How a one-and-a-half-hour hike to nowhere led to an unexpectedly great SXSW experience

The day before SXSW officially began, a few colleagues and I decided to explore Austin. We chose what seemed like a simple, low commitment activity – a short hike to Barton Twin Falls. 

An hour into the hike, something felt off.

No sound of water. 

No sign of a destination. 

There was just a growing suspicion that we might be heading nowhere. 

As we struggled through the trail, we eventually met Judith, an 86-year-old who hiked with more ease than most of us. When we asked for directions to Barton Twin Falls, she flatly responded, “It dried up months ago.” 

That was it. The destination we had set out for no longer existed. So we turned around and made our way back on the same trail. We laughed at ourselves, at the effort, at unmet expectations, and at the absurdity of it all.

And somehow, that became the perfect metaphor for my SXSW experience.

As a day pass holder, I expected limitations. After all, SXSW is notorious for its access tiers, where the most sought after talks and events can feel out of reach.

In other words, I expected another hike to nowhere.

But SXSW has a way of rewarding those who let go of rigid plans. Instead of chasing the main events, I found myself drawn to everything happening around them– the unofficial, the unexpected, the overlooked. And that is where things got interesting.

I rode in a Rivian electric car.
I attended a talk featuring Zachary Levi.
I walked into a free concert featuring Taiwanese artists with zero expectations and left with boba.
I collected more branded freebies than I could reasonably justify carrying home as pasalubong (souvenir).

None of these were part of some carefully crafted master plan. They happened because I followed curiosity instead of an agenda. 

And that, I realized, is the real hack to SXSW. Access is not just about badges. It is about awareness.

There is an entire parallel ecosystem of events, brand activations, pop-ups, and side stage talks that are free, just require an RSVP, and often just as engaging as the official programming. If you know where to look and you are willing to pivot, you will not feel like you are missing out. You will feel like you are in on something.

Of course, getting there was its own story. The trip to Texas felt uncertain at times, shaped by global tensions, travel disruptions, and the kind of unpredictability that makes you question whether it’s all going to be worth it. But standing on the other side of it now, the answer is simple: it was all worth it. SXSW, much like that hike, was not really about the destination; it was about what happened when things didn’t go as planned.

So if you ever get the chance to go, especially as a last minute plus one, take it. Do not overthink it. Do not wait until everything feels perfectly lined up. And if the opportunity does not land in your lap, put it on your list anyway. Particularly if you work in advertising, creativity, or anything adjacent to culture, it is the kind of environment that reminds you why you got into it in the first place.

Just do not be too fixated on the waterfalls.

Sometimes, the best parts of the journey are the ones you never planned for.

About The Writer

Trix Rodriguez is the Head of Social at Octopus&Whale and the designated Plus One to Joey David Tiempo, an SXSW Sports & Gaming mentor.

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