Things to See & Do in Austin

The state capital and home to a world-class university, Austin has grown a lot in recent years as high tech and movie companies have arrived. But it still has its unique, funky personality.

History & Culture

• The Austin Museum of Art is one of two museums operated by Laguna Gloria. The downtown site shows mostly 20th century modern and contemporary American art, equipped with listening and reading stations and films to enhance your experience.
• The South Austin Museum of Popular Culture presents several exhibitions each year, with an emphasis on posters reflecting the history of Austin's music scene.
• At the State Capitol Building, you can see a history in pictures of the building's renovation, exhibitions, as well as the Visitors Center and gift shop.
• Wander around the University of Texas at Austin campus, and explore the Drag (Guadalupe Street) where you'll find the:
  • Blantom Museum of Art
  • Harry Ransom Center
  • Neil Cochran House
  • Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library & Museum
  • Texas Memorial Museum
  • 307-foot UT Tower with observation deck
  • An artesan's Renaissance Market
  • Notable pieces of street art

Recreation

With over-350 acres, you can get lost in Zilker Park near downtown Austin. Zilker Park is the site of an annual kite festival and Shakespeare festival, rugby tournament, ballet and music performances amongst many others, including the famous Austin City Limits Music Festival.

• Bike or walk the 10-mile trail around Lady Bird Lake
• Rent a canoe
• Ride the Zilker Zephyr, a train that loops around the park in less than half an hour)
• Take a dip in Barton Springs, a spring-fed 3-acre pool, with water at a 68 degree Fahrenheit
• Enjoy one of the many picnic areas, and polo, soccer and volleyball fields
• Visit the Botancial Gardens, Hillside Theater, Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum, and the Nature & Science Center

The Congress Avenue Bridge is home to one of the largest colonies of Mexican Free-Tailed Bats in any urban area. The local newspaper, the Austin American-Statesman, has created a park where people congregate each evening to watch the bats emerge. Take a cruise along Town Lake at sunset to see this amazing sight.

Food

Texas has great, inexpensive Tex-Mex food everywhere, and Austin is no exception:

• Baby Acapulco on Barton Springs Road
• El Azteca on East 7th Street
• Trudy's Texas Star on West 30th Street
• Vivo on Manor Road
• El Arroyo on West 5th Street

Music & Nightlife

Austin is famous for its music scene—countless artists have gotten their start here:

• Antone's on W. Fifth Street
• Emo's on Red River Street
• Stubb's Bar-B-Q on Red River Street
• Continental Club on South Congress Avenue
• Lucky Lounge on W. Fifth Street
• Esther's Follies on Austin's famous Sixth St. has magic, vaudeville, improv, and biting parody.

Austin City Limits is the longest running music series in American TV history. Tickets to the taping are free but can be complicated to get your hands on. Once in Austin, call the KLRU Hotline at (512) 475-9077 for details.

Accommodation

Students looking for reasonably priced lodging should contact these hotels for rates and availability:

• Radisson Hotel & Suites on E. Cesar Chavez Street
• Homestead Studios Suites on S. First Street
• Austin Village Motor Inn on Middle Lane
• Days Inn University on N. I-35 near the University of Texas
• La Quinta Inn on S. 1-36

Sports

Austin has every warm-weather sport you could want from swimming and boating, to hiking, biking, and skateboarding, including both collegiate and professional teams. The city will also host the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix from 2012- 2021.

The University of Texas at Austin Longhorns play almost every imaginable sport. Both men and women enjoy baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, swimming and diving, tennis and track and field. Men can also participate in baseball and football, while women can also choose rowing, soccer, softball, and volleyball.

• Football
  • Semi-Professional Austin Gamebreakers (NAFL &TFL)
  • Indoor Football Austin Turfcats (IFL)
  • Women's Austin Outlaws (WFL)
• Ice Hockey
  • Texas Stars (AHL)
• Basketball
  • Minor-League Austin Toros (NBA Development League)
• Baseball
  • AAA Minor-League Round Rock Express
• Soccer
  • U19 Girls Lonestar Soccer Club

Transportation

Public transportation includes buses and taxi, but Austin is also friendly to bikes and pedestrians. For outlying areas, you’ll probably still need a car.

• Capital Metro operates the city bus system with very reasonable fares. University of Texas students, faculty, staff ride for free, while all other students with ID ride for half price.
• The free downtown shuttle trolley, known as the'Dillo, hits most of the major tourist spots