15 Best Things to Do and See in Austin
Exploring Austin on foot is one of the best ways to feel the city’s atmosphere, connect its landmark places and discover its neighbourhoods at a more natural pace.
In this guide, you will find the attractions not to miss when planning a walking route in Austin, with simple reference points.
To go further, you can also enjoy a private guided tour in Austin. It is a smoother way to connect places, understand details you might miss on your own and enjoy a more human, personal discovery adapted to your trip.
1. Bullock Texas State History Museum
The Bullock Texas State History Museum explores Texas history through exhibitions combining artifacts, archives, and immersive displays. Discover the state’s formation, its people, political issues, and cultural heritage. Located on Congress Avenue, it is a key place to understand Austin’s historical and civic context.
2. Covert Park at Mount Bonnell
Covert Park at Mount Bonnell offers one of Austin’s most famous panoramas, with open views over Lake Austin, the Colorado River and the Texas Hill Country. Set high above the city, it blends limestone cliffs, native vegetation and sweeping scenery. It is both a neighborhood park and a natural lookout, ideal for discovering the balance between nature, topography and urban growth in the Texas capital.
3. Zilker Metropolitan Park
Zilker Metropolitan Park is a vast urban park in Austin, ideal for enjoying a relaxing moment outdoors along the Colorado River. It features large lawns, walking and cycling trails, playgrounds, and plenty of spaces for picnics or simply unwinding. The park is also popular for its city views, leisure activities, and welcoming atmosphere. Depending on the season, it attracts families, sports enthusiasts, and visitors looking for nature in the heart of Austin.
4. Zilker Botanical Garden
Zilker Botanical Garden offers a walk through several horticultural worlds in one place in Austin. Discover themed gardens with contrasting atmospheres, ponds, rock gardens and flower beds showcasing plants suited to the local climate. The Japanese garden brings a more peaceful feel, while the rose areas and botanical collections highlight the richness of blooms and plant shapes. The whole site is a well-kept place that is decorative, educational, and rooted in the city’s landscape heritage.
5. Thinkery
Thinkery is a children’s museum in Austin that focuses on active exploration rather than passive observation. The venue stands out for spaces designed to spark curiosity, encourage experimentation, and make science, technology, creativity, and discovery accessible. As a nonprofit organization, it has a clear educational mission aimed at children and families. Located at 1830 Simond Ave, it is a well-known part of Austin’s cultural landscape, offering an interactive, playful experience centered on learning through play.
6. Museum of the Weird
The Museum of the Weird in Austin is a must-see curiosity for fans of the strange and unusual. This small museum offers a collection of objects and illusions inspired by the cabinets of curiosities, with fantastical creatures, surprising specimens, and exhibits that play with mystery and wonder. The visit immerses you in a world that is both playful and a little macabre, where you can discover a variety of displays centered on bizarre phenomena and sideshow attractions. It is an original place that appeals as much for its atmosphere as for its unusual character.
7. Blanton Museum of Art
The Blanton Museum of Art in Austin is one of Texas’s leading art museums and a must-visit for discovering a diverse collection ranging from European art to American art, including Latin American and contemporary works. Visitors can explore paintings, sculptures, drawings and installations in a bright, modern setting, with temporary exhibitions that regularly refresh the experience. The museum also offers a wonderful opportunity to see major works up close while enjoying a peaceful, accessible cultural venue in the heart of the city.
8. Texas Military Forces Museum
The Texas Military Forces Museum in Austin is a history museum dedicated to Texas military forces and their evolution over time. Discover collections featuring vehicles, uniforms, equipment, and other objects linked to military service, with a focus on the state’s institutional memory. The museum offers insight into the role of Texas service members in different historical contexts, while giving visitors a concrete view of their organization, missions, and heritage within Austin’s cultural landscape.
9. Mount Bonnell
Mount Bonnell is an iconic Austin viewpoint, loved for its open panorama over Lake Austin, wooded hills, and the river below. The site offers a clear look at the local landscape, with cliffs, vegetation, and the city spread out beneath it. From this natural lookout, visitors better understand the close bond between Austin and its surroundings, and the role of scenery in the city’s identity. It remains best known for the quality of its views and the dramatic feeling of looking out over the water and riverbanks.
10. Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum
The Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum offers a place where presidential archives, a library, and a history museum meet. See original documents, photographs, objects, and exhibits that illuminate Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency and the social and political changes of the 1960s. The site also shows how the sources of a U.S. presidency are preserved and presented in a research and memory space in Austin.
11. Umlauf Sculpture Garden + Museum
Located in Austin, the Umlauf Sculpture Garden + Museum is a peaceful place dedicated to sculpture and the visual arts, where visitors can discover a collection of works by Charles Umlauf, an American artist known for his expressive and often figurative forms. The site combines a gallery and a sculpture garden, offering a pleasant walk among trees, paths, and outdoor exhibits. Inside, the museum lets visitors learn more about the artist’s world and about sculpture in general, in an intimate and cultural setting.
12. Waterloo Park
Waterloo Park is an urban park in Austin where visitors come to enjoy a large green space in the heart of the city. It features lawns, pleasant walking paths, shaded areas, and facilities designed for relaxation and outdoor activities. The park also offers amenities for visitors, making it a popular spot for a nature break, a family stroll, or a quiet moment between sightseeing stops in the Texas capital.
13. Mexic-Arte Museum
The Mexic-Arte Museum, in Austin, is a museum dedicated to Mexican and Mexican-American art, as well as contemporary Latin-inspired creative works. Visitors can discover exhibitions of paintings, sculptures, photographs, and graphic works that highlight the cultural richness of Mexico and diaspora communities. The venue also offers insight into traditions, identities, and current artistic expressions, in a space that functions as a museum, gallery, and cultural center. It is an interesting stop for exploring a vibrant side of Austin’s art scene.
14. Littlefield Fountain
Located on the University of Texas at Austin campus, Littlefield Fountain is a monumental fountain and a historic landmark beloved by both visitors and students. It features an elegant landscaped setting, with a circular basin, water jets, and a commemorative sculpture in a classical style. The site is appealing both for its symbolic significance and its pleasant atmosphere, making it ideal for a stroll, a photo stop, or a quiet break in the heart of the city. Its presence makes it one of Austin’s most recognizable landmarks.
15. Austin Museum of Art
The Austin Museum of Art is a must-see cultural stop for discovering the city’s art scene and a wide range of exhibitions, from modern and contemporary art to more classic works. Visitors can admire permanent collections, temporary exhibitions and installations showcasing local, national and international artists. The museum also offers a pleasant setting to explore art at your own pace, with spaces suited to both curious visitors and art lovers. It is a lively place, both accessible and inspiring, in the heart of Austin.
Antony M
During my travels, I looked for guides who spoke my language. This search turned out to be long and tedious. That is why I created MYTOGU (My Tourist Guide): a matching site between tourists and professional tourist guides.
