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FoodFash is a food and travel blog based in Austin, TX.

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Day Trip From Austin – Kingsland, TX

November 1, 2017 by Kristin Leave a Comment

While it’s easy to get caught up in all Austin has to offer, it’s also important to make time for exploring the rest of Texas. And because we don’t have an infinite amount of time {and I’m guessing that you don’t either}, we’ve made a commitment to get out there and experience things together. Even if it’s just a day trip. Because, most likely, there’s only time for a day trip.

The formula for our day trips are a pretty simple: within a few hours from Austin, must include nature, must include food. Kingsland made for a pretty perfect day trip from Austin because it was only an hour drive, is the home of Longhorn Cavern State Park, and also has a restaurant that is in the house from Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

I wasn’t expecting much from Grand Central Cafe because, from a distance, it seemed like it was going to be super touristy. But other than a few themed cocktails on the bar menu and some movie memorabilia scattered about, it felt like a cozy local spot. The menu was giant and included your typical American staples: burgers, sandwiches, salads. I ordered the chicken fried chicken and Kody ordered the reuben. And we both Leatherface lemonaded it up because… When in Rome.

And while nothing on the menu blew my mind, that wasn’t why we were there nor was that the expectation. But everything about our time at Grand Central Cafe was pleasant. The green beans that were served with the chicken fried chicken brought back happy memories of when my great grandmother would spend winters with us in Florida {big positive!}. And I can’t recall a time in Austin where a boozy lunch for two was under $35.

After lunch, we traveled about ten minutes down the road to Longhorn Cavern Sate Park. We both looked at pictures earlier in the week, but the park was immediately cooler than we were expecting. There were a few buildings/structures to gaze at before entering the cave. And the entrance to the cave itself was pretty grand.

There were quite a bit of stairs that led to the cave entrance. And sink holes created tunnels of light that illuminated rock, while allowing greens to grow. Per the website, we intended to do a self-guided tour. But when we arrived at the entrance we were greeted with a locked gate.

So heads up, the only way to enter the cave is through a guided tour which costs $16 per adult and about 90 minutes of your time. Both important things to note before making the trip.

But it was apparent as the tour began that the caves would be difficult to navigate on your own. Not only was it very dark and sometimes slippery, but there were a ton of details that we would have missed had we walked around solo.

All said and done, we were away from home for about five hours and spent under $75 – a total win in my book! Regarding kids, Kody and I both agreed that this tour might be a little long for Haven {age 4}, but we still could have managed had she been there.

What to bring?

  • Closed toed shoes that have a decent grip. We wore Vans and Converse and were totally fine, but I was so thankful I didn’t wear boots.
  • Layers, especially in cooler temps. The cave was much warmer than we expected.
  • Water bottle. The tour is between 60 and 90 minutes with no access to water. There’s a gift shop, but a reusable water bottle is the way to go!
  • A fun playlist. Fresh out of tunes? Click here for one of my go-to lists!

Filed Under: Day Trips Tagged With: austin, day trips, road trips, texas, texas day trips

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I'm Kristin - a Florida girl turned Austinite, adventuring my way through life. Whether I'm in the kitchen, around town, or 1000 miles away, I'm sure to put myself in the midst of merriment.... and then write about it! Read More…

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πŸ”†Have you traveled this summer?πŸ”† Between COV πŸ”†Have you traveled this summer?πŸ”† Between COVID, buying/renovating a house, and Ez hating the car, we've stayed put. But with the newness of our neighborhood wearing off and going on 6 months of the same old stuff, we all needed a change of scenery. And quickly after arrival, I already had a list of #dosanddonts in mind for future #staycations πŸ™ˆπŸ€“ Below are a few less-than-pro tips from our weekend. I'd love for you to share any ideas or experiences in the comments below! And if you have any recs for hotels within an hour-ish from Austin, let me know! ❀️❀️

πŸ”†πŸ”†πŸ”†DOπŸ”†πŸ”†πŸ”†
πŸ”ΈChoose a property with hotel room doors that open to the outdoors. It was such a relief staying at a place where we could minimize touching public surfaces. 
πŸ”ΈStay in a place that is closed to the public and requires reservations for amenities. I loved being able to make reservations for the pool area and being able to keep our distance from other guests. It was stressful that the time slots we wanted were full on the first day, but it ended up working out both days. 
πŸ”ΈStay in a place that has green space. Nobody wants to stay couped up in a hotel room, so having access to nature or a grassy area is hugely helpful. 
πŸ”Έ Stay in a place that has on-site/flexible food options or is in a good delivery zone. I liked that the staff here was more than willing to bring our food out to an empty pavilion by the lawn near our room.
πŸ”ΈGive extra smiles and tip generously if you're able. Many hospitality employees have been out of work and/or have reduced tips/income based on establishments operating at lower capacities. Extra tips and being friendly go a long way!

πŸ”†πŸ”†πŸ”†DON'TπŸ”†πŸ”†πŸ”†
πŸ”ΈVisit a densely populated area. Shame on me for thinking #thedomain would be a safe place to visit, but it wasn't. Within the limits of our hotel was fine, but as soon as we walked near other businesses we could see packed patios, crowded sidewalks, and more unmasked people than I've seen since early March. Our next #minivacay will be more secluded. 
πŸ”ΈOk other than doing the opposite of the DO list, I only have one DON'T πŸ‘†πŸ»πŸ‘†πŸ»

And I shouldn't have to say this, but our hotel stay/meals were #notsponsored ✌🏻
Edit: I stand with Turkish womxn and femmes. Chal Edit: I stand with Turkish womxn and femmes.

Challenge accepted πŸ€πŸ–€
#womensupportingwomen 
Nominated by @atxfitfoodie & @ambermcho - two of the most supportive women I know πŸ€πŸ–€

A long time friend of mine (@katiewyattreynolds , another strong and supportive woman) shared a post about how this challenge is "basically useless and self serving". I'm not calling her out, it just got me thinking. I also sent her a text nomination. Hugs, KT πŸ€—

Basically useless is super objective. What's useless to one might be inspirational to another, no? Do women inherently find self promotion challenging? I think so (I do πŸ™‹πŸ»β€β™€οΈ). I saw this challenge as a gentle nudge to let a woman know that you're thinking about her, you see her, and you acknowledge her challenges (both seen and unseen). 2020 is ROUGH. Seeing these messages felt like a hug in a time when hugs aren't allowed. 

Is this challenge self serving? I'm not sure, but so what if it is? This self needs to be served from time to time - putting everything else first all the time can't be good for ya, right? πŸ˜‰

While I'm here... #wearadamnmask #washyourhands #stayhomesavelives #registertovote #votebymail (if you can) #blacklivesstillmatter #dothework #beanally #supportsmallbusinesses #votewithyourdollar #takecareofyourself #mentalhealthmatters #callyourrepresentatives #callyourmom #callyourfriends #hugyourfamily
We've spent our weekend enjoying quality time with We've spent our weekend enjoying quality time with the littles, crossing through projects on our never ending renovation list, and spending dollars on delicious meals from local Black owned restaurants πŸ’ΈπŸ½οΈ This was our first time eating at both @birdbirdbiscuit (1st pic) and @kreyolkorner (2nd & 3rd pic) and we will definitely be back! ❀️❀️ Give them both a follow to stay up to date on hours, offerings, and order/pick-up protocol πŸ“†
β €
Do you know any #blackowned restaurants in Austin that could use some love in the form of coverage and photos? LMK in the comments below and I'll make it a priority to pay them a visit and send over some content πŸ“ΈπŸ’ž
Have a friend who lives in Atlanta⁉️ Tag 'em‼️My friend @kesi_p recently launched @peachstatedrinks, a #blackowned #womanowned ATL beverage company that makes fresh brown sugar lemon-aid, and it is sooooooo good! πŸ‹πŸ‹ Like the kind of good where you tell your kids that it's all gone so there's more for you πŸ™ˆ We ordered the original and strawberry lemon-aids (they'll ship!), but there's a mango lemon-aid too πŸ™ŒπŸ» Check them out and make this summer extra delicious πŸΉβ˜€οΈ #atlantageorgia #lemonaid
Happy Father's Day, @kodylpruitt πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰ I've nev Happy Father's Day, @kodylpruitt πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰ I've never known a more loving, present, and patient dad.You make something about every day feel special (which is mind blowing given how all of our days have the ability to look the same lately). And by turning our home into the ultimate giggle factory, you've made my biggest dream come true. Haven, Ezra, and I are the luckiest. We love you so incredibly much!! πŸ’žπŸ’ž
🎨: @theantoinettethomas β € As a mother, I am f 🎨: @theantoinettethomas β €
As a mother, I am fearful of so many things. But I will never understand the fear held deeply within a mother of a Black child. β €
My husband and I are listening. And we will continue to hear your stories beyond next week, next month, next year. Because in trying to understand your experiences, we will be able to raise our children better than with our experiences alone. They, too, will be allies because we will do the work. We will not be silent today, next week, next month, next year. β €
#blacklivesmatter #dothework
Do you and your partner take your coffee the same Do you and your partner take your coffee the same way? β˜•πŸ₯›πŸ“ #ad Kody & I are about as opposite as it gets when it comes to how much @a2milkusa Sweet Cream we use in our coffee ☯️ But one thing we do have in common is that we love that @a2milkusa cows are fed a plant based diet and are not treated with growth hormone rBST πŸ™ŒπŸ» These cows naturally produce only pure a2 protein (not a1!), which is easier on digestion β™₯️ @a2milkusa makes regular milk in addition to coffee creamer, both of which can be found at your local @sprouts 🌿 #a2milk #lovemilkagain
Happy Mother's Day πŸ’πŸ‘‘ It's been a trying tim Happy Mother's Day πŸ’πŸ‘‘ It's been a trying time for most of us and, as we spend more time getting used to the way things are, I hope you're stumbling upon ways to make ordinary activities feel special. Dining outdoors has been huge (HUGE!) for us, especially the kids β˜€οΈ β €
I'm beyond grateful that the outdoor dining set gifted to us by @thenovogratz arrived just in time for birthday & mother's day festivities πŸŽ‰ The table is as hip as it is well made, making us feel like we are dining on the patio of our favorite restaurant 🌿
β €
There are SO many items I love on @thenovogratz website πŸ™ŒπŸ» Check out my stories for a handful of my furniture crushes πŸ₯°
Who else is cooking 3x/day along with preparing a Who else is cooking 3x/day along with preparing a million snacks πŸ™‹πŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸ€¦πŸ»β€β™€οΈ #ad With so much cooking going on, it's so important for all of us to make sure our homes are equipped to handle the unexpected. πŸ”₯ Fire experts recommend fire extinguishers be placed on every level and in common spaces, like the kitchen and garage (especially the kitchen‼️). Plus, this @firstalert fire extinguisher is lightweight and easy to use! Hope everyone is #shelterinplace -ing safely! t #readyathome #firstalert
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