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Austin Holidays, Hotels & Travel Guide
Travel guide to hotels & holidays in Austin
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Austin Holidays Overview
A guide to holidays in Austin - Capital of Texas, the city of Austin lies almost
in the centre of the state, a big city with a small town feel,
young population, casual lifestyle and reputation as a Mecca for
live music shows.
Home of the University of
Texas campus, Austin life is closely entwined with the energy and
enthusiasm of its students, but this city that has been a state
capital since 1838 does not ignore its history. Young people are
drawn here too by the array of live concerts that are held
frequently around the shores of Town Lake. Most famous of these
events is the annual South by Southwest music festival-conference
held each March. Visitors wanting to tune in to Austin's live
musical repertoire, which spans everything from blues and country
to reggae, simply have to drift down the famous Sixth Street strip
of pubs and clubs any night of the week.
Austin's laid-back attitude lends itself to the great
outdoors, and the city has miles of hiking and biking trails
linking parks, preserves and greenbelts adding to the ambience of
its leafy streets.
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Austin
holidays - Top Places To Go
1. State Capitol
Congress Avenue between 11th Street and 14th
Street
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What is it? Austin's impressive pink granite capitol
building is rivalled only by that of the US Capitol in Washington,
DC. Encircled by its original wrought-iron fence topped with gold
Lone Stars and standing proudly in a hectare (three acres) of
ground, the domed building was constructed in 1882 out of granite
quarried from Granite Mountain 75 miles (121km) away. Visitors can
take guided tours of this interestingly designed building, or
attend legislative sessions, which are open to the
public.
Hours of Operation: Monday to Friday 7am to 10pm, weekends 9am to 8pm.
Tours leave Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm; Saturday and Sunday
9.30am to 4.30pm (every 15 minutes)
Phone:(512) 463 0063 (Tour Guide Office) or (512) 305 8400
(Visitors Center) |
2. Zilker Park
2100 Barton Springs Road
www.ci.austin.tx.us/zilker |
What is it? The 140-hectare (347-acre) Zilker Park,
donated to the city by the German immigrant who gave it its name,
is Austin's most popular public recreational area, dominated by its
ancient spring-fed natural swimming pool, known as Barton Springs,
which Native Americans believed to have healing properties. The
pool is about the size of a football field with water at a constant
warm temperature all year round. Zilker Park has other attractions,
too, including a botanical garden which features dinosaur tracks, a
nature preserve, the Umlauf Sculpture garden and museum, and eight
miles (13km) of biking and walking trails. There are sports
facilities aplenty and amusements for children like the Zilker
Zephyr miniature train and paddleboat
rides.
Hours of Operation: 7am to dusk
Phone:(512) 478 8286 |
3. Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center
4801 La Crosse Avenue
www.wildflower.org |
What is it? Texas hill country is renowned for its
glorious spring blooms, and former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson,
founded this centre dedicated to the study and preservation of
native plants in 1982. There are 72 hectares (178 acres) of
wildflowers in display gardens, which includes a garden designed to
attract butterflies. There are also some interesting indoor
displays featuring some novelties, and the centre offers free
lectures and guided walks at weekends.
Hours of Operation: Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 5.30pm; Sundays 12pm to
5.30pm; daily in spring (13 March to 30 April)
Phone:(512) 292 4100 |
Austin
holidays - Top Events
1. South by Southwest
From 2007-03-09
To 2007-03-18
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What is it? The largest and most important of the many
live music events for which Austin is renowned is the annual South
by Southwest festival, held at more than 50 venues around the city
and drawing performers from around the world. The festival
programme includes 1,000 performances on more than 50 stages over a
five-day period. In recent years the festival has expanded to
encompass film and multi-media, both these categories now forming
separate extravaganzas to make South by Southwest a convergence of
entertainment and media. Call the the South by Southwest
Headquarters on (512) 467 7979 or email sxsw@sxsw.com for more
information.
Where is it? Austin Convention Center |
2. Carnaval Brasiliero
From 2007-02-03
To 2007-02-03
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What is it? One of the biggest Carnavals staged outside
Brazil, and undoubtedly Austin's biggest party, is the euphoric
Carnaval Brasiliero, a tradition in the city every February since
it was started on a small scale in 1975 by a group of home-sick
Brazilian students at the local university. Carnaval was adopted
enthusiastically by Austinites and today the crowds pack into the
Palmer Events Centre to samba, march and drum the cold winter night
away.
Where is it? Palmer Events Centre |
3. Texas Hill Country Food and Wine Festival
From 2007-03-28
To 2007-04-01
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What is it? Austin becomes a cuisine and fine wine
destination towards the end of March and beginning of April with
some of the best chefs in the US culinary scene descending upon the
town at the behest of many of Texas's local masters to educate and
indulge a hungry and thirsty public. Top wine producers attend in
2007 such as Robert Talbot Vineyards and Rosenblum Cellars. For
more information, call (512) 249 6300 or email info@texaswineandfood.org.
Where is it? Main venue: Four Season's Hotel, downtown Austin |
4. Old Pecan Street Spring Arts Festival
From 2007-05-05
To 2007-05-06
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What is it? It is said everything is bigger in Texas, and
it is hard to imagine a bigger or better arts and crafts street
fair than the one that takes place in Austin's Sixth Street
(originally named Pecan Street) in May and September every year.
For 25 years this lively event has drawn the crowds and now 250,000
are expected to browse among the wares of more than 300 crafters
from all around America. In addition there is plenty of live
musical entertainment and a host of food and beverage stalls. For
more information, call the festival hotline on (512) 443
6179.
Where is it? East 6th Street |
5. Austin City Limits Music Festival
From 2007-09-14
To 2007-09-14
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What is it? Rated as one of the largest music festivals
in the United States, the two-day Austin City Limits event in a
15-acre city park grew as an offshoot from the popular television
series of the same name. The Festival draws young and old to a
series of stages where more than 70 artists give ongoing
performances.
Where is it? Zilker Park |
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