<p>Well, it's that time of year. We are going on the College Road Trip Tour. One school my DD wants to check out is the University of Texas in Austin. I thought we'd also visit San Antonio while we're there. Any suggestions on where to stay in Austin (close to campus, please) and San Antonio? </p>
<p>Any suggestions on what to see and do in Austin (besides the university) and San Antonio (besides the Alamo)? We've never been to Texas, so first impressions are going to mean everything toward DD's decision to apply to UTexas. Anything I can tell my DD about the University of Texas that's not on the website?</p>
<p>There was a thread begun by pixeljig, I believe, a few months ago with tons of Austiny stuff to do.</p>
<p>I usually just priceline “name your own price” hotels nowadays …but since you asked , here’s a little Texas for ya. 
[Downtown</a> Austin Hotels | The Driskill Hotel | Historic Texas Hotels](<a href=“http://www.driskillhotel.com/]Downtown”>http://www.driskillhotel.com/)</p>
<p>And a little more. [Menger</a> Hotel: Home Page](<a href=“Historic Partner Hotel of the Alamo | The Historic Menger”>http://mengerhotel.com/)</p>
<p>Both are well located for all you’ll want to do in Austin and SA.</p>
<p>There are cheaper (and maybe even better) places, but these are authentic. Yee-haw!</p>
<p>Well, if it’s a college tour, and San Antonio is part of it, I hope you’ll visit Trinity University.
It’s about 10 minutes from downtown SA, which has much more than the Alamo…Tower of the Americas, Museum of Texas Cultures, other museums, and of course, the River Walk, which has lots of hotels and shopping. Right across from Trinity is the zoo, in Brackenridge Park. For its size I think the aviary part is exceptional.</p>
<p>There is so much to do in Austin! A great place to start is here:
[Austin</a> Texas - Events, Austin Hotels & Attractions, Convention Information, Guides, and More - ACVB](<a href=“http://www.austintexas.org/]Austin”>http://www.austintexas.org/)</p>
<p>There are a number of hotels close to campus, including the AT&T Conference Center Hotel which is on campus and right by the Blanton Museum. The Driskill is a wonderful hotel right in downtown Austin. If you stay downtown, there is lots to do within walking distance plus you are an easy bus ride to UT if you dont want to deal with a car.</p>
<p>Enjoy your trip!!</p>
<p>Will you be staying in San Antonio for a few days? Definitely go to the Riverwalk and there are plenty of hotels on the Riverwalk or within walking distance. We usually stay outside the loop and drive downtown but there are plenty of nice places close by. My youngest son stayed at Drury Inn on the Riverwalk for a school trip and really liked it.</p>
<p>Go to La Villita Historic Arts Village…nice shopping and also go to Market Square- El Mercado. Lots of nice Mexican restaurants. Try Mi Tierra or maybe Guadalahara Grill.</p>
<p>Sorry…Guadalajara Grill.</p>
<p>For Austin hotels, we like the Sheraton on 15th and the Doubletree downtown. Both are fairly convenient. We did the Driskell once and didn’t like it, old and musty and parking cost about $25 as I recall.</p>
<p>Like gloworm said, if you’re going to be in San Antonio, why not visit Trinity University?</p>
<p>If you really want to showcase Austin, stay at one of the hotels right on Lady Bird Lake (formerly Town Lake). Pricier, but then you get to be right on the hike/bike path around the lake and it’s still right downtown.</p>
<p>Which hotels on the lake would you recommend? We are going to Texas in July for the Trinity in Focus day and then to Austin as well. We were told to stop in Lockhart for great BBQ. Any specific restaurant anyone can recommend?</p>
<p>I’ve generally stayed there on business (for personal travel we stayed at Fairfield Inn just south of town on I35) so we were at the Hyatt I think. There is either a Ritz or Four Seasons, too. Any of the hotels on the lake are fine.</p>
<p>I just got back and we stayed at the Stephen F. Austin downtown. Got a good rate on Hotwire and it’s a nice older real Texas hotel. Just off Congress and a block from 6th Street action. Too many fun places in Austin to list but start with breakfast at Marie’s Taco Xpress. YUMMMMM We only had to pay for parking one night as weekend parking is free downtown. Hotels down on Town (Lady Bird) Lake are very nice too. Only bad thing was we waited to see the bats and they never came out.</p>
<p>The bats are best later in the year, when the babies are flying, too. Also, when the dry months kick in, they leave earlier and earlier to find food. Right now, the pickings are plentiful close by so they don’t have to head out until late.</p>
<p>Lockhart BBQ- Black’s, Smitty’s, Kreuz Market . Maybe in that order but all have their supporters.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the great info. We are also looking at Rice. Any good advice? Hotels close by and good restaurants. We know it will be humid.</p>
<p>Houston has so many good restaurants you almost can’t go wrong. My fave is Fadi’s, though not particularly close to Rice.</p>
<p>We ate here when we visited last fall. [Goode</a> Company - Goode Company Seafood](<a href=“http://goodecompany.com/goodeRestaurantSeafoodKirby.aspx]Goode”>http://goodecompany.com/goodeRestaurantSeafoodKirby.aspx) We liked it. As far as hotels, we just “named your own price” two weekends in a row in the Med Center zone and got nice places for a bid around $80- $85.</p>
<p>Goode is good and close.</p>