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Before you go
Your trip to Austin.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Austin – Texas Destination San Antonio and Austin Capital
How to get there
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Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) 13 km
Approximate distances. Check flights and bus, train or boat schedules before you travel.
Austin Airport (AUS) is about 13 km from downtown, with buses and taxis. By car, San Antonio is about 130 km and Houston about 260 km away.
How many days
Two or three days: one for the capitol and the university, one for Barton Springs and the neighborhoods south of the river, with the bats at dusk and music at night.
When to go
From March to May and from October to November, with pleasant days. Bats emerge from under the bridge from March to October, with larger flights in August. In March and in the fall the city hosts major music and technology festivals, when lodging becomes expensive and scarce.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
For downtown, no: the capitol, Congress Avenue, Sixth Street and the lake are walkable or reachable by shared bike. For Barton Springs and the university, bus or ride‑hail.
Suggested itinerary
An order that works
Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.
One day in Austin
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Morning
Texas Capitol
Visit the pink granite capitol, with its rotunda and gardens, then go to the Lyndon Johnson Presidential Library at the university.
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Afternoon
Barton Springs and the bats
Swim in Barton Springs at Zilker Park and, at dusk, watch the bats emerge from under the Congress Avenue Bridge.
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Evening
Live music
End the night in one of the live‑music bars on Sixth Street or Red River Street.
Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.
Before you go
Frequently asked questions
Why is Austin called the Live Music Capital?
Because of the large number of bars and stages with live music every night on Sixth Street, Red River Street and other neighborhoods, and because of the city’s music festivals.
When can you see Austin’s bats?
From March to October, at dusk, when they emerge from under the Congress Avenue Bridge; August usually has the largest emergences.
Is Austin far from San Antonio?
About 130 km, roughly an hour and a half by car on Highway 35, longer in traffic.
What time zone is Austin in?
UTC−6 in standard time (Central Time) and UTC−5 from March to November, with daylight saving time.