Houston to Austin – Day Trip
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Driving from Houston, TX, to the State Capitol, you will want to stay over for at least one night, so be sure to bring someone you love.
The sunrises and sunsets are simply beautiful in the early Fall. Be sure to watch how the pink of the sun teases the pink of the Capitol Dome as dusk approaches while you enjoy Congress Av., one of the liveliest streets in Texas. And really, so unlike the rest of the State.
The look and feel of Congress Ave, as it makes its progress directly to the State Capitol, is so much like what more upscale suburban locales have hastily tried to recreate and have failed, creating instead a mere shopping mall with elements like fountains and street lamps tossed in with a strategy that fails.
A movie set is not a city, nor vice-versa. There is a reason people flee suburbia.
Come to Austin to experience the real thing.
City of Austin Texas Travel Guide
Welcome to Austin, Texas, a high-tech enclave with a rich cultural heritage as the “Live Music Capital of the World.” More than 12 million people travel to Austin annually to experience its unique blend of natural beauty, progressive industry, and world-class live entertainment.
It’s little wonder that the city of Austin was selected as the capital of Texas, seizing the seat of the state government from Houston in 1839. Somewhat ironically, the city of Austin is also home to a boisterous class of liberals and environmentalists, drawn to this artsy boomtown alongside left-wing musicians with dreams of stardom. Tourists who travel to Austin will note the ever-present spirit of artistic expression here, from the hundreds of live venues to the South By Southwest Conference, which showcases starry-eyed bands to equally hopeful record executives each March.
Unlike Dallas and Houston, its fast-paced siblings to the north, Austin, Texas, maintains a laid-back, small-town ambiance. Today, Austin ranks as the fourth largest in Texas, consisting of more than a half-million people spread over 218 square miles. To the delight of modern professionals and outdoorsy types, Austin happily supports both cultures. Often referred to as the Texas version of Silicon Valley, Austin hosts many of the most prominent players in the high-tech industry. Yet tourists also travel to Austin in droves each year to savor the natural limestone pool at Barton Springs, the exotic gardens of Zilker Park, and numerous hiking and biking trails.
Use this online guide to begin planning your travel to Austin. Discover the natural wonders and cultural thrills that draw vacationers by the millions to the city of Austin, Texas.
Congress has at least two must-see museums: The Austin Museum of Art and the Art House, both well within walking distance of each other. You will want to explore this urban street with its public art and spaces, tranquil cafés, and shops. And yes, there is a Starbucks.
Austin Museum of Art
823 Congress Ave. Austin, TX 78701
We considered driving straight home after our relaxing morning, having slept over at a friend’s house, which faces a beautiful tributary to Lake Travis in a development called Paleface Ranch. But I am glad we took the time to see these two museums. I am always inspired in the least expected of places. One would never think a small, child-friendly space, such as that offered by the Austin Museum of Art, could exhibit works that are so compelling.
Arthouse
700 Congress Ave. Austin, TX 78701
I don’t know what was more delicious, the eye-candy waiter or the late lunch we had today, 12-12-2010, at this hidden jewel on East 6th St, in Austin. This is the kind of experience, and inexpensive at that, you hope for when visiting another city. Austin is a three-hour drive from Houston, and there would have been nothing worse than adding terrible food to the ordeal. Ask for the Owner: James T. Hardy. He may tell you where he gets his charming wait staff. Have the vegetarian pad thai and Jasmine Tea. But this will be an experience you want to share with someone special.
Departure
And we drove off into the sunset, so like Clint Eastwood. And we avoided the virtual strip search that a commercial flight would have required of us. My boyfriend’s new Lexus S250 has the tight turning radius that comes in handy when you have just passed a roadside attraction you didn’t know you wanted to go to. It is incredible how many stoplights are between Austin and Houston, two major cities in Texas. One would think a State that wants to teach the Federal Government how to govern would have adequate roads between its major cities. For instance, the trip between Portsmouth, NH, and Boston, MA, would be smooth and stop-lightless. There is even a new, elegant suspension bridge in Boston to make the trip to and from the airport much faster. But that was one of those Big-Government Projects.
