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2015
Mini On-Own Suggestions
State Government Buildings
Self-guided tours of the Capitol
and Grounds are available during business
hours. Special group
tours are also available through the Capitol
Visitors Center, the Texas State
History Museum,
and the Governor's
Mansion.
Texas
State Capitol, 1100
Congress Avenue
The
Texas State
Capitol, completed
in 1888 in
Downtown Austin,
contains the
offices and
chambers of the
Texas Legislature
and the Office of
the
Governor. The
easiest way to
view the building
is to grab a
brochure on
the first floor
and take a
self-guided tour.
Guided tours start
every
15 minutes in the
south foyer and
last about 40
minutes.
On
weekdays, a
special Women in
Texas History tour
is offered at
11:15
a.m., and a Heroes
of the Texas
Revolution tour
begins at 2:15
p.m.
Nature buffs may
also want to pick
up the Trail of
Trees brochure. It
highlights the
history of the
capitol's well
manicured grounds,
with a
particular focus
on the majestic
oak, southern
magnolia and bald
cypress trees. In
total, there are
25 different tree
species on the
capitol grounds.
http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/SPB/Plan/Tours.htm
Texas
Capitol
Visitor's
Center, 112
East 11th
Street
(southeast
corner of the Capitol grounds) Located
in the
restored
1856-57
General Land
Office
building. The
three-story
castlelike
structure
reflects the
mid-19th
century
mock-medieval
revival
architectural
style and is the oldest state office
building in
Texas. Has
exhibits and
historic
photos.
http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/CVC/home/home.html
University
of Texas
A
Driving Tour
of the
University of
Texas Area
http://austin.about.com/od/landmarksandattractions/ss/UTDrivingTour.htm
Dolph
Briscoe Center
for American
History, 2300
Red River
Street Willie Nelson 'Texas Icon'
Exhibit, Dolph
Briscoe Center
for American
History collection, Royal Memorial
Stadium, north
end zone
plaza.
http://www.utexas.edu/news/2014/05/08/willie-nelson-collection-briscoe-center/
Harry
Ransom Center, 300
West 21st Street The Harry Ransom Center
advances the
study of the
arts and
humanities by
acquiring, preserving, and making
accessible
original
cultural
materials.
With extensive
collections of rare books, manuscripts,
photography,
film, art, and
the performing
arts, the
Center supports research through
symposia and
fellowships
and provides
education and enrichment for scholars,
students, and
the public
through
exhibitions
and programs.
http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/
Libraries
LBJ
Presidential
Library, 2313
Red River
Street Presents the LBJ presidency
through
artifacts and
displays to
include a
miniature Oval Office. The core of the
museum
collection
consists of
personal
objects owned,
used, bought, or worn by the
President and
First Lady,
all donated by
President
Johnson under the Presidential
Libraries Act
(1955).
http://www.lbjlibrary.org/
Museums
Texas
Military
Forces Museum, Camp
Mabry,
entrance on
West 35th Street Come explore the history of
the Texas
Military
Forces from
1823 through
today. 45,000 sq. ft. of Uniforms, Weapons,
Tanks,
Artillery,
Aircrafts,
Helicopters
and more. Admission is FREE.
Extensive
insignia
collection of
Jay Massaro,
Class of 1954.
http://texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org/
The
Contemporary
Austin Laguna
Gloria, 3809
W 35th St
One
of Austin's
"usual" spots
to go to when
in need of a
walk outside
to
see some art,
take some
photos, meet
up with people
or just have a
quiet moment.
The grounds
are gorgeously
kept and there
is always some
new piece of
art to be
found around
the corner
where you
might not
expect it.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-contemporary-austin-laguna-gloria-austin
O.
Henry Museum, 409
East 5th Street Offers a look into the life
of William
Sidney Porter
in the Austin
years leading
up to his controversial prison term,
after which he
assumed the
pen name O.
Henry and set about transforming himself
into the famed
short story
writer who
authored such universal classics as "The
Gift of the
Magi," "The
Ransom of Red
Chief" and
"The Cop and the Anthem."
http://www.austintexas.gov/department/o-henry-museum
French
Legation
Museum, 802
San Marcos
Street The French Legation Museum
promotes
understanding
and
appreciation
of Texas history and culture through
preservation
of the legacy,
structure, and
collections of
the French Legation to the
Republic of
Texas. It
began in 1841
as a private
home built for the French charg' d'affaires,
Alphonse
Dubois.
http://frenchlegationmuseum.org/
Thinkery, Children's
Museum,
Mueller, 1830
Simond Avenue Kids'
museum with
science
exhibits, art,
play spaces,
story time
& free
admission Wednesday
nights.
http://thinkeryaustin.org/
Zilker
Park
Zilker Park, 2100
Barton Springs
Road
Park
sits just
across Lady
Bird Lake
(formerly
known as Town
Lake) from
Austin's
skyline making
it the perfect
metropolitan
park. Locals
and
visitors enjoy
351 acres land
dedicated to
running,
jogging,
biking,
swimming,
kayaking and
many other
outdoor
activities.
The park
features
trails,
gardens,
volleyball
courts,
natural
springs,
swimming area,
and
many more
amenities.
Whether
you
are a local or
a visitor to
Austin, Zilker
Park is a must
visit.
The park is
walking
distance from
many of
downtown
Austin Hotels.
You
can spend the
whole day at
the park, on
Lady Bird Lake
and Barton
Springs Pool,
or you can
walk, jog or
ride a bike
around Lady
Bird Hike
and Bike Trail
for a quick
view. Whether
you stay a
while, or do a
quick
walk-thru,
make sure to
check out this
amazing city
park.
http://austintexas.gov/department/zilker-metropolitan-park
Lady
Bird Hike and
Bike Trail, First
Street Bridge
at Lady Bird
Lake Lady Bird Hike and Bike Trail
is the best
place in
Downtown
Austin for
running,
jogging, walking and biking. It spans
10.1 miles,
circuiting
Lady Bird Lake
with a
relatively
level, natural surface. A Memorial
at Auditorium
Shores honors
the late
bluesman
Stevie Ray Vaughan.
http://www.austintexas.org/listings/lady-bird-lake-hike-and-bike-trail/4369/
Barton
Springs Pool, 2201
Barton Springs
Road Barton Springs Pool is always
at or near the
top lists of
things to do
in Austin.
Locals and visitors hang out all
summer long to
socialize,
swim, relax
and most
importantly, cool off from the hot Texas
sun.
http://www.austintexas.gov/department/barton-springs-pool
Austin
Nature and
Science
Center, Zilker
Park Austin Nature and Science
Center mixes
nature
exhibits and
hands-on
education to empower students, teachers
and visitors
of all ages
with an
increased
awareness for the natural environment. The center is located in the
western side
of Zilker
Park. There
are a variety
of things to do and exhibits to see
including
wildlife
exhibits, a
'Dino Pit',
and an
education
center.
https://www.austintexas.gov/department/austin-nature-and-science-center
Umlauf
Sculpture
Garden &
Museum, 605
Robert E Lee
Blvd Umlauf Sculpture Garden and
Museum is on
the south end
of Zilker Park
and is the home of a collection of works
by sculptor
Charles
Umlauf. Umlauf Sculpture Garden &
Museum is
beautiful way
to enjoy a
non-traditional
museum experience, while viewing the
largest
'touchable'
sculpture
collection in
Texas! Over 200 of Charles Umlauf's
sculptures and
artworks are
strategically
placed
throughout the garden and museum. Each
season the
pieces are
moved around,
challenging
the viewer to experience each
piece in a new
way.
https://www.umlaufsculpture.org/
Zilker
Botanical
Garden, 2220
Barton Springs
Road Located just south of Lady
Bird Lake,
Zilker
Botanical
Garden, "the
jewel in the
heart of Austin", blends theme gardens
like rose and
Japanese
gardens with
streams,
waterfalls and Koi-filled ponds. You can
even find
recreations of
dinosaur
habitats in
the Hartman Prehistoric Garden. Zilker
Botanical
Garden has
year-round
events,
private and
public.
http://www.zilkergarden.org/
Only
in Austin
Bats, Congress
Avenue Bridge,
at dusk
Watch
the world's
largest urban
bat colony
come out to
feed ' on land
or by boat:
http://www.capitalcruises.com/bat-watching/
Mount
Bonnell, 3800
Mt. Bonnell
Road, vic.
Camp Mabry and
Laguna Gloria
Rising 785
feet
above mean sea
level, the
peak is one of
Austin's most
cherished and
visited
landmarks and
the home of
Covert Park
offering
spectacular
views of the
city and
Colorado River
Valley. 106
steps from the
parking
lot to the
summit. MG
George A.
Custer, his
wife Libby and
the officers
and ladies of
his command
used to picnic
there in 1865
during his
division's
five month
stay in
Austin.
http://www.austinparks.org/our-parks.html?parkid=287
Historic
Military Sites
of Interest,
see <StaffRideAustin.htm>
For the military history buffs the list describes nine
military
historical
sites around
Austin,
several of
which are
associated
with West
Point
graduates—Joseph
Bonnell
(1825), Albert
Sidney
Johnston
(1826), Hugh
McLeod (1835),
Samuel D.
Sturgis (1846)
and George A.
Custer (1861).
Shopping
The Domain, 11410
Century Oaks
Terrace Situated in a beautiful
park-like
setting, The
Domain
features 100
upscale and mainstream retail stores and
restaurants,
almost half of
which are
exclusive
within the market. A sampling of
retailers
includes
high-end
boutiques such
as David
Yurman, Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren,
Tiffany &
Co. and
Austin's only
Neiman Marcus,
as well as more traditional retailers
like American
Eagle
Outfitters,
Banana
Republic,
Express and more. Restaurants include
favorites like
Daily Grill,
Maggiano's
Little Italy,
McCormick
& Schmick's, North and many
more.
http://www.simon.com/mall/the-domain/
Central Market, 4001 N.
Lamar Blvd. Central
Market is really into food. With hundreds
of cheeses, thousands of wines, acres of
produce, and aisles of experts, their
mission is to help you experience food
in a whole new
way. Cooking classes, live music, and
more at every location. http://www.centralmarket.com/Home
Whole
Foods Market,
(and corporate headquarters),
525 N Lamar Blvd. Located just blocks from
where Whole Foods Market began
as a small neighborhood grocery store over 30 years
ago, the flagship store at
the corner of Sixth Street
and Lamar Boulevard is one of the
largest, at 80,000 square
feet. Though much bigger
in size, the store retains the
charm and accessibility
of our first location,
with an intimate, village-style
layout and passionate,
attentive Team Members
eager to assist our
guests.
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/lamar
IKEA
Round Rock
, 1 Ikea
Way, Round Rock
(SE corner of
I35/University
Blvd (RM 1431). Scandinavian
furniture
chain store
selling
ready-to-assemble
furniture, plus
housewares, in a
warehouse-like
space. It also
offers a good
place to
eat and to
purchase foreign
food supplies.
Every IKEA is a
fun place to
visit.
Web:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/store/round_rock
Store Hours:
Monday - Saturday:
10:00am-9:00pm
Sunday:
10:00am-7:00pm
El Interior,
109 W Lynn Street, Austin. El Interior is one of Austin's oldest
and most established shops for Mexican clothing and folk art. We carry
a wide range of women's clothing (blouses, huipiles, skirts, and
dresses from Mexico and Guatemala), men's Guayabera shirts, colorful
textiles, oilcloth, and folk art such as the famous Oaxacan Black
pottery and green Michoacán pottery. http://www.elinterior.com/
SoCo '
South Congress
South
Congress, a
neighborhood
located on
South Congress
Avenue. It is also a nationally known
shopping and
cultural
district
famous for its
many eclectic small retailers, restaurants,
music and art
venues and,
more recently, food
trucks.
http://www.austintexas.org/listings/south-congress-ave-soco-/4359/
Allens
Boots, 1522
South Congress Allens Boots has been an
Austin
tradition
since 1977
http://www.allensboots.com/
GREAT
PHOTO OPS '
South Congress
Mural
- Greetings
from Austin, 600
Block of West
Annie, on the
side of the
Roadhouse
Relics
building The
best place to
take a picture
in Austin ~
hands down
~ is the local
'Greetings
from Austin'
mural. Located
on the
northwest
corner of
Annie &
South First
Street, this
is a popular
place for
engagement
& wedding
photos. And
the occasional
goofy family
shots.
Good
to know:
This
is
a busy street
corner, so
beware of
traffic; there
is not much
room
for a tripod,
unless you go
across the
street;
typically gets
sun all
day, shaded in
the late pm.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/greetings-from-austin-postcard-mural-austin
Mural - I love
you so much,
1300 South
Congress Jo's Hot Coffee holds a sweet
corner spot in
the heart of the SoCo neighborhood.
It's
recognizable
by its sage
green exterior
and the
constant flow
of photohungry
visitors.
The
message simply
states, 'I
love you so
much.'
Night
Life -
Entertainment
Sixth Street
Sixth
Street is a
historic
street and
entertainment
district in
Austin,
Texas. It is
located within
the city's
urban core in
Downtown
Austin.
The
area around
nearby 4th
Street and 6th
Street has
been a major
entertainment
district since
the 1970s.
Many bars,
clubs, music
venues,
and shopping
destinations
are located on
E. 6th Street
between
Congress
Avenue and
Interstate 35
and many offer
live music at
one time or
another during
the week.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixth_Street_(Austin,_Texas)
Esther's
Follies, 525
East 6th Street Austin's premier sketch
comedy and
musical revue,
takes on the
antics of
politics and Texas shenanigans in Esther's
Follies
'Border Line
Crazy'! http://www.esthersfollies.com/
Live Music
Live
Music Calendar '
Austin
Chronicle
http://www.austinchronicle.com/calendar/music/
The
Broken Spoke,
Best in Honky
Tonk Music in
Texas, 3201
South LamarThe
Broken Spoke
is Texas' most
definitive
dance hall.
It's has a
musical
history that dates back to Bob Wills and
The Texas
Playboys. Stop
by for some
traditional
country music by some "real" country
musicians.
http://www.brokenspokeaustintx.com/
Video
- Austin Live:
Tick Tock is
the latest
video from the
Live Music
Capital of the World'. Filmed live
from the
streets of
Austin, Texas,
this
one-of-a-kind collaborative video project
features some
of Austin's
best musical
talent '
lending their own personal style and
creativity to
American Blues
Legend Jimmie
Vaughan's song 'Tick Tock.'
http://www.austintexas.org/visit/music-scene/tick-tock/
Festivals
Texas
Book Festival
(20th annual), 17-18
October,
southwest
corner of the Capitol grounds The Texas Book Festival
celebrates
authors and
their
contributions
to the culture
ofliteracy,
ideas, and
imagination,
established in
1995 by Laura
Bush, a former
librarian and an ardent advocate of
literacy.
http://www.texasbookfestival.org/
Tours
Austin
Duck
Adventures, 602
East 4th Street Welcome to Austin Duck
Adventures.
We'd like to
invite you on
an amphibious
tour of downtown Austin and beautiful
Lake Austin
inside one of
our
Unsinkable, US
coast guard inspected Hydra Terra
vehicles.
Austin Duck
Adventures is
Austin's best
tour with 75 minutes of sightseeing
that includes
Historic Sixth
Street, the
State Capitol
Building, Bob Bullock State History
Museum, the
Governor's
Mansion, and
Lake Austin. The fun begins when you board
your Austin
Duck
Adventures
"Duck" at the
Austin Visitors Center's new
location at
602 East 4th
Street.
http://austinducks.com/
Austin
Segway Tour
Information, 1108
Lavaca Street,
Suite 100 An Austin Segway Tour is the
perfect way to
explore the
capital of
Texas. Segway
past the Texas State Capitol
building, the
famous
Driskill
Hotel,
Austin's
Moonlight
Towers, scenic Lady Bird Lake, the
world famous
6th Street
live music
area, and the
Warehouse District.
http://www.nationtours.com/austin/index.php
Wine
Tours '
Tasting
Texas
Wine Month
Trail, (30
wineries),
Month of
October
http://texaswinetrail.com/store/item/2013-texas-wine-month-trail
Meridian
Hive Meadery
(Honey Wine),
8120 Exchange
Drive, Suite
400 Meridian Hive relates to
explorer's
mindset.
Meridian of
geography and
Hive of honey. In the midst of cultural
renaissance,
abundant trade
and new
discovery,
honey wine has been shared for centuries.
Each of our
artisanal
wines has a
story of times
past, so share with the adventurous at
heart!
Open
Fridays 4-7
and Saturdays
2-7 for
tours/tastings.
http://meridianhive.com/
Best
Tacos, Queso,
and Guacamole
Various
Locations
Torchy's
Tacos
Resorts
Lake
Austin Spa
& Resort,
1705 S Quinlan
Park Rd,
Austin Advance booking recommended
http://lakeaustin.com/
Area
Attractions
Inner
Space Cavern,
4200
Interstate 35
Frontage Road,
Georgetown Hidden for 10,000 years,
Inner Space
Cavern is one
of the best
preserved
caves in Texas and one of the few
places where
prehistoric
remains are
found.
https://innerspacecavern.com/
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