For anyone that has never been to Austin....all I can say is one thing....GO!!! Austin is definitely worth the trip. Although the state of Texas is definitely conservative, the city of Austin is a very liberal place. This may be due to the presence of the University of Texas (one of the largest universities in the country)....or possibly due to the large number of high-tech companies with offices or headquarters in Austin. Whatever it is due to, Austin is very liberal and very gay friendly (and very gay as well for that matter).
Austin is in the hill country of Texas. The city itself is built around the UT campus with a downtown right on the Colorado River. Right in the heart of downtown is 6th Street. Although the gay bars are spread out throughout the downtown area, 6th Street is almost like a mini Bourbon Street with a ton of straight bars and hangouts. The music scene is huge in Austin with live bands playing at the local bars all the time. There are also a lot of cool places to eat downtown as well....especially around 6th Street.
Right between downtown and the UT campus is the state capitol building. The capitol building in Austin is architecturally impressive and worth seeing. Just beyond the capitol is the UT campus (and lots of fratboy hotties!).
If you find yourself wanting to workout, the best gym I have found is the 24-Hour Fitness at Hancock Center. Being close to the UT campus, a lot of students work out here. The facility is nice, but the eye candy is even better! Since this gym is a Lance Armstrong Sports Club, the gym is filled with Lance Armstrong related stuff everywhere (including bikes he rode, jerseys he wore, and awards he won). It is actually pretty cool. They even have a see-thru locker for him in the guys locker room with all of his workout clothes inside.
If you want to get away and relax, definitely take a trip to Lake Travis. The drive alone to Lake Travis through the hill country is beautiful. High above Lake Travis is the Oasis Restaurant. With stunning views of the lake, the sunset on the huge outdoor deck is something not to miss. If you are in a more daring mood, head down the hill to the public lake area known as Hippie Hollow. Hippie Hollow is a clothing-optional public area of the lake. Since the lake itself was formed by a dam, the shores of the lake are basically the sides of what used to be large hills. So if you are looking for a traditional beach, you are in the wrong place. It is basically paved paths on the side of the hill. You can walk down from the paths to get some sun on the large boulders that line in the lake. It is an experience though, and one worth going to. The picture above is of the sign that is posted at the entrance to Hippie Hollow. I have always thought it is ironic that one of the most conservative states has a nude swimming hole. But then Austin is not like the rest of Texas.
