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Austin is a place where business professionals, artists, musicians,
filmmakers and students all bring their passions to life. Even with its
population growing rapidly, this city continues to welcome new residents
with open arms. Over the past few years, several national magazines have touted
Austin as a top place to live. Even with new, cutting edge high-tech
companies growing at an alarming rate, it may seem surprising that Austin has
retained the laid-back style it has become famous for.
Sixth Street
To experience "The Live Music Capital" of the world, Sixth Street is a good place to
start. Often closed to vehicle traffic on the weekends, this street is
lined with dance clubs, live music venues, eateries and street musicians,
plus several tattoo and piercing shops. Visitors can have their tarot cards
read by a gypsy on a street corner, or buy handmade jewelry from artists
and hippies. Grab a slice of pizza at Roppolo's when the munchies take over and you're
short on cash; or, if a Cajun meal is what you're after, Jazz serves up Louisiana cooking and great mixed drinks. Music fills the air in this
area every night of the week, and visitors can hear everything from country
to hip-hop, blues to noise-pop.
If you venture north on Red River Street, you'll find some of Austin's best
live music venues. Emo's, Stubb's and Red
Eyed Fly, a venue that opened its doors in 1999, all reside here.
Capitol Complex Visitor Center
Built in 1856 and 1857, the Capitol Complex
Visitor Center is the oldest remaining state office building in Texas. In 1997
it underwent an enormous restoration and extension. Inside the Capitol Building, there is an
exhibit chronicling the restoration, where visitors can view a 20-minute
film narrated by Walter Cronkite, titled Lone Star Legacy: A History of
the Capitol.
The Capitol Building
The Capitol is a Renaissance
Revival-style building made of Texas pink
granite and native limestone, overlooking Congress Avenue. Guided tours are
free and provide interesting information and anecdotes for visitors. Make
sure to stand in the center of the Rotunda, look up, take notice of the Texas star,
and enjoy the beautiful architecture.
Congress Avenue
As you are heading South on Congress
Avenue, stop by the Austin Museum
of Art and check out their collection of 20th-century artwork. Or, if
you are in the mood to shop for unique gifts, visit Tesoros
Trading Company, where you will find a large selection of Mexican and
Latin American jewelry, folk art, amulets and collectibles. Many locals buy
their "Day of the Dead" supplies here, as well as Peruvian good
luck charms and Latin American Christmas ornaments.
As you travel further south on Congress and cross Lake Austin, you'll encounter a whole new environment. Starting with Guero's Taco
Bar, you will notice that South
Austin has a different kind of energy—relaxed and funky. Here, you will find
antique shops, retro resale shops, vintage clothing and folk art. Stop by Terra Toys to check out their
collection of tin soldiers and chemistry sets, then
head over to Texas French Bread
for soup and a sandwich.
Zilker Park
This 400-acre park is home to
natural spring-fed Barton Springs
Pool, a miniature train that circles the park for children to ride, a
giant playscape, picnic grounds, rugby and soccer
fields, a disc golf course and canoe and kayak rentals. At
Christmastime, one of the city's moonlight towers serves as the trunk for
the Zilker
Park Christmas Tree. Thousands of colored lights are strung to form the
shape, and each year locals and visitors twirl around underneath the
enormous structure.
Enjoy a number of musical, dance and theater events at
the Zilker
Hillside Theatre, where the Austin
Shakespeare Festival is held each year. Or, visit the Zilker
Botanical Gardens, where visitors spend the better part of a day
enjoying the cactus, succulents, roses, butterflies and special gardens offered—for free.
Clarksville
Originally an African-American community half a mile outside of the city
limits, Clarksville remains a
melting pot of art and culture. Houses have increased greatly in price due
to the location of the neighborhood and all it has to offer. West Lynn Café, a popular vegetarian
restaurant, resides here, as well as Jeffrey's
for fine dining. You may also enjoy a visit to Nau Enfield
Drug, where you can order an old fashioned
malt.
The Drag
The strip of business along Guadalupe Street, bordering the University
of Texas, is lovingly called "The Drag." Many of Austin's coolest
shops are here, including Sound
Exchange (CD's, records and tapes), Blue
Velvet (vintage clothing), Garb-A-Go-Go
(colorful clothes and wigs) and Legs
Diamond (hard-to-find, eclectic shoes). Stop by the outdoor Renaissance Market, where you will
find jewelry, clothing and gifts made by Austin
artisans. If you're looking for live music any night of the week, head down
to the Hole in the Wall. This
small dive hosts live music seven nights a week,
with free Sunday night shows. The back room is full of pool tables and
pinball games, and the crowd features many regular customers. Walk a few
more blocks and you'll stumble upon Mojo's Daily Grind, a coffee shop that prides
itself on NOT being corporate run. Vulcan
Video is just a few steps further, offering rare cult films and indie classics for rental.
Hyde Park
Take a leisurely walk or drive through this Central Austin neighborhood
and view its historic homes. You will likely see many residents working in
their yards, walking pets or riding bikes. Duval Road runs through the neighborhood and is home to the vegetarian
restaurant Mother's Café and the
popular Hyde Park Grill. This
unique area, the city's first planned suburb, has its own small grocery
store, and boasts a theatre in its name—Hyde
Park Theatre
. Stop by Dolce Vita Gelate
and Espresso Bar for sweet Italian ice cream or check out Quack's 43rd Street Bakery for a
cappuccino and a homemade muffin.
R.Staggs
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