Austin

Austin is always changing, and with all of the cranes dominating the downtown skyline, you can't ignore it. The city's growth and popularity has led to noteworthy changes in the live music world with major music venues Emo's and Antone's moving to East Riverside, marking this area as the next target for development and hot spots. In addition, the Austin City Limits Festival is now two whole weekends long, giving visitors a chance to sample the emerging craft beer and culinary scenes in Austin.

Brewery tours have become a popular way to explore the growing enthusiasm for craft beer. The city seems to have also gone crazy for ramen. As far as music goes, the pop-folk frenzy has hit Austin as well--we just do it with a little bit more reverence for the country greats who came before us.

Austin has experienced a food renaissance. No longer are cheesy grits, bratwursts, and cheesy enchiladas the only (delicious) options! Rooted in the southern culinary culture that built Tex-Mex and Texas BBQ and based in a sustainability-oriented community, Austin is a great place to eat!

The food trailer culture in Austin has encouraged up-and-coming chefs to test their recipes on the public, a process that often results in a cult following for less-than-traditional fare that follows to brick-and-mortar restaurants.

Music festivals, tech conferences, government protests, environmental activists, the culture of Austin is all about getting amped up and then chilling out.

Contrary to popular belief art and culture in Austin is not just relegated to live music and street murals. The Austin Lyric Opera, Ballet Austin, and the Austin Symphony provide high quality fine arts performances, and the community continues to support art tours, events, and gallery spaces around town.

If you look carefully under the new skyscrapers and around the corner from hip eateries, you'll see relics of Austin's past as an old-time Texas town. Whether you're walking down sidewalks dotted with rings meant for horse parking, paying your respects to Tom Landry at state cemetery, or searching for the creepiest portrait of a former Texas governor at the Capital building, Austin's sites are full of quirks to those who search for them.

Don't let the nightlife fool you! Austin is a great place for kids. With parks and swimming holes lined up flush with durable, kid-friendly restaurants, the city makes it easy to entertain your little one and yourself at the same time. The city's casual vibe makes it okay to bring kiddos along with you to festivals and restaurants that might get you sneers or glares in other locales.

Biking, swimming, climbing, hiking: you can do it all without leaving the city limits. In fact, proximity to outdoor activities is one of the aspects of Austin that makes the city so endlessly livable; it's so easy to spend the day outdoors and your evening in.

The Barton Creek Greenbelt, the Hike and Bike Trail circling Town Lake, and Barton Springs Pool feature heavily in Austin's outdoor and adventure opportunities. If you can drive a bit further into the Hill Country, the offerings multiply, with great limestone cliffs for climbing, springs for swimming, and trails for hiking.

From neon signs to vintage pearl-snap shirts, Austin is a great place to outfit your home and closet with quirky, one-of-a-kind pieces.

Nightlife is where Austin shines as a destination; it offers something for everyone! Dirty Sixth Street overruns with cheap drinks and cheesy bars--the whole street shut down to traffic on weekend evenings. East of 35 is a hipster's paradise, with cool kids on fixies circling between trendy bars, food trailers, and shows. On Second Street and in the Warehouse District along Fourth Street, you'll find craft cocktails and beer in the lower key, higher end downtown area. And all that is just in the central area of Austin!

Aside from drinking, Austin also has plenty of nighttime entertainment. Check out the Alamo Drafthouse for special movie screenings, including sing-a-longs, and Master Pancake comedy specials. Or delve into the city's theater scene at with an improv comedy at ColdTowne Theater or a show at Esther's Follies.