All About Austin Texas
Austin Texas was originally a Native American buffalo hunting ground. In 1838, it was permanently settled as a trading post on the
Colorado River
. The town was named after the colonist Stephen F. Austin. Today, its population of 656,562 people makes it the fourth-largest city in
Texas
and the 16th largest city in the U.S. Cyclist Lance Armstrong, actor Sandra Bullock and science fiction writer Bruce Sterling are amongst its famous residents.
If you are looking for a vacation destination that has 300 days of sunshine an average temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit, consider a visit to
Austin, Texas
. Along with the great year-round weather, the state capitol of
Texas
has enough activities to suit any vacation preference. Are you a fan of country music? Do you enjoy listening to Grammy-winning country music musicians? On any night of the week, the clubs in Austin feature poplar artists such as the Dixie Chicks, Willie Nelson, Shawn Colvin and others. In fact, music plays an important part of Austin’s culture. There are a multitude of huge record stores. Live music can be heard in totally unexpected places such as converted gas stations.
Austin
has also been a locale for many popular movies, such as Miss Congeniality, The Rookie, Michael, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and Second Hand Lions. Moviemaker Magazine considers
Austin
to be one of the top 10 places to make a movie. The University of Texas hosts many concerts and theatrical productions. Its library has an extensive literary archive. If you read A.S. Byatt’s Possession, the University of Texas inspired the wealthy American college.
Although you might be tempted to think of
Austin
in terms of typical
Texas
stereotypes, it is actually a city of many contrasts. Because of the presence of Dell Computer, IBM and Motorola,
Austin
is sometimes referred to as The Silicon Hills. Cyberpunks, intellectuals and environmentalists inhabit this city, which is often compared to Berkeley or Seattle. However with its music and excellent barbeque, the atmosphere of
Austin
remains distinctively “Texan.”
All of these factors may contribute to why
Austin
is consistently hailed as one of the best places to live by Forbes, Men’s Journal and Sperling’s Best Paces. Additionally, Entrepreneur Magazine considers
Austin
to be a city where the entrepreneurial spirit is thriving. Because of its excellent restaurants, Verizon Super Pages considers
Austin
to be one of the Top 25 Tastiest Cities in the To top it off, Capitol Metro provides affordable bus service throughout
Austin
, so that you can save money on gas when you come for a visit. In fact, you can ride the Downtown ‘Dillo Bus Service is free of charge! ‘Dillos are trolleys on wheels or small buses designed to take you to the most popular attractions in
Austin
. From Thursday thru Saturday, the ‘Dillo adds late-night service from 6:00PM to 3:00AM. This allows you to enjoy the downtown nightlife without worrying about driving back to your hotel!
Austin
Accommodations
When planning a trip to
Austin, Texas
, there are certain times of the year when hotel space is scarce. For example, in the odd-numbered years, lawmakers and lobbyists gather in the state for 140-day planning sessions. Furthermore, the beginning of the fall term at
University
of
Texas
, graduation week and UT football games bring thousands of visitors to
Austin
. In late September, you will compete for accommodations with visitors to the Austin City Limits Festival. While these events might make hotel-booking a challenge, there’s no need to be discouraged. Plan your stay well in advance, and you will be sure to find suitable lodging.
Austin
has accommodations to suit every budget and preference. If you are looking for a hotel with “character” book a room at the
Austin
Motel
on
South Congress Street
. The 41 rooms at this hip and funky hotel are each decorated in a different theme, such as French Provencal, Chinese and Mexican. The
Austin
Motel
has rates that are very affordable. However, do not expect to find amenities such as hairdryers, alarm clocks and Internet access.
If you have a “thing” for country western musicians, plan a stay at the Hotel San Jose on
South Congress Street
. This is the official motel of the musicians from the TV show, Austin City Limits. The hotel has modern amenities such as hairdryer and Internet access. Room rates include continental breakfast.
Would you like to stay in an historical setting? You might enjoy the Austin Folk House, located on the campus of the
University
of
Texas
. The hotel was built in 1880 and renovated in 2001. The rooms are decorated with Southern Folk paintings along with wooden antique furnishings. Their homemade breakfasts receive rave reviews. Highest accolades have been given to their raspberry french toast!
The Mansion at Judges Hill is another historical hotel, which is also located on the campus of the
University
of
Texas
. In 1900, UT founder Thomas Wooten presented this colonial mansion to his son as a wedding gift. Today, the Mansion at Judges Hill combines the quaintly unique charm of a bed and breakfast with the generous amenities of a luxury hotel.
For a romantic getaway, consider
Austins
Inn
at
Pearl Street
. The turn-of-the-century Greek revival estate has 10 rooms. Some of the rooms have their own, private Jacuzzi! You can choose from a variety of romantic packages. The Celebration Package includes a bottle of champagne upon your arrival. When you wake up the next morning, you will enjoy a delicious breakfast on your private balcony. If you choose the Twilight Dinner Package, you will be served a five-course candlelit dinner in the privacy of your room.
You cannot talk about
Austin
hotels without mentioning the Driskill, which is located on
Brazos Street
. This historical landmark hotel was built in 1886 by cattle baron Colonel Jesse Driskill. As you enter the lobby of the hotel you will be overwhelmed by the three-story columns that frame a marble floor. Above you, the sun shines through a glass dome ceiling. Upon arriving in your elegant room, you’ll find European bath products, a plush terry robe, and a number of other luxury amenities.
In addition to these “uniquely
Austin
” accommodations, there are also a number of chain hotels throughout the city. These include Extended Stay, Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt Regency, La Quinta, Intercontinental, Holiday Inn and Hampton Inn.
Austin
Live Music Scene
Austin Texas and live music are practically synonymous. Austinites love music so much, that If you happen to fly into
Austin
Bergstrom
Airport
, a live band will be there to welcome you! On Friday, head out to City Hall during lunch time, so that you can listen to live music on the plaza. You can spend a week in Austin and not visit every music club. That being said, here are a few of the local favorites.
When you enter Don’s Depot on
West 5th Street
, don’t be surprised if you feel as if you are in a train station. That’s because several Missouri-Pacific train cars have been used in the dÃ?©cor. This is where
Texas
grannies and young college students unite with a common interest: the best darn country music in
Texas
! Depending on the night, you can also listen to rockabilly,
Texas
blues and jazz. Don’s Depot is open six nights a week.
If you’d like the piano man to sing you a song, spend an evening or two at Kenny Luna’s Ivory Cat Tavern and Lair, located on
East 6th Street
. Three piano players, along with three drummers rotate their performances throughout the week. Occasionally, a guest pianist or drummer will perform.
Do you have a right to hear the blues? Pay a visit to Antone’s, located on
West 5th Street
. Here, you can listen to live blues seven nights a week. Up-and coming artists, as well as famous blues musicians have performed at Antone’s.
Head out to the Broken Spoke for the best honky-tonk in
Texas
. The dance floor is up close and personal with the stage, so you can dance real close to your favorite artists. Entertainment Magazine voted the Broken Spoke the
Best
Dance Hall
in the Nation.
The Broken Spoke is located on
South Lamar Street
in
Austin
.
If you want to take a break from country western music and listen to live jazz in a laid back atmosphere, Cedar Street Courtyard, located on
West 4th Street
is the place to go. You can either listen in the beautiful out door courtyard, or in inclement weather, head indoors. Cedar Street Courtyard also has an interesting martini menu.
Many country music enthusiasts visit
Austin
with the hope of obtaining tickets for a taping of Austin City Limits. This is possible, but it can be challenging. Call the KLRU hotline at (512) 475-9077 to find out when the taping will happen. Then, turn on your radio. Two days prior to the taping, an announcement will be made as to where to pick up your tickets. Then, sprint, don’t walk to that location. There’s a catch. The radio station distributes an excess of tickets than capacity allows, accounting for no-shows. Therefore, having a ticket does not guarantee admission. You need to arrive as early as possible. If you don’t want to spend your entire vacation time getting tickets, consider attending the annual Austin City Limits Music Festival, whose dates are announced one year in advance.
Austin
Attractions
While Austin Texas has an excellent variety of indoor and outdoor attractions, make sure that you spend some time visiting the State Capitol building, which is located on
11th Street
, between Lavaca and
San Jacinto
. The Capitol complex includes the Texas General Land Office. This 1857 building is the oldest state office in the . The Texas Capitol building was completed in 1888, and was designated as a National Historic landmark in 1986.
If you are really interested in the history of
Texas
, pay a visit to the
Bob
Bullock
Texas
State
History
Museum
. The three floors of interactive exhibits have three themes: Land, Identity and
Opportunity
. The first floor tells of the Encounters on Land, specifically between the Native Americans and the explorers from
Europe
. On the second floor, you will learn about Building the Lone Star Identity. Here, you can follow the history of
Texas
as it became the 28th state, then seceded from the
Union
to join the Confederacy and fight in the Civil War. On the third floor, Creating Opportunity shows the Texan’s approach to preserving the land, drilling oil and refining technology. You will also learn about the importance of ranching in
Texas
.
After walking around in
Austin
‘s warm temperatures, you will enjoy going for a swim at Barton Springs. Several underground springs feed the 1000 ft. limestone pool 28 million gallons of water a day. All year round, the pool temperature is kept at 68 degrees. The springs are part of the 360-acre
Zilker
Metropolitan
Park
, where you can hike, bike or paddle a canoe. The park is also home to the Zilker Botanical Gardens. Both the animal and plant life make this area a wonderful place to visit. Speaking of animals, you will surely want to visit the Austin Zoo, where 90 percent of the animals are rescued from circuses, research laboratories and improper residences. In March,
Austin
is visited by a huge flock of flying creatures. It’s enough to drive you batty!
In March and April, thousands of pregnant female bats migrate to
Austin
in order to give birth. Rather than complain about it,
Austin
uses this unusual event as cause for celebration. Each September, Roadstar Productions features Batfest, a celebration of music, arts and crafts and, well, bat watching! About 750,000 bats live under the
Congress
Avenue
Bridge
. Every evening, they emerge from the crevices to feed on insects. Bat-watching in
Austin
is so popular, that there is actually a bat hotline that will give you updates as to the approximate time when the bats are expected to emerge. You are also advised to make a reservation if you plan on watching the bats from a restaurant. Well, that is certainly a unique activity!
Blazertag is another odd ball
Austin
attraction which features a laser tag adventure center. Players done light-weight vests and use phasers to “tag” their opponents with laser light beams. Your game takes place in an indoor maze that is created by bridges, ramps and towers. Special lighting, music and fog create an exciting atmosphere.
Austin
Dining
If all of this sightseeing is making you hungry, rest assured that there are plenty of excellent dining spots in
Austin
. In fact, many of them are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week! For example, the bohemian style Magnolia Caf�© on
Congress Street
serves home-style favorite dishes at any hour of the day or night. The “Mag” as locals call it is a favorite with actors, musicians and students.
Insomniac vegetarians will enjoy the Kerbey Lane Caf�© on
Guadalupe Street
. The pancakes, especially the gingerbread pancakes receive rave reviews. If, on the other hand, you are a confirmed member of the meat and potatoes crowd, you will probably prefer the Star Seeds Caf�© on
East 31st Street
. Because of its huge portions, locals recommend that you come hungry when visiting this eatery.
If you find yourself longing for a good hamburger, Fran’s Hamburgers is the place to go. Hand cut fries and fried mushrooms make this the most popular burger joint in town. Order your food up front, take a number, then relax in a booth in the back.
While it’s great to know that all this late-night dining exists, you are probably interested in
Austin
‘s regional cooking. The Iguana Grill Austin on
Lake
Travis
combines excellent views with delicious Lake-Mex cuisine. Lake-Mex is Tex-Mex with Yucat�¡n flair. The menu ranges from fresh seafood to traditional enchiladas.
Mesa Ranch describes itself as a “true
Texas
grill.” They specialize in mesquite grilled entrees and other foods that are uniquely Texan. For example, Fried Cactus Happy Hour is from 5-7 daily. You can sample cactus fried in Shiner Bock beer batter with Tequila Ranch sauce and white queso. Mexican seafood fans will love the grilled poblano rellenos filled with Mexican cheeses and grilled shrimp.
Guero’s Taco Bar is a popular
South Austin
taqueria. The restaurant is decorated with photos from the Mexican Revolution. Your meal begins with a traditional, self serve taco bar that features a variety of delicious salsas. Hand-shaken margaritas are made in the original way, complete with fresh-squeezed lime juice. The corn tortillas are made fresh by hand.
ZuZu CafÃ?© is another restaurant that is noted for its excellent salsa bar. Not only does it have a great selection, patrons enjoy the bowl of fresh picked cilantro that you can use to adjust the salsa’s flavor to your liking. The beans, instead of being refried, are made in a vegetable stock. The Mahi Mahi salad is marinated in citrus and rosemary.
For an interesting blend of Southwestern and Latin cuisine, plan to dine at Jeffery’s, located on
West Lynn Street
. Chef David Garrido’s palate was shaped by his own international, multi-cultural background. As the son of a traveling Mexican diplomat, David was born in . He grew up in ,
Puerto Rico
, and , and went to school in . The menu has some interesting and succulent dishes such crispy oysters with yucca root and habanero honey aioli. W
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