Welcome to Austin, Texas, where you can enjoy live music, beautiful scenery, lakes, and delectable cuisine. These tours of Austin will not let you down, whatever of your interests—seeing the iconic Austin bats soar over Lady Bird Lake, learning more about the city’s haunting history, or exploring the beer scene.
1. ATXcursions – River Tubing
Relax on an inner tube down an Austin river while sipping your favorite drink. ATXcursions provides tubes, coolers, and ice; bring your food and drinks. Including journey time, the outing lasts six hours, including two to four hours on the water. Water stays around 72 degrees year-round.
Reviewers think the tour is fun and runs efficiently. The tour costs $70 and requires 18-year-olds. Friday-Sunday tours throughout spring, summer, and early autumn. Morning excursions leave central Austin at various times.
2. Live Love Paddle – Congress Avenue Bridge Bat Tours
Austin has one of the world’s largest urban bat colonies. Visitors to Austin are drawn to their odd home under the Congress Avenue Bridge. Kayaking Lady Bird Lake to the bridge to observe the bats fly off takes around two hours. Reviewers like watching bats and believe guides are informative and lively.
Individual tickets cost $45 each. Tours depart from mid-February to late November (when the bats roost under the bridge), depending on the season. Tour participants must weigh 30 to 275 pounds. Live Love Paddle offers Full Moon Music and July 4th Fireworks kayaking experiences.
3. AO Tours – Austin + Hill Country Sightseeing Tour
This Mercedes-Benz van tour from AO Tours Austin claims over 50 sites in 90 minutes. Mount Bonnell, Zilker Metropolitan Park, and the LBJ Presidential Library are among the highlights of the tour. Throughout the trip, guides discuss Austin’s history, culture, gastronomy, and more.
Tour participants say the 14-passenger bus is comfortable, guides are knowledgeable, and the tour is affordable. Prices are $25 for adults and $17 for children under 12. Daily tours at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. The seasonal 4:30 p.m. tour is weekend-only. They also provide private trips.
4. City Running Tours – Historic Downtown Run
This 45-minute, 3-mile city running tour lets you exercise while enjoying the sights. The tour passes the Texas State Capitol, Driskill Hotel, Congress Avenue Bridge, and Lady Bird Lake. Running enthusiasts love guides, who keep a steady pace. Tickets cost around $25 each.
Saturdays at 10 a.m., flat courses host runs. There are no age limits, however, the firm recommends planning a personalized running trip for smaller kids who may struggle. A 6-mile run around Austin’s greatest parks is one of City Running Tours’ options.
5. Twisted Texas Tour – The Brunch Bus
Experience Austin’s top brunch venues on this unique bus trip. Three restaurants will provide local specialties like breakfast tacos or chicken and waffles and adult beverages during the three-hour trek. Live music from the onboard band, games, and prizes await you between stops. Participants can bring beer, sparkling wine, wine, or canned alcohol but no food.
Food stops and the live band are praised by reviewers. The $80 tickets include food and drinks at each location. Participants must be 21+. The tour runs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 11 and 10 a.m. Brew Bus, Austin Live Music Experience, and Weird Austin City Tour are among the Twisted Texas Tour’s excursions.
6. Nation Tours – Historic Downtown Austin and Capitol Segway Tour
This two-hour Segway tour zips past Austin’s biggest attractions, perfect for first-timers. Lady Bird Lake, the Texas State Capitol, the haunted Driskill Hotel, and the warehouse district are among the sights. All tours include vehicle riding training.
Travelers like the trip to see Austin quickly. Daily tours at 9 a.m. cost about $70. The minimum age is 14 and weight is 100–275 pounds. They also provide 90-minute afternoon sightseeing tours and evening ghost tours.
7. Your Biker Gang – Biker Gang Ride Adventure
Participants call this two-hour tour of Austin with your “biker gang” a delightful, must-do experience. You’ll wear vintage helmets and goggles and ride a fat tyre mini bike across the city with a trained guide. Reviewers said the 20-mph e-bikes are easy to ride.
Tickets cost about $70 each. Children under 16 who are taller than 48 inches can ride for free as long as the bike weighs less than 300 pounds. The tours run Friday through Sunday at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. Your Biker Gang offers a morning city ride and a food truck tour.
8. Bike and Brew ATX – Austin’s Gem
This 3-1/2-hour tour of downtown’s east side covers 5 miles by bike. The tour includes a tasting flight and souvenir tasting glass from three breweries for moderate bikers familiar with hills. Reviewers love the tour’s tempo and the beer and breweries.
Tickets cost $75, but couples and groups get discounts. You must be 21 to join. Multiple afternoon and evening tours Wednesday through Sunday. Street art and food and beer tours are also available from Bike and Brew ATX.
9. Haunted ATX – Private Hearse Tour
Take a Cadillac hearse to discover Austin’s ghosts. The University of Texas Littlefield House is among the haunted sites visited on this three-hour private tour. Users like guides’ knowledge and ghost stories. In some cases, travelers felt a ghostly presence.
Two tickets cost $100, and each additional participant costs $59, for up to six persons. Children under 13 should not take the trip, but the content can be adapted. Daily, except Monday, Haunted ATX provides 7 and 8 p.m. tours. It also conducts vehicle ghost tours.
10. Austin Duck Adventures
This 75-minute guided tour of Austin takes you downtown via the Texas State Capitol building, the Texas Governor’s Mansion, historic Sixth Street, and through Lake Austin past the Hill Country. Participants think Austin Duck Adventures is fun for families and guides are amusing. Adults pay $30 and kids 3–12 $20; youngsters 2 and smaller are free. Times vary by season and day of the week for daily tours.
11. Austin Eats Food Tours – Best of Austin Food Truck Tour
Join this three-hour guided tour of four to five food trucks in the city’s hippest neighborhoods by air-conditioned bus and sample BBQ, beer, desserts, and more. Reviewers say the tour is fun and the meal is ample and good. The tickets cost about $85.
As this trip is adult-oriented, attendees must be 15 or older. At 10 a.m. most Saturdays, the Austin Food Truck Tour is offered. The establishment offers brunch, happy hour, and barbecue, brunch, and brewery tours.
FAQ’s
Q1. What is the best time to go on a Bat Watching Tour in Austin?
The best time to go on a Bat Watching Tour is typically during the summer months, from May to September, when the largest bat colony under the Congress Avenue Bridge is most active.
Q2. What breweries are typically included in the Brewery Tour?
The breweries included in the Brewery Tour may vary, but some popular ones often featured include: Austin Beerworks, Independence Brewing Co., Hops & Grain Brewing, and Jester King Brewery.
Q3. Is the Live Music Crawl suitable for families with children?
While the Live Music Crawl is primarily geared towards adults, some tours may offer family-friendly options or times. It's advisable to check with the tour operator regarding age restrictions and suitability for children.
