Austin Travel Forum

Any recommendations for Austin in July? any must sees? My wife and I will be traveling. Im interested in seeing live music and would like to see the more popular venues to "say we did" but what I really love is the storytellers type of format where people discuss their songs before performing them. is there anything like that. we also like hiking and the outdoors. any particular locations for doing so?

July is a bit hot for outdoors stuff. You can try Pedernales Falls, but the falls will likely be unimpressive by that point. Definitely get out one night to the Oasis restaurant for a sunrise. Get there early for a seat on the patio and just get a couple of drinks, because the food is awful.
It's always nice to walk around Town Lake. There are trails on both sides. There's also the Shoal Creek Greenbelt, which runs along Lamar Blvd near UT, and is popular with runners. You should also get up to Mount Bonnell at some point, or out to the Austin Museum of Art's Laguna Gloria location: beautiful setting.
Otherwise, it depends on how far you're willing to go outside of the city. Colorado Bend State Park is one of my favorite parts of the state, but that's a long drive. And there's lots else west of the city, in the Hill Country.
One of the more famous venues in Austin is Stubb's BBQ. July 4 there is a show that I would love to see, with two well-known Austin bands, but they may be a bit weird for you: Explosions in the Sky and The Octopus Project. They have shows there fairly often though, so I'm sure that you can find something.
Not sure about the storyteller thing though, sorry.

There are plenty of places to see music in Austin. 6th Street is a good place to start.

In the summer in Austin - we love to go to Barton Springs-its around downtown Austin in Zilker park. It's a natural spring (swimming hole) and popular with locals and travelers. Clear water, natural swimming hole bottom, but tradition withh families. Warning-very, very cold water-which is great when it's very hot outside. you'll get used to the cold after a few minutes. Pretty scenery there. Pool is open during day and into evening.My 17 year-old daughter has already been setting up a date for us to take her and a group of friends from Houston up there to visit Barton Springs. Scenic dinner - County Line Barbeque -river with lots of turtles on the back deck. Sit out there in the early evening ith a cold drink.
Go to the GUadelupe and rent some tubes. Spend a few hours to a day floating down.

Also, when it gets too hot to be outside, you can go to one of the four Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas -- full menu and alcohol... I don't know the site off the top of my head, but the last time I looked it up I think I went to www.alamodrafthouse.com and it automatically directed me to the right page.

There's also a bar or restaurant that shows movies outside... www.austin360.com (it might be the other way around) is a good way to find stuff that's going on, and www.austinchronicle.com also has a list of what bands are playing at which bars.

Have fun!

I meant to mention this in my first post, but there's a PBS show called Austin City Limits -- they give free tickets to their shows, but you have to make a few calls, get to the right place.

Here's the Web site: http://www.pbs.org/klru/austin/

Thanks for the great tips. We're heading to Austin next week. I can't wait!

anyone know what the bug (mosquitos, etc.) situation is like in austin in july?

I don't usually tend to spend a ton of time hiking in Austin, but I think if you put regular bug spray on you'll be okay.