Hotel Van Zandt

Rainey Street is where people can appreciate good craft brews and local spins on classic cocktails. It's pure Austin-style fun. Huge shaded patios and backyard spaces feel like a friendly neighborhood block party. Hop from one house to the next (because that's how it's done) and you're sure to find games of cornhole, live music and good times. Best of all - Hotel Van Zandt is right in the heart of it. Each bar is truly unique, making it hard to pick the top ones.

In the heart of Austin is the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake, a lush, urban path that meanders along the water’s edge and passes by skyscrapers, neighborhoods, ball fields and cultural attractions. With the completion of the Boardwalk portion of the Trail in June 2014, the 1.3 mile gap along the south shore has been closed, and the Trail now serves our city in an additional way – as an alternative transportation route for our growing urban core. With more than 2.6 million visits a year, the 10-mile trail is Austin’s most recognized and popular recreational area. The Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, named for a former Austin mayor and his wife, is a natural gem in the heart of the Texas capital. But the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail is more than a great pathway—it is a place where Austin thrives. For many citizens and visitors, it represents the best Austin has to offer: outdoor recreation; a scenic, natural environment; and a diverse, vibrant mix of people.

Every summer night, hundreds of people gather to see the world's largest urban bat colony emerge from under the Congress Avenue Bridge in downtown Austin, Texas. These 1.5 million bats are fun to watch, but they're also making our world a better place to live. When engineers reconstructed the Congress Avenue Bridge in 1980 they had no idea that new crevices beneath the bridge would make an ideal bat roost. Although bats had lived there for years, it was headline news when they suddenly began moving in by the thousands. Reacting in fear and ignorance, many people petitioned to have the bat colony eradicated. As the city came to appreciate its bats, the population under the Congress Avenue Bridge grew to be the largest urban bat colony in North America. With up to 1.5 million bats spiraling into the summer skies, Austin now has one of the most unusual and fascinating tourist attractions anywhere.

The Texas Capitol is an extraordinary example of late 19th century public architecture and is widely recognized as one of the nation's most distinguished state capitols. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986 for its "significant contribution to American history." Sited on one of Austin's highest points, the Capitol anchors the northern periphery of the downtown commercial district and commands a sweeping view towards the Colorado River from its southern façade. The main campus of The University of Texas at Austin is situated four blocks to the north. Wonderful views of the Capitol's dome from many vantage points throughout the Austin area are protected from obscuration by state law. In 1993, the $75 million underground Capitol Extension was completed to the north, doubling the square footage available to Capitol occupants and providing much improved functionality. In 1995, a comprehensive interior and exterior restoration of the original building was completed at a cost of approximately $98 million. Finally, in 1997, the park-like grounds surrounding the Capitol were given a much needed $8 million renovation and restoration.

Want to see The University of Texas at Austin firsthand? Come visit our beautiful campus in the heart of downtown Austin and dive right into Longhorn life. Whether you're here for an admissions tour, a visit with a friend, a game, or just a campus stroll, we're here to help you find what you need.

Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater (ACL Live) is a state-of-the-art, 2,750-person capacity live music venue that hosts approximately 100 concerts a year. It serves as the permanent home for the taping of the acclaimed KLRU-TV produced PBS series, Austin City Limits, the longest running music series in American television history. ACL Live is nestled next to the W Austin Hotel & Residences, which are both located within Block 21, the first mixed-occupancy building of its type in the world to be LEED certified. LEED is a mark of excellence developed by the U.S. Green Building Council acknowledging measurable performance attributes that benefit human and environmental health. ACL Live is the premier destination in Austin for live performances as well as numerous special and private events. 2,700 + Capacity in Three Intimate Levels: • Level 1 – Stage & General Admission / Reserved Seats • Level 2 – Premium Theater Seating, Suites, & Austin City Limits Gallery featuring Scott Newton's iconic photographs • Level 3 – Theater Seating & Jack and Jim Gallery featuring a selection of Jim Marshall's famous photography State of the Art Custom concert & TV taping lighting system: Lighting package includes High End Systems' next generation of innovative optics, automated luminaries & digital control consoles The main speaker system features d&b audiotechnik V series line array elements.

Moody Center is a $375M, 15,000+ seat premier venue featuring over 150 nights a year of unique entertainment. Moody Center features the best and biggest names in the music industry while hosting The University of Texas Women’s and Men’s basketball games, family shows and other sporting and local events. Moody Center is the first of its kind in the industry with an unrivaled partnership between Oak View Group, Live Nation/C3 Presents, The University of Texas at Austin and Minister of Culture, Matthew McConaughey. Moody Center is named in honor of a $130M grant given to the University of Texas from Moody Foundation which has supported museums, libraries, universities and hospitals throughout Texas for over 75 years.

Since 1978, Waterloo Park has been home to many authentically Austin experiences such as Spamarama, Pachanga, Fun Fun Fun Fest, Mess with Texas, and the Ice Cream Festival. Waterloo Greenway will build upon the legacy of live music, festivals, and public art once hosted at Waterloo Park. Get lost exploring 11 acres of revitalized green space in the heart of downtown Austin. Waterloo Park features hike-and-bike trails, stunning Hill Country Gardens, welcoming gathering spaces, and of course, the 5,000-capacity Moody Amphitheater. The experiences at Waterloo Park’s Moody Amphitheater will be as limitless as your imagination. With year-round concerts, cultural events, community festivals, and so much more, Moody Amphitheater is your new go-to destination for live entertainment in downtown Austin.

The Austin Convention Center Department (ACCD) enjoys a stellar reputation within the meeting industry of being an open and inclusive facility to all who complete the leasing process. The Austin Convention Center is operated by the City of Austin’s ACCD. As an economic engine for the City of Austin and operating as an enterprise department, the ACCD is not funded by property taxes, sales taxes, or transfers from the electric and water utilities. The ACCD gives everyone and/or organization the same opportunity to inquire about leasing their event if the requested space and dates are available.

In 2022 the building was bought by comedian, podcaster and commentator Joe Rogan. During the following year the building was renovated under the design of Austin Architect Richard Weiss to turn it into The Comedy Mothership, a standup comedy nightclub destination. Fulfilling a dream and vision Joe Rogan had of providing a comedy community here in Austin that will draw comics from all around the world.

Circuit of The Americas is the premier destination for world-class motorsports and entertainment in the United States. Set on 1,500 acres in the rolling hills just outside Downtown Austin, Circuit of The Americas has hosted the biggest names in racing, action sports and music since 2012. At its heart is a 3.41-mile racetrack that was designed to challenge the world’s most exacting competitors while providing a thrilling spectacle for audiences.

6th Street in Austin Texas is known as the most popular entertainment district in Austin. 6th Street nightlife in Austin includes bars & night clubs for every genre. Here you will find everything from upscale night clubs to hole in the wall local bars. Looking for live music? Live music on 6th Street can be heard in many of the bars along the strip. Blues, jazz, rock, hip hop & country music include many local musicians as well as big time artists. Restaurants on 6th Street vary in type as well. Everything from upscale restaurants serving mouth watering steaks to small pizza parlors catering to the party crowd during the late nights. Of course there is plenty of shopping on 6th Street in Austin, especially if you are looking for tattoo shops. Enjoy one of the many festivals on 6th Street including Mardi Gras in Austin & many others throughout the year.

Within Zilker Park's 358 acres lies one of the crown jewels of Austin - Barton Springs Pool. The pool itself measures three acres in size, and is fed from underground springs with an average temperature of 68-70 degrees, ideal for year-round swimming. Over the years, Barton Springs Pool has drawn people from all walks of life, from legislators who have concocted state laws there to free-spirited, topless sunbathers who turned heads in the 1970s. Robert Redford learned to swim at the pool when he was five years old while visiting family in Austin. Today, Barton Springs still attracts a diverse crowd of people and has seen record setting numbers of visitors nearing 800,000 in recent years. The Springs serves as home to the endangered Barton Springs Salamander, and is listed as a federally protected habitat. The pool is closed to the public from 9a-7p every Thursday to allow for the vigorous and methodical cleaning methods required to help maintain the pool area for wildlife and guests alike. Depths of the pool range from 0’ to 18’ with surrounding grassy areas for patrons to lounge upon. Adjacent to the pool bathhouse is Splash!, an educational exhibit were patrons can learn about the history and biology of Barton Springs and the Edwards Aquifer which feeds it.