Congress Avenue Bats - Photo by alumroot http://www.flickr.com/photos/alumroot/

Austin offers an infinite amount of things to do throughout the city, but if you are on a budget here are 5 Free Things to do around town:

Watch the Congress Avenue bats

Every year nearly 1 Million Mexican free-tailed bats call Austin home, typically arriving as the warm weather sets back in the Spring. They stay in Austin until early fall, and are the largest urban bat colony in North America. When in Austin, they camp out on downtown’s Congress Avenue Bridge. You can stand on the bridge at dusk and watch the bats emerge as a black cloud against the sunset as they seek out their dinner. Be sure to ask the locals what time the bats are coming out, because our recent drought has them coming out earlier than usual.

Zilker Park and Botanical Garden

This 350-acre park in the Barton Springs area is open year-round and free to visit. The park serves as a hub for many recreational activities and the hike and bike trail around Lady Bird Lake, both of which run next to the park. It also home to the Zilker Botanical Gardens and there are multiple themed gardens, such as a romantic rose garden, butterfly garden, and Japanese garden complete with a koi pond. There are also many free events in the park such as Blues on the Green, Trail of Lights, and the Zilker Kite Festival.

Mount Bonnell

Mt. Bonnell has been a major attraction in Austin since the 1850s. This scenic overlook is the highest point in the Austin City Limits. It requires a climb up many steps, but once you get to the top, the view over Lake Austin is stunning. You can also see downtown and the 360 bridge from up here. It is a very romantic spot, perfect for a date night or even a proposal. Make sure you make a pit stop to Dry Creek Bar along the way.

University of Texas and museums

Wander about this historic college campus for a fun and free activity. You can see the University of Texas tower, which is the center point of the university. Check out the behemoth football stadium, which serves as home to the Texas Longhorns. You can also go into the Harry Ransom Center for free, which holds many of the world’s prized possessions; upon walking in, you can take a look at the world’s first photograph and an authentic copy of the Gutenberg bible. The Lyndon Baines Johnson Library & Museum, which is free and features many historical and cultural exhibits.  If museums bore you, you can always tailgate

Texas Capitol Building

Austin is not only the home of the University of Texas, but the Texas State Capitol Building. The Capitol grounds span 22 acres and feature historical buildings, 17 monuments, and beautifully landscaped lawns in addition to the Capitol building itself. The capitol rotunda features portraits of every person who has served as president of the Republic of Texas or Governor of the state of Texas. The building has nearly four hundred rooms and more than nine hundred windows. Come learn about Texas History and make some of your own.

Austin's Gypsy Picnic Festival

Two things that Austin does really well come together in one day: Outdoor festivals and Food trailers. The 2^nd Annual Gypsy Picnic Festival is on October 22^nd from 11 a.m. – 8.p.m. on Auditorium Shores and is produced by C3 Presents and Tiffany Harelik, who is Author and Owner or Trailer Food Diaries.

Dozens of Austin’s carts, trailers and trucks are brought together downtown for festival goers to try many of the different cuisines served in town and, of course, there is always live music. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Sustainable Food Center of Austin.

The event is free; so get out there early, claim your spot in front of the stage, and beat the crowds. The early bird gets to try everything before the lines wrap around Lady Bird Lake. You have been warned!

The music lineup is highlighted by Dale Watson, Hacienda, and the headliner is Delta Spirit. The real attraction is the food, which showcases everything from chocolates bananas to crawfish cornbread to a steak n’ mac croquette.  The full details on the food and music can be found at: www.gypsypicnic.com. – MMH

Austin is home to over 1600 food trucks and trailers, so this is a great opportunity to check quite a few of them off the list. Come out and support a great cause, while witnessing what Austin does best.

Each October Austin plays host to some of the countries scariest haunted houses and if those are not enough to get your spook on, then you can go ghost-hunting for the real thing! Here is a few of NileGuide’s suggestions:

House of Torment – This year, the House of Torment, Central Texas’ preeminent terrorplex, named “one of America’s scariest attractions” by The Travel Channel, lures brave souls to a post-apocalyptic nightmare and ancient forgotten temples, to escape savages and an undead army amidst extraordinary and grotesque psychological thrills. Today, details of “The Reckoning” and “Cursed” attractions are announced including “Nemesis,” the larger than life Commander of the Soul Reapers Army. Details and tickets can be found at: http://thehouseoftorment.com/

Carnival of Lost Souls, Presented by SCARE for a Cure – SCARE For a CURE is an Austin-based nonprofit organization that raises money for local cancer charities, “one scream at a time”. The SCARE team is a diverse group of talented people that care about making a difference in the community. Imagine a theater performance that takes place across 26 stages in 3-minute acts and includes audience participation and generally lasts about an hour long. Put it all together and you have more than a haunted house! It is the most extreme, full contact, interactive haunted house experience guaranteed to chill your soul.  For more details, tickets, and FAQ’s please visit their site at: http://www.scareforacure.org/

Austin Ghost Tours – Austin Ghost Tours has extensively researched Austin and Texas history so that we may tell the real stories of the people, places and events in Austin’s past. Each tour highlights different haunted areas and exposes the ghost stories of the past and present. For three hours, you will team with those featured on PBS’ “Haunted Texas” and the Biography Channel’s “My Ghost Story” as you learn pretty much everything you ever wanted to know about spirits, ghosts, and angels.

All tours are 1 1/2 hour downtown walking tours. Tours begin on the front porch of Moonshine Patio Bar and Grill 303 Red River. Check individual tours for departure time as they operate year round.  Purchase your tour tickets in advance at: http://www.austinghosttours.com/

In a city known so well for it’s tacos and Tex-Mex, the local deli’s and sandwich artists are sometime overshadowed. However, there are some quality sandwiches being built, but you just have to know where to find them! Here are 5 places that are making sandwiches that would make Jared Fogel jealous:

1. Fricano’s Deli – At what point does a sandwich cease to be a sandwich and become a work of art? The moment the excellent staff at Fricano’s finishes making it. Special things happen between their slices of sourdough. The Cajun Turkey with jalapeño cream cheese spread come highly recommended or just simply ask for the Ainsworth! – www.fricanosdeli.com
2. Home Slice Pizza – It’s hard to believe that a pizza joint could master a sandwich, but their Italian Sub rivals any place in the northeast. The menu clearly states “Don’t Mess with the Recipe,” as the vinegary dressing is so perfect drizzled over the sliced meats, cheese, onions and finely shredded lettuce. The sub roll is made of the pizza dough and it’s built for 2. – www.homeslicepizza.com
3.  FoodHeads – The name says it all, these folks know their sandwiches. They offer one of the largest menus of sandwiches in Austin and it will be hard to find one you don’t like. It varies from Ahi Tuna to Spicy Apple Pork Tenderloin to multiple veggie options for the non-carnivores of Austin.  The bread is fresh and baked daily… they even make their own mustard! – www.foodheads.com
4.  Lee’s Meat Market – You can’t talk Austin sandwiches without a BBQ sandwich! Lee’s Meat Market, unknown to most, is serving Austin’s best beef tenderloin in a sweet sourdough bun. Traditionally a meat market, Lee’s piles the beef high and it’s only $6.95. – www.leesmeatmarket.com
5.  Short Bus Subs – These guys are Keeping Austin Weird by serving delicious subs from a bus. All of the sandwiches are aptly named and the bread is a homemade wheat-white medley baked fresh daily. The Hot Teacher and Teacher’s Pet are favorites, but they have something for everyone. Check out their website because they have one stationary bus and the other roam depending on the day. – www.shortbussubs.com

Austin Skyline by night - Photo By: Ritesh Bafna

THE city’s unofficial motto, “Keep Austin Weird,” blares from bumper stickers on beamers or T-shirts worn by the runners of Lady Bird Lake. Our city prides itself of individualism and eccentricity even in the face of rapid development. But it will always be a funky, burnt-orange clad college town, known for its liberalisms, live music scene, and friendly people.

Hopefully you would be given more than 24 hours to experience Austin, but if you are seeking out that perfect day to take it all in, follow this guide:

The one thing that Austin does better than be weird is produce insanely good breakfast tacos. Eating breakfast tacos in the morning is a way of life here, so here a few spots you can start fitting in. Check out: TacoDeli, Mi Madre’s, or Taco Xpress.

There are so many things to do in Austin and rare that a weekend goes by here without some sort of festival, event, or game taking place. Check the web or the local listing for updates on all the weekly events. However, if you find yourself without much to do here some of the places that Austinite’s love to frequent:

South Congress Ave is the Mecca of all things Austin and where people-watching alone will keep you entertained. The stretch running between Riverside and Oltorf is lined with lots of shops, restaurants, and bars that are a perfect example of what makes Austin… Austin. Check Out: Lucy’s in Disguise, Botticelli’s,  Continental Club, and Guero’s.

Barton Springs Pool, a three-acre dammed pool that maintains a steady 68-degree temperature year-round. There’s sunbathing (sometimes topless) on the grassy slopes, a springy diving board and old pecan trees lining its banks.

Lady Bird Lake, but usually referred to as “Town Lake” is a great way to experience Austin as an outdoor –fitness city. It serves as the city’s largest playground both on and off the water. You can take a stroll around the lake on either foot or bike, but the real fun is in the water where stand up paddle boarding is the new rage. Check out: The Rowing Dock, SupATX, or Austin Water Bikes.

After all the working out, we like to eat, and there is no shortage of fantastic places to eat in Austin. Austin is home to over 1600 food trailers across the city and they are serving up some of the best food in Austin. Check out: Flip Happy Crepes, Odd Duck Farm to Trailer, and The Mighty Cone.

If food out of a trailer is not your thing, then not a problem! You will have a hard time finding a lot of chains in the city limits, so try these local favorites for lunch. Check out: Shady Grove, Maudie’s Tex-Mex, or Ironworks BBQ.

Austin’s unofficial nickname is Bat City and that’s because, from early spring through late fall, the Congress Avenue Bridge hosts more than a million Mexican free-tailed bats. Each night they pour out from under the bridge and head east to scavenge for insects. So park a spot on the bridge before dinner and watch as they take off against the burnt-orange sky.

Austin is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the international restaurant scene playing home to multiple award winning chefs and restaurants throughout the city. The city is definitely not all BBQ and Mexican food, so there is something to please everyone. Check Out: Moonshine, Uchi, Fino, Ranch 616 or Justine’s.

Austin has no shortage of nightlife and the downtown is lined street after streets with live music and bars. Bar hopping is very popular so Austinite’s tend to pick an area of town and then just bounce around. Each set of bars caters to its own uniquely Austin crowd. Check Out: Sixth St., West Sixth St., Fourth St., East Sixth St. and Second St.

Enjoy Austin, Keep it Weird, because that’s what we do! – MMH

Austin’s got a handful of possibilities — a chicken waffle taco at Lucky J’s, a banh mi sandwich at Baguette House, choose-your-own-filling tacos at tiny taquerias all over the city — but there’s one local favorite whose slogan says it all: fresh, fast and healthy!

Thundercloud Subs got started as a neighborhood sub shop in 1975 and since that time, the franchise has ballooned to include a whopping 22 locations in Austin alone.
[Folks in Round Rock, Cedar Park, Pflugerville, New Braunfels and San Antonio also have Thunderclouds around -- find the nearest location here.]

Each week, the restaurant chain offers a new special sandwich for a ridiculously reduced price — like the current egg salad sub, just $1.99 for a small (roughly 6 inches) and $2.99 for a large. Build your perfect combination: select fresh bread (white or wheat), followed by your choice of lettuce, tomato, onions, Thunder Sauce (a subtle, not to be missed oil & vinegar concoction) and salt and pepper. Add-ons like bacon and avocado are also available, but tack a few more cents onto your total tab.

If you don’t dig the weekly special, you can still come in under $5 just ordering off the menu. A stand-out for many — the Office Favorite, which topped a traditional egg salad sandwich with a little extra love in the form of bacon and cheese ($3.59, $4.59). Even a turkey, ham or roast beef sub comes in under budget!

Tomorrow Next week (6/16) begins the 20th season of KGSR’s Blues on the Green at Zilker Park near downtown. A yet-to-be-announced act will kick off the summertime tradition, which will take place every Wednesday evening, through August 18. [Though the event is 'rain or shine,' the concert can be called due to lightning or flash flooding.] Shows begin promptly at 7:30p each week; the current schedule is shown below.

So pack up a picnic (or grab some local grub from onsite vendors, like Stubb’s Barbecue, Amy’s Ice Creams and Gatti’s Pizza), a blanket, lawn chairs and the kids and come on down. Just be sure to leave any glass, alcohol, styrofoam or weapons at home!

Parking at Zilker Park can be a headache, so, if riding your bike is out of the question, park at One Texas Center (505 Barton Springs Rd) and enjoy a leisurely stroll into the park.

June 2010
9 – Texas Tornados –> POSTPONED
16 – Texas Tornados
23 – Carolyn Wonderland
30 – TBA

July 2010
7 – Alejandro Escovedo
14 – TBA
21 – TBA
28 – TBA

August 2010
4 – Charlie Mars
11 – TBA
18 – Raul Malo

Perhaps in an effort to modernize their image, or maybe because they simply like the movie and its cheeky fashion sense, the management of the Driskill Hotel has created the “Carrie On to the Driskill Hotel” package for ladies who want to live the “Sex and the City” lifestyle while in the Live Music Capital.

Available now through August 31, the fashionista-centric package includes:

• A one-night reservation in luxury accommodations

• Champagne & cupcakes (one per person) from award-winning pastry chef Tony Sansalone at 1886 Cafe & Bakery upon arrival

• Cosmopolitans (one per person) at the Driskill Bar

• A special excursion to Austin’s Neiman Marcus, located in The Domain. Guests can choose between a private luncheon with a fashion presentation of the latest trends, or makeovers at the posh store’s Beauty Bar, complete with wine and cheese or lunch and an afternoon of shopping with the help of personal stylists

And the icing on the proverbial cake: every guest who takes advantage of SATC-inspired package will have her name entered into a drawing to win a pair of Manolo Blahniks straight from the fall line, courtesy of Neiman Marcus Austin. (The drawing will take place Sept. 1.)

ACL view courtesy of spiffie

The official lineup of the 10th annual Austin City Limits Festival has finally been unveiled and fans are abuzz about headliners Phish, Muse and the Eagles. The full list of musicians–sorted by day–is shown below.

Though three-day passes sold out months ago, single-day tickets are currently available for $85 a pop, but they won’t last long. Head to the festival’s website to snag one or three.

If you haven’t already, BOOK YOUR HOTEL! To make it that much easier on you, here’s a list of the 10 lodging options closest to Zilker Park. Act quickly because rooms go fast!

Hotels & Motels closest to ACL Festival at Zilker Park:

1. Homestead Studio Suites (1.11 mi)
2. Embassy Suites Town Lake (1.34 mi)
3. Radisson Hotel & Suites on Town Lake (1.68 mi)
4. Austin Motel (1.73 mi)
5. Hotel Saint Cecilia (1.75 mi)
6. Hotel San Jose (1.82 mi)
7. Extended Stay America (1.95 mi)
8. InterContinental Stephen F. Austin Hotel (2.08 mi)
9. The Driskill (2.10 mi)
10. Hampton Inn & Suites Austin Downtown (2.15 mi)

ACL crowd courtesy of Victor Chapa

ACL 2010 Official Lineup:

Friday, Oct. 8:

Phish, The Strokes, Spoon, Vampire Weekend, Sonic Youth, The Black Keys, Broken Bells, Slightly Stoopid, Beach House, The Sword, Girls, Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses, Blues Traveler, The Soft Pack, Amos Lee, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Miike Snow, The Mountain Goats, JJ Grey & Mofro, Angus & Julia Stone, Hockey, Asleep at the Wheel, Nortec Collective, GIVERS, Band of Heathens, Charlie Mars, Sarah Harmer, Chief, Those Darlins, Carolyn Wonderland, Kings Go Forth, The Ettes, Qbeta, The Kicks, Ponderosa, Two Tons of Steel, Gospel Stars, Wesley Bray & The Disciples of Joy

Saturday, Oct. 9:
Muse, M.I.A., LCD Soundsystem, Monsters of Folk, Deadmau5, Gogol Bordello, Pat Green, Matt and Kim, The xx, The Temper Trap, Local Natives, Gaslight Anthem, Lucero, Pete Yorn, Ozomatli, Manchester Orchestra, The Almighty Defenders, Bear in Heaven, Mayer Hawthorne & The County, Kinky, David Bazan, The Very Best, Beats Antique, Two Door Cinema Club, Lissie, The Dough Rollers, Basia Bulat, Balmorhea, Dan Black, The Jane Shermans, Caitlin Rose, Run With Bulls, Heavenly Voices, Jones Family Singers

Sunday, Oct. 10:
The Eagles, Flaming Lips, Norah Jones, Band of Horses, The National, Robert Earl Keen, Yeasayer, Rebelution, Portugal. The Man, Edward Sharpe and the Magnet Zeros, Devendra Banhart and the Grogs, Gayngs, Richard Thompson, Martin Sexton, Midlake, Foals, Switchfoot, Cage the Elephant, The Morning Benders, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Henry Clay People, Blind Pilot, Dawes, The Constellations, T. Bird and the Breaks, Frank Turner, The Relatives, MyNameIsJohnMichael, SPEAK, Maxim Ludwig, Ashley Cleveland & Kenny Green, Buddy & The Straight Way Travelers, Ruby Jane

Photo courtesy of jdeeringdavis

We all know April showers bring May flowers, but the start of spring also kicks off one of the nation’s biggest sports seasons: baseball!

Next Friday (4/16), Austin’s local minor league team, the Round Rock Express, will take on the New Orleans Zephurs for their first home game of the season at the Dell Diamond. The 7:05p kick-off will be the first in a string of eight consecutive home games the Express will play before hitting the road for a slate of away games.

Baseball fans who make it to the first home game will also enjoy a special fireworks display to close out the night.

Tickets for opening day, which range from $7 to $31, are available now via the team’s website. Season tickets for all 19 home games are also currently on sale.

Photo courtesy of jrandallc

The Dell Diamond is fun for the entire family with its optional lawn seating, rock-climbing wall and swimming pool featuring a bird’s eye view of the field.