Austin: Big City Bustle, Small Town Charm

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Nestled among lake-laced hills and lush greenery, the capital of Texas lies well outside the realm of Lone Star stereotypes. Often compared with Berkeley and Seattle, this leafy enclave is an intriguing blend of big city bustle and small town simplicity, global culture and down-home hospitality.

If you want to experience what Austin is all about and see why the city has earned the title "Live Music Capital of the World," seek out the art form Austin loves best—live music. Boasting more than 100 live music venues, you can get your groove on any night of the week with music ranging from blues and rock to reggae and country, and everything in between. Each March the city hosts the ever-growing South by Southwest music and movie festival, a two week onslaught of live music and independent films, which draws musicians and record company executives from around the world in their droves.

High-tech industries have also migrated to the Austin area, making it Texas's answer to Silicon Valley. But, for all the changes that have occurred in the capital city, Austin is still very much a town whose roots are buried in the past—a past the city is proud to preserve and show off to visitors.

With high-tech whiz kids and Hollywood heavyweights moving in, this lively capital is turning into a hipster haven. Mix in the nearly 50,000-strong University of Texas Longhorns, the never-short-on-character Texas politicians and a plethora of creative talent, and you’ve got the formula that makes Austin the kind of place where everyone feels at home. You will too.

City Resources

• All About Austin
• Newspapers
• Top Picks for Kids
• Recreation and Attractions
• Museums and Libraries

Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau
Get detailed information about Austin, its neighborhoods, history, attractions, as well as maps and directions.

Events Guide
Find out about the latest events and happenings in Austin, get the scoop on the best restaurants in town and check out the top family-friendly attractions.

State Information
This handy guide is filled with everything you need to know about nursing in Texas, including state nursing associations, CE requirements, salary information and more.

The Austin Chronicle
A weekly alternative newspaper that includes a city guide, an arts and entertainment calendar, and classifieds.

The Austin Business Journal
Featuring both local and national business news, this newspaper includes a directory of employment services, commercial real estate listings and financial services.

Senior Advocate Newspaper
A monthly newspaper for Central Texans aged 50 plus, filled with local coverage, employment opportunities, informative columns and entertaining features.

Austin Children’s Museum
Located in a large, state-of-the-art facility, this excellent children's museum has something for all ages.

Austin Zoo
Most of the animal residents at this unique zoo, ranging from turkeys and pot-bellied pigs to marmosets and tigers, were mistreated, abandoned, or illegally imported before they found a safe haven here.

Zilker Park
Considered "Austin's most loved park,” this 351-acre park is home to a variety of recreation opportunities and special events for the whole family.

Austin Nature and Science Center
Kids will love this unique wildlife environment that includes lots of hands-on exhibits, interactive features, nature trails and live critters, birds of prey, insects and snakes.

Hiking, Biking & Running
With over 50 miles of well-surfaced scenic paths, Austin has one of the finest trail systems in the nation.

Parks and Gardens
With some 205 parks, 14 preserves and 25 greenbelts, there’s no shortage of places to relax and unwind in Austin.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
The Wildflower Center is a botanical garden dedicated to native plants and inspiring people to love the land.

River Boat Cruises
This riverboat cruise sets off against a backdrop of Austin’s skyline and meanders upstream past scene parks, rugged cliffs and million-dollar estates.

Lyndon B. Johnson Library and Museum
The largest presidential library in the nation is on the grounds of The University of Texas.

Austin History Center/Austin Public Library
Built in 1933, this Renaissance revival-style public library serves as the best resource for information about Austin from before the city's founding to the present.