Austin, TX Stuff to do?

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Things to Do in Austin, Texas

1. Watch Sunset at the Oasis

The Oasis is an Austin institution, but one with a recent history of misfortune. The Oasis is know for its beautiful views of Lake Travis. It sits high on a bluff overlooking the lake, with an extensive network of hundreds of decks where you can sit, eat and drink, and watch the sun set over the lake. This makes the Oasis is a common thing to do while in Austin.

On June 1, 2005, the Oasis was hit by lightning. This ignited a fire that destroyed much of the outdoor deck areas around the restaurant. This was a dark day for Austin, as the Oasis is such a popular part of the city. The good news is that the restaurant still has outdoor and indoor seating, and they are working hard to rebuild what has been lost.

2. Get Out on the Lake

First, let’s clarify which lake we’re talking about here. This might be confusing at first, but here comes a geography lesson. The Colorado River flows through Austin, forming a series of lakes that cover more than 100 miles. But it’s not the Colorado River that first comes to mind (of Grand Canyon fame). It’s the other Colorado River … you know, the one in Texas. Where the river slows and widens through downtown Austin, it is called Town Lake. But further west, where the river widens into an even bigger lake as the result of damming, it is called Lake Travis. This is the lake that the Oasis restaurant overlooks (see Oasis listed above).

To be more accurate, Lake Travis was created by the impounding of the Colorado River by the construction of Mansfield Dam in 1937- 41. At 63 miles long and a max width of 4.5 miles, Lake Travis can accommodate a wide variety of activities, from boating to fishing to skiing. If you’re into these types of activities, a day on Lake Travis should be on your list of things to do in Austin.

3. See the bats.

Austin has the largest urban bat colony in the United States. In 1980, when the Congress Avenue bridge was being reconstructed, engineers built expansion joints into the bridge (a series of narrow crevices underneath the bridge). Little did they know that 1.5 million Mexican freetail bats would eventually call those crevices “home away from home.”

Each year, the Mexican freetail bats migrate back here from Mexico, first arriving around mid-March. This makes the summer and fall prime bat-viewing time. If you go down to Congress Avenue bridge at dusk on any summer night, you’ll be among hundreds (possibly thousands) of people who have lined up to see Austin’s bats take to the sky like clockwork. Watching the bats take flight is one of the most popular things to do in Austin, Texas (view photos), especially for people who have never seen it before. In fact, every time I have guests from out of town, I usually put the bats on my list of things to do in Austin.

4. Visit the Texas State Capitol

Continuing in our list of things to do in Austin, we travel down Congress Avenue to the Texas State Capitol. The expression “things are bigger in Texas” holds true here, for the Texas State Capitol is even taller than the U.S. Capitol building. But that’s just one reason to visit this architectural wonder.

You’ll also enjoy surprisingly free access to the Capitol building, if you’d like to look around. Austin takes pride in the accessibility of its State Capitol. Though you’ll pass plenty of law enforcement on the way in, you’ll still be able to walk around most areas of the building unfettered. You can stand in the middle of the bottom floor and peer up into the ornately decorated dome high above you. For these reasons and many more, the Texas State Capitol should be on your list of things to do in Austin, Texas.

5. Hang Out in Downtown Austin

Simply hanging out in downtown Austin is another “must” for your list of things to do in Austin. The city’s unofficial motto is “Keep Austin Weird,” which is symbolic of Austin’s easygoing nature, eclectic mix of people, and cultural uniqueness. Yes, we really do worship spam every year (the kind you eat, not the kind in your inbox). It’s called Spamarama, and it warrants an article all its own!

The best way to take in Austin’s unique personality is to spend half a day (or better yet, an evening) walking around downtown Austin. You’ll have plenty to see and do, and the people watching can’t be beat. Have lunch, go shopping on South Congress, visit the State Capitol (mentioned above) … just get out there and see the real Austin. It’s a city like no other.

6. Go See Esther’s Follies

Ether’s Follies is another great thing to put on your list of things to do in Austin, Texas. Esther’s is a live comedy show located in a small theater on Sixth Street, right in the heart of downtown Austin. So if you put it on your list of things to do in Austin, you’ll also be accounting for item #4 on this list (hanging out downtown) … it’s two-for-one!

From their website: “Esther’s Follies began as a by-product of a pool parlor, called Esther’s Pool, on East Sixth Street April Fool’s Day, 1977. Conceived as a combination topical vaudeville/satirical musical comedy revue, Esther’s Follies has grown to become the state’s premier comedy complex, garnering national praise and a loyal following.”

7. Take In Some Live Music

Austin is referred to as the Live Music Capital of the World. The city got this nickname after research found that Austin had more live music venues than other big music cities, like Nashville and New York. Visit downtown Austin any night of the week, and you’ll see this firsthand. You can find country, rock, jazz, bluegrass, blues … you name it.

The city is also home to Austin City Limits (the show and the festival), and the South by Southwest music festival. So no matter what time of year you visit Austin, you can put live music on your list of things to do in Austin.

Conclusion

This is just a small preview of things to do in Austin. To make a comprehensive list would require a book, not an article. But I hope this list has shown you one thing above all else. There are plenty of things to do in Austin, Texas!