Planning your Austin, Texas vacation

Austin's heart beats to music. On any given night, a harmony of blues, jazz, country, and rock pours onto Austin's streets from hundreds of venues. The nightlife thrums its loudest downtown, home of the largest concentration of bars, restaurants, and clubs in the city. Musicians and artists, prominent among the Austin population, keep the city's sounds innovative. However, Austin isn't just another song and dance. The capital city boasts 300 sunny days per year to enjoy its many nature trails, parks, and wilderness preserves. It also takes great pride in its professional ballet, symphony, opera, and theater companies. New sightseers will enjoy the museums, galleries, restaurants, and malls as much as the city's nightlife. A stay in Austin's hotels will have you singing the city's praises.

Austin, which is located in the center of Texas, serves as the gateway to the Hill Country. The hills create a beautiful, purplish halo around the city at sunset. The best place to enjoy this magic hour is atop Mt. Bonnell. The mountain, the highest point within the city's limits, stands 785 feet. Legend states that a couple will fall in love the first time they climb the 99 steps to the top of Mt. Bonnell. They get engaged the second time.