Situated in Central Texas, Austin is the capital and the fourth-largest city of the state. The city is a center of business and technology and home to several world renowned companies including Fortune 500 corporations like Whole Foods Market and Dell. The University of Texas at Austin contributes to the growth of the city’s high-tech industry by supplying a steady source of workforce.
The Sixth Street in Austin is a historic street and entertainment district. It is the center of various music event venues, clubs, and bars. It hosts annual festivals like the Halloween night and the Pecan Street Festival. East Sixth Street is also a popular shopping destination. Zilker Park hosts the Austin City Limits Music Festival every year. This three-day event brings over 130 bands on 8 stages, including bluegrass, reggae, hip-hop, Americana, indie, folk, country, and rock. The festival is every music lover’s ultimate destination and attracts nearly 70,000 people every day. Other significant annual celebrations include the Austin Reggae Festival, Spamarama, and the Eeyore’s Birthday Party. The city of Austin also has a strong theater culture.
The museums in Austin form a great tourist attraction. Among the museums the Austin Museum of Art, the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, the Blanton Museum of Art which reopened in the year 2006, and the Texas Memorial Museum are worth visiting. Also if you wish you can visit the O. Henry House Museum. Here you will find rare pieces of writings from the world famous short story writer.
Austin has numerous parks and pools. Renowned swimming locations include Barton Springs Pool – America’s biggest natural swimming pool within an urban area and the Deep Eddy Pool – the oldest man-made swimming pool in Texas. While the Hippie Hollow Park located next to Lake Travis is the only officially authorized clothing-optional public park in the state of Texas.
