Best Ways to Tour Austin: Your Complete Guide to Things to Do in the Texas Capital

Austin stands apart from every other city in Texas and arguably the entire country. This eclectic capital city pulses with creative energy, from the neon-lit honky-tonks of Sixth Street to the serene waters of Barton Springs. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a longtime resident looking to rediscover your city, Austin rewards those who explore with an open mind and adventurous spirit. The best way to experience everything Austin offers is to get out and tour the city properly, taking in its diverse neighborhoods, legendary music venues, and world-famous food scene.

Getting around Austin while maximizing your experience requires smart planning. The city sprawls across the Texas Hill Country, and its best attractions spread across multiple districts. That’s why booking open-air party bus tours has become the preferred way for groups to experience Austin’s highlights while enjoying the journey itself. Let’s dive into the best ways to tour this incredible city and the must-do experiences that await.

Experience Austin’s Legendary Live Music Scene

Austin didn’t earn the title “Live Music Capital of the World” by accident. On any given night, hundreds of venues across the city host performances ranging from intimate acoustic sets to major arena concerts. The live music scene defines Austin’s identity and should be at the top of every visitor’s list. Touring the city’s music venues offers an authentic glimpse into what makes Austin truly special.

Start your musical journey on Sixth Street, where the sound of guitars and drums spills out of every doorway. The historic Continental Club on South Congress has hosted legends for decades and continues to showcase incredible talent nightly. For a more refined experience, the Paramount Theatre offers stunning acoustics in a beautifully restored 1915 venue. Stubbs BBQ combines Texas barbecue with outdoor concerts under the stars, while the Moody Theater hosts Austin City Limits tapings that have featured music icons for over four decades.

The Red River Cultural District offers a grittier, more underground experience with venues like Mohawk and Cheer Up Charlies showcasing emerging artists and alternative sounds. Planning a music venue tour with group transportation means you can hop between districts without worrying about parking or designating a driver, letting everyone fully immerse themselves in Austin’s soundtrack.

Explore Austin’s Unique Neighborhoods

Each Austin neighborhood tells its own story and offers distinct experiences worth exploring. South Congress, known locally as SoCo, represents Austin’s quirky soul with vintage shops, boot stores, food trailers, and the famous “I Love You So Much” mural. Strolling this avenue reveals why Austin embraces its “Keep Austin Weird” motto so proudly.

East Austin has transformed into the city’s creative epicenter, where art galleries, craft breweries, and innovative restaurants occupy converted warehouses and historic buildings. The street art alone makes touring East Austin worthwhile, with massive murals covering entire building facades. Meanwhile, the Rainey Street Historic District took a collection of old bungalows and transformed them into one of Austin’s hottest bar and restaurant destinations, offering a more upscale atmosphere than Sixth Street while maintaining neighborhood charm.

The Domain in North Austin provides a completely different experience with upscale shopping, fine dining, and a walkable urban environment. West Austin and the Hill Country offer natural beauty with hiking trails, swimming holes, and stunning views. Touring multiple neighborhoods in a single day becomes seamless when you visit Tribe Bus to arrange transportation that keeps your group moving efficiently between destinations.

Dive Into Austin’s Food and Drink Culture

Austin’s culinary scene has exploded onto the national stage, earning recognition as one of America’s best food cities. The city pioneered the food truck movement, and today over a thousand mobile eateries serve everything from Korean-Mexican fusion to gourmet donuts. Touring Austin’s food trailer parks like The Picnic on Barton Springs Road or Meanwhile Brewing’s food truck garden offers an affordable way to sample incredible diversity in a single stop.

Texas barbecue reaches its pinnacle in Austin, where pitmasters have elevated smoked meats to an art form. Franklin Barbecue draws hours-long lines for good reason, though locals know spots like la Barbecue and Interstellar BBQ deliver equally impressive brisket without the wait. A proper Austin food tour should include at least one barbecue experience to understand why Texans take their smoked meats so seriously.

The craft beverage scene deserves equal attention. Austin breweries like Jester King, known for farmhouse ales brewed with local wild yeast, and Austin Beerworks have put the city on the craft beer map. The distillery scene has grown rapidly too, with Treaty Oak Distilling and Deep Eddy Vodka offering tours and tastings. Wine enthusiasts can venture to nearby Fredericksburg where over fifty wineries dot the Texas Hill Country landscape. Combining food and drink experiences into a full-day tour works best with dedicated transportation through open-air party bus tours that let your group taste freely while someone else handles the driving.

Embrace Austin’s Outdoor Adventures

Despite its urban development, Austin maintains an impressive commitment to outdoor spaces and natural beauty. Lady Bird Lake runs through downtown, offering kayaking, paddleboarding, and miles of hike-and-bike trails with stunning skyline views. The Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail circles the lake, providing one of the best urban outdoor experiences in any American city.

Barton Springs Pool remains Austin’s crown jewel of outdoor attractions. This natural spring-fed pool maintains a refreshing 68 degrees year-round, offering relief from Texas heat that has drawn swimmers for generations. The surrounding Zilker Park hosts festivals, picnics, and the beloved Zilker Botanical Garden. Mount Bonnell provides panoramic views of the city and Lake Austin after a short but steep climb, rewarding hikers with one of the most photographed vistas in Texas.

For those seeking more adventure, the Greenbelt offers miles of hiking and mountain biking trails that feel worlds away from urban life despite their central location. Hamilton Pool Preserve, about thirty minutes outside the city, features a stunning natural grotto with a fifty-foot waterfall that seems almost prehistoric. Lake Travis provides endless water recreation opportunities from boating to cliff jumping at spots like Hippie Hollow.

Discover Austin’s Arts and Culture

Beyond live music, Austin nurtures a thriving arts community that spans traditional museums to street art installations. The Blanton Museum of Art houses one of the largest university art collections in America, while the Contemporary Austin showcases cutting-edge work across two locations. The HOPE Outdoor Gallery, though relocated, established Austin as a destination for street art enthusiasts, and that tradition continues on walls throughout East Austin.

The Bullock Texas State History Museum tells the story of Texas through interactive exhibits that bring the state’s dramatic history to life. The LBJ Presidential Library offers insight into one of America’s most consequential presidents and the turbulent 1960s. For something completely different, the Museum of the Weird on Sixth Street embraces Austin’s eccentric side with bizarre artifacts and sideshow attractions.

Planning Your Austin Tour Experience

The best Austin experiences happen when you plan strategically while leaving room for spontaneous discoveries. Consider grouping activities by neighborhood to minimize transit time and maximize exploration. Morning works best for outdoor activities before the Texas heat peaks, while evenings belong to the live music venues and vibrant nightlife scene.

Group travel in Austin presents unique opportunities and challenges. The city’s spread-out nature means driving between attractions, and finding parking at popular spots can consume precious time. That’s why arranging group transportation makes sense for parties, corporate events, or friend groups wanting to experience multiple attractions without the hassle. An open-air bus tour lets you enjoy the Austin scenery between stops while keeping your group together and on schedule.

Seasonal timing affects your Austin experience significantly. Spring brings wildflower season when bluebonnets carpet the Hill Country in stunning purple displays. Fall offers relief from summer heat and coincides with Austin City Limits Music Festival. Winter remains mild compared to most of the country, making Austin an excellent escape destination. Summer demands respect for the heat but rewards visitors with vibrant pool culture and outdoor evening events.

Make Austin Your Next Adventure

Austin offers something for every traveler, whether you seek world-class music, exceptional food, outdoor adventures, or simply a city that celebrates individuality and creativity. The best way to experience everything Austin has to offer is to explore with intention, moving through its diverse neighborhoods and embracing experiences you won’t find anywhere else.

Ready to discover Austin’s best attractions with your group? Visit Tribe Bus to explore transportation options that transform getting around the city into part of the adventure. From brewery tours to nightlife excursions, the right transportation elevates your Austin experience from ordinary sightseeing to an unforgettable journey through one of America’s most exciting cities.