Know before you go: About Austin
Amid the ten-gallon hats, tumbleweeds and pigskin fever of Texas, lies the cultural heart of the state—Austin
With its high-tech economic base, booming student population and internationally known festival celebrating music, film and emerging technologies, Austin is more than just a sum of its parts. Come for the barbeque and concerts and leave with your Longhorns ball cap and a few new artists in your music collection.
Warm Weather
Legendary tales of the extreme heat and humidity in south central Texas are not fried-egg-on-the-sidewalk fiction. The National Weather Service clocked more than 90 days—including a 27-day consecutive stretch—that topped 100 during the summer of 2011. Pack an umbrella year-round and expect summer storms to bring thunder and lightning. Temperatures rarely dip below the freezing point in the depths of winter, and summer nights stay around 70.
Longhorns and Lyrics
Living up to its nickname as the Live Music Capital of the World, walking around the city feels like you're carrying a live band in your pocket. Musicians playing all genres set up shop on street corners along Sixth Street, in cozy clubs and packed amphitheaters. If you're in town, you might catch the Austin City Limits Music Festival or one of approximately 100 live shows at the Moody Theater annually. Austin also happens to be the epicenter of one of the coolest cultural gatherings in the country: SXSW. The annual South by Southwest festival is a massive mash-up of music, film, food, gaming and other creative technologies that draws celebs and music lovers alike. College football fan? Head to the University of Texas in the fall and pack your best burnt-orange duds if you want to root with the locals at a University of Texas football game.
High-Tech Hill County
Austin has made a name for itself in high-tech industries with a highly skilled and youthful workforce. The advanced manufacturing sector includes the developing aerospace products, while the clean-energy sector ranges from wind turbines to biofuels. Major tech companies that include Facebook, Apple, Google, IBM and Dell have offices in the city, making it a top tech city in the world. Fueled by the University of Texas medical school, the local biosciences industry continues to grow, making medical devices, researching cures and more.
Green Transportation
Being a college town coupled with a clean-energy backbone, public transportation is well developed in downtown Austin and around the UT campus. Look for self-service bike rental kiosks and bike rental outlets to put your pedal to the metal, or pay someone else to do the legwork by hailing a pedicab. MetroRail commuter trains and the MetroBus lines connect you to almost anywhere in the city. On the southeast side of town, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport hosts domestic carriers as well as British and Canadian airlines.
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Best BBQ in Austin
Delicious brisket, sausage, beef ribs and pulled pork with tasty sauces.