Austin, Texas, USA (Travel)

Austin, Texas, USA

Austin is a fascinating and complex city. The capital of the state of Texas. it is in the lower half of the state with a large metropolitan, and diverse population. It has history, art and culture. Everything in Texas is BIG – and Austin is no different. Our Adventures in Austin took place over several years and with two different objectives in mind.

Our first visit was in December 2022 when we passed through on our way to spend Christmas in Dallas with our daughter. We used our Christmas break to discover the three Texas United States Presidential Libraries: the first President George W. Bush (College Town); the second President George Bush (Dallas); and President Lyndon Baines Johnson in Austin. We also toured the Texas state Capitol building. We discovered that Austin was a city worth a more intentional visit.

Our second visit was in April 2026, when our daughter relocated in Austin. We took the opportunity to explore this city and took a week to dig deeper into this fascinating, “weird” city.

“Keep Austin Weird”

“Keep Austin Weird”… the phrase was first coined on a community radio show by local librarian, Red Wassenrich a quarter century ago, in 2000. The phrase has evolved over time as all things do. It became a rallying cry of many local residents against the rapid commercialization that had settled onto Austin with the 21st century. Encouraged to embrace and maintain the eccentric personal expression synonymous with the city, the movement fiercely supported and championed the independent, local business, and shunned the sterile corporate chains that were seeping into the city.

Weird is an adjective that is often described as something unusual, strikingly odd or bizarre. It often differs from what is generally considered normal or expected. “Keep Austin Weird,” in essence, stands as a reminder of the city’s slacker-factor, the DIY art and its un-serious, funky roots. The slogan championed shopping local. Today, it remains a symbol of the town’s welcoming, open-minded, and unique Texan identity. 

At first, I wondered why a city would embrace such a “weird” slogan, but as we wandered the streets and visited the highlights of the city, I found myself looking into a storefront, peering down a side street alley, or just people -watching from a sidewalk coffee shop and caught myself thinking: “that’s weird!”

And so, I felt the vibe and embraced the uniqueness that appeared unexpectedly around every corner of Austin. I did my part to “Keep Austin Weird!”

With this strange but inviting unofficial city motto, we set out to explore Austin, Texas, capital city of the Great State of Texas!

Nature: The River front

The Texas Colorado River flows through the city. (This is not to be confused with the “Colorado” Colorado River!) It provides the heartbeat of the city with a vibrant riverfront. The “river walk” experience is a 10-mile scenic, tree-lined urban path that wraps around the Colorado River right in the heart of downtown Austin. Highlights include the Boardwalk a 1.3 mile floating pathway over the water. It features viewing areas, stunning views of the city skyline and LED lights The Barton Springs Pool, in Zilker Park, is a massive, natural spring-fed pool just off the trail and a favorite swimming spot. Paddle boards and kayaks can be rented at various points. The Congress Avenue Bridge is famous for hosting the largest urban bat colony in North America. From spring to early fall, it can be viewed from the trail at dusk. Yes, bats can be weird, but the busy river front was delightfully “normal.”

Traveler Tip: The trail weaves directly through the city and can be accessed from multiple spots downtown, including at Vic Mathias Shores or Zilker Metropolitan Park. Information and download trail maps can be downloaded directly on the The Trail Conservancy website.

Culture & Community: Zilker Park Kite Festival

Totally fascinating and not too ‘weird’ was the chance to experience Austin’s annual kite festival in Zilker Park. Zilker Metropolitan Park lies at the juncture of Barton Creek and the Colorado River in south Austin. With the city skyline in the background, it is actually a very walk able distance from downtown.

On Saturday, April 11, 2022 we were able to enjoy the 98th annual ABC Kite Fest! This iconic, free spring festival featured hundreds of kites and thousands of people participating in the traditional kite flying contests, a children’s concert, pet zone, food trucks and numerous family-friendly activities.

Weird? Hundreds of colorful, fanciful kites flying over a distinctive skyline seemed very normal.

This publicly owned land is named after Andrew Jackson Zilker who donated the land to the city in 1917

History: The Texas History Museum

If one enjoys history, this is the place to visit. Located just 3 blocks north of the Texas state Capitol, it marks the beginning of the Capitol Mall. Officially titled the “Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum,” it features interactive galleries, artifacts from the 186 LaBelle shipwreck, a multi-sensory Texas Spirit Theater and an IMAX theater with a 62-foot screen. History of Texas for all ages (kids to adults) from earliest days to modern times and Texas role in the Space Age at Houston can be experienced..

The history museum was more in line with Texas Big than ‘weird,’ since everything in Texas is truly bigger, as claimed.

Traveler Tip: Check the website for visit times, prices and packages (lots of ala carte options so plan your time and budget). The cafe has local food and a delightful seating area on a balcony overlooking Capitol Mall.

The Capitol Mall

The beautiful, spacious four-block pedestrian mall and park connects the Texas State Capitol building and grounds at the south end -and the Texas History Museum and the Blanton Art Museum plaza at the north end. It provides unobstructed photographic views of the Texas State Capitol.

Traveler Tip: Our very interesting, picturesque walk began at the north end by the Blanton Art Museum and Texas History Museum, ending at the Capitol and spacious landscape with monuments at the southern end.

Architecture: The Texas State Capitol

The claim-to-fame of the massive 3-story sunset red Texas granite building is that it is the largest capitol building in the United States. It stands 14′ higher than the U.S. Capitol building. Its ornate architecture includes elegant and ornate details such as giant brass door hinges to detailed handrails. The light bulbs in the brass chandeliers in the House of Representatives Chamber spell out T-E-X-A-S.

While the Texas Capitol may be the largest, and beautiful in its own right, I was not overly impressed. I’m spoiled by the magnificently colorful and ornate Minnesota State Capitol building. See my photos and blog on it at ___________________

The Capitol grounds are comprised of about 22 acres in the heart of downtown Austin. It features 22 monuments, historic buildings, trees and landscaped lawns.

Monuments

The Capitol Information and Guide Service has a free brochure and helpful monuments map.

Traveler tip: the Texas Capitol offers free 30 minute tours, a great way to learn about its history and walk its historic halls. There is a free self-guided tour pamphlet at Capitol Information and Guide Service Room or the informative Capitol Visitors Center. Park in the convenient garage located about 2 blocks from the Capitol at 1201 San Jacinto St. The 1st two hours of parking are free. The Capitol Visitors Center has rotating and permanent exhibits where I learned much about the diverse cultures and geography of the state.

Art: The Blanton Museum of Art

As a lover of art and art history, I seek out art museums wherever I travel. In line with Austin’s goal of embracing the unique, The Blanton Museum of Art in Austin was not one’s typical art museum – but I wouldn’t call it “Weird Austin.” Th focus can be seen in their mission: “We’re committed to creating a museum experience that inspires visitors to discover the unexpected about the world and themselves.”

The Blanton is the principal art museum for both Austin and The University of Texas at Austin. We visited during a end-of-semester Free Day, so the museum and grounds were teeming with students. Founded in 1963, it developed a national reputation for bold leadership and innovative programming. The museum website stresses that it “is committed to Austin with educational and community programs that connect people, represent diverse perspectives and experiences and deepen learning and understanding and bring joy.”

As a lover of sculpture and 3-D art, I was immediately fascinated with the museum’s patio which served as the entrance to the Capitol Mall.

It’s collection of more than 22,000 artworks is primarily contemporary American and Latin American. It has a few items Baroque and Italian Renaissance paintings, prints and drawings, but not what one would find in most major city art museums. Regularly changing installations and dynamic site-specific installations can be seen throughout the grounds, inside and out.

Traveler Tip: Check out the website for their scheduled “Free Admission Day.”

Ellsworth Kelly, artist

A highlight of the Blanton is the widely celebrated installation of the structure: “Austin.” It is the culmination of American artist, Ellsworth Kelly’s seven-decade career and the only building he ever designed. For the non-lover of contemporary art, it fell under “weird” category: it was great!

Ellsworth Kelly (1923-2015) was an American abstract painter, print maker and creator of massive outdoor sculptures. His style was to carefully eliminate brushstrokes and blending, creating flat clean surfaces which demand the viewer to pay close attention to spatial relationships and perception. pioneer of hard-edge painting, Minimalism and Color Field art ,renowned for his vibrant, geometric shapes, monochrome flat, clean, canvases and multi-panel works which favor of pure form and color stripping away brushstrokes, he is famous for the “anonymity” of his technique. He was known for translating everyday, “found” shapes in his environment (such as shadows, architectural lines, and the curves of a leaf) into abstract art. 

With colored light streaming through stained glass windows, the interior ambiance and quiet reverence of visitors was not unlike the feeling one gets in a Medieval cathedral

Nature: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Texas native, Lady Bird Johnson was first lady of the United States when her husband, Lyndon Baines Johnson was president. Also known as LBJ, he was the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. In my lifetime, his claim-to-fame was in his office as vice president under John F. Kennedy from 1961 until Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, when he assumed the presidency.

In line with the role of USA first ladies, Lady Bird selected wildflowers and their role in the beautification of America as a special focus during her time in the White House. In a placard in the Austin, Texas, LBJ Library, dedicated to her is this quote: “My special cause, the one that alerts my interest and quickens the pace of my life, is to preserve the wildflowers and native plants that define the regions of our land–to encourage and promote their use in appropriate areas and thus help pass on to generations in waiting the quiet joys and satisfactions I have known since childhood.”

Founders Lady Bird Johnson and actress Helen Hayes established the National Wildflower Research Center. The Wildflower Center’s formal charter was signed on October 21, 1982. A small house and sixty acres of undeveloped land in East Austin became its first home on Mrs. Johnson’s 70th birthday, December 22, 1982.

While her husband has a Presidential Library in Austin (see more below) dedicated to him, Lady Bird has the Wildflower Garden just outside of Austin dedicated to her.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is the state botanical garden and arboretum of Texas. The center features more than 900 species of native Texas plants in both garden and natural settings and is home to a breadth of educational programs and events. It is part of the University of Teas at Austin.

The walkway provides an ambiance that invites the visitor into another world.

Weird? Not at all! Interesting? YES!

Bluebonnet Time

We had been alerted to the privilege of being in Austin during “Bluebonnet Season.” The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center provided that opportunity.

Texas bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis) are iconic. They are famous for blanketing the state’s roadsides and fields in vibrant shades of blue every spring, late March through mid-April. They get their name from their clusters of fragrant, pea-like flowers that resemble the sun bonnets worn by pioneer women.

Even visiting without children, I enjoyed the Family Garden areas named after Lucy and Lynda, the Johnson’s daughters. This section is a true natures playground with a large sand box under a canopy for shade, a waterfall with lots of opportunities to pump and pour water, and some climbing activities for the kids. My favorite section was the ever-changing fort building area.

Away from the main garden area a long path through the fields. The scenery and landscape ever-changing with the seasons.

Observation Tower

The tall Observation Tower is a prominent feature, especially for children and those who love to climb and get spectacular bird’s-eye views! There is a wheelchair accessible ramp alongside of the 60+ stairs on the spiral staircase to get to the top .

The buildings in the garden reflect the materials and historical style of the area. The brown sandstone in the Observation Tower is from nearby Lampasas. Its architectural style is representative of the watch towers of the local Spanish missions.

The Observation Tower is also a 10,000-gallon cistern. In line with its ecological focus, it was used as a vertical landfill for debris generated during the construction of the Center.

Traveler Tips: While reservations to visit are not required, however they are encouraged because space is limited. Advance ticket purchase is recommended: wildflower.org/visit Parking seems spacious, but is limited so it is recommended to get there early. Since we did not have a car, our Uber car took us directly to the front entrance/ticket gate. The cafe was closed for remodeling during our visit, so bring along snacks and/or your own bag lunch. Tables and chairs are accessible in the area. Strollers are commended for young children since there is a lot of walking overall. And it can hold your lunch/snack/water goodies!

Politics: Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library

November 22, 1963…A Day to Remember

“On a sunny day in Dallas, an assassin changed the nation’s history and the arc of Lyndon Johnson’s life. On November 22, 1963, President John F Kennedy was in Dallas on a swing through Texas to raise money and support for his reelection in 1964. Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson expected to entertain the Kennedys that night on their ranch. But as the President’s motorcade wound through downtown Dallas, three shots rang out. John F. Kennedy was mortally wounded and Lyndon Johnson became the 36th president of the United States.” from placard at the LBJ Library

I was a senior high school student in class when the PA system announced the fateful message of the tragic assassination of our youthful and beloved president. It is one of those “I remember where I was when….” events that remains for a lifetime. With this historical background, the LBJ library account of it was of special interest to me.

Just outside the entrance stands a life-size bronze statute of LBJ, welcoming visitors to his library. It emphasizes his 6’3″ stature, gesturing as as if he is delivering a powerful address. It is officially titled “The Art of Persuasion.”

LBJ Oval Office

A highlight for me (and most visitors) of presidential libraries includes replicas of their oval offices. Th LBJ library features a prominent 7/8th scale replica, meticulously detailed to look exactly as it did while LBJ was in office. Key features include: his exact desk used throughout his political career, books, vintage retro electronics, portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt, and three televisions.

Side note: LBJ did not use the Resolute desk in his Oval Office. Following the assassination of John F. Kennedy, LBJ had the iconic desk used by JFK and other presidents removed and sent on a nationwide tour to raise funds for the JFK Library.

The infamous three-television setup was used by LBJ to stay appraised of national and international news.

The Red Archives

The “red archives” at the LBJ Presidential Library are a cornerstone and one of the focal points of the library. The iconic, red buckram boxes, embossed with the presidential seal hold over 45 million pages of historical documents. The dramatic, glass encased vault spans four floors and represents the raw materials of history: The political career of LBJ includes internal memos, top-secret records, photographs and personal diaries.

It is one of the largest and most complete presidential collections ever assembled and tracks LBJ as a congressman, senator, vice president and president. LB J wanted the archives to show the facts,including the sorrow and failure, not just the joy and triumphs. It was the request of first Lady Lady Bird Johnson to store the red boxes behind the glass, visible to all. And the final product is a beautiful as it is impressive.

Food: Texas Barbecue

Barbecue in Texas is unlike barbecue anywhere else! It refers to methods of preparation for barbecue unique to Texan cuisine. Among the most commonly known dishes are beef brisket, pork ribs, and sausage. We ate at one of the most popular and authentic spots where the slabs of meat were piled high on a place mat of parchment paper laid on top a big tray which we carried to our tables and dispersed among ourselves.

Texas BBQ side dishes are an important part of the menu. Designed to cut through the rich, smoky meats, they provide crunch, acidity or creamy comfort. Popular samples include coleslaw, creamed corn or corn on the cob, Texas-Style potato salad, jalapeno and pinto beans (cooked with bacon or brisket trimmings) and Espagueti Verde ( A popular Tex-Mex addition featuring spaghetti in a creamy poblano and jalapeño sauce)

Views: On Top of the World…

One of the experiences I enjoyed was the pool on top of the Bowie, a downtown apartment building where my daughter lived. The views were spectacular and the water refreshing – and deep enough to actually swim some laps. I literally felt on top of the world.

Views: Spectacular Sunsets…

This same rooftop pool and patio area was host to some spectacular Austin sunsets!

Driver-less Cars: Waymo

Austin lived up to my expectations – and more. Yes, in many ways it has a Weird Vibe, but it was mainly a busy, alive metro center, in part due to being home to the Texas State Capitol. It is also filled with history, art and culture. An Austin highlight for me – which was VERY WEIRD – was our experiences with Waymo, Driver-less Cars. Experiencing them as a pedestrian was impressive: they actually stopped for stop signs, used their turn blinkers, and went the speed limit – unlike the cars with human drivers. Once we were walking down a street to avoid construction on a closed-off sidewalk. the Waymo car stopped for us and would not proceed until we were safely back off the street and on the sidewalk!

Experiencing them as a passenger could be likened much like being in a Sci-fi experience. I felt very safe on many levels. No mindless conversations or concerns about personal safety with a driver, we moved effortlessly through, in and out of the traffic. The vehicle did not move until everyone was safely inside, all buckled up. but there was no driver in the drivers seat turning the steering wheel as we wove in and out of traffic! (Unfortunately, I did not get any photos of the cars darting around the streets either as an insider or outsider observer of the car so am relying on Google Images for these shots. )

Traveler Tips: Lodging, Transportation, Dining & Entertainment

Traveler tips. Lodging, transportation and dining.

During our second week-long visit, we stayed downtown in a Wyndam Resort complex in a studio apartment with living room and kitchen facilities to help lower dining expenses. We were near the Whole Foods flagship store where shopping for food was an experience all of its own. No matter the area, there are lots of cafes, coffee shops, and fine dining places for every palate and budget. The Austin Music Scene is one of its main drawing points of a visit to Austin. While we did not participate in this popular cultural venue, for those who enjoy music, the opportunities are endless. Check out the Austin city website for ideas . To get around town, I recommend using taxis and Waymo – and walking, it is a very walk-able city. The public transit system is affordable and good, but sketchy. Residents recommended we, as tourists, not use it for our safety. Renting a car is discouraged; traffic is crazy and parking is expensive. We found that taking a taxi to out-of-city places such as Ladybird Johnson Wildflower garden was easy and more affordable than having a car (and we didn’t have to find parking at the site!). Consider how long you are staying and your long and short term goals.

Our first trip was only one overnight as we were passing through. We had a car rental and our hotel included a parking ramp. We walked to the Capitol grounds, and drive to the LBJ Presidential library on our way out of town.

Sources

• Personal Visits, Interviews, Experiences and On-site Information collected by Cher B and Skip B. December 2022 and March 2026
• Blanton Art Museum – blantonmuseum.org
• Bullock Museum Texas – thestoryoftexas.com
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Garden – wildflower.org
• Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library – lbjlibrary.org
• Texas State Capitol- tspb.texas.gov/propr/tc/tc/capitol
• Visitors Site: Austin Texas – austintexas.org

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