Texas State Capitol
Second only to the Washington, DC’s US Capitol, the building housing Texas’ state capital looms over Austin with pink granite and an enormous dome. It was built in 1882 from materials quarried from Granite Mountain 75 miles away. The grounds cover three acres, which are surrounded by an original wrought-iron fence topped with gold Lone Stars. You can take a guided tour of the building or attend the public legislative sessions.
Address: Congress Avenue between 11th Street and 14th Street.
Telephone: (512) 305 8400 for the Visitors Center.
Tour opening time: Monday to Friday 8:30am – 4:30pm, Saturday 9:30am – 3:30pm, Sunday noon – 3pm.
Zilker Park
Zilker Park covers 351 acres and is Austin’s most popular public recreational area. The park was donated to the city by the German immigrant who gave it its name. The main attraction is a football field-sized natural pool fed with spring water. Native Americans believe the pool, called Barton Springs, has healing properties, and the water is warm all year round. Other attractions in the park include a botanical garden, a nature preserve, a sculpture garden and eight miles of trails for biking and walking. Little ones can frolic on the Silker Zephyr miniature train or paddle a canoe.
Address: 2100 Barton Springs Road.
Website:www.ci.austin.tx.us/zilker.
Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center
Former first lady Lady Bird Johnson founded the wildflower center in 1982 to study and preserve Texas hill country’s famous native plants. The display gardens have 279 acres of wildflowers and a garden that is specially designed to attract butterflies. You can attend a free lecture and guided walks on the weekends.
Address: 4801 La Crosse Ave.
Telephone: (512) 232 0100.
Website:www.wildflower.org.
Opening time: Closed Mondays. Tuesday to Saturday 9am – 5:30pm, Sunday 12pm – 5:30pm.
Admission: Adults - $8, Children (ages 5-12) - $3.
Governor’s Mansion
The plantation-style mansion where Texas’ governor lives is one of the oldest buildings in the city. It dates back to 1856 and is open to the public for limited hours each day. You can see historical artifacts like portraits of Davy Crockett and Sam Houston and mementos left from each administration. The guided tours depart every 20 minutes, and the governor still lives there when he is in town. A fire severely damaged the structure in 2007. A restoration project is expected to finish in April 2012.
Address: Colorado Street.
Telephone: (512) 463 5516 for Reservations. (512) 305 8400 for Capitol Complex Visitors Center.
Website:www.txfgm.org.
Blanton Museum of Art
This art museum at the University of Texas in Austin is one of the top 10 university art museums in the country. Some of the sights to see are the Suida-Manning Collection of European paintings, featuring 250 works by Continental masters, a collection of 20th-century American art gathered by author James A Michener and a collection of more than 500 works of Latin American art.
Address: University of Texas.
Telephone: (512) 471 5482.
Email:info@blantonmuseum.org.
Website:www.blantonmuseum.org.
Transport: The free Dillo stops outside the campus. Bus routes 5 and 7.
Opening time: Tuesday to Friday 10am – 5pm, Saturday 11am – 5pm, Sunday 1pm – 5pm. Closed on Mondays and major public holidays.
Admission: Adults - $9. Children under 12 are free. Free on Thursdays.
Congress Avenue Bridge
Every night millions of Mexican free-tailed bats come out from their roosts under the Congress Avenue Bridge. The colony lives under the bridge from mid-March to early November. Hundreds of people gather to watch the bat hordes come out at dusk, before they leave to go back to Mexico, making one of the most unusual tourist attractions in the city. The bridge is located 10 blocks south of the capital building, spanning Town Lake. On the southeast side you can visit the Bat Observation Center.
Address: Congress Bridge.
Telephone: (512) 416 5700 for the Bat Hot Line.
Website:www.batcon.org.
Opening time: Daily at dusk from mid-March to the beginning of November. The best months are July and August.
