If you are looking for something out of the ordinary to see and do in Austin, consider one of these original venues.

Bass Concert Hall
23rd Street and Robert Dedman Drive
Austin, Texas
Telephone: (512) 471-2787

One of Austin’s main venues for ballet, stage musicals, classical and pop concerts, the Bass Hall is part of the University of Texas Performing Arts Center. Talented celebrities from musicians and comedians to performance artists and acrobats are often featured in classy and distinctive shows.

Pure Ultra Lounge
419 East Sixth St.
Austin, Texas
Telephone: (512) 762-2000

Any visit to Austin’s famed Sixth Street nightlife scene should include the Pure Ultra Lounge. Upscale, flashy and high energy, Pure Ultra offers three entertainment venues with a dance floor, lounge and exclusive VIP enclave. Voted one of the top 100 clubs in the nation, Ultra is cutting-edge with DJ-driven dance tunes pulsing through a high-tech sound system.

Alamo Drafthouse at the Ritz
320 E 6th St.
Austin, TX 78701
Telephone: (512) 476-1320

In keeping with the city’s unofficial motto, “Keep Austin Weird” a visit to a true local institution, like the Drafthouse, is a must. Where else can you eat pizza or burgers, drink beer and watch quirky and classic movies in an old-time theater with huge screens and a large auditorium? The eclectic but brilliant entertainment can range from cult classic movies, live-band music, sing-a-longs and sci-fi send-ups a la Mystery Science Theater 3000. Films featuring Austin locations are a periodic draw. The scene is generally hip, mellow and great fun due to the creative geniuses behind the scenes.

Zilker Botanical Gardens
2220 Barton Springs Rd.
Austin, TX 78746 For a relaxing and inspiring experience of cultivated nature, visit the lush, expansive grounds of the Zilker gardens. Several different gardens are featured, among them, the Rose, Azalea and Butterfly contrasting with the Xeriscape and Cactus gardens. The notable Tanguchi Japanese garden has beautiful landscaping with streams, waterfalls, lily ponds and arching wooden bridges. Artists, photographers and botanists consider the gardens a valuable resource, and you’re sure to enjoy the visual feast.

Submitted By: David Claerr