Looking for apartments in Austin, TX?
The capital of Texas is located right off heavily traveled I-35. Those looking for a convenient place to live will find it a great centralized location when it comes to exploring other parts of Texas. Because of its position in the middle of the state, other Texas cities never seem too far away. San Antonio is an hour-and-a-half south, Houston three hours east, and DFW approximately three-and-a-half hours north.
For Austin residents, living in the capital city is not just a choice, it's a lifestyle. Those who live in Austin do their best to "Keep Austin Weird" by supporting local small business and other slightly weirder and more creative endeavors. Residents can visit the Cathedral of Junk (which is just as it sounds) in South Austin or the Polka Dot Lawn (where the owners do their best to maintain the widely colorful array of polka dots that cover their front lawn).
Besides being known as a city of "weird," Austin has a more official nickname: the "Live Music Capital of the World." The nickname was adopted in 1991 after officials discovered that the city had more live music venues per capita than anywhere else in the country. Annually it hosts South by Southwest (SXSW), a festival that last year showcased musicians as well as filmmakers from 73 different countries.
Aside from the state's capitol, the city is also home to U.T. Austin, one of the top research universities in the nation. The University of Texas at Austin awards 12,000 degrees yearly to students from more than 100 countries. Founded in 1883, the university has about 51,000 students, 17 libraries, 7 museums...and one kick-a$$ football team.
Shopping and the outdoors are other big lifestyle choices for Austin residents. The best shopping venues are divided into two main districts: South Congress (known as SoCo), and the 2nd Street District. Visitors to SoCo can find small, diverse vintage boutiques, while those on 2nd Street can find more upscale and trendy shops.
When not beating the pavement in search of good deals, many residents like to spend their time enjoying the scenery of Austin. Located just on the edge of Texas Hill Country, Austin offers some 200 parks with biking and hiking trails. In 2010, Austin was named the number one golf destination by CNN's Golf.com.
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