Austin is a diverse city with many attractions to explore. From East Austin’s award-winning restaurants, bars, and breweries to the world-famous South by Southwest festival, there are plenty of things for tourists to do in town.
Below are some of our favorite landmarks and tourist attractions in Austin, making it an amazing place.
1) The Capitol Building: This beautiful building houses the Texas legislature. It is open every day from 7 am – 10 pm for tours or just looking around inside at all the artwork on display!
2) Barton Springs Pool: Open year-round, this natural spring-fed pool provides a refreshing escape from summer heat waves where you can enjoy water games like floating down the lazy river or jumping off one of two diving boards into the cool, clear water.
3) Mount Bonnell: It is a little bit of a hike (about 3 miles round trip), but it is so worth the view! Make sure to walk around and enjoy all the greenery while up on top of this hill. You can even see the Austin skyline from the top. It is an awesome sight to see at sunset each night. Just be careful not to shine your flashlight on them, or they will all fly away!
4) Congress Bridge Bat Colony: Each summer, Austin gets invaded by over 1.5 million bats flying out from under the Congress Bridge to get food for their babies!
5) Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum: Located just south of Barton Springs Road on Robert E. Lee, the museum was created in honor of Charles Umlauf, who taught at the University of Texas for 35 years. It has a beautiful collection of his sculptures housed in a garden setting which is free to visit each day from 9 am – 5 pm!
6) South Congress: This super trendy street is packed with cute shops, restaurants, and bars. There are plenty of great photo ops here, making it a must-see location in Austin!
7) Zilker Park Hike and Bike Trail: A great place to get outside for a bit, this amazing trail runs along Lady Bird Lake from Town Lake Metropolitan Park to Zilker Park. It is well maintained and never too crowded, making for hours of fun exploring!
Conclusion:
Austin is a wonderful city with so many great places to visit! Would you like to add anything else? Let us know in the comments below.
