Austin on the Colorado River

Austin is the capital of Texas and is an island city that borders the Hill Country region. It sits on the Colorado River. The city is known for its eclectic live music scene centered around rock, blues, and country. There are many parks and lakes in the city so people can enjoy hiking, biking, swimming, and even boating.

The State Capitol was completed in 1888 and is home to the office of the State Governor and the Chamber of the Texas Legislature. It is protected as a National Historic Landmark. It is an impressive building at 308 feet tall ranking as the sixth tallest state capitol and is even taller than the US Capitol in Washington DC.

Visitors enjoy strolling in the park along the tree-lined path known as the Great Walk and can enjoy seeing many monuments.

The Texas African American History Monument

The Vietnam War Monument

A bronze statue of a Texas Ranger

There is even a miniature Statue of Liberty that was presented in 1951 by the Boy Scouts of America.

On the grounds is a visitor center that features exhibits about the history of Austin and the state of Texas. Free tours are available daily or visitors can take a self-guided tour.

Zilker Metropolitan Park is the city's most popular green space. The recreation area lies along Lady Bird Lake, There are grassy spaces for relaxing or having picnics. Other activities are riverside walking trails, volleyball courts, and a disc golf course.

Zilker Park is also home to the Zilker Playscape which is a large playground with its own section made just for kids ages two to five. Kids also enjoy the Zilker Zephyr, a miniature train running along the water's edge.

Water recreation includes canoe and boat rentals as well as enjoying the Barton Springs Pool. The park hosts major musical events among them the Zilker Hillside Theater's annual Zilker Summer Musical, Blues on the Green, and the celebrated Austin City Limits Music Festival.

Zilker Botanical Garden is a lovely area with several themed gardens. Among the specialty gardens is the Hartman Prehistoric Garden which was built around ancient dinosaur footprints found embedded in the rocks and the Isamu Taniguchi Japanese Garden featuring waterfalls and ponds.

Other attractions in Zilker Park:

The Austin Nature and Science Center is enjoyed for its interactive exhibits and programs. There are many walking trails and it hosts special events.

Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum offers visitors a number of artworks by 20th-century sculptor Charles Umlauf. The outdoor sculptures are on display among the trees, gardens, and ponds surrounding the museum. Visitors can find out more about the artist with exhibits about his life and displays of his personal artifacts and mementos. There are also temporary exhibits of other artists' work and events like concerts, workshops, and even yoga classes among the sculptures outside. Guided tours are available.

Lady Bird Lake was named in honor of the wife of the 36th President of the US Lyndon B, Johnson. It is actually a section of the Colorado River and the flowing reservoir has become one of the city's top recreation areas. Even though it is lined with hotels and residential complexes, a majority of its shoreline is open to the public with miles of trail for both pedestrians and cyclists.

Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail is the main pedestrian path. Pedestrian Bridge crosses the river and connects downtown Austin with the southern shore. The paths also connect with many of the other city parks.

The Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail also leads to other popular tourist sites near the river such as the Stevie Ray Vaughan Statue, Congress Avenue Bridge, the Long Center of Performing Arts, and the Barton Springs Municipal Pool.

Motorized boats are forbidden but the Texas Rowing Center rents out kayaks and canoes and gives lessons. There is also the Rowing Dock offering rentals and instructions for paddleboards, kayaks, and paddleboats.

Among the most unusual things to do in Austin is to go to the Ann W. Richards Congree Avenue Bridge at dusk to enjoy the evening flight of the Mexican free-tailed bats that make the bridge their home, They come out to take a flight each evening from March to November. It is amazing to see them fly from beneath the bridge and dine on mosquitoes, moths, grasshoppers, and other flying pests. It can take up to 45 minutes for all of them to leave the bridge. People enjoy watching them in the area surrounding the bridge or from boats on the water or even the Statesman Bat Observation Center on the south end of the bridge.

The University of Texas at Austin is the first of the Texas University System Campuses. It is home to several top tourist attractions.

The Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art has a permanent collection of 17,000 European, American, and Latin American artworks. It also hosts temporary exhibits.

The Harry Ransom Center has a permanent collection of rare literature and printed materials. There are temporary exhibits and collections on display. Among the most prized is a Gutenberg Bible from the mid-fifteenth century.

The Texas Memorial Museum is part of the Natural Science Center at the University of Texas. It has a huge collection of items that represent the natural and cultural history of the Lone Star State. Among the highlights are numerous dinosaur displays, fossils, gems, and minerals, as well as the famous Wichita County meteorite, a large space rock regarded as a medicine stone by Comanche Indians.

Also at the university is the landmark UT Tower which is infamous for the tragic shooting in 1966. It rises up at a height of 307 feet and the tower offers lovely 360-degree views of the city. Self-guided tours include information on the architecture and history of the structure.

The Bullock Texas State History Museum tells the story of Texas through interactive exhibits as well as audio-visual displays and films. The permanent Story Of Texas exhibit features artifacts and displays featuring events in the state's history. The museum IMAX Theater shows educational and popular new-release films. Special events are also hosted.

Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum is one of the most visited attractions and has over 45 million pages of historical documents and papers from President Johnson's long career. The museum includes exhibits relating to the president's time in office and important issues of the day among them the rise of the civil rights movement. There is an impressive replica of the Oval Office during his presidency and temporary exhibits relating to American history.

Mount Bonnell is one of the most popular hiking trails being close to the city center. The highest point in the city is reached at 775 feet.

It provides amazing views of downtown Austin and the 360 Bridge.

It looks out across the Colorado River. You can enjoy views from the lookout deck and pavilion climbing up 102 stairs to the top. Pets are welcome on the path and at the observation deck and visitors enjoy picnicking.

McKinney Falls State Park is located 15 minutes south of downtown Austin. Onion Creek flows through the park. It is home to turtles and the filling pools are great for swimming. You can swim in the upper and lower falls creeks and there are rocks and little beach areas to relax and catch the sun.

Walkers and cyclists enjoy the Onion Creek Hike and Bike Trail. By the water are sycamores, pecan trees, and bald cypresses.

On the Homestead Trail are the remains of a limestone-built house that was constructed by merchant William F. McKinney who owned the land.