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Austin Tourist Information and Austin Tourism
(Austin, Texas - TX, USA US)



The city of Austin stands of the banks of the Colorado River and Austin has been the capital of Texas since the 1840s. Situated in the very heart of Texas, Austin is surrounded by a particularly beautiful area of green hills and large lakes. Austin is known for its music scene and live entertainment and Austin is also home to a large university community, attending the impressive University of Texas (UT).

The city's laid-back and relaxed attitude has long been a major attraction for tourists, who visit Austin to soak up the atmosphere and small-town ambiance. With cycling routes, hiking trails, historical buildings, cultural districts and a host of restaurants, one of the most unusual and popular tourist attractions in Austin is the enormous bat colony who live underneath Austin Congress Avenue Bridge, attracting large crowds each evening as they emerge.




Austin features a good selection of tourist information centres, including the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau on East Sixth Street. These tourist information centres provide extensive information about the whole of Austin, including the Bremond Block District, the Congress Avenue District, Downtown Austin, the Guadalupe Street District and Austin's Zilker District, offering a host of colorful brochures, leaflets, guides and general Austin tourist and tourism information.

There are many hotels throughout Austin, providing accommodation options at all levels, including hotels on Delmar Avenue, East 11th Street, Middle Fiskville Road, North Interstate 35 and Austin's Waterford Centre Boulevard. Further hotels are situated close to the nearby Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), with affordable and convenient accommodation. More information on Austin Hotels.

Austin has features some truly impressive tourist attractions, including Congress Avenue Bridge - home to a colony of more than 1.5 million bats, who congregate here each year from March to November; the State Capitol - a magnificent building and one of Austin's most famous landmarks, with regular free guided tours; the Capitol Complex Visitors Centre - situated at the entrance to the capitol complex; Austin's Zilker Park - a vast parkland, featuring playing fields and the landscaped Zilker Botanical Gardens; and Barton Springs Pool - an enormous spring-fed pool, attracting both locals and tourists.

Other popular tourist attractions in Austin include the University of Texas - a major research facility, housing a number of important museums and art galleries; Austin's Texas State Cemetery - lying just east of downtown and home to some of the Austin's most distinguished residents of yesteryear; St. Mary's Cathedral - a striking Roman Catholic building, built in the 1870s with Gothic-style architecture; and Governor's Mansion - designed in 1865 and home to the Texas governor. More information on Austin Tourist Attractions and Austin Landmarks.

Tourist attractions located close to Austin include Austin Zoo - situated to the southwest of downtown Austin, where visitors are able to get extremely close to many of the animals; the Highland Lakes - an impressive chain of lakes to the northeast of Austin, created during the 1950s to 1970s by building dams on the Texas Colorado River; the Jourdan Bachman Pioneer Farm - giving a real an insight into life in 19th-century Texas, with a classic rural American scene; Texas Hill Country - standing to the west and southwest of Austin, full of hiking and rock climbing activities, together with spectacular views and quaint towns; and San Antonio - easily reachable from Austin via I-35, retaining the feel of a small town and a distinct cosmopolitan air. More information on Austin Attractions Nearby.

Austin also features many excellent museums and art galleries in Austin city centre, providing historic information about Austin, together with other exhibitions. Some of the major museums and art galleries in Austin include the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum - home to various exhibits, documents and information from other museums in Austin and Texas; the Children's Museum - a superb family attraction, with hands-on exhibits for all ages; Austin's LBJ Library and Museum - devoted to the 36th president; the Texas Memorial Museum - celebrating natural science, with enormous dinosaur models; Austin's Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum - beautiful gardens displaying many large and famous sculptures; and the Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art - with an extensive collection of around 20,000 artworks from throughout the world. More information on Austin Museums and Austin Art Galleries.

Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Guide - useful Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) information.

More Austin Information / Fast Facts and Orientation

• Country: United States of America (USA)
• Location: Travis County, Texas (TX)
• Status: state capital and county seat
• Area: approximately 252 square miles / 653 square kilometers
• Population: approximately 657,000
• Language: American English
• Currency: US Dollar (USD)
• Time zone: GMT - 6 hours Central Standard Time (daylight saving time is observed)
• Country dialing code: +1
• Telephone area code: 361 or 512 737
• Religion: various religions
• Average daily January temperature: 15ºC / 59ºF
• Average daily July temperature: 35ºC / 95ºF

 
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