activities, Discoveries, Entertainment, Events Tagged With: christmas, new years, new years eve

Don’t Miss the 51st Year of Austin’s Trail of Lights!

December 10, 2015 by Mathis Kennington Leave a Comment

Trail of Lights 2015 Aerial

Trail of Lights 2015 from the air (Credit: Jared Tennant)

My holiday season doesn’t get started until Trail of Lights begins. This year, Austin’s beloved event is back for its 51st year of sparkling holiday goodness.

It may be like this every year, but there seems to be an renewed energy surrounding this celebrated Austin tradition. The Trail of Lights Foundation has worked extremely hard to make the experience better than ever, while keeping the cost to Austinites down.

Trail of Lights is free for its first week, Dec. 8-15. After that, its only a $3 for ages 12+. This is a small price compared to how much it costs to keep over two million lights bright on a trail where Austinites and visitors will walk a combined million miles this season! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Archives Tagged With: christmas, trail of lights

The Ultimate Local Austin Gift Guide

December 8, 2015 by Eliza Weeks 1 Comment

Ultimate Local Austin Gift Guide

Credit: Charlie Aguirrie

When it comes to giving gifts, my favorite part is the hunt for the perfect one. This joyous obsession may very well lead me to bankruptcy some day. But let’s not go there, yet.

If you have a list of names and an unsettled feeling in your stomach–because all you hear is crickets when it comes to knowing what gifts to give–this Austin gift guide is for you!

We’ve compiled hyperlocal suggestions to make your holiday gift-giving experience as simple as possible. Unfortunately, we can’t do the actual shopping for you. You’ll have to brave the hoards yourself. But fortunately, this ultimate guide will only lead you to local Austin treasures. No big box shopping nightmares from us. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Austinot Loves, Discoveries, Local Business Tagged With: christmas

Blue Genie Art Bazaar Gives Holiday Shoppers Reason to Rejoice

December 4, 2015 by Kristin Leigh Leave a Comment

Blue Genie Art Bazaar Wall Decor

Wall of handcrafted art at Blue Genie Art Bazaar

Blue Genie Art Bazaar Location

Marchesa Hall hosts this sprawling bazaar

After the turkey has settled and the pumpkin spice lattes have transitioned to frothy peppermint mochas, grab your wallet and reusable tote bags because it’s holiday craft fair season until we land with a thud in 2016.

Austin hosts a range of fairs in November and December, but if you’re looking to score that neon dinosaur planter or Velvet Underground vinyl record wall clock at 9 p.m. on a Tuesday night, I recommend you make your way to North Austin for one of Austin’s longest-running craft shows, Blue Genie Art Bazaar. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Entertainment, Events Tagged With: christmas

10 Austin Charities to Support This Holiday Season

December 3, 2015 by Bill Tucker Leave a Comment

CASA Travis County Holiday Spirit

The team at CASA of Travis County is getting into the spirit of holiday giving (Credit: CASA of Travis County)

It’s easy to get swept away in holiday chaos. From Black Friday deals to office parties to last minute gifts, December is a swirl of madness. As a result, the meaning of the season often gets lost: the joy of giving to those in need.

With dozens of local charities looking to aid needy Austinites, giving back to the community is only a click away. To help you choose where your donation dollar should go, here are ten worthwhile organizations to assist this holiday season. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Et Cetera, Non-Profits Tagged With: christmas

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Next Page »

Sign up for a chance at Austin giveaways via our fun newsletter


Connect with Us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Latest Tweets

  • NEW - The Austinot Weekend Concert Picks: April 20-21, 2018 https://t.co/mFscEqzqjx https://t.co/ZxzOPxPV5K About an hour ago
  • NEW: Support AIDS Services of Austin During #DineOutATX on April 24 https://t.co/4RBUbnWG31 @asaustin https://t.co/VQeDAOlYNl About 6 hours ago
  • NEW: Spendindie Creates Online Marketplace for Local Businesses https://t.co/5Esw8nWl8l #austin https://t.co/prUHd1YKNM About 10 hours ago
  • The 7 Best Places for Hands-on Crafting in Austin https://t.co/QptPMI9mpP https://t.co/JNFLrnqcm2 April 18, 2018 3:25 pm
  • Follow @theAustinot

Recent Posts

  • The Austinot Weekend Concert Picks: April 20-21, 2018
  • Support AIDS Services of Austin During #DineOutATX on April 24
  • Spendindie Creates Online Marketplace for Local Businesses
  • Take an Unforgettable Texas Road Trip to Visit San Saba
  • The 7 Best Places for Hands-on Crafting in Austin

Get to Know Us

  • Austin Events Calendar
  • Giveaways
  • Sponsor
  • Invite
  • Write
  • About
  • Contact

Welcome to The Austinot!

We are all about Austin: the vibe, the people and the uniqueness of the city. We love to explore. Get to know us! We'll respond if you comment. Heck, we'll probably invite you to come and hang out with us.

-The Austinot Team

Privacy Policy

Recent Comments

  • Austin’s Nature – a girl and her commander on The Complete Guide to Austin Greenbelt Access Points and Trails
  • Tips for Runsploring a New City and Running Austin - RunToTheFinish on Guide to Austin’s Dirty Sixth Street
  • Bethany featured in The Austinot — Bethany Becker on The Austinot Weekend Concert Picks: Feb. 23-24, 2018
  • Spring activities that won’t break the bank | The University Star on Guide to Bat Season in Austin
  • Barton Creek Greenbelt – Mallorie Sanders on The Complete Guide to Austin Greenbelt Access Points and Trails

Copyright © 2018 · Metro Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in