When Steve and I were planning our trip to Austin, Texas we realized fairly quickly that we didn't…read moreknow the city very well at all. In previous vacations we took bus tours to get a little bit more familiar with the city and that is what we did with Austin. Only this time we rode a Double Decker bus! I have seen this kind of bus tour here and there and have seen it when I am in Seattle. Officially I think after this particular bus tour it was my first time riding a Double Decker bus. The weather was typical spring weather on our entire visit but the day we chose to take this tour it was nice and warm and a perfect time to go ride this bus followed by rain for a few days (This took place in April). The ride was so much fun and the tour guide was great! Austin is definitely a different cut than the rest of Texas and that was reflected in many of the people we met. Open mindedness being one and we really felt that with the tour guide. He was so knowledgeable of the city and the neighborhoods and all that made this bus tour all the more amazing. But of course they would probably have staff with personalities that would be compatible in this way. Riding on the top of the bus was so much fun. A few times we had to duck from tree branches and I lowered my head a few times from the traffic lights but that was just me getting nervous with being that high to a light. You see all the sights, famous buildings, museums, local culture, restaurant recommendations and so much more while on this tour. So this was a great experience! I was in Austin proper once a very long time ago and saw just how much it's grown. So it was cool getting acquainted with the city one more time thanks to this bus tour!

I was so looking forward to finally taking a tour of the city. I've been coming here visiting my…read moreson for the last dozen or so years and I've never done it. At first, I sat on the upper level. It was wonderful to be out in the fresh air. However, the sun was a little too much for me so I had to move down to the inside area. I was the only one down there which was fine, but it was really quite filthy. There was thick gray dust on the top rail of all the seats and the fabric on the seats themselves was all thick with black grease. The tour guide was really wonderful. Entertaining and knowledgeable with one exception that was actually kind of disturbing to me personally. When we got to South Congress he talked about the "I love you so much" wall. His story of a husband painting it for his wife could not have been more wrong. It was in fact done by an artist named Amy for her then girlfriend Liz an infamous Austin hotelier and restauranteur. It is an incredibly iconic part of Austin history and if it's told it should be not fiction. I hope for sure this can be corrected for future tours.

YES YES YES!!! SO MUCH FUN!!! I can't recommend this tour enough. We went on the van tour and…read morewent to three different locations. Our tour guide took time at every location to thoroughly go through all of the "Haunted Tales" and give all of the background information. It was definitely an interesting and unique tour that would be a big miss if you come to Austin and didn't take this tour. My favorite location was the second stop, which is now an Indian restaurant. I don't want to give too much away, but this felt the most haunted of the locations. It took about 2 1/2 hours-ish so plan accordingly.

All right to start off with I have to say how easy it was to get an adjustment for our party of…read moreeight. So typically the van is only able to hold so many people and in order to make accommodations for our party, the reservation was able to be combined with a second reservation to allow the group to be all together. Next it is super cool that you can bring your own beverages if you would like and that definitely allowed the group to be a little bit more silly with each other nothing too crazy, and I believed our guide Matthew really enjoyed the high energy we were bringing to the tour. The tour overall was super fun and educational regarding the different historical landmarks within Austin. The ending at the Littlefield house was super interesting because it tied into the Bell Tower incident and how those two individuals though decades and decades apart had similar visions within their stories. Highly recommend Matthew with his Scooby-Doo mystery van vibes and his awesome Halloween playlist. We are so excited that we got a chance to do this for my sister's bachelorette party. And also great suggestions given by Matthew regarding speakeasy bars and pubs around the area that you would never have thought were there.

What a beautiful experience to explore the African American Cultural and Heritage Facility…read more(museum). Finally on my 4th visit to Austin I explored more areas like Six Square, Austin's Black Cultural District. The museum has a circular front with glass and columns. It is open, airy inside and was pristine. Although small inside yet packed in history and culture. It is free admission and they accept donations. I found the Juneteenth information to the most informative. As an east coaster, with foundational knowledge of Juneteenth, I learned so much more through video montage, photographs with editorial providing context. It is inspiring how the African American community in Austin and the state of Texas has maintained and shared the importance of Juneteenth to everyone through educational celebrations, parades, food/culinary gatherings, and spiritual/religious services wrapped in love, family and community. Another highlight of this visit was the exhibition by Riley Holloway, "What I Carry". I found his artistic medium to be captivating showing elements of the AA experience through his family, church, summer fun, celebrations which to me was a bold statement of beauty, connection and community. I highly recommend a visit to this artistic treasure in Austin.

Amazing time, well Planned. Excellent food choices. The tour…read moreguide was amazing and hospitable with any minor adjustments to a drink. Loved it would do again as we'll visit the restaurants in the future!!!!

Joe was amazing. We went on a corporate event to three different food sites. He gave the history of…read morethe restaurant and the site. He gave some background as to how it started as well as information about the owners of the establishment. Every place we visited was beautiful and exciting and fun. He was attentive and made accommodations for people who had certain food and drinking needs. This was a top-notch tour and I highly recommend it. Thank you so much.

My sister and I took the Texas Hill Country & LBJ Ranch tour from Austin. It was a fabulous day!…read more Our tour guide, Ray, went above and beyond to make sure we had the best experience possible. We stopped at both the birthplace and childhood homes of LBJ before visiting the Ranch, where we toured the home he and Lady Bird resided, we then spent a couple hours in the quaint German town of Fredericksburg where we enjoyed lunch and a little shopping. Then a quick stop at Luckenbach Texas, where they were having a food truck festival and live music. We were impressed with this tour and encourage others to give it a try. Thank you again Ray for making it a great day!

Doug was great! Air conditioned Mercedes van, sweet & funny tour guide, stops available. The van…read morehas USB charging ports bc ur phone will die from all the photographs you take. I actually went on this exact tour about 1 year ago & realized he was the same guy! We went on a slightly different tour than we did last year though. This time we stopped at the library, & it's BEAUTIFUL. My mother said "I could spend all day in here - you just don't want to leave." The woman doesn't even read...!! Started down "dirty 6th street," then the library, then around to different landmarks. One of them was the cemetery which was gorgeous & Doug said you absolutely have to come back. He gave us the option of getting off at the cemetery's aBoarding is at the Austin Visitor's Center which has free maps, magazines, & brochures - & some seriously adorable animal key chains, jewelry, & clothing. Highly recommend!

This was a fun little tour that took us through the city, through hill country with a few stops…read morethat included the library, the lake, and an overlook spot of the lake. Our tour guide was really nice and friendly. Our group consisted of just the three of us so it was essentially a private tour. It was in a comfortable enclosed van so we didn't have to worry about any of the outdoor elements. We got some history and insights of the city, a nice comfortable ride, and were able to get out and stretch our legs. If you prefer a more traditional tour, this is an excellent option.

We went on the Ghost Tour led by Will this Valentine's night and it was incredible! My wife and I…read moreare both native Austinites but we still learned some new things from Will. He is a very entertaining guide too and brings lots of visuals and personal stories too. The Ghost Tour is probably the best I've been in in town and is also the best priced. Please try one Walking Tours of Austin's tour if you haven't already, they're awesome!

I went on a ghost tour it was a fun way to see different places in Austin plus some of the history…read more The tour started at the speakeasy bar and went to a few parts in town. Fun stories and a good activity for the evening. Spooky stuff happened! You can easily book everything online.

So so so fun. I highly recommend if you are solo, with a friend, on a date, with a parent... it is…read moreseriously fun for anyone who enjoys Harry Potter, interesting scenery/lights/sounds, or honestly someone who just wants to get outdoors and see something new. When you first enter, you walk through a signature walk-way that leads to a few food/drink stores, a gift shop, an area for marshmallow roasting, and the start of the trail. The trail lasted about 75 minutes and had so many cool attractions. Some are physical structures, some are animated on screens, and a few are user-driven by casting a spell! A few of the 'bigger' stops also have staff working who can provide wands for your to do the activity/spell. Once you finish the trail, you exit through the gift shop which I actually really liked because I was able to browse/pick up a few souvenirs without having to go out of my way. All around I had a great time and would absolutely go back with a few friends. I got there a bit late (8:30) and it closes at 10, but I would have liked to spend a few more hours just hanging out and maybe walking the trail again. Awesome stuff!!!

It is a fantastic experience that is not to be missed. We went here as a group and arrived at the…read moredesignated location. Getting to the parking lot was a bit confusing as they had changed the traffic flow on the highway that leads you there. But once you turned onto the property, it was smooth sailing. The parking attendants followed a straightforward process to line up all the cars and park them in the right spots. Having the gate attendants scan our QR codes for entrance was easy. Walking in, we were immediately taken to a different world. From the lights and aesthetics to the sounds and smells, we quickly forgot we were in Texas. There are several food and drink stalls where you can order bites and drinks. They have different hot chocolates based on which character house you identify with. They also had butter beer, but we didn't enjoy it as much as the original found in Universal Studios. I wasn't expecting this to be a walking experience, but I was pleasantly surprised as we entered the Forbidden Forest. We also wanted to meet the cast here, but there are different areas with highlights within each one. Some unique features are interactive, while others are simply interpretations of characters in the series. A wand isn't necessary but adds to the overall enjoyment. There are some places where you can do spells with your wand. But if you want to, you could wave your hand. The trail is well-lit, so you know where you need to go. The trail is also one-way, so there's no chance of getting lost in the forest. All in all, we had a wonderful time. Make sure to take lots of pictures to preserve your memories of this once-in-a-lifetime experience!