Our journey half way across the United States and back.
Last month, DJ and I ambitiously took an 8-day road trip from our home in North Carolina all the way to Austin, Texas. We visited a lot of states in between and I tried my best to document the journey. So, here's a little summary of trip complete with pictures and references to some of our favorite stops!
Let's start with the why:
DJ and I really enjoy spending time in Austin. We had been meaning to make a trip, and when our friends announced they'd be moving there, we decided we had to make the trip a reality. We thought about flying, but we kind of wanted to explore the United States a little. There are so many states we haven't seen! Also, our pup Jade used to be best friends with our friends' two dogs, Teddy and Oly. So, we decided we'd take a road trip and the dogs were coming with us!
Stop 1: Atlanta
Our first stop along our journey to Austin was Atlanta, Georgia.
For lunch, we stopped in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. It is an adorable little town. We grabbed some sandwiches from Tupelo Honey and sat outside in the shade.
Once we made it to Atlanta, we hauled our luggage up a long wooden staircase and stepped into a lovely, sun-filled studio flat. The dogs got busy exploring
By the time we were unpacked and ready to go, it was late and restaurants were closing. So we made a quick stop at Bar Mercado inside Krogg Street Market, which is a lovely food hall with lots of great outdoor space.
If we had more time, we would have also loved to try the food at Lazy Betty--a high-end, tasting menu restaurant that definitely requires reservations--and Delbar Middle Eastern.
Stop 2: New Orleans
The next day, we grabbed some pastries at Proof Bakeshop (please observe the croissant that was literally the size of my head) and made our way to our second stop in New Orleans, Louisiana. I was really worried that I'd struggle to tolerate all the driving but, surprisingly, it didn't bother me! The weather was beautiful, there was always something new to see, and the anticipation of arriving at our next destination was exciting.
For lunch, I decided to take us to Vintage Cafe in Montgomery, Alabama. It's an unassuming, adorable old bank-turned-cafe. I ordered... everything. Flavored sparkling water, cookies, a cinnamon roll, a sandwich for DJ, and a delightful salad for myself. Everything was so good!
I found myself bursting with curiosity about this city that felt surprisingly foreign. I've only ever lived on the coasts, so this journey through the South was has been a nice reminder that there is still so much I haven't seen.
Arriving in New Orleans was a little stressful. The streets were narrow, the turn lanes were confusing, and people were everywhere. The stress soon melted away once we arrived at the lovely Westin Hotel in the French Quarter, where we'd spend the night.
There wasn't time to waste, so we took a walk with the dogs to Herbsaint for dinner. The food was delicious, the ambiance was lovely, and the staff were so kind to Jade and Finn! I really enjoyed walking around the city. It's beautiful and quaint and the gas lamps along the traditional New Orleans-style buildings were just as charming as I expected.
Stop 3: Austin
A tropical storm was coming our way. The timing of our trip from NOLA to Austin could not have been better--we were not going to get caught in the storm. We grabbed some massive biscuit sandwiches from District Donuts and made our way out.
The journey to Austin was long. Really long. First, we took a two-hour detour to a sweet little town called Lake Charles, just on the border of Louisiana and Texas. We had lunch with one of DJ's childhood friends, who he hadn't seen in years. It was really nice. And Jade and Finn even got to romp around in a dog park for a little while :) Then, we got stuck in some absolutely terrible traffic. Like, terrible. Our 8 hour drive had turned into an 11 hour drive.
We didn't arrive to our friends' house until midnight, but we had finally made it and we were so relieved! The dogs had the cutest reunion. Imagine lots of tail wags, barking, whining, and running around. So much running around.
The four days we spent in Austin sort of felt like a blur. It was a mix of happiness and excitement with exhaustion and relief. We mostly laid around the next day, ending the evening with a trip to the new stadium of the Austin Soccer Club, who was playing their first game of the season against the San Jose Quakes (the team from my hometown!). It was a fun night. Cherry on top? Matthew McConaughey making a guest appearance on the field! He was just a tiny figure from where I was sitting, but it was still a cool surprise :)
For having such a short trip, I really feel like we made the most of our time in Austin. We took the dogs to a fun water park (literally just for dogs), explored different parts of the city, ate delicious food, and relaxed with our pups and friends.
I have to say, one of my favorite experiences was eating at La Piscina at the Austin Proper hotel. The hotel is absolutely gorgeous, the restaurant had the best ambiance, and the food was delicious.
After four lovely days with our friends, packing up for our journey home felt bittersweet. We wanted more time with our friends, but we were tired and ready to be done living out suitcases and wrangling the dogs around new places. It was a lot for the dogs, too.
Stop 4: Nashville
DJ and I were determined to make our way home in two days, so we embarked on the long, 14 hour journey from Austin to Nashville, Tennessee. Along the way, we stopped at the Root Cafe, a rustic cafe with locally sourced ingredients along Main Street in Little Rock, Arkansas. It was cute and, despite the blistering heat, provided us all with a much-needed break from driving.
We arrived to Nashville in the evening, after witnessing a gorgeous sunset along the tree-lined highway. While I got us squared away in the hotel room, DJ went to Hattie B's to get us some fried chicken. I'm not a big fried chicken person but I can't deny the food was good! The chicken tasted fresh and, despite being fried, was not greasy at all. Five stars from me.
The next morning, I took the dogs for a long walk around Vanderbilt's gorgeous campus. Then, sadly, it was time to pack up and head home. Of course, I wasn't going to let us leave Nashville without enjoying some biscuits. So before getting on the road, we stopped at Biscuit Love for some absolutely delicious, flakey, biscuity goodness. I waited in line for at least thirty minutes, but it was absolutely worth the wait.
Once filled with biscuits, we embarked on the 8-hour journey back to North Carolina.
Honestly, I think the dogs were more excited to be home than us. They wagged their tails as they ran around the house, sniffing everything to make sure all was still in order. They happily curled up in their crates and crashed for probably the best and deepest snooze they'd had in over a week!
Altogether, DJ and I drove hundreds and hundreds of miles, ate lots of delicious food, and made really great memories that we'll always remember. I never took myself to be a road trip person, but I have to say I genuinely enjoyed the entire journey.
More than any papers I publish, conferences I attend, or "incredible" work opportunities I take on, experiences like this road trip are, hands down, going to be the moments that mean the most when I look back on my life.
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