What to do in Austin?
 

Can anyone advise on some sights to see/things to do in Austin? I will be visiting in December. Thanks.

The state capitol building and its grounds are beautiful at night. There are often horse-drawn carriages in the area in the evenings. <BR> <BR>Sixth Street is famous for its array of clubs and the excellent local music scene. <BR> <BR>The Texas Hill Country is just a short drive west of Austin. There are many little towns there that are full of antiques, handicrafts, and cute cafes. Some of them are: Fredricksburg, Gruene, Johnson City, Llano, Burnet, New Braunfels, etc. <BR> <BR>There are also some nice state parks in the area, including Enchanted Rock, which is a good day's exercise! <BR> <BR>Go watch the bats emerge from under the Congress Avenue bridge at Sunset!

I'm not from Austin, but husband is and our in-laws still live there, so we visit frequently! Favorite restaurant--Shady Grove! It's super casual and if it's not to cool you can sit outside! Sixth street is a lot of fun and most of the college kids will be gone in December so it won't be as crazy as usual! There is great shopping at the Arboretum! And the barbeque at the County Line is really good. It's a great town!! Have fun!

Ditto the above postings. More ideas: <BR>1. Climb the steps to top of Mt. Bonnell for a view of Lake Austin. 2. Margaritas on the deck of the Oasis overlooking Lake Travis (weather permitting) 3. Zilker Park/hike and bike trail 4. Umlauf Sculpture Garden 5. Walk the UT campus, visit the tower (now open to visitors) 6. Funky shops along South Congress 7. Eat at Fonda San Miguel (interior Mexican), Manuel's and Chuy's (Mex) Sullivan's (steak), Jeffrey's (best restaurant in town), too many more to list. 8. Central Market grocery store (yes, grocery store). Many clubs in town play live music. Pick up an Austin Chronicle (free) for complete listings.

Don't count on seeing the bats in December--they winter in Mexico, leaving Austin in October and returning about April. Bat Conservation Int'l has a website with all the details, I'm sure.