Head to Iron Cactus' flagship Austin location for cocktails and snacks. The large Tex-Mex menu ranges from fish tacos to Carne Guisada, but many come for the drinks. The selection of over 100 tequilas has been recognized as one of the top ten in the nation by Chili Pepper magazine, and the bar menu may be just as extensive as the food menu.

Margaritas here are made from scratch with fresh squeezed lime juice and organic agave nectar. (Try the "El Pepino" for a traditional margarita with a spicy kick.) Happy hour runs from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and features $3 drinks and $5 appetizers, like the Chile Con Queso — a customer favorite. Its three spacious floors accommodate the crowds, while keeping an open feel, and the outdoor patio offers great views of the skyline.

Iron Cactus
606 Trinity Street
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 472-9240
www.ironcactus.com
www.yelp.com/biz/iron-cactus-austin-6

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/ninacoco

When the kids are home on fall break from school, you’ll likely need fun activities to keep them entertained. These fall-themed craft projects are perfect for keeping the kids busy as the days get shorter.

Plastic Cup Crow [craftsbyamanda.com]
The kids will love this simple crow craft that is much more silly than scary. As a bonus, all it takes is a small bathroom cup, construction paper, glue, and a few other supplies that you probably already have around the house.

Toilet Paper Roll Leaf Stamp [craftymorning.com]
If you feel wasteful throwing away all of those empty toilet paper rolls, start saving them to make this colorful fall art project with the little ones. Cut the rolls into handheld sizes, bend them into leaf shapes and encourage your kids to go wild with paint in shades of red, yellow, and brown.

Fall Leaves Garland [abeautifulmess.typepad.com]
Let the kids help you decorate the house for fall with this adorable garland DIY. Children of all ages can trace leaves onto colorful felt (the more the better!), and you can let the older kids cut them out with child-safe scissors. Sew them together with embroidery thread or let a beginning sewer help with this part, too. Hang the garland anyplace in your home that would benefit from a bit of fall charm.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Jeremy Seitz

Whether you love kitschy, quirky trinkets or you know someone else who does, Monkey See Monkey Do! is one of Austin’s most popular gift shops. This wacky store is like a toy store for adults, and it is positively packed full of all of the magnets, action figures, whoopee cushions, and novelty candies that you can imagine. There’s also a number of Austin-themed gifts!

None of these items are particularly useful, but once you spend a while in this silly shop you'll realize that that’s what makes them great. And of course, Monkey See Monkey Do! even carries a vast assortment of—you guessed it—monkey paraphernalia!

Monkey See Monkey Do! is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Monkey See Monkey Do!
1712 S. Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 443-4999
www.facebook.com/MonkeySeeMonkeyDoAustin
www.yelp.com/biz/monkey-see-monkey-do-austin

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/chillitpv