Austin Guide
United States of America > Atlanta
What do you call a city renowned for its eclectic music scene,
progressive environmental sensibilities and liberal social
attitudes? Leaven with traditional values, the healthy influence
of one of the top state universities in the country and a
surprisingly harmonious ethnic mix, and you get the state
capital of Texas: Austin.
The University of Texas (UT) campus is a highlight of a
visit to Austin. For instance, the Texas Memorial Museum
packs a huge art deco building with displays of Texas' natural
and social history. Exhibits focus on geology, paleontology,
anthropology and natural history. Don't miss the impressive
pterodactyl skeleton.
For your excitement, visit the Congress Ave Bridge. What's
so special about this downtown bridge? Bats! The bridge
had caught the attention of a homeless colony of Mexican
free-tail bats. It's become an Austin tradition to bring
along a six-pack and cheer the bats as they head out to
feast on an estimated (13,500kg) of insects per night.
If there's an epicenter to outdoor recreation in Austin,
it's Zilker Park, just south of the Colorado River about
half a mile west of Congress Ave. The park itself encompasses
a pleasant slot of green, lined with hiking and biking trails
and home to a botanical garden, sculpture garden and museum.
Getting There and Moving Around
By air
Houston and Dallas are Texas' major hubs for domestic and
international carriers; Mueller sees mostly intrastate traffic.
By rail
The Texas Steam Train Association runs several tours aboard
the Hill Country Flyer steam train into and around Texas
Hill Country. The train makes short half hour jaunts as
well as a 30 mile (50km) circuit on weekends March through
December.
By road
Capital Metro is the city's public bus network, with a
solid system of inexpensive neighborhood, express and downtown
routes.
Moving Around
With a multi selection of buses, taxis, shuttles and car
rentals to get you into town and back; you'll surely find
it easy to travel here.
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