What to do in Central Austin, TX

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.

The Texas State Capitol building houses the state's legislature chambers and the offices of the Governor of Texas. The structure is an example of 15th-century Italian Renaissance-style architecture, with a cylindrical granite dome and many large granite columns.

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.

The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum aims to “tell the story of Texas." The modern museum has three floors of exhibits, providing a broad examination of the state’s struggles, individuality and innovation. This museum presents the fascinating story of a state that has been ruled by six different governments: Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of America and the United States of America.

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.