Austin Sightseeing Tour: Explore Local Culture & History
4.7
805 Ratings
Austin
Discover the best of Austin's culture and history on a 1.5-hour sightseeing tour. Explore iconic landmarks, cultural districts, and the stunning Central Texas Hill Country.
Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • AO Tours Austin - Meet at the starting point for our tours.
  • 2nd Street District - 2nd Street District centers around Austin’s best mix of local retail, restaurants, living and entertainment. It’s a vibrant area of walkable downtown shopping, dining and enjoyment.
  • Willie Nelson Statue - Get a look at the Willie Nelson Statue on Willie Nelson Blvd (formerly 2nd St).
  • The Moody Theater - See where Austin City Limits is filmed!
  • Austin City Hall - Check out Austin’s City Hall, constructed in 2004.
  • Congress Avenue Bridge Bat Watching - It wouldn’t be a trip to Austin without going over the Bat Bridge. From March to September, you’ll find people flocking to watch as the bats put on a memorable show in the sky.
  • Long Center - The Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts venue located along Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin, Texas.
  • Palmer Events Center - The Palmer Events Center is a multi-purpose venue nestled next to Butler Park with a gorgeous view of downtown.
  • Auditorium Shores Dog Park - You’ll see plenty of dogs enjoying their time in this off-leash dog park along Lady Bird Lake.
  • Lady Bird Lake Hike-and-Bike Trail - We’ll pass by the Colorado River, Texas’s longest river.
  • Zach Theatre - See the Zach Scott Topfer Theatre, the oldest continuously active theater company in Texas!
  • Green Mesquite BBQ - This local favorite was featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives show on the Food Network.
  • Chuy’s - Hear about how Jenna Bush almost got in trouble at this restaurant once upon a time!
  • Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum - The UMLAUF Sculpture Garden & Museum is home to the largest collection of American sculptor Charles Umlauf’s work.
  • Barton Creek - Feel a sense of calm looking out as this spring-fed creek that feeds into Lady Bird Lake.
  • Barton Springs Pool - Pass by one of Austin’s most beloved attractions, and popular spot to cool off in the warmer months by locals and tourists alike.
  • Zilker Metropolitan Park - Zilker Metropolitan Park is considered “Austin’s most-loved park.” This 351-acre metropolitan park is home to a variety of recreation opportunities, facilities and special events for individuals and families.
  • Wild Basin Preserve - Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve consists of 227 acres of native Texas Hill Country habitat west of Austin, Texas in Westlake Hills. The preserve maintains 2.5 miles of hiking trails.
  • Austin Country Club - Golfers will appreciate a glimpse of this private golf course, situated within the Austin Country Club, founded in 1899.
  • Pennybacker Bridge - The Percy V. Pennybacker Jr. Bridge in Austin, Texas, is a through-arch bridge across Lake Austin which connects the northern and southern sections of the Loop 360 highway, also known as the “Capital of Texas Highway.” The road is widely considered one of the most scenic urban drives in Texas, in large part due to this arched weathering-steel bridge and the rolling hills that flank the road.
  • Lake Austin Boulevard - Lake Austin
  • Bull Creek District Park - Bull Creek
  • Mount Bonnell - Mount Bonnell, also known as Covert Park, is a prominent point alongside the Lake Austin portion of the Colorado River in Austin, Texas. It has been a popular tourist destination since the 1850s. The mount provides a vista for viewing the city of Austin, Lake Austin, and the surrounding hills.
  • The Contemporary Austin - Laguna Gloria - Austin Modern Art Museum
  • Westwood Country Club - Private club
  • Mayfield Park - Keep your eyes peeled for peacocks! Mayfield Park and Preserve is an island of restful respite located in the middle of Austin, Texas. Mayfield Park is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This entire estate was presented to the city of Austin in 1971 by Mary Mayfield Gutsch for all Austinites to enjoy as a park.
  • Clarksville District - Historic Freedmen’s Community
  • Austin High School - Among many of the surprising landmarks you get to see, this is the oldest high school west of the Mississippi.
  • Seaholm Power - Seaholm Power Plant
  • Austin Central Library, Austin Public Library - Austin Public Library
  • Austin City Hall - Pass by the “Frontside”
  • Halcyon - Coffee Shop in Warehouse District
  • Cedar Street Courtyard - Warehouse District
  • Oilcan Harry’s - Warehouse District
  • Truluck’s Ocean’s Finest Seafood and Crab - Warehouse District
  • Mexic-Arte Museum - Historic Congress Ave
  • The Contemporary Austin - Jones Center - Modern Art Museum
  • Texas State Capitol - Texas Capitol
  • University of Texas at Austin - UT Main Campus
  • Texas State Cemetery - See historically significant figures final resting place.
  • French Legation State Historic Site - French Legation
  • Moonlight Towers - Historic towers around town
  • The Driskill - Historic hotel on Brazos St
  • 6th Street - Famous entertainment District
  • Lady Bird Lake Hike-and-Bike Trail - downtown walking trail
  • Town Lake - downtown lake
  • Texas Military Forces Museum - Texas National Guard Base & Museum
  • Republic Square - city park
  • Texas Governor’s Mansion - governor’s mansion
  • LBJ Presidential Library - LBJ Library
  • Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium - UT Stadium
  • The Blanton Museum of Art - art museum
  • Texas Memorial Museum - natural history museum
  • Bass Concert Hall - performing Arts
  • Harry Ransom Center - museum
  • Bullock Texas State History Museum - museum
  • Oakwood Cemetery - cemetery
  • O. Henry Home & Museum - museum
  • Joseph and Susanna Dickinson Hannig Museum - museum
What's Included
  • Narrated tour with a combination of live commentary and scripted content
  • Signature PinkTag Partner Souvenir luggage tag
  • Tour in a luxury air conditioned vehicle
  • Whistle-stop, Austin in a nutshell, comprehensive city overview
What's Not Included
  • Downtown hotel pickup and drop-off is not included when booked as a private tour
  • State required child safety seat for infants & young children
  • Gratuities
  • Parking fees
  • Food and Beverage not included, but you can bring your own food/beverage
Additional Information

Avoid the hassle of hunting for the best activities in Austin and allow genuine locale experts to guide you through the city’s rich history and diverse culture, coupled with a taste of the renowned Central Texas Hill Country. This classic Austin journey encompasses 30 miles, over 50 points of interest, executed in a continuous 90-minute (1.5 hours) circuit. (The route is liable to adjustments due to any closures).

Witness landmarks such as the Texas Capitol, and important cultural zones like East Austin’s Six Square District. Enjoy a comfortable ride in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van as you traverse the city and on to the hill country. The sight of these undulating hills lush with greenery leaves even native Texans in awe of their own state!

Refer to the ‘What to Expect’ section below for information on the sights you’ll encounter as your local Austinite guide enlightens you with narratives and suggestions for making the most of your time in this unconventional metropolis. If you prefer some exploration on foot, consider the extended 2.5-hour variant of this tour which includes intermediate stops!

  • Smoking not permitted
  • Infants must be accommodated with legal car seats (not provided)
  • Please note: Adult guests with children younger than eight years of age (unless taller than 4 feet 9 inches) will need to bring a child safety seat, this is Texas State Law
  • Request for special accommodations for wheelchair accessible needs will be addressed by management. Special arrangements may require as long as 72 hours’ notice to secure.
  • As of 05/04/2020 – We are offering tours by reservation only. We are taking the following steps to protect the health of our employees and guests: 1.We are requiring that our guides provide their temperature each day, and they will not be allowed to report to work if ill in any way. 2.We have increased the frequency of our cleanings. We are now fully sanitizing the vehicles after each tour. 3.We are asking passengers to not join us if they currently are ill or if they have had any Covid-19 symptoms with in the last 3 weeks. 4.We will be asking all passengers to make a health declaration stating they’re healthy by signing a waiver that will be sent to you by email. 5.We will be using infrared thermometers to check all passenger temperatures before they board the vehicle. We will ask anyone with a fever or high-temperature to please leave the area immediately, and we will contact them about rescheduling at another time. 6.We are requiring that both our guides and and guest wear masks at all times (this includes the time outside the vehicle waiting to board). 7.Guides will be providing hand sanitizer to each guest as they board the vehicle so that nobody is grasping handles or seat belts with unclean hands as they board and get seated. We reserve the right to reschedule or refuse admittance (without refund) if you can’t comply with requirements 3 through 7. These requirements must be followed to insure the safety of our passengers and guides.
Location
602 E 4th St
East 4th Street
The tour departs from the Austin Visitor's Center at 602 E 4th St, Austin. The parking garage entrance is at 601 E 5th St, Austin, the same building as the Austin Visitors Center.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(805 Ratings)
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Jrmead52
Apr 25, 2024
The beautiful hill... - The beautiful hill country . Tour guide Cory was amazing. Bus was comfortable and pleasant . Perfect tour for 90 minute time frame as so much as seen
Review provided by Viator
O8103gjdavidw
Apr 23, 2024
Austin tour - Excellent way to see the city. Greg was informative and funny. He gave great insight into the city and seems very knowledgeable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cynthia_s
Apr 23, 2024
Great Overview - Great overview of Austin and gave me info on sites I want to see during my visit. Jaye was a fantastic driver with great additional insight about the city.
Review provided by Viator
Annmariej460
Apr 22, 2024
Great tour - Lots of great local history given! Van was comfortable and Jay was very knowledgeable! Definitely Recommend the tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Catherine
Apr 22, 2024
AO Jaye - Well run tour. Very clean well maintained van. Great commentary with a lot of extra fantastic information from Jaye our driver
Review provided by Tripadvisor
D439pxmikew
Apr 21, 2024
Great way to see the city! - Michael did a great job of pointing out the highlights of the city and surrounding area. Awesome way to get a feel for the city!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cynthia_m
Apr 17, 2024
Excellent Overview - We've probably done these city tours in 30 cities worldwide. We are newly local to Austin and wanted to learn the basics of where to go and what to do. This tour was a great introduction and orientation to our new home. Can't wait to revisit so many of the highlights. Loved the added technology to the running monolog, lots of tantalizing tidbits of useful information. We would recommend this tour to locals and visitors. Cynthia & Michael McDowell, Liberty Hill, TX
Review provided by Viator
Nairabbyn1
Apr 13, 2024
Love it - Doug was amazing Very professional Can’t wait to come back with my friend I love it he gave us so much details on this trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Johnnjen
Apr 11, 2024
Good Overview of Austin - Good overview of the area Greg was very friendly and knowledgeable. Bus was comfortable. Taped narration was integrated well with live narration.
Review provided by Viator
Carolynsh6692wm
Apr 10, 2024
Good narration but poor viewing opportunities - Lots of great information but the van didn’t really allow for good viewing. Missed lots of the points of interest pointed out. No opportunity to all questions. House was very informative though
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 14 guests
1 Adult
May 2024
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