Keys to the City
Facts & Fundamentals
Located on the Colorado River, Austin is the state capital of Texas and the seat of Travis County. It covers approximately 260 square miles and lies on the Balcones Fault. Its eastern part is plains-like, while the western section consists of gently rolling hills that lead into the Texas Hill Country.
The city's population is almost 750,000, while its metropolitan area numbers approximately 1.6 million people.
Major employers include the state, the University of Texas - Austin, and high-tech companies like Dell, IBM, Apple and Hewlett-Packard.
The city is in the Central Standard time zone. In season, it observes daylight saving time.
The city's sales tax is 8.25%. Its lodging tax is calculated at 15%.
Holidays & Business Hours
On federal and state holidays, many offices and businesses close or have truncated hours. Naturally, policies vary, but in general, the following holidays are broadly observed:
| January 1 |
New Year's Day |
| Third Monday in January |
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday |
| Third Monday in February |
Presidents Day |
| Date changes |
Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday |
| Last Monday in May |
Memorial Day |
| July 4 |
Independence Day |
| First Monday in September |
Labor Day |
| Second Monday in October |
Columbus Day |
| November 11 |
Veterans Day |
| Fourth Thursday in November |
Thanksgiving |
| December 25 |
Christmas |
|
Coming & Going
Occupying land that was once Bergstrom Air Force Base, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is the city's impressive aviation facility. Open since 1999, ABIA (identifier code AUS) lies only 8 miles from downtown and hosts carriers like American, Continental and Southwest. The airport features 25 gates, along with a stage where local musicians often perform.
ABIA is served by taxi, bus and limousine service. Rental car desks are available as well. Typically, a taxi ride from the airport to downtown will run around $20.
For a more leisurely, group-oriented commute, consider SuperShuttle (512-258-3826), a van service that transports passengers to and from homes and hotels. Catching a ride from the airport doesn't require reservations, but if you need to schedule a shuttle into ABIA, it's best to book in advance. One-way trips range from $10-15, depending on where you're going in the city; round-trip journeys range from $18-26.
Making Your Way
While the original part of Austin was conceived of as a grid, since the city expanded, that pattern has not continued. Even so, the downtown area is relatively easy to navigate, and even on foot, it's pleasantly maneuverable.
Major north-south thoroughfares in Austin include I-35 (also known as NAFTA Highway since it runs down to Mexico) and its counterpart to the west, Loop 1 (more familiarly called the Mo-Pac Expressway since it traces a path similar to the Missouri-Pacific railway). Prominent routes moving east to west through the city include Highway 290, Highway 183 and State Highway 71.
Since driving and parking in Austin, particularly downtown, can be trying, it's recommended that visitors make the most of public transportation. Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority operates dozens of buses with affordable fares ($1 or less, exact change required). They can be reached at www.capmetro.org or at 512-474-1200.
Better yet, Capital Metro runs a host of color-designated buses and trolleys known as the 'Dillo system that deliver visitors to many of downtown and central Austin's best sights, attractions, shops and more – all for free! Check with them to see which bus corresponds to what you want to see or do.
News & Views
If you're trying to get immediate, written insight into Austin, a variety of publications helps keep folks abreast of the latest goings-on.
The major daily publication is the Austin America-Statesman, which covers both news and entertainment. Its weekly adjunct, XL, focuses largely on entertainment matters. So, too, does The Austin Chronicle, an independent that tracks city life on a weekly basis.
For news with a collegiate slant, pick up a copy of the UT's Daily Texan.
Quirks & Curiosities
In downtown Austin, streets that go north to south take their names from the state's rivers. Streets going east-west were originally intended to be named for trees; nowadays, these streets are numbered.
Austin's colony of Mexican free-tailed bats spends only part of the year in Texas. During the winter, the bats make their home in Mexico, usually living in caves. Immensely helpful at keeping insect populations under control, Austin's colony (at more than a million members) daily consumes tens of thousands of pounds of bugs.
The dome of Austin's capitol building rises 7 feet higher than that of the nation's capitol in Washington, DC. The building is fashioned of local pink granite.
Getting Your Bearings
As much as you plan a trip, you can never hope to know a city like locals do. That's why visitors centers are such a great resource. Check them out for recommendations on lodging, dining and local attractions. Their collection of resources is sure to give you a leg up on everything you need to do and see.
The Austin Visitor Center distributes brochures, helps book events and tours, and offers free Internet access. It's located at 209 East Sixth Street, Austin, TX 78701 (866-462-8784). This downtown office is open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and Sat-Sun 9am-6pm; it's accessible online at http://www.austintexas.org/visitors/center.
Necessities - Post Offices
It's usually not too difficult to spot a drop box when you're out and about, but if you need to conduct more serious postal business, it can entail a little more effort.
For such tasks, hit the main post office at 8225 Cross Park Drive, Austin, TX 78710 (512-342-1252). Its hours are Mon-Fri 7:30am-6pm and Sat 8am-3pm.
A convenient downtown branch can be found at 510 Guadalupe Street, Austin, TX 78701. It's open weekdays 8:30am-6:30pm.
Common Courtesies
Although tipping is generally a personal matter, there are some guidelines that prove helpful to travelers. At restaurants, servers typically get 15% of the bill, although 10% acknowledges basic assistance, and 20% awards exceptional service. It is also common now for some restaurants to charge an automatic gratuity of 18% for groups. You should be aware of this possibility before providing an additional tip. Taxi drivers usually fit into similar guidelines by receiving a tip equivalent to 15% of the tab.
Often, a dollar tip covers many situations. Bartenders are customarily given $1 per cocktail, hotel maids are provided $1-2 for each day of a stay, bellhops get about $1 per bag, and a coat-check clerk typically receives $1 as well. The exception is a concierge, who generally receives $5-$10 for standard service (additional assistance suggests more).
Weather
Given its southern location, it's of little surprise that Austin has a tendency to be hot and humid during warm-weather months. During the heat of the summer, temperatures regularly stay in the 90s F, if not above.
Winter, on the other hand, is relatively pleasant, and freezing temperatures are somewhat infrequent.
The bulk of Austin's precipitation comes during the spring and fall.
Friday:
Sunday:
