You can tour the 100-year-old brewery that makes the popular Shiner brand of beer in the small town of Shiner (population 2070). Tourists also get samples of various Shiner brews.
Camp Mabry's little-known museum features dozens of tanks, military vehicles, weapons and much more that highlight Texas' involvement in military engagements. Admission to the museum is free.
Brace yourself: The water in Austin's iconic swimming hole is a constant 68 degrees, and that's eye-poppingly cold, especially when you're jumping in on a 100-degree day.
Adjacent to the popular coffee shop Jo’s sits the San Jose, which oozes charm and comfort. You’ll love the SoCo scene and the upscale decor.
Not only will you feel like home, but you’ll feel like you’re in Texas. This eclectic home even has a yard with some chickens.
With 375 higher-end hotel rooms and a heated rooftop swimming pool, the Omni is a good place to stay, whether it’s for business or pleasure.
Austin’s Four Seasons is located right on the lake, yet is walking distance to most of Austin’s downtown attractions (except, maybe when it’s 100 degrees outside).
This is the granddaddy of luxury hotels in Austin. Located right at Sixth Street and Congress Avenue, the Driskill has been showing off the best side of Austin since 1886.
A very nice course cut out around a development in Buda. Just enough for a challenge for serious golfers, but wide enough fairways for your once-in-a-while player.
The best of the Austin-owned courses, Clay and Kizer are right next to each other but offer vastly different experiences. Clay is tree-lined and Kizer is water-lined. Either way, pick your hazard.
This old, nine-hole course in the heart of North-Central Austin has a wicked par 5, a reachable par 4 and a lot of people taking mulligans. Great fun for a short round.
Rolling hills and five different tees will challenge any golfer. Some stunning views from atop the courses well-manicured hills and tee boxes.
The Longhorns baseball team plays in a stadium that would be the envy of most professional minor league clubs. Head to the Disch if you want to hear the “ping” of an aluminum bat
Anyone who visits Austin should see the Whole Foods flagship store. After all, it started here. All kinds of food, beer, natural beauty and health goods and tiny restaurants dot the headquarters.
Indie bookseller since 1970, BookPeople is a winner of Bookstore of the Year by Publisher’s Weekly. Employee-written reviews, a coffee shop and tons of book signings and events make it a must-see.
The music store hosts frequent in-store performances of big name and up-and-coming musicians. Waterloo Records is a must destination during South by Southwest and Austin City Limits Music Festival.
Located on The Drag, the flagship University Co-op provides not only textbooks and school supplies for the more than 50,000 students who attend the UT, but also branded clothing, memorabilia and more.
This University of Texas museum offers traveling exhibitions, programs and activities and a permanent collection of more than 17,000 worldwide works. Closed on Mondays. Free admission on Thursdays.
Found inside the Texas Union Building, the Cactus Cafe is a true music-listeners venue. See the next big singer-songwriter in this intimate venue.
The perfect amount of shade for the kids and the parents combined with plenty to do. One of the few half-dome jungle gyms in Austin (remember those?)
Parents can eat a sandwich and sip iced tea (or a glass of wine) while the little ones attack the well-shaded playground.
A 90-acre park that not only has a great playground, but also a water playscape. Perfect for a hot Texas summer day.
Live music on the weekends, water jets to cool off and a huge, shaded playground surrounded by restaurants with patios.
Central Texans who want to take a short drive to a beautiful beach can look no farther than Mustang Island. Port Aransas is at the northern end, and a roadway to Padre Island is on the southern tip.
Built in Adm. Chester Nimitz' hometown, this history-rich museum takes hours to go through. The new George H.W. Bush Gallery opened on Dec. 8, 2009, and includes 33,000 feet of exhibition on its own.
One story below downtown San Antonio, the River Walk is lined with restaurants, bars and shops. The first restaurant on the River Walk opened in 1946.
Built in 1886 as the showplace of a cattle baron, the hotel stands as a landmark of Texas hospitality. The luxury hotel is close to the Capitol, Convention Center and entertainment districts.
The historic residence was built by the French diplomat Alphonse Dubois de Saligny to the Republic of Texas in 1840-41. It became a museum under the Daughters of The Republic of Texas in 1956.
This tree is the last of the Council Oaks, a grove of 14 trees that served as a meeting place for Comanche and Tonkawa tribes. In 1989, the tree was poisoned with herbicide, almost killing it.
There’s a bar. There’s a band. There’s a pool table converted into a chicken coop with a numbered plywood floor. Head there on a Sunday, buy a $2 ticket and watch as Sissy the chicken picks a number.
