Austin: The Live Music Capital of the World Continues to Strike a Captivating Tune

Immersive Live Music Tour

Known as the "Live Music Capital of the World," Austin boasts countless music venues and a vibrant, eclectic scene. This reputation is strengthened by renowned festivals like South by Southwest and Austin City Limits.

If you have limited time and want to check out the breadth of genres across different venues, the best way is to sign up for an Austin music crawl such as Austin Detours. There are over 270 live music venues in the city. Dozens of venues are located outside of downtown and hidden in vibrant neighbourhoods. Aside from transporting you to three hidden gems, tour guides are also extremely knowledgeable when it comes to the city’s live music history and the latest music trends. 

Our tour kicked off at The Saxon Pub, which has been an Austin staple since 1990 and is renowned for its intimate vibe and for helping to launch legends. Next, we visited dance hall, Broken Spoke, which features a bustling dance floor that has hosted country legends including Garth Brooks. The tour ended at C Boys, where classic soul and R&B acts took centre stage.

Austin Detours also offer city tours, allowing visitors to get right at the heart of Austin’s magnetic charm. Visitors will get to explore the magnificent state Capitol building before being whisked off to the eclectic and trendy East Austin area.

Guides will point out the countless hip restaurants and bars to keep on your radar, and you’ll even get a surprise sweet treat whilst listening to countless amusing anecdotes about the city. The tour culminates with a visit to the iconic "Greetings from Austin" wall mural.

Unforgettable Sunset Bat Kayak Tour

One of the most unique and breathtaking experiences that Austin has to offer is bat-watching on the Congress Avenue Bridge during sunset. An estimated 1.5 million bats fly out from underneath the bridge every evening from late March until early autumn. It's a nocturnal phenomenon like no other in the world.

To make the experience even more scintillating, sunset bat kayaking tours, such as Lady Bird Lake Rentals, allow visitors to view the spectacle directly from the water. After admiring Lady Bird Lake’s serene waters and lush greenery, kayakers will then paddle towards the bridge alongside an engaging guide who is on hand to point out interesting fauna and flora. Elsewhere, the guide will explain that the 'lake' is in fact a scenic reservoir that was renamed in honour of Lady Bird Johnson (wife of Lyndon B. Johnson) and her monumental conservation efforts in the city.

Although it will likely be crowded when you arrive at the bridge, you’ll have the best vantage point to watch the bats as they exit the bridge. While it can take 45 minutes for this to happen, our experience was closer to the 15-minute mark.

The Thought-provoking LBJ Presidential Library

Although Lyndon B. Johnson is arguably one of the lesser-known Presidents of the United States, his life story is incredibly fascinating and uplifting. Located at the University of Texas at Austin university, the LBJ Presidential Library holds more than 45 million pages of historical documents, along with an extensive audiovisual collection. The former President’s ultimate downfall due to the Vietnam War is dealt with in fascinating detail and with the benefit of hindsight. 

There are plenty of photo-worthy opportunities whilst touring the library. Catch a glimpse of a  replica of the West Wing's Oval Office, and don’t forget to pose next to the presidential limousine that was used by Lyndon B. Johnson, and is still  affectionately known as  "The Beast". In their gift shop, discover classic election memorabilia, as well as insightful books linked to his presidency.

Captivating Museums

There is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to museums in Austin. The Blanton Museum of Art is one of the largest university art museums in the USA, with eye-catching works jostling for attention as soon as you step into the building.

Don’t miss the "Siphonophora", an enormous, large-scale sculpture suspended from the ceiling that resembles a mysterious ocean creature. Strolling around the museum, you will find iconic pieces such as the skeletal Mickey Mouse created by Artemio Rodríguez, and exuberant art installations from Tavares Strachan, who only recently exhibited at The Hayward Gallery in London.

The most dramatic piece is arguably Cildo Meireles's "How to Build Cathedrals". The stark contrast between cattle bones, coins, and communion wafers makes for a bold statement about the relationship between economic power, religious institutions, and the exploitation of indigenous populations. Visitors get free admission to the museum every Tuesday.

The Contemporary Austin is also well worth a visit, specifically the Jones Center. Whilst not as vast as The Blanton, it serves up a dynamic schedule of exhibitions that are always thought-provoking and often shine a light on underrepresented communities.

When we visited, they had a captivating exhibition of torso-scaled and colossal-sized stoneware sculptures from Raven Halfmoon whose work pays respect to her Caddo heritage and forefathers. She is also a role model against the creeping indigenous silencing that is prevalent in society at the moment. Visitors get free admission to the museum every Thursday. 

For more information on Austin in general, please visit: https://www.austintexas.org/