See what the experts are saying about Austin. Get expert advice on how to get there what to see and more.
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The best authentic experiences
The B Scene at the Blanton Museum: On the first Friday of every month, local art lovers socialize over wine and finger food at the new Blanton Museum. Music, too, is provided, but not so much that it puts a damper on the conversation. Earl... Continue reading »
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The best luxury hotels
Four Seasons Austin (98 San Jacinto Blvd.; tel. 800/332-3442): Settle into one of the large guest rooms overlooking the lake, have the front desk schedule a massage at the highly regarded spa, get the concierge to line up dinner reservations... Continue reading »
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The best mid-range hotels
Austin Motel (1220 S. Congress St.; tel. 512/441-1157): In Austin's cool SoCo district is this hip, funky, completely remodeled old motel. The place keeps an air of the past about it, but the rooms have been individually furnished, many with... Continue reading »
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The best outdoor pursuits
Feasting the Eyes on the Colorful Gardens at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Spring is prime viewing time for the flowers, but Austin's mild winters ensure that there will always be bursts of color at Lady Bird Johnson's pet project.... Continue reading »
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Best free things to do
Taking a Visitor Center Walking Tour: These history excursions are provided free by the city and are superb. Visiting the LBJ Library: There's a lot to interest the visitor here, including an animatronic replica of the former President. LB... Continue reading »
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The best websites
www.austin360.com: Movie times, traffic reports, restaurant picks, homes, jobs, cars . . . this site, sponsored in part by the Austin-American Statesman, the city's daily newspaper, is a one-stop clicking center for a variety of essentials. I... Continue reading »
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Planning a trip
Austin is one of the country's most wired cities, and I'm not talking caffeine. If you're not e-oriented, call the Austin Visitor Center, 209 E. Sixth St., Austin, TX 78701 (tel. 866/GO-AUSTIN), to receive a general information packet in the... Continue reading »
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When to go
Although Austin's supply of hotel rooms has increased, it's still important to book ahead of time. Try to avoid coming in March unless you're planning to come to the SXSW music festival. This is the busiest month of the year, and rooms are ex... Continue reading »
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Calendar of events
Many of Austin's festivals capitalize on its large community of local musicians and/or on the great outdoors. The major annual events are listed here. Additional local events may also be found by logging on to www.austintexas.org, www.austin3... Continue reading »
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Getting there
By Plane The Major Airlines -- America West (tel. 800/235-9292; www.americawest.com), American (tel. 800/433-7300; www.aa.com), Continental (tel. 800/525-0280; www.continental.com), Delta (tel. 800/221-1212; www.delta.com), Frontier (tel.... Continue reading »
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Tips for families
Find information on things to see and do with kids in Austin -- everything from family-friendly museums to community story times. A good general resource, Kidding Around Austin, by Drew D. Johnson and Cynthia Brantley Johnson (John Muir Publi... Continue reading »
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Tips for gay and lesbian travelers
A university town and the most left-leaning enclave in Texas, Austin is generally gay-, lesbian-, bisexual-, and transgender-friendly. To find out about clubs and Oilcan Harry's and Rainbow Cattle Co., log on to http://austin.about.com/cs/gay... Continue reading »
Austin Travel Experiences
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The Million Dollar Question - Where Will You Stay?
The most common question we get is "Where will you stay?" We get that question far more than "Why?" - "How?" - or even "Where a... Continue reading »
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Austin Day 2: Plenty To Do, As It Turns Out
We woke up at 9:30 on Sunday and headed over to Central Market for breakfast. Kim had told us about it in Houston, so we were looking for... Continue reading »
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East Texas and Hill Country Camping
Enchanted Rock State Park , near FredericksburgThis was our one and only attempt at camping in the summer time...weather in the high 90s,... Continue reading »
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Starting Point
Got here 4th of July weekend 1999. The first place I went that weekend was to the Stevie Ray memorial, then into Barton Springs to... Continue reading »
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Landing, Packing, Driving
Susan says: We arrived in Austin on Wednesday night just after the "cold front" blew in. To the locals, that means the temperature w... Continue reading »
Popular Austin Hotels
- Marriott Austin South Airport
- Super 8 Austin/airport South
- Super 8 Austin/Airport North
- Hampton Inn & Suites Austin Airport
- Holiday Inn Express Austin North Central
- Hilton Garden Inn Austin North
- SpringHill Suites by Marriott Austin South
- Residence Inn Austin Downtown/convention Center
- The Driskill Hotel
- Staybridge Suites Austin Northwest
Popular Austin Things to Do
- Mount Bonnell
- Texas State Capitol
- Zilker Botanical Garden
- East 6th Street
- Bats Underneath Congress Bridge
- Spiros
- Zilker Park
- Toy Joy
- Esther's Follies
- Club DeVille
Popular Austin Restaurants
- Vespaio
- Houston's Restaurant
- Chuy's
- Jardin Corona
- Fonda San Miguel
- Hut's Hamburgers
- Musashino
- Uchi
- Shady Grove
- Z'Tejas Grill
