Austin
Austin, TX
Austin Ghosts Tour
From $25 / person
8:00PM
Austin, TX
Austin Boos & Booze Haunted Pub Crawl
From $25 / person
6PM
Austin, TX
Austin Ghosts Tour
From $25 / person
8:00PM
Austin, TX
Austin Boos & Booze Haunted Pub Crawl
From $25 / person
6PM
Austin
Austin By Junket
Did you know Austin has the largest urban bat colony in all of North America? Or it has a museum dedicated to junk? Or that it has the only nude beach in all of Texas?
Keep Austin Weird
A haven of hippies and hipsters, cowboys and characters, the quirky vibe of the city of Austin is evident throughout its myriad opportunities for thinking outside the box, whether it’s breakfast with tacos or bingo with chicken poop. Proud of its iconic weirdness, Austin’s soul lives where the rhythm of drum circles meets the whirr of technology, with a dusting of live music of all kinds coating the surface of the city.
Capital City
With its distinction as the capital city of Texas, the home of the University of Texas, and a technology-fueled population boom, Austin emotes big-city features with a small-town feel. Part of the city’s charm is its collection of some 100 neighborhoods, each with its own personality and amenities, from the hill country views of Cat Mountain to the proudly quirky South Congress district.
Austin After Dark
Austin comes alive after sunset, when winter evenings cast a purplish glow across the hills. Evenings are made even more thrilling by Austin by Junket nighttime premium experiences. These unique tours transform a jaunt through Austin’s energetic downtown into an evening full of unforgettable experiences, turning an ordinary visit into a spectacular event.
Prepare for a memorable evening as you embark on a fascinating journey through Austin’s local legends and haunted locations, exciting cultural and culinary scenes, and the history and heritage of the Texas capital.
Join expert local guides as they introduce you to some of the city’s most haunted locations and bizarre tales on the celebrated Austin Boos and Booze Pub Crawl or dig deeper into Austin’s ominous past and strange encounters on the thrilling Austin Ghosts tour. These unique and mesmerizing tours introduce you to a spine-tingling collection of the most haunted locations in the city where you will:
- Discover the cursed exhibits of the Museum of the Weird
- Encounter the specter of the Paramount Theatre
- Uncover the secrets of the Driskill Hotel
- Unearth the dark past of the State Capitol Building
- And so much more…
Along with the Junket Austin Experience, the city offers something for everyone looking to enjoy the Texas lifestyle, from architectural gems and outdoor activities to diverse restaurants and family-friendly attractions. Here is a list of some of the most popular things to do in Austin:
- Blanton Museum of Art: This premiere museum displays over 19,000 works of international art in its permanent collection.
- Paramount Theatre: This famous landmark has hosted films, musical performances, magic shows and more since 1915.
- Museum of the Weird: With its eye-catching colors and curious oddities, this bizarre museum is one of Austin’s most unique attractions.
- Zilker Park: Austin’s most popular green space is home to several tourist attractions and hosts dozens of major music events each year.
- Austin Nature and Science Center: Home to a variety of animals from birds to bobcats, this wildlife and archeological center education and entertainment for the whole family.
Named the fastest-growing large city in the country, Texas’s capital began as a dusty, rough-and-tumble frontier town that rose from the ashes of its predecessor.
Austin History
Deep in the Heart of Texas
For a city that values innovation and invention, Austin is often praised for its ability to preserve history and weave together its past with its present. Founded in 1839, the tiny town of Austin would be chosen as the capital city of the only state to have a decade-long success as a republic.
Before it was elevated to the capital of the great state of Texas, the Austin area was a remote stretch of land on the banks of the Colorado River. It was a buffalo-hunting region occupied by several bands of Indian tribes for hundreds of years, including the nomadic Tonkawa, Comanche, and Apache peoples.
The Capital of the Republic
In the late 1700s, the Spanish set up missions in the area. An influx of immigrants from Germany, Sweden and Mexico in the 1830s established a small frontier hamlet of Waterloo on the river’s edge, the first permanent settlement in the area, which would later be renamed for Stephen F. Austin, the “father of Texas,” and become the cornerstone of the Texas government.
Busy trade routes and the lofty designation of state capital saw a population boom in Austin after the Texas State Capitol building was constructed in Italian Renaissance style on a lofty hilltop, and the city experienced a surge of prosperity.
Plans for a new state university were put in place, despite warnings to parents of potential scholars that sending their sons to a college so close to lawmakers would be a bad influence on their morals.
Although a devastating failure would see it replaced by several alternative structures, the construction of the Great Granite Dam on the Colorado River in 1893 provided hydraulic power to generate electricity, attracting manufacturers from around the nation. The creation of the University of Texas and connection with the Houston and Texas Central Railway would designate Austin as a legitimate cultural destination.
A Legacy of Growth and Innovation
Despite the staggering impact of the Great Depression, Austin remained a powerful economic center in Texas, primarily due to many public work projects of the Texas legislature and the presence of the University.
After World War II, Austin became a magnet for employers looking for an educated workforce, and multiple laboratories for research were founded in the 1950s and 1960s. Numerous technological companies focusing on modern ideas would eventually put down roots in the city, planting seeds of economic prosperity and transforming Austin into the Silicon Valley of the South.
Austin received national attention as the hometown of President Lyndon Baines Johnson, whose congressional and career achievements included the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as the establishment of the first presidential library on a college campus, the LBJ Presidential Library.
From humble beginnings as a remote shanty village, Austin has grown into one of the most influential cities in the Lone Star State, its cultural and economic advantages continually advancing and exploding the city’s population on a scale that would be shocking to the early pioneers of Waterloo.
Austin Today
Keeping It Weird
Today’s Austin is a hip and laidback city famous for its live music culture, diverse culinary scene, and outdoor activities. From its legendary nightlife to a ton of shopping and dining options, a visit to Austin is an adventure you will want to go on again and again.
The Live Music Capital of the World has a lot going for it, with musicians found everywhere from grocery stores to the airport terminal. Indoor/outdoor music venues like Mohawk are a favorite with locals, while the stunning Moody Amphitheater lights up the night in Waterloo Park. Classic Austin acts can be found at the historic Antone’s bar on Fifth Street and the small stages of cocktail bars like The Roosevelt Room provide more intimate performances.
“There’s a freedom you begin to feel the closer you get to Austin, Texas.” – Willie Nelson
Guests of the city are welcomed with a broad array of unparalleled cultural attractions, such as the LBJ Presidential Library and the Texas Memorial Museum, as well as some unusual opportunities, like a nude romp at Hippie Hollow Park. Outdoor enthusiasts can walk, run, or bike along miles of trails around Lady Bird Lake or take a dip in Barton Springs Pool. Relish a quiet stroll through the Umlauf Sculpture Garden or learn to dance the two-step at the Broken Spoke, after indulging in some authentic Texas brisket, of course.
A vibrant city full of energy, Austin embraces a cosmopolitan melting pot of lifestyles – one of the reasons it has become one of the most popular cities for millennials to live. Myriad cool neighborhoods charm with individual personalities, such as South Lamar – a trendy area full of diversity, booming with shops, restaurants, and the iconic Texas Two-Step. Tarrytown is an upscale haven of green spaces and picturesque waterfront spots, while vibrant and quirky East Austin boasts historic homes and new venues for shopping, dining, and entertainment.
This conglomeration of diversity has prompted locals to commit to “Keep Austin Weird.” This commitment results in a wide variety of entertainment and culture, luring visitors to explore every facet of enjoyment Austin has to offer, from Willie Nelson to Christmas all year at Lala’s. Make plans to visit and discover why Austin is one of the best-loved cities in Texas!
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