The local social group devoted to all things retro and vintage in Austin takes us on a weekend itinerary of their top vintage shops, restaurants, and sites in their hometown.
Whether you’d like to sip old-time cocktails like a character on Mad Men, listen to honky-tonk music by a true Texas hell-raiser, or discover a Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress from the ’70s, Austin is a sprawling treasure chest of retro gems.
Here, we let the Vintage Vixens, a local social group dedicated to the throwback lifestyle, lead you through a throwback weekend at Lone Star Court and beyond.
Day 1
4 p.m.: S’mores for Two by the Glampfire at Lone Star Court
After checking in to Lone Star Court on a Friday as a part of the hotel’s Glamping Package, you discover old-fashioned s’mores and no sweaty sleeping bags in sight. In their place, there are Egyptian cotton linens and full-size Smeg refrigerators that turn the mini-bar concept into a maximum pleasure. Retro-inspired “ranch-tech” luxury rooms, meanwhile, include metal headboards, knotty pine armoires, paintings of the Alamo, and deer-horn lamps for a Lone Star state of mind.
6 p.m.: True Retro Tex-Mex at El Patio
Dinner tonight is at El Patio. This family-owned Tex-Mex hot spot opened in 1954 and serves heaping plates of homemade nachos, chalupas, and enchiladas (and margaritas), winning rave reviews from Meli Trumbo and other Vixens. Be sure to save room for the homemade coconut praline. Its menu price isn’t a misprint, either; a praline has been just 40 cents since 1954.
8:30 p.m.: Say Hi to the Highball at The Highball
The Highball claims to be Austin’s “karaoke mecca,” with themed rooms that reference such pop-culture hits as classic Nintendo games and Twin Peaks, and gold-leather seating and rich red decor in the bar. “The Highball is a newer venue, but it caters to the retro,” Vintage Vixen Maureen Mahoney says. “You can go to a concert, dance, or bowl.” If you’re in town at the right time, the Vixens highly recommend heading to The Highball for swing dancing with Dale Watson & His Lonestars, a one-of-a-kind performance by the man the Austin Chronicle calls “the silver-pompadoured, baritone beltin’ Lone Star beer drinkin’ honky tonk hell-raiser.”
Day 2
10 a.m.: Shop and Swap at Uncommon Objects and Top Drawer
Saturday morning finds you tucking into old-fashioned homemade waffles and sausages at the breakfast bar included in Lone Star Court’s overnight stay before hunting for treasure at some of the Vixens’ favorite vintage stores in Austin. Morte has a soft spot for the vintage typewriters found at Uncommon Objects, while Mahoney frequents Top Drawer, a shop that donates proceeds to Project Transitions, serving people with HIV and AIDS. “You can find a home-spun dress from the ’60s, an amazing piece of ’30s furniture, and tons of antique radio and electronic parts for an extremely low price,” she says.
12 p.m.: Whatever Floats Your Float at Nau’s Enfield Drug
Lunch is at Nau’s Enfield Drug. Here, ’50s-style hamburgers are topped with mayo and vegetables, while malt flavors include chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, cherry, pineapple, and banana. “The soda fountain at Nau’s Enfield Drug is absolutely classic Austin,” says Vintage Vixen Brianna James, who then steers you to the hangar of the Central Texas Wing of the Commemorative Air Force.
2 p.m.: Air Force Won at San Marcos’ Commemorative Air Force Hangar
A short drive south from Austin in San Marcos, the Commemorative Air Force hangar houses a collection of vintage planes and hosts a USO party experience each year for Veteran’s Day. Check out the very rare P-39Q Bell Airacobra Miss Connie and the B-25 Mitchell Yellow Rose, among other aircraft. You can also see a World War I–era Republic Truck and a World War II–era Willys Jeep.
4:30 p.m.: Chill Out at The Water Trough
Return to your room at Lone Star Court to get ready for the another night out in Austin. Before you leave the hotel, though, make sure you try the signature cocktail at The Water Trough. The hotel’s restaurant, which features live music Wednesday through Saturday nights, is known for its Chill Cowboy: a mason jar filled with vodka-infused sun tea, hibiscus liqueur, peach puree, lemon juice, and honey syrup. It pairs nicely with enjoying the late-afternoon sun while rocking in one of the hotel’s many colorful rocking chairs.
6 p.m.: Diner Dinner at The Frisco
This Burnet Road diner, opened in 1953, is one of Trumbo’s picks for old-school Austin atmosphere. Start with the deviled eggs before moving on to the meatloaf; it doesn’t get much more vintage than that.
9 p.m.: Steppin’ Out at Space 12
Now you’re fueled up for the Austin Swing Syndicate’s regular swing night at Space 12, which features lively big band performances from local acts every third Saturday. “The vintage scene is definitely a product of the huge swing dance community in Austin,” Mahoney says. “You can go swing dancing at least four times a week at different venues.” Those other venues include the Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs (also known as the Fed), which hosts one of the country’s longest and most popular swing nights of its kind every Thursday – one of the Vixens’ favorite things to do in the city.
11 p.m.: Drinks in La La Land at Lala’s Little Nugget
For a nightcap, it’s time to enter a Christmas episode of Mad Men. Lala’s Little Nugget brings back the show’s 1960s style with a signature Austin twist: Christmas decor. Everywhere. The bar looks like it has been hit by a North Pole bomb straight out of your Christmas-loving grandmother’s photo albums – antique ornaments, retro reindeer, elves, ugly sweaters, and other Yuletide kitsch reign year-round here. Bring cash for the ZiegenBock on tap, the holiday-themed cocktails, and a few choose-your-own classic tunes. “Lala’s has a fantastic jukebox,” Trumbo says.
Day 3
9 a.m.: Country Throwback in Luckenbach at Luckenbach Texas General Store
Sunday morning means an excursion to famous Fredericksburg, Texas, 80 miles west of Lone Star Court. “It’s a quick trip outside of Austin for some classic Texas honky-tonk fun,” James says. Established as a trading post in 1849, Luckenbach hasn’t changed much since and regularly hosts country music concerts. Visit the old-fashioned Luckenbach Texas General Store for souvenirs to take home.
12:30 p.m.: Vintage Spin at Dick’s Classic Garage
On the way back to Austin from Luckenbach, take a quick detour to San Marcos for Dick’s Classic Garage, a museum of 80-plus cars from 1901 through 1959 and another of James’ favorites. “If you’re a fan of classic cars, or really, history in general, this place is for you,” she says. “They organize the showroom by era and usually include other facts about what was going on in American culture at that time.”
2 p.m.: Refill the Right Rx at Farmacy
Back in Austin, Hillside Farmacy is one of Trumbo’s top restaurant picks and a great way to bring your retro Austin itinerary to a close. The weekend brunch menus are served until 3 p.m. and are especially lively, with wasabi Bloody Marys, mimosas, and brûlée Texas grapefruit. But try the Vixens’ pick: Smokey Denmark Bangers & Eggs made with eggs from Happy Chick Farms in nearby Lockhart. The striped awning and early-twentieth-century lettering outside, along with black-and-white mosaic tile and gaslight lamps inside, set the perfect notes as your watch hits the 48-hour mark.
