© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Pty Publications Planet Lonely © live musicallover townevery nightoftheweek. dure thecrowdsandexorbitanthotel pricestoexperiencethescene,becauseAustin has festivals, SouthbySouthwestandtheAustin CityLimitsfestival, butyoudon’thave toen- the World’(thoughthat’saclaimnoone’sdisputing).The citynowhoststwomajormusic is thatit’samusictown,even usethewords‘Live iftheydon’tactually MusicCapital of entrepreneurialismof thelow-key thatrepresents Austin atitsbest. ofinteresting,sorts locallyownedbusinesses,includingaflockoffoodtrailers–symbol at analarmingrate. Buttheneighborhoodsstillhave anauthenticallyAustin feel, withall with crazyyardart. jobs, where peopletrytofocusontheirmusicorwrite theirnovel orannoytheirneighbors soul hasseenaninfluxoftechwithday typesandmovie stars,it’sstillatownofartists to hangonitsincredibly laid-backvibe. Though thisformercollegetownwithahippie while old-timersgrumblethatAustin haslostitsfunkycharm,thecitystillmanaged andT-shirtsYou’ll seeitonbumperstickers Austin throughoutthecity:‘Keep Weird.’And n i t s u A 112 The onethingeveryone seemstoknowaboutAustin whetherthey’ve beenthere ornot Along thefreeway andinthe’burbs,big-box stores andchainrestaurants have proliferated you canget thembothinthe sameplace Alamo DrafthouseCinema (p 137 ), because BestPlaceforDinner andaMovie the USA State Capitol (p 117 ) isthetallestin It’s notjustthetallestoneintown; Tallest State Capitol Star (p 132 ) are perfect practically sangria swirl,themargaritas atTrudy’s Texas Frozen orontherocks,plainwitha Tastiest Margarita (p at UncommonObjects 140 ) invitememorabilia andtchotchkes browsing Booth after boothofoddities,treasures, OddestStore Selection instant relief SpringsPool(p icy waters ofBarton 123 ) for When theheatistoomuch,jumpinto CoolestPlacetoChillOut HIGHLIGHTS Springs Barton Pool Drafthouse Cinema Alamo Uncommon Objects Texas Star Trudy's Capitol State AUSTIN 113 9am- h (Map p 114 ; 512-899-0955, 512-407-6925;

% ( is relatively ac- is relatively map will help % Austin Street Map Map Street Austin 80 miles, 1 hour 80 miles, 1 hour 80 miles, 1 hour and 80 miles, 1 hour 512-472-5050, 800-853- 11am-8pm Mon-Fri, noon-8pm 30 miles, 40 minutes 30 miles, 40 minutes (Map ; p 114 % 45 miles, 55 minutes 512-974-5000) 200 miles, 3½ hours h % 911) 512-331-6121, Northwest Austin) Streetwise Austin Streetwise (Map ; p 118 % % (

311 or 9am-10pm Mon-Sat, 10am-9pm Sun) A broad gives much wider coverage of the en- of wider coverage much gives % ( h

512-451-4463; www.halfpricebooks.com; 5555 N

20 minutes and 40 minutes DRIVING DRIVING DISTANCES to Dallas Austin to Fredericksburg Austin to Gruene Austin to Lockhart Austin to Austin

INFORMATION 110 E North Loop Blvd; Sat & Sun) A radical bookstore and community eventsSat & Sun) A radical bookstore and political bumper treatises ’zines, feminist space. Punk stickers sold by the world’s friendliest are anarchists. Emergency Emergency Emergency Animal Hospital & Clinic South Austin; Police activities and classified ads. Bookstores BookPeople Half Price Books, Records & Magazines MonkeyWrench Books roughly north of 38th St. roughly north of Maps the color ), 116 (p centers at visitors Available tear sheet especially since around the city center, you get ’Dillo shuttle-bus free it shows CapMetro’s The glossy foldout routes. & Guide with a detailed city and outlying districts, tire index. street easy to carry in its five-fold and very curate edition. pocket-size laminated boards found outside coffee- The bulletin a great are and grocery stores houses, cafes news about local events, special source of century-old enclave noted for its architecture, for its architecture, noted century-old enclave alphabet avenues lies just northeast in the Sts, found between Guadalupe and Red River Lamar; selection books, with multiple of excellent new and used locations around town. % 11pm daily) Get your maps and ‘’ biggest and best independent bookstore. at Texas’ T-shirts 9757; www.bookpeople.com; 603 N Lamar Blvd; •• Orientation AUSTIN locally, despite what you might locally, despite loop

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The destinations most favored by visi- The destinations most favored

ORIENTATION Downtown campus, it’s called the . Hyde Park, a a campus, it’s called the Drag. Hyde Park, beyond Martin Luther King Jr Blvd and west Luther beyond Martin the Guadalupe St borders I-35. Where of The University of Texas cuts a huge swath of swath of cuts a huge Texas of University The downtown, north of land through the area of the action; most of the rest is residential. is residential. the rest the action; most of of UT & Hyde Park mostly still call it . S Congress S Congress mostly still call it South Congress. and the epicenter is the main thoroughfare Ave years ago. types nicknamed it SoCo, ago. years has somewhat stuck, but the locals which Congress is an offbeat and oh-so-Austin neigh- is an offbeat and oh-so-Austin Congress just 25 or so marginal borhood that was pretty South Congress South Lady downtown and South of Bird Lake, chock-full of entertainment options, including options, entertainment of chock-full on Red River, 6th St, music venues of the bars District. upscale Warehouse and the more Most downtown streets are one way, includ- are Most downtown streets westbound thoroughfare, ing 6th St, a major Guadalupe St (pronounced and southbound guad Downtown Austin is an orderly grid. The Ave, is Congress main north–south artery with Cesar St running east–west. Chavez Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is 8 Austin-Bergstrom International downtown near the junc- miles southeast of Hwys 183 and 71 (E Bention of Blvd). White the city also take commonsensethe city also take geographi- as West Austin (west cal designations, such (by ). and Westlake MoPac) of Austin, on the opposite side of I-35 from I-35 from of side Austin, on the opposite historically downtown, is comprised of Spanish-speaking African American and of Other outlying areas neighborhoods. the University of Texas area. Sprawling East area. Texas of the University folks consider ‘in town’ is bounded by Hwy 183folks consider ‘in town’ is (also known as ‘Bento the north and Hwy 290 Blvd’) to the south.White just call it ‘MoPac’) on the west edge of town. of edge on the west just call it ‘MoPac’) Lamar parallel between Blvd runs two and the most around town. What to get is a handy way and south to San Antonio. The other major The other major San Antonio. and south to (locals Expressway is MoPac route north–south oughfare is I-35, running all the way from Dallas running all the way from is I-35, oughfare downtown,throughto the north, of the east side Austin is bordered by highways. by thor- The main is bordered Austin lonelyplanet.com have learned in Spanish class). Downtown is learned in Spanish have tors are downtown, South Congress and and Congress downtown, South are tors