Austin Layover Guide (AUS)

Sunset Boat Cruise Tour

Your guide will meet you at your downtown Austin hotel and take you on an evening tour in the comfort of a Mercedes Metris van. Cruise on Lady Bird Lake at dusk to see the shifting skyline of Austin. Discover the city’s culture and welcoming residents. You’ll have the best chance of seeing Austin’s iconic Congress Bridge bats if you join this tour between March and October. Join your guide on a bat-watching expedition beneath the Congress Avenue Bridge to view the famed Mexican (or Brazilian) free-tailed bats take flight. Return to the van for a guided journey that includes stops at various renowned locations such as the Pfluger Bridge, Texas State Capitol, Willie Nelson statue, and the illuminated Paramount Theatre. » book this tour

Museum of Ice Cream

At the Museum of Ice Cream, you can taste, play, dance, connect, and imagine in 12 new multi-sensory exhibits, all while invigorating your taste buds with a variety of delectable delights. Before being transported into a paradise of sweets, start your journey with a distinctive pink lemonade popsicle. The Museum of Modern Ice Cream, as well as the Carnival, Candy Shop, and Magnet Room, are all worth seeing. Pink vanilla soft serve, different sweets, and pink fluffy cotton candy are among the one-of-a-kind goodies served at each installation. Sprinkle Pool, Banana Forest, and Rainbow Tunnel are all must-see attractions. A private night at the museum experience can be booked under the options to add a touch of magic. » book this tour

True Crime Walking Tour and Pub Crawl

This eerie group walking tour takes you on a spine-chilling true crime trek across Austin. As you journey through the city’s dark past, stop by the elegant rooftop cocktail bars Azul Rooftop Bar, Rules and Regs, and Edge Rooftop Bar. Begin your excursion into the city’s deadly history with your guide at the Westin hotel in downtown Austin. Listen as your tour guide regales you with murder stories from Austin’s history, complete with gory details. As you make your way around three martini bars, take in the sights of the city. Get a taste of some of the city’s most famous cocktails. Hear about the city’s most heinous murders while admiring the stunning views from the city’s rooftop bars. » book this tour

Blanton Museum of Arts

The Blanton Museum of Art, located on the University of Texas at Austin campus, is a must-see for every art fan. It is one of the country’s greatest university art museums, with over 18,000 pieces ranging from Renaissance and baroque works by renowned artists like Rubens and Poussin to a sizable collection of current Latin American art. The museum, according to recent visitors, is tiny but worth visiting for a few hours, especially on hot days when air conditioning is needed. The collection was described as “unique and eclectic” by reviewers, with many praising the Latin American painters on show.

Time required: 1 to 2 hours.

Airport to here: 16 minutes via private transport.

Austin City Limits Live at the Theater

Your favourite band is likely to have performed at Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater (also known as ACL Live). The Austin City Limits television series, which is the longest-running music series in American television history, taps at the venue. More than 2,700 people can be seated on the three levels that make up the little theatre. The Jack & Jim Gallery, located on the balcony level, features the work of Jim Marshall, a well-known photographer with a passion for music.

Time required: 1 to 2 hours.

Airport to here: 17 minutes via private transport.

Austin Bats

Austin is home to the largest urban bat colony in North America, according to researchers. The Congress Avenue Bridge is home to over 1.5 million bats. The bats made their home here after a bridge reconstruction in 1980 created cracks that were ideal for bats to hide from predators. Mexican free-tailed bats fly north to the bridge every spring to give birth and raise their young. During the summer, bats can be spotted emerging around dusk for their nightly trips to rid the city of troublesome insects before returning to central Mexico in the fall.

Time required: 1 to 2 hours.

Airport to here: 16 minutes via private transport.

Maxic-Arte Museum

The Mexic-Arte Museum, located just a few blocks south of The Driskill on Congress Avenue, is dedicated to the preservation of Mexican and Latin American art and culture. The museum showcases year-round theatrical and musical performances as well as a unique permanent collection that includes images from the Mexican Revolution and traditional ritual masks, as well as more recent works from local artists. Visitors also suggest that the museum was a nice surprise and it worth stopping by the unique gift store, which sells works by local artists. The museum has been called “little but mighty” by many.

Time required: 1 to 2 hours.

Airport to here: 15 minutes via private transport.

Mckinney Falls State Park

Onion Creek runs through McKinney Falls State Park, providing a cool haven for campers seeking relief from the Texas heat. Aside from the creek, the park’s limestone formations and woodland areas are explored via roughly 9 miles of paths. Visitors to McKinney Falls can unwind at one of the park’s 81 campsites or six cottages after a busy day. Many of the camping places contain raised tent pads to make setup easier and safeguard the park’s vegetation, according to some overnight visitors.

Time required: Half day to Full day.

Airport to here: 10 minutes via private transport.

Thinkery

Thinkery is a place where kids up to the age of 11 can participate in activities that mix science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math. Currents, which focuses on water, to the simply called Kitchen Lab and Light Lab are among the permanent displays at Thinkery. The museum also has a large outdoor playground for children with water features. Recent visitors praised the variety of hands-on activities, claiming that they performed an outstanding job of entertaining their children. Past visitors also advise bringing a change of clothes, as the museum’s water room almost guarantees that your children will be soaked. Overall, the museum is a great place to visit in Austin on a rainy (or extremely hot) day.

Time required: 2 hours to Half day.

Airport to here: 14 minutes.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

This facility, named after Claudia Alta Taylor “Lady Bird” Johnson (wife of President Lyndon B. Johnson), is a terrific spot for wildlife lovers to pass the time. The institution was co-founded by the former first lady to educate other botanists about the benefits of growing and maintaining specific sorts of plants, an initiative that has altered gardening habits in central Texas. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is now the largest research library for native plant studies in the United States. More than 970 species of Texan flora, including bluebonnets and evening primrose, bloom on more than 284 acres of gardens and along more than 2 miles of hiking paths, attracting visitors from all over the country.

Time required: 2 hours to Half day.

Airport to here: 19 minutes via private transport.

Esther’s Follies

Esther’s Follies, located on Austin’s famous Sixth Street, has hilarious takes on singing, dancing, juggling, magic acts, and sketches. Since 1977, the performance has captivated the varied crowds of Sixth Street with its bizarre combination of politics and pop culture satire. Tourists and locals alike now agree that Esther’s Follies has all the credentials of an Austin institution. Keep in mind that Esther’s Follies has a taqueria connected to the courtyard as well as a complete bar.

Time required: 1 to 2 hours.

Airport to here: 13 minutes via private transport.