Austin Insider Blog

This blog, written and curated by Visit Austin staff, shares the things that visitors love and locals can't get enough of.

Top Things To Do & See on West Sixth Street

Not to be confused with its louder sister, West Sixth Street has developed its own upscale personality. This neighborhood is perfect for decadent dinners, sporting events, shopping and nightlife. Discover everything that the Market District and West Sixth Street has to offer, then explore hotels…

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Viva la Vida Festival & Parade

Each year, Mexic-Arte Museum celebrates the tradition of Día de los Muertos in Austin. During Viva la Vida Festival & Parade, the city's largest and longest-running Día de los Muertos event, visitors will experience a street festival and a parade down the iconic Congress Avenue, bringing together a…

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Historic Austin: Congress Avenue

Congress Avenue isn’t just Austin’s main street – it is the main street of Texas. Mirabeau Lamar, successor to Sam Houston as president of the newborn Republic of Texas, directed that a city be built here in 1839, specifically for the seat of government. His plan called for a 120-foot wide…

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Luxury Hotels in Austin

You deserve to stay in style. Cloud-comfort beds, killer views, top-of-the-line products. Nothing is too good and these fabulous hotels in Austin will make you feel like royalty. Archer Hotel's King Suite. Courtesy of Archer Hotel Austin. Archer Hotel The Domain is one of Austin’s hippest shopping…

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Top Things To Do & See on Rainey Street

Once a sleepy residential area, Rainey Street has become an entertainment hot spot of bungalows-turned-bars, high-end hotels and live music venues in a tucked-away corner of Downtown Austin. Find out where to go and what to do on this street that never sleeps. Courtesy of Via 313. DINING Keep it…

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Austin's Hike & Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake

The Hike and Bike Trail is a low-grade trail, most of which is wide enough to accommodate both cyclists and pedestrian traffic, making it a leisurely, enjoyable ride for cyclists, runners and families alike. Because the trail winds through downtown, there are access points and parking all along the…

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Self Guided Tour of Austin Murals

Take a drive around Austin and you will see a mix of eclectic and colorful murals. Check out this guide for a casual, self-guided tour of the most photo-worthy murals in town. Greetings From Austin 1720 S. First St. Start the day with this South Austin gem, one of the most photographed murals in…

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Best Patio Bars for Al Fresco Drinking

Austin is synonymous with breakfast tacos, watering holes (for drinking or swimming) and an obsession with patios. Triple-digit temperatures may slow us down, but never stop us from rounding up human and furry troops for ice-cold local craft beers, juicy burgers, ooey-gooey queso and the simple…

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The Best Tex-Mex Restaurants in Austin, TX

Austin is home to many global cuisines, but Tex-Mex takes the crown as the local favorite. This blend of Mexican and Texas-style comfort food can be found on just about any street, often in family-run restaurants that have operated for years. Here are just some of the many Tex-Mex restaurants worth…

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Visiting Austin's Brush Square Museums

Once Brush Square was a bustling cotton market, but now it's home to the Joseph and Susanna Dickinson Hannig House Museum and the O. Henry House Museum, located between Trinity and Neches on East Fifth Street. Nestled in the heart of downtown Austin, the museums are tucked behind heritage trees in…

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