Free Downtown Tours in Austin
Who says you can't get something for nothing? Austin has three historic downtown tours available completely free of charge.
Discover Austin’s rich history with free guided walking tours offered by the Austin Convention & Visitor’s Bureau. Featured excursions include Congress Avenue and East Sixth Street, the Capitol Grounds and a stroll through the Bremond Block.
Tours are available from March through November.
Where to Meet: Groups meet and depart promptly from the south steps of the Texas State Capitol building at 9 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, or at 2 p.m. Sunday for the Congress Avenue tour; 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday for the Bremond Block tour; and 2 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. on Sunday for the Capitol Grounds Tour. Walks typically last between 60 and 90 minutes. Reservations are not required.
Congress Avenue and East Sixth Street – This 10-block tour weaves through downtown’s National Register District to reveal the history of Congress Avenue. Participants experience the intended view of the Capitol, as Congress Avenue was originally laid out to provide a monumental approach from the river to the Capitol hill. The tour continues along Old Pecan Street (now Sixth Street), highlighting significant Victorian architecture dating to the mid-1800s. One of the major stops along this portion of the tour is historic Hannig Row. The buildings take their title from Joseph Hannig, a notable Austin furniture maker and husband to Alamo survivor Susanna Dickinson.
The Capitol Grounds Tour – Tour guides discuss the Capitol’s monuments and restorations. Participants learn noteworthy trivia about the legendary granite building itself, which stands 14 feet higher than the US Capitol in Washington. At the south entrance to the Capitol grounds, guests are greeted by two howitzer cannons, dating to 1836. The tour continues to pass some lesser-known historic spots on the Capitol grounds such as the ornate reproduction drinking fountain.
Bremond Block Tour – Until the mid-20th century, downtown was primarily residential, and this tour showcases the grand homes of Old Austin. Tourists stop by the Governor’s Mansion, then continue southwest to view elaborate Victorian showplaces, including a family compound built as homes for the elite Bremond and Robinson families. This original section of the National Register District remains an exemplary preservation of a vanished era.
For More Information:• Call the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau at 866-GO-AUSTIN
• visit the
Austin CVB onlineLabels: Austin
posted by Paris and John @ 2:15 PM
New San Antonio Festivals Section
Next month in San Antonio means Fiesta, a truly Texas-sized festival. You'll find great festivals in the Alamo City throughout the year, though; to give you a rundown of some of our favorites, we've just added a new
San Antonio festivals section, providing a month by month breakdown of top events.
Labels: San Antonio
posted by Paris and John @ 3:32 PM
Luling Opens First Inland Paddling Trail
There's now a new reason to visit Luling: the Luling Zedler Mill Paddling Trail.
This six-mile route on the San Marcos River between U.S. Hwy 90 and the historic Zedler Mill in Luling is the state's first inland paddling trail and offers canoeists and kayakers a safe, well-mapped route with convenient access and parking.
It may also bring an economic boost to this small town just off IH-10 east of San Antonio and south of Austin. To increase local tourism appeal, Luling residents, the city government and the local economic development corporation have come together to restore and redevelop the historic Zedler Mill (built in 1874) near the city's existing nine-hole golf course.
Local companies will provide canoe and kayak rentals and shuttle services between the paddling trail take-out at the Zedler Mill and the put-in at a new city park on U.S. Hwy. 90 six miles upstream. The city will maintain the put-in and take-out locations (parking is free), and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is providing interpretive materials, signs and promotion of the paddling trail.
For More Information:
• visit
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/paddlingtrailsLabels: State Parks
posted by Paris and John @ 3:27 PM
Texas State Symbols
OK, we know that you know the state flower (bluebonnet) and the state bird (mockingbird). But do you know the official state large mammal? Or small mammal? Or insect? We have to confess that we were a little surprised by one or two of these
state symbols as we created our Texas facts page today. It's part of our enlarged
All About Texas section which now includes everything from a quick rundown of everything you missed in seventh grade Texas history class to a look back at Texas cattle drives.
posted by Paris and John @ 3:48 PM
Remembering Fredericksburg's Easter Fires
Fredericksburg has a fascinating story that brought pioneer life and Easter together in one tale invented by a fast-thinking frontier mother. Although the annual Easter Fires pageant ceased in 2005, read about the
unique Easter story that was so special to Fredericksburg.
Labels: Hill Country
posted by Paris and John @ 2:15 PM
Austin Nightlife Coverage
With all the attention paid to Austin's nightlife during the recent SXSW event, we decided to beef up our Austin nightlife section. As you know, nightlife changes as fast as the Texas weather so we by no means have comprehensive coverage but we do point out the best known and longest lasting venues for
rock music,
country music,
blues,
folk, singer-songwriter, and Tejano music,
comedy clubs,
brew pubs, and
concert venues.
Labels: Hill Country
posted by Paris and John @ 2:04 PM
Messina Hof Winery & Resort Celebrates Wine & Roses
The 24th Annual Messina Hof Wine & Roses Festival will be held at the Messina Hof Winery & Resort in Bryan next month but it's not too early to make reservations. This annual event celebrates the budding of the vineyard and the coming of the summer harvest.
The festival takes place on Saturday, April 22 from noon to 5pm at the Messina Hof Winery & Resort, 4545 Old Reliance Road (10 minutes from the Texas A & M campus in College Station).
This free event features Old World artisans and craft demonstrations, Italian and German foods, cooking demos, live music in the rose garden or by the waterfall, and the ten Texas artist finalists in Messina Hof's 23rd annual Wine Label Competition.
Another special event is the grape stomping competition! Entry is $10 per person, or $40 per team of four.
You can end your evening with a smashing murder mystery dinner-The Murder of the Great Chef.
For more information:• call (ASAP) 979-778-9463, ext. 34 to make your reservations or sign up your grape stomping team
• visit
www.messinahof.com Here's some trivia you might not know: Traditionally, rose bushes were planted at the end of each vineyard row to help monitor the health of the grapevines. If the rose bush showed any sign of disease, insects or drought it would alert the vineyard in time to treat the grapevines!
posted by Paris and John @ 5:00 PM
"Rock Stars Wanted" Travel Package in Austin
There's no doubt that the recent SXSW festival had more than one band wishing they could travel to Austin (nicknamed the "Live Music Capital of the World") and record a CD.
Well, here's your chance. The Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau has announced its new "Rock Stars Wanted" travel package available only
online.
The Package: The “Rock Stars Wanted” experience gives rock star hopefuls the chance to create and record their own music with the Groove Labs band, an established professional rock band. The Austin Rock Star Package and the Austin Recording Artist Package are available through June 30, 2006.
The Rock Star Package provides a recording session for up to six people and includes one hour of pre-production time, a five-hour session with the Groove Labs band as back-up, mixing, mastering, custom artwork for a CD and a custom DVD of the entire experience. The total cost of the package is $4,455.
The Austin Recording Artist Package is available for up to three people and includes one hour of pre-production time, three hours of studio session/tracking time, mixing, mastering and basic artwork for a CD. This package costs $1,755.
Combining world class musicians with state-of-the art production facilities, engineers and producers, “Rock Stars Wanted” gives travelers a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the Live Music Capital of the World.
The Driskill and the Radisson Hotel & Suites will provide rock-star accommodations for this package. Both hotels are located in the heart of downtown Austin and within walking distance to the Sixth Street entertainment district.
For additional information visit
Groove Labs .
Labels: Hill Country
posted by Paris and John @ 12:08 PM
Wildflower Hotline Reporting Blooms
Want to know where the find bluebonnet and other wildflower fields? Check out the
Texas Department of Transportation website. You'll find menus to select the type of wildflower you'd like to see and/or the county you'll be visiting. The database is updated throughout the wildflower season. You can also call the Wildflower Hotline at 1-800-452-9292 to hear about regional sightings and wildflower festivals.
posted by Paris and John @ 9:01 AM
Matagorda County Boasts More Birds Than Anywhere in the US
Just where in the country will you find the most birds? According to the annual National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count, it's Matagorda County, Texas. On December 15, 2005, the county identified 250 species, more than anyplace else in the US.
That win is no surprise, though; Matagorda County has been a nine-time winner of the annual count.
This year, three species tied for the title of best bird: Whip-poor-will, Calliope Hummingbird and Shiny Cowbird, all of which are rarely found in this area of Texas.
Why are there so many birds in Matagorda County? Located along the eastern coast of Texas, southern Matagorda County is where four major flyways converge. This area is also along a major migration route bordering the Gulf of Mexico, where many common species that winter in the Neotropics might linger until Christmas.
For more information on the annual count, visit the Matagorda County Birding and Nature Center‚s website at
www.mcbnc.org.
For a guide to tourism-related businesses and attractions, consumers may contact the Matagorda County Economic Development Corporation at (979)245-8913. For tourist information, visit
www.visitmatagorda.com.
posted by Paris and John @ 4:21 PM
Star of Texas Rodeo
As most Texans know, this was (thankfully!) a rainy weekend across much of the state. That rain didn't slow down the weekend's special events, however, including Austin's Star of Texas Rodeo. We visited Friday night so we could check out the rodeo grounds as well as the barbecue competition which ran through the weekend.
The rodeo will be running for two more weeks; check out the
Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo website for details and the schedule of remaining events.
posted by Paris and John @ 3:33 PM
Barton Creek Resort & Spa Offers Mother's Day Options
Well, it seems like a long time until Mother's Day but in terms of travel planning, it's just around the corner. We just received work from Barton Creek Resort & Spa that they're going to be offering a special Mother's Day Weekend brunch. The menu is extensive: poached egg with smoked chicken hash, banana pecan pancakes, herb roasted prime rib, sautéed farm raised striped bass, and more, accompanied by wine, champagne, chilled strawberry and ginger ale smoothies, and plenty of assorted desserts.
The Mother’s Day brunch is $45.95 per person for adults, children age six to 12 years are $16.95 per person, children 5 and under eat free. Reservations are recommended for this popular event; call (512) 329-7923.
Or you can extend your visit with a stay at the resort. There are special discounts for Mom everywhere—-the Salon, the Pro Shops, golf lessons, and green fees. If you just can’t decide what to wrap for Mom, Barton Creek also offers gift certificates to the Ladies-Only Two-Day School April 26 & 27 at the Chuck Cook Golf Academy. Special room rates are available for children ages 6 to 12 staying in the same room as adults, and children 5 and under stay free. Room rates start at $189 per person double occupancy with a minimum two-night stay.
For more information on Barton Creek Resort & Spa, call 1-800-336-6158 or 512-329-4000 or visit
www.bartoncreek.com.
Labels: Austin, Hill Country
posted by Paris and John @ 3:14 PM
Special Packages for Austin Festivals
We just received word from the Austin CVB that they'll be offering two special travel packages and these are only available online at
www.austintexas.org.
Here are the packages:
Austin Fine Arts Festival, April 1-2You can check out Austin’s thriving art scene during the Austin Fine Arts Festival, in Republic Square, with a "Collector's Badge." For $125 per person, the badge includes two-day admission to the festival, access to the VIP Collector's Lounge, souvenir art pin and admission to the inaugural Art After Dark-- an exclusive art-buying opportunity and cultural celebration featuring Austin's most notable chefs, live music and libations. While in town for the Austin Fine Arts Festival, stop by the Austin Museum of Art’s Christo & Jeanne-Claude: The Würth Museum collection at a reduced admission price.
Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival, April 6-9Now in its 21st year, this event boasts a line-up of star chefs and wineries and over two dozen culinary events. The “Toasting Texas” package is $130 per person and includes a goodie bag filled with festival souvenirs along with discounted passes to three of the festival's most popular events—Stars Across Texas Grand Tasting Event at the Hilton Austin, Film Noir and Pinot Noir at Alamo Drafthouse and Sunday Fair at San Gabriel Park in nearby Georgetown.
Special Hotel RatesThe Radisson Hotel & Suites, located just blocks away from both festivals, offers discounted room rates for attendees. Reservations are available online.
Labels: Austin
posted by Paris and John @ 2:57 PM
Austin's Hopping with SXSW
Tuesday was one of those picture perfect spring days so we headed to Austin to photograph the State Capitol grounds and downtown. It's still a little bit early for wildflowers but the trees are leafing out. You'll see a
photo of the State Capitol in the Photo of the Week gallery.
The Capitol and all of downtown was hopping with crowds in town for South By Southwest (SXSW), the Texas-sized festival that has evolved from primarily a music event to one that includes film and interactive (web) conferences as well. The Austin Convention Center was buzzing with the Interactive and Film festivals and the registration of musicians for the music festival which is just now swinging into gear. Check out the
SXSW website for more on the schedule of events.
Labels: Austin
posted by Paris and John @ 4:52 PM
Digital Photo Workshop at Big Bend Ranch State Park
We just received a news release from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. today about a new digital photo workshop to be held at Big Bend Ranch State Park. Veteran outdoor photographer Jim Carr of Houston will teach the three-day workshop to be held April 21-23 at Big Bend Ranch State Park in far West Texas.
What will you learn? The workshop will concentrate on digital photography fundamentals and what equipment and computer software are available today to take quality pictures and enhance ones that need help, Carr said. "One of the main disappointments that I hear from people who visit the ranch is their inability to capture the mountains and grandeur of the West Texas landscapes that make the Big Bend so special," Carr said. "While capturing such an image has always been possible, though not easily done, digital cameras and software programs have made taking quality panoramic photos much easier." Carr knows Big Bend Ranch: he has been conducting trail rides and photo workshops at the 300,000-acre state park and working cattle ranch for over a decade.
Workshop participants will be divided into four groups of photographers at the ranch. Photographers will learn how to download their photos to a computer disc and how to adjust colors, size photos and perform other editing tasks using the latest photo editing software.
The workshop costs $400 and includes meals, lodging, all park fees and transportation in connection with the on-site workshop. Workshop participants will meet at Fort Leaton State Historic Site in Presidio and be transported to the state park.
To register for the workshop, call Big Bend Ranch State Park at (432) 229-3416. For additional information about the workshops, call Carr at (281) 486-8070.
posted by Paris and John @ 4:11 PM
TEXAS Returns to Palo Duro Canyon
We were glad to get this news today: the popular, long-running TEXAS show is returning to Palo Duro Canyon. You'll remember that for the past three years, the show was replaced by Texas Legacies. Here's a rundown on the show change:
TEXAS, the outdoor musical drama produced from 1966 through 2002, is returning to its magnificent stage in Palo Duro Canyon State Park. This classic story of the settling the Texas Panhandle is back thanks to popular demand, with preview performances on June 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8 and the season debut on June 9.
“It became very obvious that our customers were clamoring for the return of TEXAS. This timeless story about the determination of the people who settled in the Texas Panhandle still delivers a lot of entertainment punch. Now, we get to introduce a new generation to this saga,” Joe Groves, Executive Director of TEXAS, says.
And the play returns to the Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon State Park, one of the most magnificent settings ever created for the theater. The play sprawls across a 600-foot cliff behind the stage, adding some very special effects that enhance the play’s entertainment value. More than three million visitors enjoyed TEXAS in its previous 37-year run, when the outdoor musical drama was regularly listed as one of the top 100 events by the American Bus Association.
All the favorite characters will be back: cattle rancher Uncle Henry and his wife Aunt Anna; star-crossed sodbuster Calvin Armstrong; Henry and Anna’s beautiful niece Elsie McLean; drifting gold prospector and crowd favorite Tucker Yelldell; sassy and bold former entertainer Kate Lucas; straight-shooting and hard-working ranch foreman Dave Newberry and prissy Panhandle girl Parmalee Flynn. They will be joined by a cast of singers and dancers and a band of top-notch musicians.
Dates: This season of TEXAS, the 41st season of musical drama in Palo Duro Canyon State Park, will run from June 2 through August 19. TEXAS will be performed Tuesday through Saturday nights.
Getting Tickets: Reservations can be made by phone (806-655-2181),
on-line or through the mail (1514 5th Ave., Canyon, TX, 79015).
Prices: Ticket prices will range from $7-25, depending on the seat location and age of the visitor. Tickets during preview week (June 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8) will be discounted 25%. A barbecue dinner is available nightly from 6-8 p.m. for $8.50 per person ($7 for children 11 and under). A special family pack, including dinner and the show for a family of four, will be offered for $99 and for a family of six at $139.
Labels: State Parks
posted by Paris and John @ 8:39 AM
B&B Adds Historic Naturalist's Log Cabin
If you're looking for a getaway with an historic flair, we've received news from the Outpost @ Cedar Creek Inn in
Round Top about a new cabin that will be an interesting addition to this already fascinating getaway. This bed & breakfast announces the acquisition and restoration of the Gideon Lincecum Log Cabin to its collection of historic cabins and farm houses. The completed restoration will be in time for the arrival of the spring wildflower display.
Gideon Lincecum was an early Texas naturalist who arrived in Washington County in 1848 where he opened a medical practice dispensing herbal remedies. The relocated log cabin was his live-in office and study. The naturalist corresponded with Charles Darwin, published many articles and kept weather records for the Smithsonian Institution. His grave is in the Stephen F. Austin lot of the State Cemetery in Austin.
The cabin was moved to the Outpost Inn from its original location at Long Point in Washington County. The completed restoration of the Lincecum Log Cabin will feature a sitting room with fireplace, bedroom with queen bed and a two person whirlpool tub in the private bathroom. Like all of the accommodations at the Outpost Inn, the décor will reflect the owner's passion for all things Texan, with special attention given to the life & work of Gideon Lincecum.
Recently featured in Southern Living, the Outpost @ Cedar Creek Inn is a haven hiding in the hills in the heart of Texas, just outside of Round Top. Each private accommodation has its own porch and access to gardens and outdoor rooms. For more, see
www.outpostinn.com
posted by Paris and John @ 1:15 PM
