It was super busy the beautiful Saturday we were there...and pleasant enough walk, but really nothing much different than any other city's art/cafe/market area. Interesting people watching, certainly...

I had breakfast and coffee at the Royal Blue Grocery near the corner of Congress Ave and 6th St, they can make an esspresso, and there is an outside area that you can sit in and watch traffic go by

This strip of South Congress called SoCo has been home to a lively street scene for years now. Boutique hotels, loads of shops, restaurants, music venues and clubs. Many venues have been in business for years and years. The Austin Motel, Guerros, Home Slice Pizza, Jo's Coffee and The Continental Club to name but a few. I actually met my husband at The Continental Club in 1978 and it is still there and going strong. We now live in England, but are lucky enough to visit Austin a couple of times a year. We alway rent a house in the SoCo area when we are here. It is great to have so much within easy walking distance. Happily lots of the old buildings remain intact and haven't been torn down to put up high-rise, multi-use buildings, which is happening almost everywhere else in Austin. Ironic, as Austin's catch phrase is Keep Austin Weird. Guess the folks on the planning board here have forgotten that! Greedy buggers…. Hope they keep their mitts off South Congress.

Every time I drive or walk on Congress Avenue, seeing all the old style buildings my imagination runs back to 150 years ago and wondering what it was like back then. Pick a nice time of day around after 6 pm in Summer time or all day in Spring or Fall, and enjoy the buildings, shops and restaurants along the street. Do not drive there at rush hours because you will find yourself get stuck in traffics, unless you choose to enjoy site seeing with slow-pace driving.