Austin: an Eclectic Destination in the Heart of Texas

Many people have a mental picture of Texas that includes many a cowboy hat and a conservative way of life. However, those are the images of people who've never been to Texas and experienced the variety to be found, particularly in the amazing city of Austin.

The origins of Austin stem from way back before Texas was even a state. The area was settled in the 1830s and became the capital of the Republic of Texas and then eventually the state capital. Modern day Austin has come a long way since it was known as the village of Waterloo as it was in those days though.

The unofficial motto of present day Austin is "Keep Austin Weird", which refers to the city in a variety of ways and reflects the diversity of the people who reside there. The city is home to an engaging cross-section of lifestyles and personalities who are very much engaged in environmental concerns and supporting myriad small businesses in their city.

The inhabitants of Austin range from employees of big high-tech business, to environmentalists, country music afficionados, and bats. While the people live in the city's assortment of houses, apartments, and condos, the bats mostly all live under the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge. The million and a half Mexican Free-tailed Bats that live in the city emerge en masse in the summer months which attract many locals and tourists alike.

Other things that the city has to offer its human residents are local festivals such as Eeyore's Birthday Party, the yearly Reggae festival, and Austin City Limits Music Festival. The city also has a great selection of museums including the Texas Memorial Museum, Blanton Museum of Art, numerous galleries, the South Austin Museum of Popular Culture, and the O. Henry Museum where the author lived from 1893 to 1895.

Austin's official title is that it is the Live Music Capital of the World and it has a staggering number of clubs and other venues. There is also a stunning array of nightclubs on 6th Street. The city boasts more music venues per capita than any other city in the country.

For those who enjoy the outdoors, the Austin area has many popular trails for hiking and biking as well as many places for swimming. The city plays host yearly to the Capital of Texas Triathlon on Memorial Day. The city has three man made lakes within the city limits and one clothing optional park on the shores of Lake Travis.

If you have long held the opinion that Texas was just all about cowboys and steers then the city of Austin is definitely an eye-opener. The city is a great supporter of diversity and the celebration of differences. It is a fabulous jewel in the southern United States.