My husband and I have already booked flights and reserved a b&b in central Austin. Help! I have a swollen toe and can't walk (temporarily). Our trip is soon...October 2009.

We were planning a more active trip, with walking in the hill country, lots of walking in general. But right now I can barely hobble to the bathroom!

I need to plan some non-activities that don't involve walking! I can probably hobble from the rental car into a restaurant or pub...or go for a scenic drive.

We're interested in the Austin music scene. We are in our early 50's, and we like nature, music, locally owned eateries with healthy & creative menus, including ethnic foods...bookstores...

Music: I love Celtic bluegrass, American bluegrass, and Irish Trad music. My husband prefers rock music but if the musicians are really good, he enjoys any type of music. We don't want to feel like we're the only grammy & grampy in the pub or club! An audience of mixed ages would be fun. We like any type of lively music with a good beat...as long as the musicians are great. Listening to a quiet balad by someone with an amazing voice is also a perfect moment... Listening to salsa music is also fun, although I can't dance with this toe... (Don't know how to salsa anyway!)

Any suggestions for some "nonactivities" would be appreciated!

Cannot help you with activities, but can suggest to bring along a seat cane that unfolds into a small chair - maybe you'll need to wait for your husband to bring the car around, and there are no benches.

Here are 2 canes, just so you know what I mean:

http://www.walgreens.com/search/resu...?Ntt=seat+cane

Can you stand for a couple of hours? If so, perhaps you would enjoy doing a Segway tour? I haven't done the Segway tour in Austin, but I (50+) did the Segway tour in D.C. last summer and it was a total blast!

I've traveled in Europe with a broken toe (shattered bone) , so I feel your pain! I can't imagine that you can stand for a couple of hours as suggested by longhorn55, but would suggest that you research some music venues and restaurants and then also plan a scenic drive or two.

austin360.com is a good source for what's happening in Austin's music scene. Eastside Cafe on Manor Road grows it's own organic produce on site. The menu reflects daily harvests and is a personal favorite. Mirabelle is another place I'd recommend without hesitation. Drinks and a sunset over the lake might make a nice end to a scenic drive in the surrounding hill country.

Take a look at some trip reports here, check out austin360 and maybe chowhound.com and then post back here for specific questions and we'll try to answer them!

Can you see if you can rent a wheelchair once you arrive into Austin? Perhaps your B&B can help you with finding a vendor to rent from? The way you're describing yourself, even if you go from one music venue to the next, you'd still need to go from point A to B, and it sounds like you're not capable to do so.

BTW, if you can stand visiting museums, most of them do have wheelchairs on site which you can borrow. The LBJ Library is worth a visit.

Wheelchair idea is good. Although Austin can be hilly, the downtown area and venues are fairly flat and would be accessable.

As far as drives, Hwy 71, Bee Caves Rd, and FM 2222 (just to name a few) will take you west into the hill country. Off 71 is the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - very much worth a visit and is accessable for wheel chairs (except for the observation tower).

5 days in Austin alone will probably get pretty boring, so I suggest a side trip to San Antonio. San Antonio is lots of fun.

Check out the Cactus Cafe for music. It's a sit-down venue if you don't get there late. Here's the site:

http://www.utexas.edu/txunion/ae/cac...php?section=ae

Also check out who's playing at the Saxon Pub and Continental Club. The Chronicle (http://www.austinchronicle.com) will tell you who's playing where. My suggestion is that you look up the various artists on MySpace and listen to a few songs to see if you would like to go hear them play. Lots of different artists play here, many of whom you've probably never heard of. And sorry, don't know of any bluegrass bands.

I agree about getting a wheelchair. Much of downtown will be accessible for you and venues will make sure you have a place to sit. If you're up for a movie, check out Alamo Drafthouse or IMAX. Also, don't miss the Capitol Building. Make sure you take a drive out to the Oasis. The food is nothing great but the view is terrific. And don't miss Whole Foods downtown and Central Market on North Lamar if you're at all interested in food. If you like comedy, please go see an Esther's Follies show. You will not be disappointed!!

Personally, I think there's more than enough to do in Austin for five days. San Antonio is fine but I just can't imagine you hobbling around the Riverwalk with a sore toe.

They do have wheelchairs in San Antonio, AustinTraveler. Have to strongly disagree that "there's more than enough to do in Austin for five days." I was so bored in Austin that I left after just one day to go to New Orleans instead.

As for music, Austin is primarily a college city, so you're probably not going to find much of an age range at the pubs/clubs.

We did a boat ride with Capitol Cruises that was really fun; we got to see the bats fly from the Congress Ave. bridge - are they still around this late in the season?

Wow, sorry PamEwing, but you have a very skewed view of Austin -- in fact, it doesn't seem like you were in the same city! There's plenty to do, much of it mentioned above -- LBJ Library is fantastic, as is the Bob Bullock Museum or even the off beat South Austin Museum of Popular Culture. And as for age range at pubs/clubs -- where did you go?? One of the main reasons I live here is the active nightlife at all ages (I'm middle-aged). The rock show I went to last week had 400-500 people, 80% over 40! In addition to the Cactus Cafe, Saxon, Continental, check out Threadgill's, Broken Spoke, Jovita's, Momo's, Flipnotics, ArtZ Rib House (live music and GREAT bbq), Maria's Taco Express (music and great cheap mexican food), Donn's Depot, and many many more. All of these places will have a mixed age crowd. The ONLY area that might have a mostly young crowd is East 6th St, which is only for tourists and college kids. Yes, the bats are still around -- you can see them from a boat or just stand on (or sit in a wheel chair) on the Congress Ave bridge.

I'm middle aged too and go out all the time. I never feel out of place at all. I don't normally go to Sixth Street though (except to see Esther's Follies or go to the Driskill). Sixth Street is where you'll find the party-til-you-puke college kids.

The great thing about Austin is that people are very live and let live. Nobody cares about your age and silly things like that.

PamEwing is way off base with her assessment of Austin! Yes, there is a large college student population, but outside the E. 6th street bars, you'll find a widely varied age range at Austin's clubs, restaurants and bars and a fabulous live music scene. RhondaTravels gave some great recommendations including the Continental Club and the Saxon Pub and Cactus Grill. You'll find more than enough to do and see in Austin for five days!

To each their own.

Wow, thanks everybody! There are so many great suggestions here. This cheers me up.

AustinTraveller, I hadn't thought of looking up the various musicians on MySpace and seeing who we like. I've never used MySpace but my daughter showed me how to use Facebook recently. I don't listen to music on my computer but that's a good idea...I could listen to their music and see who we would like. You say people are very live and let live in Austin...sounds great to me!

longhorn55, you are so cute, me on a segway tour, even assuming a healed toe, is a funny thought... But I'm proud of you! Good for you!

saige: Ouch! Poor you...a shattered toe in Europe! That sounds painful. I hope you came home with some good memories though. I had an x-ray and nothing's broken but my foot & toe have a few problems. I think I'm improving, but can't wear closed shoes at all right now. I hope it's warm in Austin because I have to wear slippers or open-toed sandals with socks! We leave next week...maybe I can get some soft walking shoes on by then...

We were wondering about postponing our trip due to my foot, but we would lose some money since we already booked...and besides, my husband has pointed out that I would probably rest MORE on vacation in Austin than I do around the house!

Okay, sounds like I should steer away from 6th street where the puking college kids go and the bored tourists.

Mel, Austin is more than live and let live, their motto is, "Keep Austin Weird!" They embrace everyone, all ages - the whole city is really fun and a little quirky. We love the Oasis mentioned above - we've seen some good live music there, great spot to watch the sun set over Lake Travis and definitely worth the drive to get there.

Sigh...we have to postpone our trip! My toe & foot aren't doing very well... I need to rest more. Doc says stay off my feet for now. My husband and I have decided we have to put off our trip to Austin.

I've written to Tressie at the b&b we had booked in Austin, Carriage House Inn. She is so nice! We're working out with her what we can do about our reservation.

Meanwhile, please keep Austin Weird for us, until we get there to enjoy it! I'm saving all this info, because it's great info.

Really sorry about that. Was hoping you could manage, but best not to push it. And the whole area is having such beautiful weather too!

Let us know when you reschedule and we can give any appropriate updates.

Melissa, it was such a shock when I broke my foot - and had to cancel my vacations too. For now, just take care of yourself, keep the foot up to heal better and sooner.