A great place to make your home base if you want to feel lost in nature but also be close to the city where you can enjoy great food, dancing, and all the touristy things Austin has to offer.
About
McKinney Falls State Park is what some people think of as Austin’s backyard since it’s only 13 miles from the heart of the city. At the 641-acre oasis that is McKinney Falls State Park, you can camp (there are 81 sites with water and electric hookups), hike, mountain or road bike on the nearly 9 miles of trails, geocache, go bouldering, and picnicking, and – the main attraction – a series of limestone ledges and pools over which Onion Creek flows. You can also swim and fish in Onion Creek. The park is also a part of the El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail.
Visits
- March 30 – April 3, 2023 – The next major “F”riends stop on our 4F (Florida, Family, Friends, Fun) ? adventure was to visit another close friend (and the best man in our wedding) Tim, who moved to Austin from Seattle last year. This was our second trip to Austin in the last 6 months, so we made it a point to do the touristy stuff we missed the previous time. One of the main reasons we swung down to Austin was to pick up Tim because he was joining in on the leg from Austin to New Orleans.
Review
We couldn’t imagine a better way to visit Austin than staying at McKinney Falls State Park. You feel lost in nature, but it’s just a short drive to the heart of the city. The park was gorgeous with lots of biking and hiking opportunities. The spot we were in was also HUGE! It felt like we had our very own park inside the main one. They also had a self-service firewood locker – the first time we’d ever seen something like that! We had a great time riding our bikes around and exploring the falls and park!
Trailerability
McKinney Falls State Park was an campground to get to and to get around in. One thing worth mentioning is they close the gate after hours, so you need to have the code to get inside. It changes every week, but they are sure to get you an updated slip with the new one on it. Also, a goofy little thing was the box with the keypad where you punch in the gate code was on the passenger side.
Towmads Top Tips
- Plan lots of time to explore the park. There is a ton of beautiful area inside the park to explore via hike or bike.
- If you head out to enjoy the nightlife in Austin be sure to keep the gate code handy so you can get back in.
- They offer firewood via some self serve automatic lockers which was something we hadn’t seen before, but we warned its a bit expensive.
Nearby Things We Enjoyed
- Radio Coffee and Beer & Veracruz Tacos – the migas breakfast tacos are my favorite tacos ever! They have lunch/dinner tacos, too, as well as vegan queso and vegetarian taco options! The truck is parked among others at Radio Coffee. Their coffee is perfect, and they also serve beer, wine, and cocktails!
- Shopping at Cavender’s – We seem to find ourselves shopping here when we are in Austin, just don’t decide to break in your new boots on a walking tour of town! 5 stars for the store, zero for sore feet!
- Terry Black’s Barbecue – THE BEST EVER! You’ll eat until you have to unbutton your pants, and it’s well worth it! It’s also worth waiting in line for a long time, which just lends itself to growing your appetite. This is by far some of the best BBQ we’ve ever eaten, at least at a restaurant. Harry smokes a mean brisket, and this is the only one who’s ever given his a run for it’s money!
- We spent a night on the town exploring Rainey Street, seeing the Mexican free-tailed bats under the Congress Ave bridge, looking around the haunted Driskill Hotel, then a stroll down 6th street (the main party strip – and a great spot to people watch). We worked up an appetite walking around so we ate some burgers at a heavy metal bar called Casino El Camino – a burger so big that Harry and I had to split it.
- Nomadic Brewing – Delicious beer and their outdoor patio was great for catching up with some friends we’d made on our previous trip to Austin.
- Sagebrush – We did a lot of dancing on our last trip to Austin and wanted this trip to have some more touristy stuff in it BUT that doesn’t mean we didn’t sneak in a stop to a honky tonk bar for a little two-steppin’ this time.
- The Little Darlin’ – great restaurant/venue to sit outside to enjoy a drink and a snack. Their outdoor space is HUGE and inviting. We were lucky enough to be there on a night when they had a band playing, so we also got to enjoy some live music and dancing in the dirt. We highly recommend their fried chicken sandwich and the chorizo stuffed dates. *chef’s kiss*
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