Austin Capital Attractions:
Three Day Standard Tour

DAY 1

Austin City Tour - Once you've checked into your Austin hotel, take a leisurely drive around the Live Music Capital of the World®. Experience the tales and legends of Austin along Congress Avenue and historic Sixth Street. Explore Texas history at the Texas State Capitol, the Governor's Mansion and the Texas State Cemetery. Stroll down South Congress Avenue (SoCo) and discover why locals want to "Keep Austin Weird." Suggested Time: 3 hours. Actual tours vary.

Alternate Tour Options:

Austin Duck Adventures - For a unique tour, hop aboard Austin Duck Adventures. These amphibious vehicles roll along city streets and past historic sites before taking a splash into Lake Austin. Tour lasts 75 minutes.

Historic Walking Tours - History buffs enjoy a walking tour of historic Congress Avenue and East Sixth Street, the Bremond Block or Texas State Cemetery. Tours are offered by the Austin CVB Heritage Marketing Department and are free of charge when staying overnight in an Austin hotel.

Enjoy lunch at the Capitol Grill or one of Austin's downtown, motorcoach-friendly restaurants.

Texas State Capitol Complex - Designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1986 for its "significant contribution to American history," the Texas Capitol is an impressive example of late 19th-century public architecture. The largest in gross square footage of all statehouses and 14 feet taller than our nation's capitol, the Texas State Capitol is just one example of how everything is bigger in Texas. Suggested Time: 2 hours. Guides available through the Austin CVB or Capitol Information & Guide Service. Free attraction.

Lyndon Baines Johnson Library & Museum - Experience life on Capitol Hill as it played out during the days of LBJ. This museum includes thousands of volumes of presidential papers, a replica of LBJ's Oval Office, a First Lady's Gallery devoted to the work of Lady Bird Johnson and special changing exhibits. Suggested Time: 2 hours. Docents available. Free attraction.

Mexican Free-tailed Bats - Watch the breathtaking flight of 1.5 million bats from beneath the Congress Avenue Bridge. Enjoy a dinner cruise or a bat cruise on Capital Cruises and Lone Star Riverboat for a nominal fee, or take in the view free of charge from the bridge or a lakeside viewing area. Season is late March until early November. Suggested Time: 1 to 2 hours at the bridge.

DAY 2

Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum - Relive the pages of Texas history at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. Interactive exhibits, historical artifacts, an IMAX® Theatre and the multi-sensory Texas Spirit Theatre bring the myths, legends and facts of the Lone Star State together under one roof. You can also enjoy lunch at the Story of Texas Café and browse around the museum gift shop. Suggested Time: 4 hours, including theaters. Docents available.

The Blanton Museum of Art - Set on the edge of the University of Texas' campus, the Blanton Museum of Art offers a brilliant collection of masterpieces in its permanent and changing exhibits, along with public space for special events. Since moving into its new state-of-the-art facility in April of 2006, the museum is now recognized as the largest university art museum in the country. Docents are available. The Mari and James A. Michener Gallery Building opened last spring, and a second building opens in Spring 2007 to complete the complex. Situated adjacent to a grand plaza, the 56,000-square-foot building will house a 300-seat auditorium, 60-seat lecture hall, several classrooms, a stylish café and the museum shop.

Grab lunch at The Story of Texas Café in the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum.

Harry Ransom Center - The Ransom Center houses one of the world's finest cultural archives. Highlights include Woodward and Bernstein's Watergate papers, a rare copy of the Gutenberg Bible, the world's first photograph, paintings by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera and manuscripts of James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams, to name a few. Suggested Time: 1 hour. Docents available. Free attraction.

Texas Memorial Museum - Two floors of all-new exhibits feature dinosaurs, fossils, gems, minerals and wildlife, as well as a cutting-edge 3D visualization facility showing realistic images of fossils, and a fossil preparation area staffed by a working paleontologist. Suggested Time: 1 hour. Docents available. Cost is $1 per student for guided tours, with accompanying adults free. Self-guided groups and general museum admission are free of charge.

After dinner, take in a show at one of Austin's many theaters and cultural arts venues. For a unique evening, learn about Austin's haunted past with Haunted Texas tours.

DAY 3

Texas Governor's Mansion - Step inside the stunning official residence for the First Family of Texas since 1856. Tours available on a limited basis. Suggested Time: 1 hour. Guided tour required. Free attraction.

Austin City Limits Studio - Visit Studio 6B, home to the longest running live music program on television - Austin City Limits. The list of artists who have appeared on the show is legendary; now is your chance to see backstage where it all takes place. Suggested Time: 1 hour. Guided tours and advanced notice required. Free public tours available on Friday mornings.

Texas State Cemetery - Stroll quietly through the final resting place of Stephen F. Austin, John Connally, Barbara Jordan, James Michener and other distinguished Texans. Suggested Time: 1 hour. Guided tours available through the Austin CVB with advanced notice and overnight stay. Free attraction.

Select from one of Austin's many downtown restaurants for a noontime meal or bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in Zilker Park.

Umlauf Sculpture Garden - View an extensive selection of sculpture at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum, containing more than 130 works by the late Charles Umlauf. Suggested Time 1 hour. Docents available.

Zilker Botanical Gardens - Wander through the naturally beautiful Zilker Botanical Gardens, a 22-acre hideaway featuring a variety of gardens, pioneer cabins and dinosaur tracks. Suggested time: 1 hour.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - This 284-acre native plant botanical garden is dedicated to preserving and re-establishing native plants. Hike in the meadow, tour the Butterfly Garden, picnic in the shade, bird watch, snap photos or shop for souvenirs. Suggested Time: 1 hour. Docents available.

Cypress Valley Canopy Tours - This thrilling eco-adventure allows you to fly through the canopy of old growth cypress trees, some up to 100 feet tall. Soar through the trees, harnessed in climbing gear, for an exciting look at Texas Hill Country nature from a completely new perspective. After your canopy zip tour, enjoy a picnic and swimming at a private lake.