Austin is a city in the Hill Country of Texas. It's the capital of that state, but also the capital of alternative culture off the two American coasts. Austin's attitude is commonly emblazoned about town on T-Shirts and bumper stickers: "Keep Austin Weird." Austin is also considered by most to be the "Live Music Capital of the World".

Attractions

 • University of Texas at Austin is a beautiful stroll. While there you might want to visit the Blanton Art Museum, The Harry Ransom Center, or Texas Memorial Museum of Science and History . The famous tower has reopened and is worth a look for the breathtaking views and history lesson. It is a tour though so you need to make reservations . The theater and music departments are both well regarded and have performances throughout the school year. If you visit during football season, you can see the 2005 National Champion Texas Longhorn football team play at Darrell K. Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium.
 • LBJ Presidential Library always seems to have something interesting on display. They change their exhibits fairly frequently. Don't miss the Gutenberg bible that is encased in an incredibly elaborate display case/fallout shelter.
 • The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum is a very good survey of Texas History and Culture. As with most newer museums it suffers quite a bit in that it seems to have traded depth for lots of multimedia displays and an IMAX theater. What is there, however, is quite well done.
 • The Texas State Capitol is worth peeking into. It's free and open seven days a week.
 • Austin Bats. Yes, that's right, bats. Austin's Congress Avenue bridge is home to the largest Mexican free-tailed bat colony in North America (1.5 million). The bats are generally active at dusk every evening between March and November.

Education

Austin is one of the premier educational areas in the nation. The University of Texas is one of the best universities in the world, public or private. The flagship institution of the University of Texas System, it is also one of the largest universities in the world, both in terms of endowment, and in terms of student population. Generally either UT or Ohio State is the largest population university in the country. The red-tiled roofs of the "Forty Acres," as it is known, shelter many cultural and entertainment institutions. The campus is beautiful and vibrant, and visitors are welcome.

Austin is a college town as well as a government and high-tech center. It draws its population from all over, and many students decide to stay. This gives Austin a high level of general education and a diverse cultural scene.
 • Austin Community College
 • Concordia University at Austin 
 • Houston-Tillotson College
 • St. Edwards University
 • University of Texas 

Stay safe

Austin is a generally safe city. As with most American cities, credit cards are accepted nearly universally, especially for nightlife. Therefore, for convenience and safety, it's inadvisable to carry large amounts of cash. The number for police, fire, and medical services is 911.

There is generally a large, visible police presence (mounted, foot, and cruiser) at night in the 6th St. area. They are quite willing to let belligerent drunks dry out overnight in the city jail. They do however, provide a safe and secure area to enjoy yourself and Austin's famous live music.

Because surrounding hills concentrate the water, some streets in Austin and the surrounding area are prone to flooding during periods of heavy rain. These areas are typically marked as 'low water crossings' but in any event **Do not drive or walk across moving water** Each year several people are killed as they are swept away by flooding. You will also see many flood control structures built into the landscape. Small, dry low places with bounding berms during the dry season, these are dangerous places to be in, but keep Austin safer when the rains come.

Links

 • Austin Convention & Visitor's Bureau, 301 Congress Avenue, Ste. 200. Open 7 days a week, 9AM - 6PM. 1-866-GO-AUSTIN.
 • City of Austin
 • Travis County
 • State of Texas