Downtown Walking Tour

1886 Cafe and Bakery (The)

• 116 Sixth Street
• tel:+1 512 391 7121
• Visit website
• Austin, 78701

Second Street District

• 200 W Second Street
• Visit website
• Austin, 78701

Austin's city center holds more than commercial high-rises and government offices—urban lofts, sidewalk eateries and local boutiques abound, particularly in the Second Street District. Running from the Austin Children's Museum west to Ballet Austin, the area within this three-block radius provides an alternative shopping experience to the standard indoor mall. Trendy clothing, home décor and one-of-a-kind jewelry meld with healthy cafes, coffee shops, wine bars and tasteful restaurants like Cantina Laredo to create a retail oasis complete with downtown loft apartments nearby. Austin's green City Hall complex adds a stately element to the Second Street District, while another popular shopping area, South Congress Avenue, is just a few blocks south. read more about Second Street District

Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant (The)

• 301 San Jacinto Boulevard
• tel:+1 512 476 8300
• Visit website
• Austin, 78701

Congress Avenue

• Congress Avenue
• (from 1st to 11th Streets)
• tel:+1 800 926 2282
• Visit website
• Austin, 78701

Paramount Theatre

• 713 Congress Avenue
• tel:+1 512 472 5470
• Visit website
• Austin, 78701

Austin Museum of Art

• 823 Congress Ave
• At Ninth St
• tel:+1 512 495 9224
• Visit website
• Austin, 78701

Old State Capitol Building Ruins

• Congress Ave at 11th St
• tel:+1 512 475 3366
• Visit website
• Austin, 78701

Texas State Capitol

• 1100 Congress Ave
• tel:+1 512 463 0063
• Visit website
• Austin, 78701

The Texas State Legislature meets only once every two years, so if the cavernous building seems oddly deserted, the legislature is probably not in session. Considered one of the nation's most distinguished state buildings, the Texas State Capitol, with its strong red granite facade and Renaissance Revival architectural style, sits regally on a hill overlooking Congress Avenue. Largest of all state capitols and only second in size to the National Capitol in Washington, D.C., the Texas State Capitol anchors the north end of downtown, just four blocks south of the University of Texas at Austin campus. Free tours of the capitol building cover Texas history, fun facts about the 17 monuments on the 22-acre, park-like grounds, and information about the Texas legislature, or take the self-guided tour to explore at your own pace. You'll need to go through a quick security check at the entrance, including having your bags scanned by a metal detector. read more about Texas State Capitol

St. Mary's Cathedral

• 203 East 10th St
• tel:+1 512 476 6182
• Visit website
• Austin, 78701

Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill

• 303 Red River Street
• tel:+1 512 236 9599
• Visit website
• Austin, 78701

Antone's

• 213 West Fifth Street
• tel:+512 320 8424
• Visit website
• Austin, 78701

Driskill (The)

• 604 Brazos Street
• At E Sixth St
• tel:+1 512 474 5911 / +1 800 252 9367 (Toll Free)
• Visit website
• Austin, 78701