Austin, TX

My parents currently live in Austin, TX that is a really cool town. It is the most un-Texas like place in Texas; oddly enough it is also the Capital of Texas. The city of Austin was the fastest growing city in America for many years until this year when Houston took the number one position. Unlike the rest of Texas, Austin is very hilly, and filled with greenery. Even though Austin has greenery, wildfires are still an issue (which I have experienced and are terrifying and cool looking at the same time). There are also scorpions and poisons snakes, like rattlesnakes and copperhead, in Austin. These can be a concern but having encountered a rattlesnake, you just have to be careful and move slowly.

 One of the many things Austin is known for is South by Southwest (SXSW). It is an interactive festival that happens in the spring. The festival includes everything you could imagine, from a film festival to music festival. It brings in over 150,000 people to the city of Austin. In 2014 the economic impact was over $300 million. The best part about this festival is that it has something for very age range.

While in Austin you should defiantly take a Segway tour of the city. My favorite company is SegCity. They take you around the city and show you the highlights in about an hour and a half.

http://www.segcity.com/austin/

Austin has a river that runs through downtown called Lady Bird Lake, but it is actually the Colorado River. Here you and take boats out, kayak, canoe, paddleboard and more. Austin is a city all about being outside and active. Lance Armstrong’s Live Strong Organization is located in Austin. There is also Lake Travis, which is out by where I live but still in the city limits. Austin has been in a drought for many years and Lake Travis has suffered, the water is down 60 ft from where it used to be. The lake is hundreds of feet deep so its not an issue but it sill causes the home owners and boaters issues.

Austin has become like the new technology hub, Dell’s headquarters is here; as well as many different game design and creation companies. Many people do not know this but Whole Foods started in Austin and their flagship store and their headquarters is still located in the same place as it was when it opened.