About Austin
Along with being the home to The University of Texas, Austin offers plenty more to do, discover and see.
It is the seat of Texas government, as well as the gateway to the 32,000 square-mile Texas Hill Country. Austin offers a bohemian atmosphere that is comprised of a multitude of arts and cultures, supported by the fact that there are more artists per capita in Austin than any other Texas city. Between Austin’s own ballet, symphony, opera, and 30 art galleries and museums, there are also several local dance companies and 35 independent theatre companies to occupy your time.
Recently, Austin has been identified as the "Best Place for Business" (Forbes, 2003) with more than 1,000 tech companies. It is this identification as a fast growing technological mecca that also earned Austin the nickname of "silicon Hills".
And if that wasn’t enough, Austin offers a world-renowned live music scene full of legends and local heroes. During the annual South by Southwest Music and Film Festival, Austin shines and plays host to a vast array of talents. On any given night of the year, you can venture to the legendary Sixth Street or the Warehouse District and take in the multicultural ear candy of blues, country, folk, rock, jazz, Latino, rap and reggae at any venue out of the 100+ that Austin has to offer. For a truly unique Austin experience, attend one of the many popular spring and summer festivals, which include Eeyore’s Birthday, Cinco de Mayo, Crawfish Festival, Pecan Street Festival, and Spam Toss.
The unique atmosphere Austin offers has the perfect backdrop – beautiful weather and an idyllic river setting in The Hill Country. A series of lakes stretching for more than 300 miles are formed by the Colorado River that flows through the center of Austin. Town Lake borders the southern edge of downtown and also serves as the base for more than 30 miles of trails, including the popular 10.1-mile Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail. Farther up the river, Lake Austin and Lake Travis lay their claim to fame attracting a variety of lake lovers including fishermen, boaters, water skiers, windsurfers, jet skiers and scuba divers.
- Dubbed a “City of Ideas,” Austin’s economy is based on entrepreneurial, creative and intellectual capital
- The local music scene, Congress Avenue bats, University of Texas sports and high-tech news http://www.austin360.com/
- Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau http://www.austintexas.org/
- Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce http://www.austin-chamber.org/
