Austin is a fun place to visit and can provide an inexpensive vacation.   It really is a pretty area, and one part of the vacation can include driving on the west side of Austin and enjoying the beauty of the hills and the Colorado River.

There are several free things to do while visiting Austin. Here are some places that do not charge admission:

* Texas State Capitol - open daily.  It’s 14 feet taller than the National Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., and is recognized as one of the nation’s most distinguished capitol buildings.  It is definitely impressive inside and out.  The view from the ground floor looking straight up to the top of the rotunda area is awesome!   Children enjoy going up the beautiful staircases.   Located at 1100 Congress Ave.  (512) 463-0063

* Austin Nature and Science Center - provides families, individuals, and also groups with recreational and educational experiences including a “living museum,” trails,  interpretive exhibits, programs, and collections. Open on Saturday 9- 5 & Sunday 12- 5.   Located at 301 Nature Center Dr, Austin, TX.

(512) 327-8180

* Texas Memorial Museum - a natural history museum which contains exhibits about Texas’ geological and zoological history.  Children especially enjoy the first floor.  They are open on  Saturday from 10 -  5 & Sunday from 1-5 and are  located one block north of the UT football field at  2400 Trinity St.  Austin, TX  (512) 471-1604.  Free admission.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS WITH ADMISSION FEE:

• Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum - an excellent museum worth visiting!  Located at 1800 North Congress Avenue.  (512)-936-8746
• Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum – also a museum worth visiting.  Located at 2313 Red River Street.  (512) 916-5137
• Austin Children’s Museum located at 201 Colorado Street.  (512) 472-2499

* Texas Rowing Center located on the Hike and Bike Trail on Town Lake – a fun place to rent canoes.  They are open 6 AM until dusk every day.  (512) 467-7799.  (We have done this a couple of different times, and it’s a fun activity for the whole family.  Town Lake provides a great view of downtown Austin.)

We made an overnight trip to Austin this past weekend for State UIL Band Solo Contest.  This is the third (and last) year we’ve done this.  Our family tradition is to eat at Chuy’s when we’re in Austin, and so we had to eat there this time, too.  Besides, we had to celebrate our son getting a score of “1″ which is the highest score one can get at UIL.

Chuy’s is big on atmosphere and great food.  They have awesome  enchiladas, guacamole, and salsa, just to name a few items.  Tortillas are made there on location at their restaurants, chicken is cooked there (not frozen or canned chicken), guacamole and salsa are freshly made…does that give you an idea about the quality of their food?

They are also known for their cool T-shirts which they sell at the check-out counter, and probably their most famous T-shirt is “Keep Austin Weird.”

Their locations have spread from Austin to other Texas cities.  I looked online, and these are the Texas cities in which Chuy’s is located:

* Austin (3 locations)

* Dallas

* Houston

* Round Rock
* San Antonio

* Selma

* Arlington

If you visit one of these places, try to eat at Chuy’s while you’re there.  It’s a fun place to eat great Tex-Mex Food.  Maybe it will become a family tradition with you, too!

NOTE:   The original Chuy’s from Austin is not located in Ft. Worth.  The one in Ft. Worth is “Chuys Mexican Restaurant” and Google just happens to have a link to the original Austin Chuy’s beside each Ft. Worth listing.  However, I made a phone call to verify and found out those are two distinct restaurants.

While traveling, we stopped in Waco, Texas, and visited the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame.  We all enjoyed it, but my husband especially enjoyed it.  The museum not only shares the history of the Texas Rangers along with artifacts, but it also memorializes 30 Texas Rangers who gave their lives in the line of duty or served with great distinction.  It is truly worth visiting!

Check here for Visitor Information.

I love to visit historical sites, especially houses where people lived. It’s like taking a step back in time! I try to imagine what it would have been like to live in that era and try to learn about the lives of people who lived in those houses.