Austin: A city of music, art & excitement
By BLAIR DUPRE and BRANDY CRUZ | Photos by BLAIR DUPRE, BECKY STINEHOUR, CITY OF AUSTIN and visitaustin.org
Austin isn’t just the capital of Texas, it’s also the “Live Music Capital of the World.” Known for its abundant live music venues, festivals and diverse music scene, and with more live music venues per capita than any other U.S. city, it truly earns its nickname. Live music isn’t all Austin has to offer. The city also has a robust art scene, incredible outdoor adventures and unique eccentricities.
Live Music
Of course, Austin is famous for the South by Southwest Conference, Austin City Limits, Austin Reggae Festival and Levitation, but even when the city isn’t hosting a music festival, live music can be found along Sixth Street, Red River Cultural District, East Austin and much more. In fact, it’s difficult to visit any part of Austin and not hear live music playing somewhere. The legendary Continental Club, on South Congress Avenue, is highly regarded as the granddaddy of the live music scene.
Website: www.austintexas.org/music-scene
Wonderspaces
The City of Austin has an eclectic style and a diverse range of artistic experiences. Among them is Wonderspaces. Fans of art and/or a good photo op will love this interactive art exhibit that invites guests to “experience extraordinary art.”
One of the best exhibits is “Submergence” by Squidsoup. The 8,000 lights that make up this art piece change color in sequence to music. Visitors can walk through the strings lights, and take some beautiful photos. It is an immersive work of art and incredibly inspiring.
“Body Paint” by Memo Akten uses visitors’ movement to create the art. Movement in front of a projector makes bright, changing colors splash across a screen. This piece is a fan favorite of young and old alike. Experimenting with different types of movement help capture one-of-a-kind photos
“The Last Word” by Illegal Art is potentially one of the most thought-provoking pieces at Wonderspaces. It is composed of thousands of rolled pieces of paper. Visitors are invited to remove one that is white-side out and write something they’ve left unsaid. Visitors can also grab a paper that is red-side out to read what someone else before them has written. Some take the assignment more seriously than others and it was interesting to see what other people had written. It is important to note some of the papers contain messages with adult language/content so those with little ones are encouraged to monitor which notes their children read.
These are just a few of the artworks that can be seen at Wonderspaces Austin and they also have a bar that serves cocktails, mocktails and more.
Website: www.austin.wonderspaces.com
Bats
Austin fully embraces its slogan “Keep Austin Weird” and in true fashion, bats are among its eccentricities. The city is home to the largest urban bat colony in North America, with an estimated 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats calling the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge home.
In the warmer months, usually from March to October, the bats emerge at sunset from under the bridge and head down the Colorado River looking for food. Never fear, though, it’s not human blood they seek, but instead, they’re looking to munch on the insects that feed on local crops. The bat population is beneficial to the local farmers because the bats eat insects that were destroying the crops, and then fertilize the crops naturally. Bat guano is rich in nitrogen, phosphate and potassium, making it an extremely effective fertilizer.
Seeing the cloud of bats emerge from their haven is definitely a sight to behold and can be viewed from multiple places. A lot of people find a spot along the bridge, some stand on the shoreline and then others reserve a boat tour or kayak for a truly unique experience.
Website: www.austinbats.org
Lady Bird Lake
In balance with its modern skyscrapers, Austin has preserved its deep connection with nature with a network of hiking trails and outdoor spaces — a striking contrast in this unique city.
Lady Bird Lake is a 468-acre reservoir on the Colorado River in the heart of the city. Brightly colored kayaks, canoes and paddleboards can often be seen on the water, and can be rented from several places along the shoreline. On the water, look for breathtaking views of the city, lush greenery, and local wildlife, including turtles, fish, birds and the famous bats at sunset.
The Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail circles the lake and provides stunning views of the city skyline and surrounding landscape, making it a favorite for walkers, joggers and cyclists.
For those looking for a more intense trail to hike or bike, visit https://www.austintexas.org/things-to-do/outdoors/hiking-recreation for more information.
