Where to stay

With the SXSW music festival held in the Austin Convention Center, Downtown Austin is the best place to book a hotel to be able to walk to the site and enjoy the party atmosphere in the streets. Downtown is also a good neighborhood to stay for Austin City Limits Music Festival, which actually occurs just a short distance across the river in Zilker Metropolitan Park. Hotels in South Congress are farther south but take about the same amount of time to drive to the park. For live music throughout the year, stay in Downtown hotels near the Red River or accommodations in the South Congress neighborhood. Cherrywood in East Austin also has great places to stay near live music venues. Hotels in South Austin are close to venues catering to varied music interests of students at the University of Texas at Austin.

In addition to its music festival fame, Austin is known for several foodie delights. Stay in the Downtown Rainey Street Historic District and sample surprisingly good cuisine from a variety of food trucks. Sixth Street in Downtown has bars with great food and loud music as well as rooftop restaurants located next to popular hotels, including modern high-rises and iconic buildings from as early as 1886. Hotel and dining choices in the South Congress Avenue neighborhood are a trendy mix of old and new, while East Sixth Street's restaurant scene in East Austin has a more global feel. Stay north of the city in Round Rock, where restaurants offer Mexican, Greek, Cajun and Italian specialties as well as Texan steak and barbecue.

Besides learning about Austin's music history, explore museums and attractions that provide information about the past in this part of Texas. Book a hotel in Downtown Austin and join a free tour of the Texas State Capitol, which is more than 130 years old and actually taller than the federal Capitol in Washington D.C. Central Austin is the best neighborhood to stay in to visit the LBJ Presidential Library, which chronicles the former president's strong championing of civil rights legislation. Stay in the Rainey Street Historic District, where some of the city's Mexican American and Latino history and culture is on display in museums and on the street. Hotels in Cedar Park, north of Austin, are convenient for visiting the Cedar Park Veterans Memorial, which honors American military forces from World Wars I and II.

One of the outdoor wonders of Austin is Zilker Metropolitan Park, where the huge spring-fed Barton Springs Pool is a popular place for year-round swimming. Book a hotel in Downtown Austin to visit this park. Consider walking to or from Zilker Park along the pretty shoreline of the Colorado River. South of the city, Sunset Valley is a great place to stay to explore Barton Creek Wilderness Park's forested trails and photogenic waterfalls. North of Austin are additional pretty parks. Accommodations in Waters Park are near St. Edward's Park, Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park and North East Metropolitan Park. About a 30-minute drive northeast of Downtown, Hutto has horseback riding, golf, mountain biking and a few hotels outside of town. Stay in a Franklin Park hotel to the south to cool off near the waters of McKinney Falls State Park.