Nestled between Lady Bird Lake and South Congress is one of Austin’s oldest neighborhoods, Travis Heights. When my husband, Cameron, and I returned to Austin with our two-year-old from San Francisco, we knew the urban oasis was the perfect fit for our growing family. (Amidst moving boxes, we welcomed Number Two to our brood.) Away from the hustle and bustle of ever-changing Austin yet still close to the action of downtown and SoCo, we immediately felt right at home in one of Austin’s most charming enclaves.

Anne Campbell is the Partnership & Promotions Editor of Austin Tidbits, and her husband, Cameron, is a Landscape Designer with Ten Eyck Landscape Architects. They have two children and love living in their mid-century home in Travis Heights.

The Campbell's Top 10 to Travis Heights

1. Little Stacy Park (1400 Alameda Dr.). One of our daughter’s favorite places to make new friends and collect worms. The light filters majestically through towering oaks in this shaded Shangri-la.

2. Home Slice Pizza (1415 S. Congress St.). Our fave pizza in the city. Pair it with a Fireman’s Four and one of their killer Greek salads, and you’ve got one happy family. Too hungry to wait for a table? Try More Home Slice next door for a quick slice.

3. Birds Barbershop (1902 S. Congress Ave.). Cameron loves that he can drink a beer, read the Chronicle, listen to some good tunes and get a good (and cheap!) haircut on the quick.

4. Hotel San José (1316 S. Congress Ave.). Pre-kids, you would have seen us here lounging with red in thick glass tumblers. Nowadays, when we manage to escape the little ones, we book it straight to the inviting bar at the Hotel San José.

5. Hey Cupcake! (1600 S. Congress Ave.). Under the revolving cupcake, my daughter and I love a special afternoon treat from this sweet trailer. Our fave? Red velvet with cream cheese icing. Yum!

6. Farm to Market Grocery (1718 S. Congress Ave.). An upscale grocery with a small town feel. We love that we’re supporting local when we shop for food here. Cameron often stops here after work for a gallon of milk and a gourmet dessert.

7. Y & I Clothing Boutique (1113 S. Congress Ave.). A great place to pick up gifts and last-minute accessories for a night on the town.

8. Kendra Scott Design (1400 S. Congress Ave.). Kick off the weekend at the local designer’s flagship store (she now has locations in Dallas and Beverly Hills too) for colorful additions when you don’t have time to shop for an entire ensemble. Be prepared to stay a while and mix and match at the color bar—it’s addictive.

9. Blunn Creek Greenbelt (1901 East Side Dr.). We love loading up the double stroller and walking for hours along Blunn Creek. It’s one of Austin’s best kept secret places for an urban hike!

10. Whip In (1950 I-35 S.). Part beer pick-up spot, part Indian food resto, this unique stop alongside I-35 embodies Austin’s slogan—they’re definitely keeping it weird.