Austin`s Best Attractions

Where Austin Closes
www.austintitle.com
Austin’s Best Attractions
1 Barton Springs Pool
2101 Barton Springs Rd, Zilker Metropolitan Park, Austin, TX 78704 • 512-476-9044
In Zilker Park, just off Barton Springs Road, Barton Springs Pool is one of Austin's
famous landmarks and easily the most popular swimming hole in the city. Spring fed and
over 900 feet long, the pool was formed when Barton Creek was dammed up, so it has
a natural rock and gravel bottom. There are varying depths, diving boards, stairs and
ladders for entry. The water temperature averages 68 degrees throughout the year, so
swimming year-round is not uncommon.www.ci.austin.tx.us
2 Zilker Botanical Garden
2220 Barton Springs Rd, Zilker Metropolitan Park, Austin, TX 78746 • 512-477-8672
This 350-acre park in the Barton Springs area is open year-round and free to visit. The
park serves as a hub for many recreational activities and the hike and bike trail around
Lady Bird Lake. It is also home to the Zilker Botanical Gardens. Zilker hosts multiple
themed gardens including a romantic rose garden, butterfly garden, and Japanese garden
complete with a koi pond. There are also many free events in the park such as Blues on
the Green, Trail of Lights, and the Zilker Kite Festival. www.zilkergarden.org
3 Austin City Limits
2504 Whitis Ave., KLRU Studios, Austin, TX 78712 • 512-475-9077
Austin City Limits still remains as the main focal point of Austin’s live music scene. ACL
was initially created to celebrate the music of Texas, featuring western swing, Texas
blues, Tejano, progressive country, and rock n' roll. The series has gone on to feature
regional, national and international artists performing a wide range of musical
styles, including jazz, alternative country, alternative rock, folk music, and a jam band.
ACL just recently relocated from the University of Texas campus to the W Austin Hotel
downtown. Tickets to tapings are free through a drawing on the main ACL website or you
can purchase tickets to other performances that are held there almost nightly.
www.pbs.org
4 Texas State Capitol
1100 N Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701 • 512-305-8400
Austin is not only the home of the University of Texas, but the Texas State Capitol Building.
The Capitol grounds span 22 acres and feature historic buildings, 17 monuments,
and beautifully landscaped lawns. The capitol rotunda features portraits of every
person who has served as president of the Republic of Texas or Governor of the
state of Texas. The building has nearly four hundred rooms and more than nine
hundred windows. www.texascapitolvisitorscenter.com
5 Bats of the Congress Avenue Bridge
Over Lady Bird Lake, Austin, Texas • 512-327-9721
Every year nearly 1 Million Mexican free-tailed bats call Austin home, typically arriving as
the warm weather sets back in the Spring. They stay in Austin until early fall, and are the
largest urban bat colony in North America. When in Austin, they camp out under downtown's Congress Avenue Bridge. You can stand on the bridge at dusk and watch the bats
emerge in a black cloud as they seek out their dinner. Be sure to ask the locals what time
the bats are coming out, because our recent drought has them coming out earlier than
usual. www.batcon.org
6 University of Texas
24th and Guadalupe, Austin, TX 78712 • 512-475-7348
Wander about this historic college campus for a fun and free activity. You can see
the University of Texas tower, which is the center point of the university. Check out
the behemoth football stadium, which serves as home to the Texas Longhorns. You
can also go into the Harry Ransom Center, which holds many of the world's prized
possessions; upon walking in, you can take a look at the world's first photograph
and an authentic copy of the Gutenberg bible. You can also visit the Lyndon Baines
Johnson Library & Museum, which is free and features many historical and
cultural exhibits. If museums bore you, you can always tailgate! www.utexas.edu
7 Lady Bird Lake and Hike and Bike Trail
1928 S Lakeshore Blvd, Town Lake Park, Austin, TX 78741 • 512-974-6700
Town Lake, more recently known as Lady Bird Lake is a major recreation area for Austin.
Motorized boats are banned so kayaking, canoeing, and stand-up paddleboarding are
extremely popular. Town Lake Metropolitan Park stretches along the lake and contains
more than 10 miles of hike and bike trails. The main trail, which winds around the
entire lake is quite wide and extremely popular, especially on the weekdays after work
and on the weekends. Many locals bring their dogs out for a jog or walk.
www.ci.austin.tx.us
8 The Bob Bullock State History Museum
1800 N. Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701 • 512-936-8746
The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in downtown Austin, tells the "Story of
Texas" with three floors of interactive exhibits. While visiting you can see a special
effects show, The Star of Destiny, in the Texas Spirit Theater, and Austin's only
IMAX Theatre, featuring the signature large-format film, Texas: The Big Picture. The
museum often hosts special events or screenings of movies, so check their website for
upcoming events. www.thestoryoftexas.com
9 Mount Bonnell
3800 Mt. Bonnell Rd., Austin, TX 78731 • 512-974-6700
Mount Bonnell has been a major attraction in Austin since the 1850’s. This scenic overlook is the highest point within the Austin City Limits. It requires a climb up many steps,
but once you get to the top, the view over Lake Austin is stunning. You can also see
downtown and the 360 bridge. It is a very romantic spot, perfect for a date night or
even a proposal. www.ci.austin.tx.us
10 Austin Duck Tour
209 East 6th Street, Austin, TX 78701 • 512-477-5274
This fun, narrated, amphibious tour takes place inside one of the unsinkable, US coast
guard inspected, Hydra Terra vehicles. Austin Duck Adventures is Austin's best tour with
75 minutes of sightseeing that includes Historic Sixth Street, the State Capitol Building,
Bob Bullock State History Museum, the Governor's Mansion, and Lake Austin. You will
get to see all the attractions that are unique to Austin both on and off the water.
www.austinducks.com
Parts of this list were created by 10Best.com Travel Guides.
Where Austin Closes
www.austintitle.com
Austin’s Best Restaurants
1 Uchi
801 South Lamar Boulevard, Austin, TX 78704 • 512-916-4808
Uchi is constantly touted as Austin's #1 restaurant and 10Best feel's no different. Combining local seasonal ingredients with an infinite spectrum of seafood
from around the globe is the basis for Uchi's culinary philosophy. They invite their
diners to explore their gastronomic boundaries by pairing traditional Japanese
offerings with new and refreshing flavors and textures. Chef Tyson Cole continues to
impress with a seasonally updated menu and was also recently crowned "Best
Chef in the Southwest" by the James Beard Foundation. www.uchiaustin.com
6 Barley Swine
2024 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704 • 512-394-8150
In 2010, Barley Swine opened with the commitment to supporting farmers and ranchers from our region. The tasting menu is truly seasonal and always changing based on
the ingredient availability and the aspirations of the kitchen. At Barley Swine they strive
to be creative and have fun in hopes that their guests will share in the excitement.
Gather with friends and family for a dinner driven by the hospitality and passion of the
staff. We take pride in our values and hope to continue to grow and support the local
food community. www.barleyswine.com
3 Perla's Seafood & Oyster Bar
1400 South Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78704 • 512-291-7300
Perla's Seafood & Oyster Bar was founded in the Spring of 2009 by chefs Lawrence
McGuire and Thomas Moorman Jr. with the goal of bringing ultra fresh oysters and
premium seafood to bustling South Congress Avenue. Perla's features fish and oysters
flown in daily from both coasts with an emphasis on the freshest catch from the Gulf of
Mexico and simple, clean preparations. perlasaustin.com.
8 Parkside
301 East 6th Street Austin, TX 78701 • 512-474-9898
Widely recognized as one of Austin's most creative restaurateurs, Chef Shawn Cirkiel
has been impressing area foodies and critics alike since the early 2000’s, when he
gained the honor of Austin's youngest five-star chef from the Austin American Statesman. Cirkiel was the first to introduce Austin to the gastro pub concept with his
casually sophisticated parkside on Sixth Street. The menu ranges from a
wide selection of raw oysters to one of the Top 50 Burgers in Texas. parkside-austin.com
2 Eddie V's Edgewater Grille
9400 Arboretum Blvd #B Austin, TX 78759 • 512-342-2642
Eddie V's has selections from the best of America's seafood treats and they do
fine dining right. This Austin seafood restaurant features an award-winning
combination of prime steaks and fresh seafood with live music. Co-owners Larry Foles
and Guy Villavaso are New Orleans natives who brought their skills with them to make
this a popular dining spot in Austin. The Fifth street restaurant is their flagship location
and it continues to maintain their gold standard of a great meal. www.eddiev.com
4 FINO Restaurant, Patio & Bar
2905 San Gabriel St Ste 200. Austin, TX 78705 • 512-474-2905
FINO Restaurant Patio & Bar is well known to locals as a cozy yet modern eatery where
executive chef Jason Donoho crafts a menu of local, seasonal items inspired by
the flavors, spices & cuisines of the Mediterranean. Spanish, Greek and North African
dishes mingle comfortably on the lunch, dinner & brunch menus in both tapas and large
plate sizes, inviting shared dining and satisfying appetites of all sizes. www.finoaustin.com
5 Congress Restaurant
200 Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78701 • 512- 827-2755
Recently named one of Bon Appétit's Best New Restaurants in America, Congress'
David Bull describes the prix-fixe menu as "Natural American" cuisine where he selects
the highest-quality seasonal ingredients. Five nights a week the chefs create a threecourse menu and a seven-course chef's tasting menu using the freshest, premium
ingredients available, with a focus on being as local and sustainable as possible.
congressaustin.com
7 Vespaio
1610 S Congress, Austin TX 78704 • 512.441.6100
In a city that starves for more Italian restaurants, Vespaio makes up for that void.
Vespaio has garnered considerable attention for its creative and well-balanced Italian
dishes from local chef Alan Lazarus. The South Austin eatery features a deep selection
of grilled entrées, wood-oven pizzas, inventive pasta dishes, and a great
barside antipasto case. Vespaio receives consistently high marks for service, wine
selection, and atmosphere. www.austinvespaio.com
9 Franklin Barbeuce
900 E. 11th Austin, TX 78702 • 512-653-1187
Every day since Franklin Barbecue opened for business as a modest food trailer
in 2009, it has sold out of its famous brisket. The barbecue here has been heralded
as some of the best in the country, and even with the larger brick and mortar location,
you'll still find a line out the door more often than not. franklinbarbecue.com
10 Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill
303 Red River Street Austin, TX 78701 • 512-236-9599
Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill takes you back to a simpler time. Comfortable and familiar,
relaxed and easygoing, Moonshine greets guests like family. Serving up great cooking
with an innovative take on classic American comfort food, Moonshine's menu satisfies
even the big city tastes. Its ranges from the corndog shrimp start to their horseradish
crusted salmon. Moonshine is a true taste of Texas. www.moonshinegrill.com