Hey Nerds,
(Editor note: I started writing this before 3/16, which is our actual one year of staying at home. Life got in the way and this is now posting after that mark. My apologies and proceed with that lens as you read further.)
Can you believe we’re coming up on a year? One year of mostly staying at home, isolating, socially distancing, and wearing masks. It’s been over a year since my Nerd Partner 4 Life took a vacation or traveled internationally. 15 months since I have seen my immediate family in person.
Let’s get real: we needed a break. A vacation to unwind and hit the reset button. But even though the state of Texas seems to think it’s time to reopen and put Covid-19 behind us, all we felt comfortable doing was taking a road trip down to Austin, Texas for a one night stay at the Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa.
I had a free night to use and we had stayed at the Omni Barton Creek property back in February of 2017. Since then, they completed a major remodel of the property and added a second tower of guest rooms. The property is STUNNING. It’s 4,000 acres set in the Texas hill country. If you’re a golfer, they have multiple courses. Prefer to live it up through food, they have multiple restaurants. If you like to hike, they have a decent nature trail for you to wander. And if you just want to relax, the new pool is an oasis.
So why Austin?
Honestly, why NOT Austin? Austin is a very cool city. There’s plenty to do outdoors, tons of museums, college sports, tasty eats, a pink granite Capitol, and so many breweries! It’s a fairly progressive city in a staunchly conservative state. For us, that’s a draw. Plus, Austin has two Omni properties (it was three when we made the reservation, but they recently announced they sold five properties, including one in Austin).
I’m a big fan of Omni.
I fell in love with the brand when I worked for the company back in the 2010s and try to stay with them when I can. And the final tick in the win column for Austin? It’s just a 3 hour drive from Fort Worth down I-35, which is predominantly 3 lane highway all the way down. It’s an easy drive with two public rest areas along the way! Like nice, super clean ones with restrooms that look like silos. Silos!
Road tripping during a pandemic
Honestly, road tripping during a pandemic isn’t that bad. We originally were going to take this trip Valentine’s Day weekend, but Snowmaggedon hit Texas and we didn’t think it was wise to drive down to Austin. Wise decision on part. The roads were garbage, we lost power in our home for 76 hours, and as I would find out the hotel’s pipes froze and they didn’t have water. We pushed the trip out to the first weekend of March and, as luck would have it, we got the trip right before the state reopened 100% and the mask mandate was lifted. Were people already not wearing masks along the way? Yup. But we made limited stops, always wore our masks, and brought beverages and snacks for the drive. Easy peasy.
Live the Omni Life
After three plus hours on the road, thanks standstill traffic around Round Rock, we finally made it to the Omni Barton Creek Resort and Spa. We quickly checked in and parked in the self-park garage. I’m not above valet, but not during a pandemic. My car is my safe space.
We stayed in a Champions Executive Suite and it was STUNNING. Look at this majestic piece of luxury.
Gorgeous, right???
The room was spacious and elegantly decorated with a view down over the lawn and golf course. We watched as a wedding reception was going on (no masks as far as the eye could see). The welcome amenity was a small bag of chocolate chip cookies, trail mix, and a bottle of Prosecco. Just enough to make us feel special, valued, and ready to take a break.
Going on an adventure…to Jester King Brewery
I mentioned that Austin has plenty of breweries, but there is one that was on my bucket list. Jester King Brewery.
Voted the top brewery in Texas in the inaugural Texas Craft Brewery Rankings, they have also done a phenomenal job at reimagining their space to fit the pandemic. I’m not just saying that, others are too. With QR codes at every table and exclusively mobile ordering, you can easily enjoy a meal at a table of your own without having to hastily put your mask back on every time your server comes by.
I opted to make a reservation to ensure that we could have a table in the area we wanted to sit: the indoor area known as the Pole Barn. They placed partitions between each large picnic table and we were able to select any table we wanted. Obviously we picked the one at the farthest end with the least amount of tables around us and the smallest chance of people walking by. It was perfect.
We ordered using the QR code on the table and you could track your order’s progress on your phone. They also texted you when each portion of your order was ready–drinks and food came out at different times since food takes longer to prepare. Once ready, you went to the food and drinks pick up area to grab your order. For this special occasion we got a pizza, a massive cookie, strawberry babka, and two beers. The food was delicious and the beers were sour and funky. They also place lids on your beers! I’m sure it’s for pandemic food safety, but I would just spill it everywhere without one.
All in all, the food was delish! We devoured that pizza and the cookie, opting to take the babka for a treat back at the hotel.
Walk it off
After dinner, we grabbed a second beer at the Pasture Bar. Closed for much of the pandemic, it was back open thanks to the gorgeous weather. Then we walked around the grounds of Jester King. There’s plenty of seating throughout the property, including an outdoor stage for live music. Did I mention they have goats? I didn’t? WELL THEY HAVE GOATS! I didn’t get a good photo of the goats, but they meandered (were herded?) throughout the open grounds for an evening munch. Obviously, the goats drew the attention of small children like moths to a furry flame.
Jester King also has ample seating a significant distance from the main dining area, giving those looking to socially distance like a champ the chance to keep their title belt. In the end, we watched the sun set over the Texas hills and made our way back to the Omni–to-go beer and babka in hand.
And to all a good night
Back at the Omni, we decided that a staycation called for relaxation. First up was enjoying a complimentary drink at the bar. Just one of the many perks of Select Guest, the loyalty program of Omni Hotels and Resorts. We opted to grab a couple of beers and sit down by a fire pit. The wedding reception was in full swing, so we sat by the fire with purple lights dancing off the hotel. It was great until three unmasked children came and started to light tall grass on fire with the fire pit. And with that, we bounced.
Back in the room, we poured ourselves some prosecco and chilled. In the tub! Look at that luxurious soaking tub. Look. At. It! Who wouldn’t want to chill with some bubbly and let the stress of a global pandemic melt away? (If only for a night.)
We topped off the evening by watching episodes of Home Town in bed and polishing off the babka. <chef’s kiss>
Homeward bound
The following morning, we woke up late and enjoyed some room service brunch. Bacon and egg sandwiches on brioche buns with perfectly seasoned potatoes, coffee and English breakfast tea. Afterward we ventured out on the nature trail, getting some exercise in. While the day was warming up, it was cool on the trail and we had it completely to ourselves.
After what was a wonderful stay, we hit the road back to Fort Worth. While stopping at Buc-ee’s was the novelty on the way down, we decided to hit the Czech Stop on the way back for the first time ever! Did somebody say kolaches???
It was another delicious stop on our very quick Austin staycation and 100% worth the semi-packed store. Plus, to make it worth our while, I bought a DOZEN sausage and cheese kolaches. We had kolaches for DAYS.
If you’re looking for a place to road trip in the near future, or heck even after we return to a new normal, I highly recommend Austin. We literally scratched the surface of the delightfully weird and wonderfully vibrant city that is Austin.
Fun Fact: Austin was one of the first road trips my NP4L and I ever took together after we first started dating. We went to visit a dear friend with whom I grew up at a tattoo convention, visited the state capitol, and ate at the original Schlotzky’s. It was a memorable trip and Austin holds a special place in my nerdy heart.
As the country continues to open up, and we all start traveling again, I plan on sharing posts on some of our favorite destinations.
Until then, stay safe.
Cheers,
Head Nerd