Austin City Information | New Homes Market Center
The state capitol of Texas, Austin is a city with a heart and with a soul. Cosmopolitan, yet unpretentious. Thriving cultural scene and vibrant nightlife. High-tech, low-key. Big city, college town. Quirky and far from ordinary, it’s the kind of place where you check your worries at the city limits sign, trade in suits for something a bit more casual and prepare for experiences you’ll find only in Austin.
Live music echoes from every corner of the city. We’re home to a singer named Willie, a cyclist named Lance and a Longhorn steer named Bevo. As the gateway to the Texas Hill Country, rolling hills and sparkling waterways form our natural landscape. Each night during the summer we celebrate the departure of some 1.5 million bats with abandon, the same as we do in fall for a University of Texas gridiron win. The pages of Texas history-fact and myth alike-unfold at the Texas State History Museum, while the legacy of a president lives on at the LBJ Presidential Library & Museum.
You’re invited to sample a taste of Austin-from the kitchens of some of the country’s best Tex-Mex and barbecue restaurants to the unique lifestyles of South Congress Avenue, or SoCo as it’s known to the locals. We’re an exciting 24-hour city where the music never stops and where it is considered normal to be a little out of the ordinary.
(The above content was provided by the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau.)
____________
Austin is the best place to live, and it’s only getting better! But don’t take our word for it, read these articles to find out for yourself.
-Austin rated #1 best place for business and careers by Forbes Magazine
-Austin rated #1 best place for making movies (BIG $$$ flowing into Austin)
-Austin rated #3 best housing market (for investment) over the next five years, The Meyers Group
http://www.namc.com/hottips/where_invest.asp?lrid=
-Austin rated one of the three best big cities by MSN
http://houseandhome.msn.com/Move/BestPlacestoLive0.aspx
-Austin in top ten best places to live, Money Magazine
http://money.cnn.com/2002/11/08/pf/yourhome/bplive_austin/index.htm
-Austin #1 best place for families, Employee Relocation Council (ERC) and Primacy Relocation
http://sev.prnewswire.com/television/20041029/CLF05529102004-1.html
-“Austin has done it again,” said Matt Spinolo, Primacy’s CEO. “It’s already ranked number one for relocating families. Now it seems that Austin is the best city for transferees with or without a family.” ERC and Primacy produced a related survey this past May, naming the Best Cities for Relocating Families.
-Austin rated #2 best place to live and work, Employment Review June 2000
http://www.simplysiestakey.com/bestplaces.html
-Austin in Top Ten best places to live and work, Monstermoving.com
http://www.monstermoving.com/Find_A_Place/FAP_Article/Americas_Best/Best_Places.asp
-Austin rated #2 out of 200 best places to do business, Forbes/Milken 2001
http://www.forbes.com/lists/home.jhtml?passListId=1&passYear=2001&passListType=Misc
-Austin rated #2 out of top 50 best places to do business, New Economy
http://www.neweconomyindex.org/metro/rankings.html
-Austin rated #4 in the nation for hottest job growth, Business 2.0 (via Austin Business Journal)
http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2004/02/23/daily8.html
-Austin rated #6 in the nation for best schools, Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/realestate/2004/02/13/cx_bs_0213home.html
________________________________
Austin FAQs
1. Where can I hear live music in Austin?
2. When and where can I see the bats in Austin, TX?
3. Where is the University of Texas?
4. Where is the Austin Visitor Information Center located?
5. When are the tours of the Capitol?
6. When are the tours of the Governor’s Mansion?
7. When are the guided historic walking tours?
8. What are other downtown historic attractions?
9. Where is the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum?
10. Where is the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum?
11. Where should I take my children?
12. What is Esther’s Follies?
13. Does Austin have a vibrant performing arts scene?
14. What are the ‘Dillos?
15. Where are Zilker Park and Barton Springs Pool?
_____________________________________________________________________________
1. Where can I hear live music in Austin?
The largest concentration of live music venues is found along the Sixth Street (East Sixth Street from IH-35 to Congress Ave.) and Warehouse (Fourth, Fifth & Sixth streets, west from Congress Ave. to Guadalupe St.) entertainment districts. Other popular music venues include The Broken Spoke at 3201 South Lamar, Continental Club located at 1315 S. Congress Ave., Hill’s Café at 4700 S. Congress Ave. and T.C.‘s Lounge at 1413 Webberville Rd. On Thursdays, consult the Austin American-Statesman’s XL-ent and The Austin Chronicle for live music listings.
2. When and where can I see the bats in Austin, TX?
The bats depart around dusk from the Congress Avenue Bridge, from April through October. The ideal time of year for bat viewing is August. For a closer view ofthe action, take a bat-watching boat cruise on Town Lake. Capital Cruises and Lone Star Riverboat both offer cruises that depart approximately 30 minutes before sunset from the boat dock located behind the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 208 Barton Springs Road. One of the most popular vantage points is the bat observation area in the Austin American-Statesman parking lot, 305 South Congress Ave. Other prime vantage points are from Shoreline Grill (98 San Jacinto Blvd.), TGI Fridays atthe Radisson Hotel (111 E. Cesar Chavez St.) and the lakeside patio of the Four Seasons Hotel (98 San Jacinto
Blvd.). http://www.batcon.org/discover/congress.html
3. Where is the University of Texas?
The southern edge of campus begins at Martin Luther King Boulevard, the east boundary is I-35, the west boundary is Guadalupe, and Dean Keeton (26th Street) forms the northern border.
4. Where is the Austin Visitor Information Center located?
209 E. Sixth Street. Hours are Mondays-Fridays, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturdays-Sundays, 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. Closed on Christmas, New Year’s, Thanksgiving and Easter.
5. When are the tours of the Capitol?
Tours are available seven days a week (Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Sat 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Sun 12 p.m.-3:30 p.m.) and are offered approximately every 15 minutes on weekdays and 30 minutes on weekends. The building is actually open to the public until 10 p.m. weekdays and 8 p.m. weekends. There is no charge for admission.
6. When are the tours of the Governor’s Mansion?
Free tours of the Governor’s Mansion are offered every 20 minutes from 10 a.m. until 11:40, Mon.-Thu. You must call at least one day in advance to book a tour. Call 512-463-5518.
7. When are the guided historic walking tours?
Free, guided tours are conducted by the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau from March through the last weekend in November. The Congress Avenue & East Sixth Street tour is offered Thurs., Fri. and Sat. at 9 a.m. and Sun. at 2 p.m. The Bremond Block tour is Sat. and Sun. at 11 a.m. The Capitol Grounds tour is Sat. at 2 p.m. and Sun. at 9 a.m. Each tour is 90 minutes long. All tours leave from the south steps of the Texas State Capitol.
8. What are other downtown historic attractions?
Other sites include the General Land Office Building (Capitol Visitors Center) at 11th & Brazos, the Old Bakery & Emporium at 1006 Congress, O’Henry Museum at 409 E. Fifth St., and the French Legation Museum (admission charged) at 802 San Marcos.
9. Where is the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum?
Relive the pages of Texas history at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. Located at 1800 N. Congress Ave., the museum includes interactive exhibits, artifacts never publicly displayed before, an IMAX Theatre and the multi-sensory Texas Spirit Theatre. Open Mon.- Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sun. 12-6p.m., except for major holidays.
10. Where is the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum?
The LBJ Library is the most frequently visited of the presidential libraries. It is located at 2313 Red River on the University of Texas campus. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and there is no charge for admission.
11. Where should I take my children?
The Austin Children’s Museum, a hands-on interactive museum is at 201 Colorado. Other suggestions for kids are the Austin Nature & Science Center in Zilker Park, the Zilker Zephyr (a miniature train ride that runs through Zilker Park) and the interactive exhibits at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum.
12. What is Esther’s Follies?
Esther’s is a lively and topical comedy troupe that performs at Esther’s Pool (corner of Sixth Street & Red River). Shows are Thursday at 8 p.m. and Friday-Saturday at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. There is a charge for admission, but sometimes there are half price tickets available the day of show through AUSTIX (454-HALF).
13. Does Austin have a vibrant performing arts scene?
Zachary Scott Theater, the Paramount Theater and the State Theater are the main downtown venues for performing arts. Many of the larger shows also take place at the Performing Arts Center on the University of Texas campus. Along with professional theater companies, Austin is also home to the Austin Lyric Opera, Austin Symphony and Ballet Austin. Half price theater tickets are often available day of show, Thursday-Saturday. Call 454-HALF for more information.
14. What are the ‘Dillos?
A free ‘Dillo ride is an easy way to get around downtown and central Austin. Trolleys-on-wheels and small buses take you around the central city, so you just park once and enjoy the ride. The weekend Tour of the Town route transports riders to popular Austin attractions. The Moonlight and Starlight Dillos run late nights on Thurs.-Sun. to move night owls around Austin’s entertainment districts. Visit www.capmetro.org for more information.
15. Where are Zilker Park and Barton Springs Pool?
Zilker Park begins just west of Lamar Blvd. on Barton Springs Road. Just before the entrance to the park is the Umlauf Sculpture Garden (605 Robert E. Lee). Also within the park are Zilker Botanical Gardens (2220 Barton Springs Rd.), the Austin Nature & Science Center (301 Nature Center Dr.) and Barton Springs Pool (2201 Barton Springs Rd.).
_____________________
Austin has great outdoor activities. Find out about Austin Golf Courses or other Austin Recreation ideas. And, check out www.texasoutside.com for ideas as well.
For the sports fans, here are some important links.
—Football: http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/
—In-door Football: http://www.austinwranglers.com/
—Hockey: http://www.icebats.com
—Baseball: http://www.roundrockexpress.com/
—Rodeo: http://www.staroftexas.org/
_______________________
Austin Phone Numbers:
AAA Emergency Road Service: (800) AAA-HELP
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport: (512) 530-2242
Austin Convention Center: (512) 404-4000
Austin Tourist Information: (866) GO-AUSTIN
Capital Metro: (512) 474-1200
Emergency: 911
Events Hotline: (866) GO-AUSTIN
National Weather Service: (830) 606-3617
Road Travel Information: (800) 452-9292
Texas Parks and Wildlife: (800) 792-1112
Check out our Local Services page for important phone numbers and links.
Visit the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau at www.austintexas.org for more information.
