Karried Away November Issue

Howdy, LSM! I am writing to you all the way from Austin, Texas! I hope you enjoyed checking out the beautiful spots in Cardiff By-the-Sea last month! What I love about our hometown of San Diego is that we are never bored. We have so many activities at our fingertips. If we are looking to get some exercise, we can go hiking in La Jolla. I love taking my dog for a walk around the Carlsbad lagoon, and he always loves it too because he gets to meet all the nice people who are walking on the trail. San Diego is a very active city. We are always biking, paddle boarding, fishing, surfing, skiing, going to concerts, trying new restaurants, and so much more. In Lake San Marcos, we get to do so many of those things, right outside of our doorstep.

Since attending college in Dallas, I have driven down to Austin a few times. Austin has Dallas’ country vibe, while bringing an outdoorsy flair. Austin is home to locals who love exploring their city, being active, and dressing in funky style. Austin reminds me so much of my old stomping ground at home, Encinitas. When you drive through the city of Austin, you will see bars that have been there forever, art galleries, a paddle board shop, and then a music shop. It really is just like Encinitas, with many of the same activities. What I love most about Austin is how kind the locals are when they meet you. They truly love their city and want others to love it as well.

It is safe to say that I do love it there. My previous visit to Austin was such a special weekend, filled with so many fond memories and fun activities.

One aspect of Austin that many people are not aware of is the wine country in Fredericksburg. Since I was so used to the wine country in California, I definitely did not know about grapes being grown in Austin! I was pleasantly surprised by how vast Austin’s wine country is. There are so many unique wineries that I highly recommend trying! Fredericksburg also has German roots, and since all you have to do is read my last name and you will know I am very German, I felt right at home in Fredericksburg,

Fredericksburg also has several German markets, restaurants, and even an annual Oktoberfest! One German market in particular, Luckenbach, is very famous, offering a classic bar, farmers market, and live music often performed by famous country artists! Many country artists got their start at Luckenbach, including Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.

Closer to downtown, you can go paddleboarding on the Colorado River which flows through the city. I love when cities have a body of water flowing directly through the city, much like Chicago. Having the river so close brings a whole new list of fun activities for the locals and visitors to try! If you drive on the bridge that goes over the river, you will see so many people enjoying the water, paddle boarding, floating on rafts, and fishing.

Austin has a never-ending list of attractions for tourists to enjoy! Plus, regardless of how you spend your time in Austin, I guarantee you will be enjoying delicious food, and listening to great music. So, if you are looking for a weekend get-away, I highly recommend checking it out! There are so many hidden gems in Austin just waiting to be discovered!