The Perfect Austin Staycation, Hour by Hour
Updated: 4 days ago
The best Austin staycation is one night, midweek, fifteen minutes from downtown: check in Wednesday afternoon, have dinner a short walk from your door, and stay for lunch on Thursday when every bottle of wine is half price. Here is how to spend those twenty-four hours at The Wayback, hour by hour.
Every Austinite knows the feeling. The week is full, the calendar is fuller, and a real trip would take more planning than the rest you need. So skip the airport.
The best staycation in Austin is close enough that the drive is part of the rest, and far enough that the city drops out of the rearview mirror. Fifteen minutes west of downtown, on Bee Cave Road, eight board-and-batten cottages and the Nook sit on a grove of more than 300 heritage live oaks. There's a café and craft bar, a saltwater pool, and a big Texas sky over the Hill Country. Condé Nast Traveler named The Wayback one of the best boutique hotels in Austin.
We'd spend it Wednesday to Thursday. The midweek nights are the calmest on the property, the café is open, and on Thursday every bottle of wine is half price all day.
Wednesday, 3:00 PM: Check In Under the Oaks
Take Bee Cave Road west and watch the skyline shrink behind you. By the time you park, the shade has dropped ten degrees and the only traffic is a pair of cardinals.
Pick your cottage the way you'd pick a table. Cottage 6 has a king bed, windows over the hills, and a private back patio made for an afternoon glass of wine. Cottage 8 has a kitchenette and a back door that opens to the lawn and the hills, plus a gas fireplace for the cool months. Cottage 3 sits in the back corner and is the most private of the eight. Traveling with friends? Cottages 1 and 4 and the Nook each sleep four.
Every cottage comes with organic cotton sheets, Honest Cotton robes, Pom Pom at Home throws, San Saba Soap Co. bath products from right here in Texas, and a mini-fridge.
Wednesday, 3:30 PM: Happy Hour at the Cabana
Happy hour runs 3 to 5 PM, Wednesday through Saturday. Bottles of wine are half off and signature cocktails are $3 off (dine-in only). Take a seat at the cabana and order something cold.
Nobody is in a hurry here. You shouldn't be either.
Wednesday, 5:00 PM: Do Very Little
This is the hour most trips forget to schedule. A lounge chair by the saltwater pool. A book you've been meaning to finish. A nap that runs long. The lawn is wide, the oaks are older than the city's skyline, and the afternoon will wait for you.
Wednesday, 6:30 PM: Golden Hour Over the Hills
Cottages 5 through 8 look out over the Hill Country, and this is the hour they were built for. Find a chair on the porch. The light goes gold, then pink, then soft blue over the hills. Pour what's left of the bottle.
Wednesday, 7:00 PM: Dinner, Two Minutes From Your Door
The Wayback Café cooks a seasonal, farm-to-table menu with Texas olive oil and ingredients sourced from farms across the state. Sit in the dining room, out on the patio, or on the lawn. Dinner runs until 9 PM Wednesday through Saturday (last seating 8:30), and reservations open 21 days in advance.
The best part comes after dessert. The walk home takes two minutes, and nobody needs a ride.
Wednesday, 8:30 PM: S'mores by the Fire
On a cool night there's a fire going and s'mores to make. Look up. Fifteen minutes from downtown, the sky over the Hill Country still has stars in it.
Wednesday, 10:00 PM: Lights Out
Crisp sheets, a soft robe, windows open to the oaks. The city is fifteen minutes away and, for one night, entirely somebody else's problem.
Thursday, 8:00 AM: Coffee on the Porch
Every cottage is stocked with Fara coffee and a Keurig. Take the first cup out to the porch and watch the grove wake up.
Want breakfast without leaving the porch? Add Cottage Breakfast Delivery, served Wednesday through Friday and delivered between 8:30 and 9 AM: quiche Lorraine, a Greek yogurt parfait, and a sweet treat, for $26 plus tax and 20% gratuity. On a weekend stay, the café serves breakfast and brunch from 9 AM.
Thursday, 9:00 AM: A Walk Under the Live Oaks
More than 300 heritage live oaks shade the property. We built around every one of them. Take a lap before the day warms up. If you'd like to range further, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Barton Springs, and Lake Travis are each a short drive away.
Thursday, 11:00 AM: Check Out, Then Stay for Lunch
Check-out is at 11, which happens to be exactly when the café opens on Thursday. Every bottle of wine is half price all day on Thursdays. Order lunch on the patio, take your time with it, and be home by two.
Total time away: twenty-four hours. It will feel longer. That's the point.
Make It the Whole Property
Some getaways deserve the whole crew. The Wayback's cottages sleep up to 22 guests, and the property can be reserved in full for birthdays, bridal and baby showers, family reunions, company retreats, and weddings. The café, patio, cabana, lawn, oak grove, and pool all become yours, and every event is catered by our café and craft bar.
Give It Away
Wayback gift cards cover cottage stays, pool passes, food, and drinks, which makes a night under the oaks one of the easier gifts in Austin to give. Buy a gift card.
What's On at The Wayback
Time your stay with something on the calendar. The Wayback hosts Mahj on the Lawn, live jazz nights and jazz brunch, and seasonal workshops. Check the events page for upcoming dates. Planning a longer escape? See our guide to a Hill Country getaway near Austin.
FAQ
Where is The Wayback?
At 9601 Bee Cave Road, Austin, Texas 78733, in Westlake Hills about 15 minutes west of downtown Austin.
What's the best night for a staycation at The Wayback?
Wednesday or Thursday. Midweek nights are the calmest on the property, the café is open for dinner, happy hour runs 3 to 5 PM, and bottles of wine are half price all day Thursday.
Is breakfast included at The Wayback?
Breakfast isn't included in the rate. Every cottage has Fara coffee and a Keurig, Cottage Breakfast Delivery ($26 plus tax and 20% gratuity) arrives between 8:30 and 9 AM Wednesday through Friday, and the café serves breakfast and brunch from 9 AM on weekends.
Which cottage is the most romantic?
Cottage 6, with a king bed, Hill Country views, and a private back patio. Cottage 8 is a close second, with a kitchenette and a gas fireplace.
Can I eat at The Wayback Café without staying overnight?
Yes. The café is open Wednesday through Friday 11 AM to 9 PM, Saturday 9 AM to 9 PM, and Sunday 9 AM to 3 PM. It's closed Monday and Tuesday. Reservations open 21 days in advance.
Looking for a bed and breakfast near Austin? Here is our guide to the Austin bed and breakfasts that are still open, with breakfast details and prices for each.
Stay at The Wayback
The Wayback has eight private cottages plus the Nook, a café and craft bar, and a saltwater pool on Bee Cave Road, 15 minutes west of downtown Austin. A midweek night is the easiest way in. The city will be right where you left it.
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