9 Incredible Things You Must Do When Visiting Austin, Texas

These are some must-make stops around the city of Austin, Texas when making a trip.

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Austin, Texas has become the fastest growing metro area in the country. People from all over the world want to visit to see what all the hype is about. Here are some things that you have to do or even schedule your trip around in the city:

The Bats at Congress Avenue Bridge

Every night between the end of March and beginning of November, a colony of over a million bats flies from under the Congress Bridge. It's one of the most unique ceremonies in all of the country and serves as a good representation of the weirdness that Austin has to offer.

McKinney Falls State Park

This is a beautiful area that can offer whatever one would want out of a day outdoors. There are two waterfalls, multi-length hiking trails, fishing, rock climbing, geocaching and much more to take advantage of.

It is around 13 miles away from Downtown Austin so it isn't too bad of a trip outside the city.

Night Life

Sixth Street: Austin's biggest answer to the classic party streets in many of the United State's biggest cities. There are plenty of bars, food trucks and music venues to explore throughout the night.

Rainey Street: Rainey is still a popular street, but is a bit more laid-back. This is a better stop for big groups that want to grab a drink together while still having some unique fun.

Zilker Park

One of the best places to spend a hot day, Zilker is home to the popular Barton Springs. It is temperature regulated at just below 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Hartman Prehistoric Garden is one of the more interesting garden's around the country with preserved tracks and dinosaur sculptures.

Festivals to Visit For

SXSW: 'South By' is a large festival that takes place in March every year. There are different divisions that focus on Music, Film, and Technology. The Film festival has grown to one of the biggest in the country each year and is home to interesting film premieres.

Austin City Limits: This is the real big-time festival for music lovers in the city. It takes place later in the year and has around 450,000 visitors each year for large names. The 2024 lineup includes Chris Stapleton, Dua Lipa, Blink-182, Tyler, The Creator and many more. There is plenty to see for each kind of music fan.

Local BBQ

The answer of best BBQ you get will be different depending the person you ask, but it's hard to go wrong. Some big names include Terry Black's down the road in Lockhart, la Barbecue, Insterstellar, Stubbs and Micklethwait's.

And of course, if you're willing to wait in line, Franklin's.

Cathedral of Junk

There are plenty of different art exhibits to see in the city, but this unique one can really show off the quirky vibe of Austin. Over 60 tons of used 'junk' is used to make these large sculpture.