The Top 10 Things to Do in Austin

Barton Springs Pool

• 2101 Barton Springs Road
• Zilker Park
• tel:512-867-3080
• Visit website
• Austin, 78704

The water in Barton Springs swimming pool hovers around 68 degrees year-round, which means that it feels cool -- even cold -- in the heat of summer. It feels relatively warm in winter, though, and a few rugged souls swim there every morning, regardless of the weather. If you're more into lounging than exercise, there's a part of the massive pool dedicated to floats and floaters. On the hillsides surrounding the pool, you will see a snapshot of Austin culture. There's usually a group of twentysomethings kicking around a hacky-sack ball, a sixtyish man doing yoga, and (kid warning) a woman of indeterminate age without her top. Occasionally, a drum circle forms at the top of the hill. Guitars are almost as common as smart phones. On summer days when the temperature can soar above 100 degrees, this is the only reasonable place to be. read more about Barton Springs Pool

Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art

• 23rd and San Jacinto
• University of Texas campus
• tel:+1 512 471 7324
• Visit website
• Austin, 78712

As the principal art museum in the Austin metropolitan area, the Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art harbors a massive collection featuring more than 17,000 works, including modern and contemporary American and Latin American art as well as 15th century to contemporary prints and drawings. Situated on the southeastern corner of the University of Texas campus, adjacent to the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum and within walking distance to the Texas State Capitol, the Blanton building itself embodies the clean lines of modern art with its simple granite and limestone façade, white walls and crisp interior angles. Along with the established collections and touring exhibits, the museum also organizes lectures, gallery talks, concerts, workshops and the ever popular B Scene, a monthly evening of mingling, cocktails and musical entertainment among the art. read more about Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art

Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum

• 1800 N. Congress Avenue
• tel:+1 512 936 8746
• Visit website
• Austin, 78705

With a grand façade that includes a 35-foot-tall bronze star, the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum is hard to miss. The three-story museum, open since 2001, turns the varied history of the state into imaginative interactive exhibits for the enjoyment of all ages. Meet the state's first occupants on the first floor, hear Stephen F. Austin announce the Texas Revolution on the second and peruse the third level for an understanding of how opportunity has played a part in the making of the Lone Star State. Settled just south of the University of Texas campus, a stone's throw from the Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art and a short walk from the Texas State Capitol, the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum also features Austin's only IMAX theatre as well as the Spirit Theater, a 200-seat multimedia special effects theater with history-based shows. read more about Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

• 4801 LaCrosse Ave
• tel:+1 512 292 4200
• Visit website
• Austin, 78620

What began as an inherent interest of former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson turned into a thriving Austin attraction, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. The public botanical garden introduces visitors to the beauty of wildflowers and other native plants and natural landscapes through experience and education. Stroll through the 16 unique gardens, the Ann and O.J. Weber Butterfly Garden, the sprawling South Meadow or relax along the Erma Lowe Hill Country Stream. Knowledgeable docents teach inquisitive ones about the many roles of indigenous plants, as well as conservation techniques including fire ecology and native green roofs. For a more in-depth look at the former First Lady and her husband, visit the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum on the University of Texas at Austin campus. read more about Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Hill Country Flyer (The)

• Hwy 183 and FM 1431
• Suite A-103
• tel:+1 512 477 8468
• Visit website
• Cedar Park, 78613

Esther's Follies

• 525 East 6th St
• tel:512 320 0553
• Visit website
• Austin, 78701

University of Texas Tower

• 2400 Inner Campus Drive
• University of Texas Campus
• tel:+1 512 475 6633
• Visit website
• Austin, 78731

Soaring 28 stories and 307 feet into the sky above the University of Texas campus, the University of Texas Tower stands as a recognizable beacon in the Austin skyline. Since its debut in 1937, the prominent structure has served as the main building of the UT system as well as the school's easy-to-identify icon. Though the observation deck just below the clock tower remained closed for several years following the savage shooting spree of Charles Whitman in August 1966, visitors who take the official tour can enjoy sweeping views of the cityscape since its reopening in 1999. The Texas State Capitol, Mount Bonnell and other Austin landmarks are easily visible from this height. Usually illuminated white, the tower also celebrates the school's many achievements with a varied illumination strategy—most athletic victories see the tower white with a burnt orange cap, while the tower is draped fully in orange light for special occasions. read more about University of Texas Tower

Inner Space Cavern

• 4200 South I-35, exit 295
• (Under I-35)
• tel:+1 512 931 2283
• Visit website
• Georgetown, 78627

Austin Zoo

• 10807 Rawhide Trail
• tel:+1 512 288 1490 / +1 800 291 1490
• Visit website
• Austin, 78709

Austin Ghost Tours

• 617 Congress Ave.
• The Hideout Coffee House & Theatre
• tel:+1 512 853 9826
• Visit website
• Austin, 78701