VCS 2009 Logo Picture of Skyline of Austin, Texas

Things To Do In Austin

Austin’s a city that doesn’t take itself too seriously. After all, you can’t have a motto like “Keep Austin Weird” and be buttoned-up. We’re laid-back, full of energy and, yes, a little weird.

We’re also like no place else in Texas. Sure, you’ll find the occasional honky-tonk. And plenty of barbecue. But you’ll also find a thriving art community. Filmmakers. Sports fanatics. 200 live music venues. And world-renowned festivals.

In the state capital of Texas, we pride ourselves on being far from ordinary. In fact, we celebrate being “weird.” Austin is a hot spot for creativity and embraces its community of musicians, artists, entrepreneurs and progressive thinkers.

We're home to a singer named Willie, a cyclist named Lance and a Longhorn steer named Bevo. And we’re known for being the Live Music Capital of the World®, a title that we take pretty seriously with nearly 200 live music venues. But that’s not all that forms our landscape. As the gateway to the Texas Hill Country, rolling hills and sparkling waterways abound in Austin. And each night during the summer, we gather to watch 1.5 million bats take flight from underneath the Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge.

Now that we’ve covered some of our sights and sounds, it’s time to get a taste of Austin. The kitchens of some of the country's best Tex-Mex and barbecue restaurants can be found here. As can a wide selection of local and organic specialties.

All this just scratches the surface of what makes Austin like no place else. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, there’s always something playing here. We invite you to take in as much as you can.

For more information on things to see and do in Austin, visit http://www.austintexas.org/visitors