Austin Overview

Welcome to "The Live Music Capital of The World," where cutting-edge technology resides with artists, musicians, and filmmakers; home to the South By Southwest Music and Media Festival, lush greenbelt trails, and North America's largest urban bat colony.

Districts

Austin is a place where business professionals, artists, musicians, filmmakers and students all bring their passions to life.

Sixth Street
To experience "The Live Music Capital" of the world, Sixth Street is a good place to start. Often closed to vehicle traffic on the weekends, this street is lined with dance clubs, live music venues, eateries and street musicians, plus several tattoo and piercing shops. Music fills the air in this area every night of the week, and visitors can hear everything from country to hip-hop, blues to noise-pop. If you venture north on Red River Street, you'll find some of Austin's best live music venues.

Congress Avenue
As you are heading South on Congress Avenue, stop by the Austin Museum of Art and check out their collection of 20th-century artwork.

South Austin
As you travel further south on Congress and cross Lake Austin, you'll encounter a whole new environment. South Austin has a different kind of energy—relaxed and funky. Here, you will find antique shops, retro resale shops, vintage clothing and folk art.

Zilker Park
This 400-acre park is home to natural spring-fed Barton Springs Pool, a miniature train that circles the park for children to ride, a giant playscape, picnic grounds, rugby and soccer fields, a disc golf course and canoe and kayak rentals. Enjoy a number of musical, dance and theater events at the Zilker Hillside Theatre, where the Austin Shakespeare Festival is held each year. Or, visit the Zilker Botanical Gardens, where visitors spend the better part of a day enjoying the cactus, succulents, roses, butterflies and special gardens offered—for free.

Clarksville
Originally an African-American community half a mile outside of the city limits, Clarksville remains a melting pot of art and culture. Houses have increased greatly in price due to the location of the neighborhood and all it has to offer.

The Drag
The strip of business along Guadalupe Street, bordering the University of Texas, is lovingly called "The Drag." Many of Austin's coolest shops are here. Stop by the outdoor Renaissance Market, where you will find jewelry, clothing and gifts made by Austin artisans.

Hyde Park
Take a leisurely walk or drive through this Central Austin neighborhood and view its historic homes. You will likely see many residents working in their yards, walking pets or riding bikes. Duval Road runs through the neighborhood and is home to the vegetarian restaurant Mother's Café and the popular Hyde Park Grill. This unique area, the city's first planned suburb, has its own small grocery store, and boasts a theater in its name—Hyde Park Theater. Stop by Dolce Vita Gelate and Espresso Bar for sweet Italian ice cream or check out Quack's 43rd Street Bakery for a cappuccino and a homemade muffin.

Entertainment

As the "Live Music Capital of the World," Austin hosts a variety of live music every night of the week. The multi-faceted arts scene, offering traditional artwork alongside the avant-garde, is growing as rapidly as the city itself. Filmmakers have taken an interest in Austin, realizing the town has more to offer than an attractive setting. The city is overflowing with creative and talented people ready to share and entertain.

Music
Whether you are a music fan searching for that up-and-coming band, or a musician looking for the perfect sound, you can carve out your niche here. The music scene has something for everybody—blues, jazz, fusion, pop/rock, noisepop, twee-pop, reggae, trip-hop, hip-hop, hard rock, country, Latino, classical, folk, experimental, garage and psychedelic. With 100 or more venues to choose from it may seem like a daunting task; for help, pick up The Chronicle, Austin's free weekly entertainment guide, and you will find information on all of the music venues and what acts will be gracing each stage.

Dining and Drinking

Visitors often think they will only find a plethora of Tex-Mex and barbecue restaurants in Austin. While those abound, you will also find a good selection of Japanese, Middle Eastern, Thai, Italian and vegetarian restaurants. Of course, that is only a sample of the diversity of food this town has to offer.

Austinites love to be comfortable and breathe fresh air; only some of the finer dining establishments enforce a dress code. This is a clean-air city, so most restaurants are completely smoke-free; if there happens to be a smoking section, it is usually outside. When inside the city limits, you will not be asked “smoking or non-smoking?" but if you venture to the outskirts of town, most restaurants do have designated smoking sections.

In addition to the ever popular downtown area, Austin offers several districts with a variety of culinary options. Not too far from downtown is the Clarksville District, filled with upscale restaurants, vegetarian establishments, bistros, bakeries and more. South Austin is home to Barton Springs Road, which houses a row of restaurants spanning several blocks. The Warehouse District offers several upscale options, as well as casual, laid-back eateries. Not too far from the downtown area lies the neighborhood of Hyde Park, boasting a small cluster of wonderful places to dine, drink and grab your morning cup of coffee.

Where To Stay

Austin offers plenty of accommodations for all types of travelers. Whether you are looking to be pampered in a spa resort, swept away by the charm of a bed and breakfast, or just need a room on a tight budget, you will find a comfortable place to stay.

Many of Austin's finest full-service luxury hotels are in and around the downtown area. The central part of town, just off of I-35, is the perfect environment for business travelers. For the budget-minded traveler, try places close to the University of Texas campus. Or go further south, close to St. Edwards University, and minutes from the downtown area.

If you are looking for a unique Austin experience, spend a few days in one of the many bed and breakfast establishments here. Brook House, located in central Austin, offers three rooms inside the main house, as well as a carriage house and private cottage out back. Wonderful breakfasts are served on the porch, which is full of antique tables and ceiling fans. For a healthy twist, try Healthy Quarters, a centrally-located, 1930s cottage where refrigerators are stocked with organic produce. Here, guests have access to colon hydrotherapy treatments, electro-lymphatic therapy, flower essence therapy, ear candling and a variety of chiropractic treatments.

Austin by the Numbers

Elevation: 597 feet

Average Annual Rainfall: 32 inches
Average Annual Snowfall: .9 inches

Average January Temperature: 50 degrees F
Average July Temperature: 85 degrees F

Time Zone: GMT- 6
Area Dialing Code: 361 & 512

Population: 567,000
Ethnic Mix: Caucasian (71%), African American (12%), Latino (12%), Asian (4%), Native American (0.9%)

Major Industries: Oil, Electronics, Computers, Automobile Manufacturing, Aerospace Industries, Agriculture, Telecommunications, Higher Education

Did You Know?

Austin is not only the state capital of Texas, it is also home to the University of Texas, Austin. On further note, Austin is the site of the President Lyndon B. Johnson Library and Center.

Orientation/Geography

Austin is named for Stephen F. Austin (1793-1836), one of the defenders of the Alamo (1836).


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