Discover Austin

Austin embodies the contradictions that make Texas fascinating—a liberal oasis in a conservative state, a tech boom town that fiercely protects its quirky character, a capital city that feels more like a college town. The University of Texas anchors the city’s identity, contributing to its youthful energy and progressive politics while fueling a passionate obsession with Longhorns football.

The Colorado River, dammed to create Lady Bird Lake, provides a watery playground in the heart of the city where kayakers and paddle boarders share space with rowing crews and tour boats. Austin’s “Keep Austin Weird” ethos isn’t just a slogan—it’s a defensive strategy against the rapid growth that has seen tech giants like Tesla, Oracle, and Apple establish major operations here.

The city’s music scene remains its soul, with more live music venues per capita than anywhere else in America, from legendary institutions like the Continental Club to the dozens of bars along Sixth Street and Rainey Street where unknown bands play nightly. The surrounding Texas Hill Country offers limestone caves, spring-fed swimming holes, and an emerging wine region that complements the city’s renowned barbecue culture and innovative culinary scene.

March brings South by Southwest (SXSW), the massive festival that transforms Austin into the epicenter of music, film, and interactive media, drawing industry professionals and creatives from around the world. The Austin City Limits Music Festival bookends the year with two October weekends in Zilker Park, featuring major headliners across multiple stages.

Formula 1 roars into Circuit of the Americas each fall for the United States Grand Prix, bringing international racing glamour to the Texas Hill Country. The Austin Film Festival in October celebrates screenwriting and film, while Fantastic Fest brings cult cinema and genre films to the Alamo Drafthouse.

University of Texas football Saturdays create a burnt-orange wave through campus as fans pack Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The city’s live music calendar never stops—any night of the week offers dozens of shows, from blues legends at Antone’s to country acts at the Broken Spoke. Food festivals like Feast Portland showcase the city’s culinary evolution, while the annual Bat Fest celebrates the 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats that emerge from under the Congress Avenue Bridge nightly from March through fall.