Austin is the capital city of Texas and is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. As of 2020, it had a population of just over 960,000. Located in Central Texas within the greater Texas Hill Country, it’s known for its numerous rivers, lakes, and waterways including Lake Travis, Lady Bird Lake, McKinney Falls, Barton Springs, and Lake Walter E. Long.
The residents of Austin are a boiling pot of government employees, musicians, college students, digital marketers, high-tech workers, and blue-collar workers. The city’s slogan names it the “Live Music Capital of the World” in reference to Austin’s many live music venues and resident musicians.
The 1990s saw Austin become a hub for business and technology. Numerous Fortune 500 companies have regional offices or headquarters in the city, including Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Google, and Tesla.
Austin is a popular tourist destination for people from all walks of life. The city is incredibly diverse, which makes it popular with artists and musicians. The city is rapidly rising in popularity with residents and visitors alike thanks to its fantastic culture and friendly locals.
The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport serves the greater Austin area facilitating both domestic and international flights. It’s located about 5 miles southeast of Downtown Austin.
If traveling by road, Interstate highway 35 crosses the city from north to south. Traffic in Austin is notoriously tricky, so you’ll want to be a confident driver to tackle the roads in and around the city.
For those who prefer rail, Austin has an Amtrak station located just west of downtown. It’s served by the Texas Eagle route, which runes west to Los Angeles and north to Chicago. Trains pass through Austin daily at 9 am and 5 pm.
The Continental Club: The Continental Club is the crown jewel of Austin’s live music scene. This iconic venue opened its doors in 1955 and has subsequently welcomed legends like Wanda Jackson and Robert Plant. Though it’s modest in size, it still has a roaring reputation, hosting excellent rock, swing, country, roots, blues, and rockabilly acts each night.
Dirty Sixth: Sixth Street between Interstate 35 and Congress has earned the nickname the “Dirty Sixth”. Lined with clubs and bars, this party district has a reputation for drunken revelry that must be seen to be believed.
Zilker Park: Zilker Park is home to playgrounds, picnic sites, botanical gardens, and even an outdoor theater. The crown jewel of the park, however, is the Barton Springs Pool. Spanning 3 acres and formed by natural springs, the water temperature stays constant throughout the year, making for a fun, year-round swimming adventure site.
Austin has numerous street and metered parks that will cost you between $1 and $1.25 per hour. The meter operating hours are as follows:
There are street parking spaces in downtown Austin that let you park your RV rental overnight, you just have to pay an extra fee at the meter. Austin is also home to a number of dedicated parking garages.