See the States: Austin, Texas

Though the area originally known as Waterloo has been settled since the 1830s, the city we now know as Austin had a long way to go to become one of the epicenters for the hip and creative. It wasn’t until the 1970s that Austin began to emerge in the national music scene, thanks to local artists like Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughn. But Austin soon transformed from a sleepy college town to the self-appointed “Live Music Capital of the World,” home of uncountable bands and venues, the ever-expanding South by Southwest music festival, and the PBS live music series Austin City Limits.

If you’ve got a charter bus and are looking to check out some music yourself while in town, there’s plenty to choose from. Unfortunately, Austin’s most famous venue, Emo’s, has since closed its original location on Red River and 6th Street, but you can still visit the newly opened Emo’s East on Riverside Drive. If you like your music heavy, be sure to stop in Red 7 on Seventh Street, or if you fancy some blues and folk with a side of barbecue smoked meats, check out  Stubb’s Bar-B-Q on Red River.

Of course, there’s more to Austin than music. Namely, its patented Tex-Mex cuisine. No visit to Austin is complete without stopping in the legendary Chuy’s, the “king” of Tex-Mex. If you’re a taco fan, be sure to visit Güero’s Taco Bar. And don’t forget Magnolia Café, home of delicious migas, enchiladas and monster-sized pancakes.