Things to do in Austin
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Best of Austin Small-Group Driving Tour: 2-Hour City OverviewA 2-hour small-group driving tour of Austin with a live English-speaking guide covers major landmarks, real neighborhoods, and local gems—Congress Avenue Bridge, the Texas Capitol, 6th Street, and South Congress Avenue. The tour departs from the Austin Visitor Center at 103 East 5th Street and includes a brief walk inside the Capitol building. Groups stay small, and the guide provides insight into Austin's art, music, culture, history and the "Keep Austin Weird" ethos that defines the city.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want a fast, guided overview of Austin's layout and character without renting a car or navigating on your own. The small-group format and local guide mean you'll learn things a self-guided drive would miss, and the fixed 2-hour schedule fits into a morning or afternoon without eating your whole day.
Austin: E-Bike Tour with Biker Gang Vibes & City LandmarksYou’ll join an e-bike “biker gang” in Austin with a local guide who actually feels like your road captain. Expect helmet hair, city stories you won’t find online, stops by Lady Bird Lake and Sixth Street, plus random moments that stick with you longer than you expect.
Double-Decker Bus Tour Austin: Live Guide, Best Photo ViewsA double-decker bus tour of Austin with a live guide and driver, staying on board for a single loop that passes the Texas Capitol, Congress Avenue Bridge, LBJ Presidential Library, Texas Governor's Mansion, South Congress Avenue and the historic 6th Street Entertainment District. The unobstructed upper deck gives you the clearest sightlines in the city for photographs, while the lower deck stays climate-controlled for comfort. The tour runs 75 to 90 minutes depending on traffic and ends back at the Austin Visitor Center where it starts.Is it for me?Choose the upper deck for unobstructed sightlines and photo angles; pick the lower deck if you prefer air conditioning while still seeing downtown attractions from the windows.
Austin: Downtown & SoCo Food Tour with BBQ, Tacos & TreatsYou’ll wander through Downtown Austin and South Congress with a local guide, tasting smoky BBQ brisket, fresh tacos, diner sweets, and more—plus one surprise secret dish. Expect laughter over iced coffee, stories from longtime locals, and that feeling when you realize you’re already planning your next bite before you’ve finished the last one.
Austin Hill Country: Salt Lick BBQ & Winery Shuttle Day TripYou’ll taste legendary Texas BBQ at Salt Lick, sip local wines among rolling Hill Country vineyards, and share stories with fellow travelers on an easy shuttle day trip from Austin. Includes comfortable transport with a local guide—just bring your appetite (and maybe stretchy pants).
Austin: Electric Bike Tour with Murals, Skyline & Local StopYou’ll cruise through Austin on an electric bike with a local guide, stopping for mural photos, skyline views from South Congress, and a break at a neighborhood café. Expect plenty of laughs, real city sounds, and small surprises along the way—it’s less about ticking off sights and more about soaking up Austin’s energy.
Austin: Haunted Walking Tour with Ghost Stories & Driskill HotelYou’ll walk Austin’s shadowy streets with a storyteller-guide, hear ghost tales at landmarks like the Driskill Hotel and Paramount Theatre, and slip into hidden bars for exclusive stories. Expect laughs, shivers, and small surprises—this haunted walking tour is less about jump scares and more about feeling Austin’s strange heartbeat after sunset.
Escape Room Games in Downtown Austin: 8 Themed AdventuresThe Escape Game Austin offers eight uniquely themed escape rooms where teams of up to 59 players work together to solve puzzles, find clues, and complete a mission within 60 minutes. A dedicated game guide leads your adventure and assists as needed. Games range from Gold Rush and Prison Break to the exclusive Classified and newest Cosmic Crisis, each with multiple rooms to escape from. All experiences are fully immersive, non-scary, and designed for ages 13 and up, though younger players can participate with an adult.Is it for me?Book this if your group wants to solve puzzles together under time pressure with a guide who can help when you're truly stuck—the live assistance and non-scary design make it work for mixed ages and experience levels, from first-timers to escape room veterans.
Austin: Downtown Bike Tour, Lady Bird Lake & Texas CapitolYou’ll pedal through Austin’s downtown on a classic bike tour—cruise past Lady Bird Lake, pause at the Texas State Capitol for stories only locals tell, and catch glimpses of city life along Congress Avenue Bridge. With your guide leading and all bikes included, you’ll end up feeling like you really got under Austin’s skin—even if your legs complain later.
Austin Live Music Crawl: 3 Venues & Local GuideYou'll visit three live music venues across Austin neighborhoods in a single evening, hearing authentic performances that shift in genre and style. A local guide leads the crawl in a Mercedes van, sharing the city's music history and current scene while cover charges stay included. You start at 7:45pm from the Driskill Hotel and return around 11pm, leaving the navigation and timing to someone who already knows the city.Is it for me?Book this if you want to skip the guesswork of finding real Austin music venues on your own and hear from someone who actually knows the scene — the fixed route and included cover charges mean you're not hunting for parking or calculating tabs between stops.
Lake Austin Sunset Boat Cruise: 1-Hour BYOB TourA 1-hour sunset boat cruise on Lake Austin with a licensed captain guiding you past Mount Bonnell, the Pennybacker Bridge, and Austin's waterfront landmarks. You bring your own drinks and music; the boat provides cooler, ice, and water. Meet at the docks between Quince Lakehouse and Hula Hut, and the captain takes care of navigation so you sit back in cushioned seating as the sun drops over the Hill Country.Is it for me?The guide speaks English and shares stories about each landmark as you pass, so the commentary works for anyone comfortable with English. The fixed one-hour window and the captain's navigation mean you don't plan the route or timing—you just show up at the dock, bring your drinks, and watch the sunset unfold.
Austin: E-Bike City Tour with Murals, Food Trucks & Music StopsYou’ll glide through Austin’s streets by e-bike with a local guide, stopping for mural photos, bites from food trucks, lakeside views, and stories about music legends. Expect easy laughs, real city flavor, and moments that stick with you long after you’ve parked your bike.
Austin: Morning Walk Downtown, Driskill Hotel & Jo’s CoffeeYou’ll start your Austin morning walk with coffee and a smile—enjoy breakfast savings at Jo’s Coffee before strolling downtown with a local storyteller guide. Hear quirky history by Willie Nelson’s statue, step inside the Driskill Hotel, and pause for music legends and old photos along Congress Avenue. You’ll leave feeling part of Austin’s rhythm—even if you still can’t pronounce “queso” right.
Austin Hill Country: Wine Shuttle 3 Wineries & TastingsYou get picked up in Austin, ride through the Hill Country in a climate-controlled van with a local guide, stop at two wineries for tastings, then finish at an urban winery in the St. Elmo Arts District. Tastings cost $17–25 per winery and are paid on-site. The van handles the driving and reservations; you handle the tasting.Is it for me?A good fit if you want to taste wine at multiple Hill Country wineries without renting a car or coordinating rides. The half-day format means you're back in Austin by early afternoon, and the fixed route and pre-made reservations take the planning out of your hands.
Austin Murder Walk: 1885 Serial Killer True Crime TourYou walk 2 miles through downtown Austin's historic districts—6th Street, the Driskill Hotel, and the Speakeasy Tavern—while your guide explains the 1885 serial murders that terrorized the city and remain unsolved. The tour takes 1 hour 45 minutes, includes a drink stop at the Driskill, and moves at a leisurely pace with short rests. You leave knowing the crime scenes, the victims, and why the case still haunts the city.Is it for me?Book this if you want to understand a real unsolved case and see the streets where it happened, guided by someone who knows the evidence—not a dramatized ghost story, but the actual 1885 murders that changed Austin.
San Marcos: Clear Kayak Sunset Glow Tour with WildlifeYou’ll glide through glowing waters in a clear kayak as dusk falls on the San Marcos River, watching fish and maybe even beavers beneath your feet. A local guide shares stories about endangered Texas Wild Rice while you paddle and laugh together. All gear is included—just bring your curiosity (and maybe courage for that chilly dip).
Austin: Downtown History Walking Tour & Driskill StoriesYou’ll walk through Austin’s old vice district with a local guide who brings wild stories to life—from cowboy days to O. Henry’s quiet porch and the legendary 6th Street buzz. Step inside the Driskill Hotel for tales of music, scandal, and maybe even ghosts. You’ll leave feeling like you’ve met Austin’s real characters.
Austin Mural Selfie Tour by Pedicab: 30+ MuralsA private pedicab tour through Austin's mural neighborhoods, stopping at over 30 walls for selfies with your own guide. The route covers Downtown, East and South Austin, hitting both the famous "I love you so much" postcard mural and the lesser-known pieces locals know about. Hotel pickup is included for downtown locations; the tour runs 90 minutes and suits all fitness levels.Is it for me?Book this if your group wants to see Austin's murals without spending the afternoon planning which walls to hit and how to get between them — the pedicab and guide handle the route, leaving you free to focus on the photos.
Austin: Sunset Bat Kayak Tour on Lady Bird Lake & Congress BridgeYou’ll paddle Lady Bird Lake at sunset with a local guide, watch 1.5 million bats swirl from Congress Avenue Bridge, and spot landmarks like the Stevie Ray Vaughan Memorial—all gear included. Expect laughter, river breezes, and an unforgettable look at Austin’s wild side.
Austin Sunset Kayak Tour: Congress Avenue Bridge & 1.5M BatsYou paddle 2.5 hours along downtown Austin's skyline, stop to watch the sunset, then position yourself to see 1.5 million bats emerge from Congress Avenue Bridge. The guide times the experience so you catch the bat flight at its peak, then paddle back as the city lights come on. Photos are taken throughout and sent to you afterward.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see the bats and the Austin skyline without arranging your own boat or timing the emergence yourself — the fixed schedule is what makes catching both the sunset and the flight possible in one evening.
