Check out the details of my Birthday Staycation in Austin, TX at The Domain Northside. It included a relaxing stay at the Archer Hotel, brunch at Second Bar + Kitchen, and bar-hopping on Rock Rose.
I love birthdays, especially my own! It’s a great excuse to gather my friends together and do something fun. I usually have an idea picked and planned months before my birthday, but this year, I had no strong opinion about what I wanted to do. In the past, I’ve thrown a Gold and Pink Brunch, a Wanderlust Party, and a Cake Potluck.
This year, I wanted something low-key, somewhat spontaneous, and with as little planning as possible. (I know, who am I?!) A night out sounded perfect. The Domain is an entertainment area in North Austin, and they opened the Northside area this year, which has exploded with new shops, bars, and restaurants. Rock Rose Street has been unofficially dubbed the “west 6th of the north,” because of the bars and restaurants that line the street. I’m excited about this hip, new area because I’ve lived in North Austin for 10 years and don’t always want to drive downtown when I go out. It also brings some fun stores and restaurants to Austin.
We started the night out by checking into our room at the Archer Hotel. (I LOVE staying in and experiencing different hotels. Check out my hotel secrets post here.) This place is gorgeous! The lobby features high ceilings and touches of a rock ‘n’ roll motif. Black and blue and leather can be seen everywhere. Hallways are lined with photos of legendary rock stars on stage.
These lemon pastries with dried cranberries welcomed us in the room and they were mouth-watering!
Our room had the same black and blue scheme with a touch of animal print. It was spacious with a sitting area. The bathroom was really nice, as you can see from the first photo in this post!
After dropping off our stuff, we met up with friends at Shake Shack for dinner. While technically not in the Northside area, this second location of Shake Shack in Austin opened at The Domain this year. Counter service is easy for big group dinners, and everyone loves Shake Shack! I usually go with a classic Shack Burger but was quickly convinced to get the Shroom Stack. Yum!
If you want to bar hop in the area, Rock Rose Road is your best bet. The bars on this street include:
- Lavaca Street Bar
- Jack and Ginger’s Pub
- Rose Room
- 77 Degrees
- Kung Fu Saloon
- The Dogwood
- St. Genevieve
The highlight of my night: getting to ring the gong at Kung Fu Saloon. Birthday perks!
After a wonderful night of rest, we woke up for brunch at Second Bar + Kitchen. The brunch is all-inclusive for $38 per person and includes passed appetizers, a carving station, a pastry display, and made-to-order entrée dishes. The quality of the dishes wasn’t what I expected of the restaurant but they were photo-worthy.
All-in-all, it was a fun night away to satisfy my love of hotels, birthdays, and quality time with friends.
Visiting The Domain soon? Here are some of my recommendations of places in the Northside to eat, shop, and play!
Eat
- Culinary Dropout – I’ve been hearing great things about this New American restaurant.
- Flower Child – Same owners as Culinary Dropout, this restaurant is focused on greens.
- General Tso’Boy – Counter-service Chinese-fusion restaurant.
- Salvation Pizza – Local Austin, counter-service pizza place.
- Thai-Kun – Great Thai dishes here.
Shop
- Sugarfina – I’ll take you to the candy shop.
- Warby Parker – Need glasses? This is your place.
Play
- Viva Day Spa – My favorite spa in Austin! Read about my experience here.
- CorePower Yoga – I’ve worked out here several times and it’s a great studio for yoga and boot camp workouts.
- SoulCycle – Get your spin on! You’ll find an energetic cycling workout here.
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