Austin, Capital city in central Texas, United States
Austin is the capital city of Texas in the United States and stretches along the Colorado River between the Edwards Plateau and the Texas Blackland Prairies. The city sits at an elevation of roughly 490 feet (149 meters) and is surrounded by rolling hills to the west and flatter plains to the east.
The settlement was founded in 1835 and named after Stephen F. Austin, becoming the permanent capital of Texas in 1839 after replacing Houston. During the second half of the 20th century, it grew from a government town into a center for technology and culture.
Live musicians perform in dozens of bars and clubs along Sixth Street and throughout downtown almost every night of the week. Locals spend their free time in public parks along the river or on the many outdoor terraces, gathering for food and drinks.
A bus system, a light rail line connecting downtown to north Austin, and bicycle lanes throughout the city provide different ways to move around. Summer months from June through August can be very hot, so spring or fall is often more comfortable for visiting.
The Congress Avenue Bridge is home to the largest urban bat colony in North America, with roughly 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats emerging at sunset. Visitors gather on the green spaces along the riverbank from March through October to watch this nightly spectacle.
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