Magnolia Cafes
Everybody knows — everybody goes.
Austin, TX.
Fun Austin:
Our Personal List of Top Attractions in Austin
Swing Dance and Lindy Hop--Austin has a wonderful Swing dance scene. One venue is the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs Ballroom. Tuesday evening for lessons; Thursday evenings for the Big Dance. The people who can tell you all about it and more are: www.fouronthefloor.com and www.austinswingsyndicate.org
Live Music--You can find live performances, all over town, every night of the week. To know what's happening, pick up a free copy of the Austin Chronicle on Thursdays at the Magnolia Cafe. South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival -- happens in March every year. www.sxsw.com
ACL Music Festival -- happens in Sept. every year. www.aclfestival.com
Barton Springs--Zilker Park A huge spring-fed natural pool, located in Zilker Park, provides swimmers with water that stays a constant 68 degrees Fahrenheit. A charming sub-culture of young adults and seniors can be found here at 7 a.m. year-round. A small admission charge is required after 9 am. Zilker park has a giant playground and various gardens (Xeriscape, Rose, Japanese, Native). Swim free in summer every evening from 9-10 pm, and enjoy the party that happens on the nights of the full moon. www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/bartonsprings.htm
SoCo and First Thursday--Let's give you the real scoop on South Congress development. We were there in 1988 when it was unloved and uncool. Well, now we're getting our cool back. The street has slowly earned the priviledge of having fine restaurants, clothing stores, gift stores (like Prima Dora www.primadora.com) sprinkled among the venerable dinosaurs (Magnolia Cafe South, Off the Wall, Continental Club, Avenue Gallery, and etc.) You can enjoy the excitement especially on the First Thursday of every month when there is live music and late store hours. www.firstthursday.info
The University of Texas--About 50,000 students attend UT, Austin. The famous/infamous Tower is illuminated with orange when the football team has won the game. UT now has a great art museum (The Henry Ransom Center, and Blanton Museum), and an interesting Natural History Museum (with dinosaur footprints found in Texas). www.utexas.edu
The LBJ Presidential Library is located on campus, next to the Law School. www.lbjlib.utexas.edu
The Texas State Capitol Building is made of lovely pink granite. Free tours are available daily, just drop buy. A new visitor's center is located in a separate building on the grounds. www.tspb.state.tx.us/CVC/home/home.html
Central Market (2 locations)--Our local low-priced grocer (HEB) has given us this high-end alternative. Great food in a FUN atmosphere. Check their calendar for special events and live music. www.centralmarket.com
Home of Whole Foods Market--An Austin business that we all wish we had bought stock in.. www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/lamar/
The Hike & Bike Trail Around Town Lake--Question: What creates the Austin feeling of community? Answer: Places to congregate! The Hike & Bike Trail is a great place to meet and hang out with friends. Good parking place: under the MoPac bridge in Zilker Park. The "lake" is really the dammed-up Colorado River--all the lakes in Texas are man-made. Canoes can be rented at Zilker Park. www.zilkerboats.com Check out the boating club on the north side of the hike & bike trail: www.austincityguide.com/content/austin-rowing-dock.asp
O. Henry worked in Austin as a writer and draftsman; to find an expert, visit the O. Henry Museum on East 5th Street. www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/ohenry.htm
James Michener lived in Austin not long ago. He has endowed various art collections and programs at U.T., including a stipend program to give young writers the support they need to concentrate on their writing. www.utexas.edu/academic/mcw/
East 6th Street (East-West from Congress Ave to IH35) It's our version of New Orleans' Bourbon Street. Generally a loud youth crowd.
Colorado Street (North-South from 5th St. to about 2nd St.) Here are the trendiest of the new restaurants and brew pubs. You'll see limousines next to horse drawn carriages. A nice place to look great and hang out.
Alamo Drafthouse serves beer and food while it shows movies. www.drafthouse.com
The Live Oaks, Pecans, Wildflowers-- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Research Center is about 15 miles southwest of town in the central Texas Hill Country. www.wildflower.org
The Bats! They come out from under the Congress Ave. Bridge at dusk every night. People congregate on either bank of the river or on the Congress Ave. Bridge sidewalk. It's fun to hang out with all the other people; it's fun to see the river of black bats stream out as they search for bugs. www.austin.about.com
The Magnolia Cafes--Open 24hr.s at two locations, these family-owned and operated restaurants began as a breakfast joint called the Omeletry West in 1979. Popular for it's unpretentious decor, abundant portions and fresh ingredients. www.cafemagnolia.com
Deep Eddy Pool--Another spring-fed pool, Deep Eddy is a public pool with cold water, grassy slopes and huge trees. Low end great for kids; deep end for adult lap swimmers. It's just across the street from the Magnolia Cafe, Lake Austin Blvd. www.deepeddy.org
The Moon Towers--Beginning in 1895, more than 30 Moon Towers were erected; 17 remain. Austin is the only city in the nation with a tower system still intact. They are 165 feet tall, each with 6 carbon lamps that illuminate a 3000 foot radius. Keep your eyes up when you drive around at night to see one (Zilker Park, Main Library, Travis Heights, etc.). www.austinpostcard.com/moontower.html
... and more Austin fun stuff
http://www.auschron.com/
Local alternative weekly covers politics, arts, music, theater, local
interest, and more.
http://www.goodlifemag.com/
Monthly magazine with stories about the people, places and things that
make Austin special.
www.austinkids.org
Austin Children's Museum
www.pbs.org/klru/austin
Austin City Limits
www.AustinLyricOpera.org
Austin Lyric Opera
www.austintennis.org
Austin Tennis
www.balletaustin.org
Ballet Austin
www.lakeaustin.com
Lake Austin Spa Resort
www.utpac.org
Performing Arts Center
www.texashillsvineyard.com
Texas Hills Vineyard
www.winesocietyoftexas.org
The Wine Society of Texas
www.vtrc.com
Vanishing Texas River Cruises