offlady

Got a convention in January '06 in Austin. It's our first family trip although my husband lived there years ago and is anxious to call on old friends. Our kids are 11 and 13. Is it even worth taking the kids? Any great shopping areas? The convention moves to San Antonio the following Jan (2007) so we'll be doing the Alamo then.

BeachBoi

Austin is fabulous! You might even run into Lance!

stjohnbound

Can you be a little more specific. For instance, what do your kids like to do? You mention the Alamo in SA so maybe you like showing them about history. What kind of shopping are you talking about? Do you live somewhere without a big mall, etc.? There are plenty of things to do in Austin and I'll be glad to list them if you can just narrow it down a little bit.

missypie

Can you do a just-adults trip? What is the most fun about Austin for lots of people is the wide variety of live music.

There are also good restaurants - mostly family friendly. In Janaury, you may or may not be able to do out doorsy things. For shopping I'd go to the huge outlet mall in San Marcos.

ilovetulips

Please tell us your interests. Here is a sampling:

1. Climb Mount Bonnell for a beautiful view of Lake Austin.
2. Check out the capitol building(they have tours during the week), Bob Bullock Museum, and the LBJ library.
3. Take the family to the Alamo Drafthouse- it is a moive theater in which every other row of seats has been taken out for a long table in which to eat, drink beer or wine, have a dessert all while watching 1st run movies.
4. If the weather is nice maybe have a drink or appetizers at the Oasis ( a storm burned much of it this summer, but they plan to be rebuilt within 6 months. Really gorgeous view of Lake Travis.
5. Check out the 6th St. area even if during the day.
6. Shopping is endless- lots of cool funky stuff on South Congress AVe., upscale shopping in a nice Mall at Barton Creek Square. Lots of cool places in central Austin, the kids might like shopping on Guadalupe which is on the UT campus.

pepper131

In addition to ilovetulips....

There are a few caves around Austin that are very interesting: Inner Space, Cave Without a Name, Longhorn.

You can do a hike tour of West Cave Preserve.

If you are there for the 1st Thursday of the month, South Congress is hopping with everything open late and lots of music outside. Usually Jo's Coffee Shop is a great place to hang out.

Unique shopping on S Congress. More upscale mall shops at the Aboretum area.

I love taking my kids (11 and 2) to Austin. My husband works down there often and we love just hang-out.

offlady

Thanks guys. What exactly is the weather like in January in Austin? We like to do outdoor scenic adventures. As for shopping, I am particularly interested in small boutiques and funky open markets.

OO

The Oasis burned?! I hadn't heard! Was it hit by lightning? What an institution. AND..what a place for a GTG. Oh I've got friends in low places...let's slip on down to the Oasis.

If your kids enjoy outdoors you might enjoy hiking in Zilker Park (weekends its fun to watch the rock climbers), and we always enjoyed a trip to Hamilton Pool too. I've heard different stories as to how it was formed, but one has it that it was an old cave, the roof of which collapsed. Now a 50' waterfall flows from the upper rim (ex-roof) which you can walk around and behind, all the while protected by the overhang so you won't get wet. In the summer its an emerald green (from minerals) swimming hole, but it's beautiful any time of year. The back wall is full of maidenhair ferns and formations like stalactites grow from the ceiling above. Really neat place with very easy hiking trails.

Wayne

If I were you, I'd plan for the unexpected as far as weather in January is concerned. You can have anything from a clear day at 75 degrees to an ice storm that totally snarls all traffic. Indoor activities need to be planned as possible alternatives to doing things outside. Good luck.

ilovetulips

As Wayne said, our weather in January is unpredictable. We seldom get ice that will shut down the city, but with your luck it will happen during your visit. It is possible that you will be able to do some outdoor activities during your visit you will just have to monitor the weather. I would count on highs in the 50's, but we do get those highs in the 40's and even upper 60's in January, sometimes in the same week! I personally love that time of year because I enjoy cool to cold weather.

emd

OO, I used to hike and camp at Hamilton's Pool w/my lab dog in my younger days (like 25 yrs ago). But then the land was owned by private citizens who lived close by, just past the pool. I would stop by their house and ask them if I could use the road that went down to the river and camp there. They always said yes, and took my name and contact phone number in case something happened to me. In those days, people used to dive off the rim at the top into the water.
But now that land has changed hands. I believe it is owned by Univ. of TX now or the State, as a geological site. And I am not sure it is open for recreation/hiking anymore. I read an aritcle about this, I think in Texas Monthly, while I was visiting family in Houston last year.
Can someone who lives in Austin and knows about this fill us in?

Statia

Sigh....Hamilton's Pool. That water was so wonderfully cool and clear on a hot day, not to mention the rainforest-like foliage. I spent some lovely summer days there when I was a teen. Were any of you ever brave enough to jump off the cliff into the water?

schoolmarm

You might check the University of Texas basketball game schedule and take your boys to a UT game at the Erwin Center. Hook 'em Horns!

OO

Did you jump Statia?? Wild horses couldn't have made me make the leap. It is a beautiful spot and it'd be such a peaceful place to camp, emd.

I checked and it is open to the public still, although not for camping, day use only. The only time is closes is when there has been a lot of rain and they need to check bacteria levels in the water (swimming season). Also, if the parking lot is full you have to wait for someone to leave before you can go--not a problem in January. LOL We were almost always there off season and never had a problem getting in. We've got nice memories of it too--going when we visited our daughter at UT. Even the drive out there was gorgeous for us Dallasites, used to the flat prarie-lands of north Texas! http://www.texasoutside.com/hamiltonpool.htm

Statia

HECK NO, OO! You know good and well I have all my faculties.

My boyfriend at the time and his friends did, though. They obviously don't have all theirs.