Austin Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Austin tours and things to do in the live music capital of the world: watch 1.5 million bats stream from under the Congress Avenue Bridge at dusk, kayak the calm waters of Lady Bird Lake beneath the skyline, feast on legendary Texas barbecue and tacos, crawl the honky-tonks of famous 6th Street, and escape to the wineries of the Texas Hill Country. Compare top-rated experiences and plan the perfect trip.
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Explore Austin by interest
Whatever brings you to Austin — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Top attractions in Austin
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Congress Bats
1.5 million bats.
Lady Bird Lake
Kayak & skyline.
Texas BBQ
Smoked brisket.
6th Street
Live music.
State Capitol
Pink granite.
Hill Country
Wine country.
Haunted Austin
Ghost tours.
Austin Skyline
Keep it weird.
1 hr awayHill Country
Wine country.
40 min awayLake Travis
Boat & swim.
City awayCongress Bats
Dusk bats.
City awayBBQ Trail
Smoked brisket.
City away6th Street
Live music.
City awayState Capitol
Pink granite.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Austin visitor asks before booking.
Spring (Mar–May)
Warm, green and lively, with SXSW — the best time.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Hot; cool off on the lakes and see bats at dusk.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Warm and pleasant, with ACL Festival — lovely.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Mild and quiet, great for the city and food.
For the bats
The bats are present from spring through autumn.
Best overall
Spring and autumn are ideal.
One day
The city, barbecue and bats.
Two days
Add the Hill Country and live music.
Three days
Add Lake Travis and more food.
For food
The barbecue trail and food trucks.
For music
6th Street live music.
With kids
Bat kayaking and Lake Travis.
On foot
Downtown, 6th Street and the lakefront are walkable.
By kayak
Kayaks and boats explore Lady Bird Lake and the bats.
Car & rideshare
Handy for the Hill Country and Lake Travis.
Tours
Guided tours cover the city and wine country.
Where to stay
Stay downtown near 6th Street and the lake.
US dollar
The USA uses the dollar; cards are widely accepted.
Book a bat kayak
Reserve a sunset bat kayak tour for the best view.
Come hungry
Save room for brisket, tacos and food-truck treats.
Catch live music
Head to 6th Street for live bands any night.
Hill Country trip
Set aside a day for the Hill Country wineries.
Beat the heat
In summer, cool off on the lakes and tour at dusk.
Spring & autumn
Visit in spring or autumn for the best weather.
Bat kayak tours
Sunset bat kayak tours sell out — book ahead.
Food tours
Popular barbecue tours fill up — reserve early.
Hill Country
Wine day trips have limited spots — book ahead.
Music tours
Live-music crawls book out on weekends — reserve early.
Lake Travis
Party boats fill up in summer — book ahead.
Festivals
SXSW and ACL weekends are busiest — book everything ahead.
Bat kayak tour
Around $40–60 for a sunset bat kayak tour.
BBQ food tour
About $60–90 for a Texas barbecue food tour.
Hill Country
Roughly $90–160 for a Hill Country wine day trip.
City tour
Around $30–60 for a sightseeing city tour.
Music tour
About $30–60 for a live-music bar crawl.
How to save
Join group tours and combine barbecue with a bat tour.
Austin through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- SXSW & bloom.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Best.
- Best for
- Lakes & bats.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Hot.
- Best for
- ACL Festival.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Lovely.
- Best for
- City & food.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Mild.