When to Visit - Arts and Events

Austin is one of the liveliest music cities you'll find anywhere on the American continent and is generally reckoned to have usurped Seattle as America's most hip town. The music scene started in 1933 when Kenneth Threadgill opened a gas station and beer joint, named after himself, where Wednesday night 'hootenannies' (informal jam sessions) began to attract musicians from around Texas.

The idea caught on and by the 1970s Austin had become the place to play. Top performers from all over the world were appearing in local venues, and now an average night will see more than 100 bands playing live in town. But Austin's cultural attractions go far beyond music; there are a wealth of theatres, museums and modern art-houses to be found in the city.

Austin Dining

In a well-to-do university city like Austin, restaurants are bound to reflect a rather cosmopolitan ethos. But this is Texas and not only are the locals keen to eat good food from around the world, but they are enthusiastic, even passionate, about good 'home cookin'. It's not difficult to find restaurants that will proudly serve 'nostalgia' foods like 'granny used to make'. One local chef proudly announces: 'We're a meatloaf-and-mashed-potato kind of business.' However, there are many others who are eager to present a more upmarket persona, with a mix of Cajun, Creole and Southern flavours. Creations such as New Orleans-style grillades grits in Creole sauce lie side by side with smoked duck gumbo, crayfish étouffée and wild boar boudin.

Austin Tipping Advice

Restaurants in Austin don't usually add gratuities to the bill, so tipping is recommended: 15% where customers deem the service to be good and 20% if the meal and service have been excellent. Tips in taxis should be paid along similar lines. The recommended rate for doormen, parking attendants and valets in Austin is USD 1.00.