Austin is the capital of Texas, and a real happening kind of town where anything weird is celebrated as being wonderful. Where die-hard hippies rub shoulders with the wealthy upper and middle-classes, and in fact are sometimes one and the same - now just how weird is that?! Where live music spills out of every other bar on the ultra-famous 6th Street, and where people greet you with a smile and a beer in their hand.
Austin is more than just a party town; it's got a great vibe, and it's just the right kind of place for B.B. Rivers to hang out.
Here, in Denniger's opinion, are the Top 10 reasons for living in Austin. Click here to download the PDF of this article
10. Hippie Hollow. The only nude reserve in Texas, where real people of many different genders, political persuasions and ages go with nothing on but their birthday suits. www.hippiehollow.com. This swimming hole is mentioned in many travel books that 
cover Austin and is the site where the novel, Hippie Hollow – murder on a nude beach (isbn 978522109) is set.
9. University of Texas. Libraries such as the Lyndon Banes Johnson Presidential Library, museums and 48,000 students. U.T. is ranked the 15th best university in the world, and is home to the Texas Longhorns Number One ranked NCAA college football team in 2005-2006. www.utexas.edu
8. Keep Austin Weird. Austin’s motto, the collaborative fission of coordinated individualism is used not only used in promoting Austin's eccentricity and diversity, but is also as a means to bolster support of local and independent businesses. www.keepaustinweird.com. The motto has been parodied on bumper stickers, "Keep Round Rock Mildly Amusing" and “Keep Dripping Springs Normal.” The longer you are in Austin, not only the harder it is to leave, but the more you realize how weird (in a fun way) the biggest little town in America is.
7. Whole Foods vs. Central Market vs. Wheatsville Co-op. Austin is a great place to get natural and organic groceries. It’s the headquarters of Whole Foods Market http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/lamar/index.html, the largest health and organic food chain in the world with a state-of-the art 80,000 square foot store, including ice skating rink. Not to be outdone, Central Market, www.centralmarket.com part of the H.E.B. system of stores has its own cooking school, cafes and musical events. Can’t forget Wheatsville Food Co-op www.wheatsville.coop which since 1976, is owned by its members, now 8000. It is revolutionary in its approach to cooperation within the community. Festivals, fairs, music, and good prices.
6. Third Coast Movie Industry. “W” doesn’t live here anymore but Lance Armstrong, Matthew McConnaughey, Willie Nelson, Sandra Bullock, Robert Rodriquez and Richard Linklater, do. www.austinlinks.com/movies_filmed_in_austin.html. There is West Coast’s Hollywood, East Coast’s New York film makers, and now Austin has become a major film production center. Some movies filmed in Austin: The Alamo, Dazed and Confused, Lonesome Dove (TV), Sin City, Slacker, Varsity Blues and Walker, Texas Ranger (TV).
5. SoCo. South Congress Avenue is the home of chic shops, happening bars and bats. Every First Thursday of the month, there is a street festival. Actually, every day there is a festival. A unique slice of Austin south of the river. There are bumper stickers with 78704 on it. The Congress Avenue bridge is the home of about a million (hard to count) Mexican free tail bats that fly out at dusk and further darken the sky. Not to be missed. travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2742045-south_congress_avenue_austin-i
austin.about.com/cs/bats/p/bats.htm
4. Tex Mex. The cuisine that would come to be called Tex-Mex actually originated with the Tejano people as a hybrid of Spanish and native American cooking. The Tejanos didn't immigrate to Texas from Mexico, rather they were native Americans who were educated in Spanish missions in San Antonio and elsewhere in Texas. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tex-Mex_cuisine. A few of the most popular Austin restaurants that serve Tex Mex are Guero’s www.guerostacobar.com, Chuy’s www.chuys.com, El Arroyo www.ditch.com, (Cultural Center of the Univers) and Las Manitas at 2nd and Congress.
3. Live music capital of the world. Festivals abound, like South by South West Music & Film Festival & Conference, SXSW, www.sxsw.com, Austin City Limits Music Festival which came out of the world famous TV show, the longest running concert musical program on national television. www.aclfestival.com/default.aspx and the Armadillo World Headquarters which isn’t with us anymore but will always be remembered. Antone’s Blues Club, www.antones.net, La Zona Rosa, www.lazonarosa.com, and Stubb’s Bar-B-Que, www.stubbsaustin.com.
2. Sixth Street. Best known street in Texas. Bars, art galleries, restaurants, hotels, live music from jazz to hip hop to rock & roll to cw to blues to punk. www.6street.com/6s_pg_about.htm. The Street has it all. Ester’s Follies, www.estersfollies.com, Pecan Street Festival, www.roadstarproductions.com, Halloween and New Year’s Eve and Saint Patrick’s Day are party time on The Street.
1. Town Lake Hike & Bike Trail & Barton Spring Pool. www.texasoutside.com/townlakemap.htm 10 miles of paved trail connecting to another 30 miles of trails winding through Austin, going past the memorial to Stevie Ray Vaughn, Austin’s most famous blue guitarist, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevie_Ray_Vaughan. Along the way is the real center of the universe, Barton Springs Pool, the artesian spring-fed 68 degree swimming hole, is located along the trail in Zilker Park. www.texasoutside.com/bartonpool.htm.
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