Best of Austin and the Hill Country

Texas State Capitol [1]: Visitors come to Austin from across the world to experience this architectural and cultural wonder, deliberately designed in true Texas style — 15 feet taller than the U.S. Capitol. This magnificent 1888 Renaissance Revival structure, with its captivating granite exterior and intricately detailed interior, is nothing short of stunning.

Austin’s Bat Colony [2]: Each summer night, more than a million Mexican free-tailed bats emerge from beneath the downtown Congress Avenue Bridge, much to the delight of the hundreds of locals and out-of-towners who eagerly gather to await their flight.

Sixth Street [3]: This is Austin’s party central. Often described as a mini version of New Orleans’s Bourbon Street, this half-mile strip draws thousands of students and twentysomethings to dance clubs, shot bars, and live music venues.

Kreuz Market [4]: This Lockhart restaurant, a sacred spot for barbecue aficionados, serves traditional, hard-core stuff for serious connoisseurs — there’s no sauce, no utensils, and orders are placed at the meat counter, where savory sausage, succulent pork chops, and hearty ribs and brisket come by the pound on butcher paper.

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park [5]: A highlight of the Hill Country, the LBJ ranch near Fredericksburg offers a fascinating perspective on the legendary Texan who became the nation’s 36th president.

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area [6]: This enormous pink granite dome has been a mythical natural beacon for more than 11,000 years. Native-American tribes believed the rock wove enchanted spells, especially when its iridescent reflections radiated from the sparkling granite on full-moon nights.