To Plan A Trip

Contact the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau (800-926-2282 or www.austintexas.org ) for lists of hotels, restaurants, annual events, and walking tours. When you arrive in Austin, drop by the bureau to collect more of its sparkling and informative brochures such as the one on 101 Things to Do in Austin, and enjoy the large blowups of photos of Austin in the old days that decorate the walls.

I decided to stay at Austin’s historic Driskill Hotel because of its great location on Sixth, near Congress, and because I was looking forward to exploring its elaborate public rooms. It turned out that almost all the public space was undergoing a major restoration (blasé Austinites tell me the Driskill is always being redone), and among the jackhammers, drop-cloths, and closed-off rooms, I had little sense of the place. A good lunch at the Four Seasons, which occupies a scenic riverfront location downtown, made me think that would have been the perfect choice. The Stephen F. Austin Hotel, a 1920s structure on Congress Avenue, has been revamped recently and would also be well worth checking out.

Any season except the height of summer is a good time to visit Austin, but spring would be best if you’re interested in wildflowers in full flourish. There is a special number to call to find out when Texas bluebonnets, the state flower, are at their best: 800-452-9292. Austin has a full calendar of events year-round. Probably the best known is the South by Southwest Music and Film Festival, held at various places around town in mid-March and consisting of more than 600 musical acts. Not surprisingly, the city is full to bursting for this one, so make plans well in advance.