Things to do in Central Austin

Come to Sixth Street for an unforgettable night on the town, Texas-style. Stretching between Congress Avenue and Interstate 35, this seven-block area is affectionately called “Dirty Sixth.” Eat, drink and be merry alongside locals and tourists in Austin’s premier entertainment district.

Both the state's legislature chambers and the offices of the Governor of Texas occupy the Texas State Capitol. Standing tall and dignified, the structure is built in the 15th-century Italian Renaissance-Revival style, with a cylindrical granite dome, held up by large granite columns.

Flip the pages of the Texas history book in the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. With three floors of exhibits, the modern museum examines the state’s struggles, individuality and innovation. Here you will experience the riveting story of the Lone Star State which has seen six different ruling governments: Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of America and the United States of America.

The LBJ Presidential Library is a vast monument to a presidency as well as to an important era in American life and politics. Lyndon B. Johnson’s Democratic Presidency spanned much of the 1960s, running from 1963 until 1969. Learn about this period in the nation’s history, and Johnson’s role in it, as you explore the thousands of books, documents, exhibits, audio recordings and more housed in this enormous building.

Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge in downtown Austin is a fine engineering feat that connects the two shores of the city separated by Lady Bird Lake, part of the Colorado River. But the bridge has a dual purpose involving nature that was unforeseen by its builders in the 1980s.