Thoughts on what to do in Austin

This site has been started as a link into some sources of information about Austin and the surrounding area.

The last part of this page includes personal perspectives that may inspire you about what you can do during your stay in Texas. This section includes tips from various folks who live in or love Austin. If you would like to add comments or recommend a link, please contact Vicki Almstrum, almstrum@cs.utexas.edu.

http://austin360.com/entertainment/

This extensive site covers all types of entertainment, including dining, music, movies, performance, museums, and sightseeing. The parent site is associated with one of the local newspapers.

View of the Capitol from the South Mall on Campus

The Tower and Main Building

http://austin.citysearch.com/

This is another extensive site that lists all types of entertainment. It includes an excellent search mechanism that allows the user to focus on a particular region (such as the Northwest portion of Austin, which is where the Renaissance, the conference hotel for SIGCSE 2000, is located).

The University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at Austin has a beautiful campus with many fountains and statues. The official Visitor Central provides information on activities such as touring the main tower, which has recently reopened for visitors. There are many interesting museums on campus, including the LBJ Presidential Library, several art museums, and an Earle Stanley Gardner museum tucked away in a corner of the top floor of Flawn Academic Center.

The LBJ Library and Museum

Personal favorites / Top picks

James McGuffee, Assistant Dean of Computer Studies and Advanced Technology at Austin Community College:

I have put together James' Tips for Visiting Austin, which gives links and tips about live music, getting around, dining, being a kid again, and the local papers.

Chris McDonald, a visiting professor at Dartmouth College [from Western Australia]:

I'll be visiting Texas for nearly 2 weeks, and I found the webpage http://www.traveltex.com/trvlguide.asp which has sent me a great 250+ page Texas travel guide. May also be of interest to others.

Mary Dee Harris, senior lecturer at the CS Department at UT Austin:

Donn's Depot, Fifth Street at West Lynn. A piano bar night spot for dancing, attracts an older crowd with Friday night Singles' Night where there are lots of folks to dance with. Country and western flavor with lots of oldies! You can check it (and other clubs as well) out through www.clubcastlive.com.

The Wildflower Center. March would be a great time to visit with all the wildflowers in bloom! It's beautiful architecture as well as a lovely Central Texas landscape.

Nell Dale, senior lecturer at the CS Department at UT Austin:

Two of the restaurants within a block of the Renaissance Hotel have been reviewed favorably in the Texas Monthly this month: Brio Vista and Z'Tejas Grill. The view is spectactular from both. I took my daughters to Brio Vista for a lunch during Christmas, and we had good food and a great time. However, one of my daughters says that Z'Tejas Grill is her absolutely favorite place in Austin.

I ran into an old friend who grew up in New York, lived on the west coast, and now lives in the Arboretum area near the Renaissance. I trust his judgment in food. Here is his list of "good" places near the hotel. I've included his comments.

Trattoria at the Renaissance:
  "Ok with a beautiful view ...."

At the Arboretum
  Dan McCluskey's: "Good"
  TGI Friday's: "Rowdy"
  On the Border: "Tex-Mex"
  Amy's Ice Cream

None of these are more than five or ten minutes away

At Great Hills Trail
  Macaroni Grill: "Fun. Two open kitchens, water glass of wine + bottle you use on the honor system."
  Poke-Jo's (Bar BQ)
  Hangtown Grill
  Texadelphia

On Jollyville: (several blocks away)
  P. J. Chang's: "Great, good service, go early."
  Manuels: Mexican

Braker/ HEB Shopping Center between 183 and Jollyville
  Kyoto
  Brick Oven
  Mezzaluna at Gateway

On Hwy 183
  Ruby Tuesday
  Grady's American Grill
  Carrabas: "Northern Italian, only open for dinner."

Welcome to Austin, Y'all!!