Are you considering moving yourself, your business, or your family to Austin? Or maybe you just want to learn more about our booming city? You’ve come to the right place.
Read Next: Why Austin Is a Great Place for Your Business
As a local, Austin-based commercial real estate firm, we frequently speak with people who are new to Austin. We often hear a lot of the same questions from those who are interested in learning more about our city and hope to help answer those questions succinctly.
In this article we answer the following FAQs about Austin, Texas:
- What is Austin, Texas weather like?
- What time is it in Austin, Texas? What is the time zone for Austin, Texas?
- What are Austin, Texas zip codes?
- What is Austin, Texas’ population?
- Distance to Major Cities from Austin
- What county is Austin, Texas in?
- What lakes are in Austin?
- What music venues are in Austin?
- Where did Austin get its name?
- What are residents of Austin called?
- What sports teams are in Austin?
- What are major events in Austin?
- What are the most popular parks in Austin?
What is Austin, Texas weather like?
Austin’s weather can vary from summer to winter, but maybe not as much as you suspect.
For a significant portion of the year, Austin is HOT. Generally, it stays hot from around May/June to November/December. Then, we will have a few months of cooler weather. But, don’t expect to have lengthy spring or fall weather, it can often feel like summer one day and then winter the next.
We typically don’t see a lot of snow, but occasionally we will get a few “snow” days around February. Snow will rarely stick if it falls, but we usually get ice. Schools and businesses will likely shut down because we do not have the necessary infrastructure and resources to deal with icy roads (like salt trucks, etc.) that other places more prone to snow/ice have.
The good news is Austin gets an average of 300 days of sunshine a year!
Here is the current weather in Austin, Texas:
What time is it in Austin, Texas? What is the time zone for Austin, Texas?
Austin is in the central time zone and follows central standard time (CST).
What are Austin, Texas zip codes?
The Austin-Round Rock MSA consists of 88 zip codes. Austin’s area codes are 512 and 737.
What is Austin, Texas’ population?
The population in Austin continues to rise on the daily. Here is the current population in Austin:
Distance to Other Major Texas Cities from Austin
How far is Austin from Houston?
Houston is approximately 3 hours (162 miles) away by car and approximately one hour by plane.
How far is Austin from Dallas?
Dallas is approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes (212 miles) away by car and approximately one hour by plane.
How far is Austin from San Antonio?
San Antonio is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes (80 miles) away by car. There are no flights between Austin and San Antonio (unless you fly private, of course).
Additional Flight Times From Austin
Austin is centrally located in the US, so you can typically fly anywhere in the US in 4 hours or less.
- New York – 3 hours 50 minutes
- San Francisco – 3 hours 50 minutes
- Portland – 4 hours 10 minutes
- Chicago- 2 hours 40 minutes
- Miami – 2 hours 50 minutes
- London – 9 hours 50 minutes
While Austin has a few international flight options (mainly to other areas of North America like Mexico and Canada), most of the time you’ll have to stop in a connecting US city before flying to Europe and beyond. Main connecting cities include Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago and New York.
What county is Austin, Texas in?
Austin, Texas is located in Travis County.
Surrounding counties include Williamson County to the north and Hays County to the south.
What lakes are in Austin?
Lady Bird Lake (Town Lake)
Town Lake is the lake that runs through Downtown Austin, from the Tom Miller Dam to the west and Pleasant Valley Road to the east. On nice nights and weekends, you’ll see more kayakers and paddle boarders than water! The Hike-and-Bike Trail runs along the lake and is a great way to get exercise in the city. There are a few turns along the way so you can make it as long (or as short) of a workout as you’d like! You can walk, run, or bike. Dogs are allowed on leashes but no motor vehicles or scooters are allowed on the trail.
Pro Tip: Don’t swim in this lake! Many people kayak and paddle board but it’s advised not to get in. The water is not the cleanest and is known to cause rashes and other ailments. Also, every once in a while, toxic algae makes it way to the banks and it’s been known to be toxic to dogs – it can kill them or make them extremely sick! So make sure to educate yourself on the current status of the algae before taking your dog here.
Lake Travis
Lake Travis is Austin’s largest lake. The lake is ideal for boating and watersports of all kinds. There are many neighborhoods surrounding the lake, with restaurants, lodging, resorts, spas and boat rentals.
Lake Austin
The stretch of the lake between the Tom Miller Dam to the east and the Mansfield Dam to the west. The lake is ideal for boating and watersports of all kinds. The lake runs under Austin’s iconic Pennybacker Bridge and is a popular photo opp for lake-goers.
What music venues are in Austin?
Austin has over 250 live music venues, plus festivals such as Austin City Limits Music Festival and South by Southwest (SXSW).
Notable music venues include:
- Moody Center
- ACL Live
- Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park
- Broken Spoke
- Continental Club
- The Saxon Pub
- Antone’s
- Emo’s
- Stubb’s
- Scoot Inn
- Mohawk
- The Parish
- Austin City Limits Fest at Zilker Park
- Blues on the Green at Zilker Park
- SXSW
Of course, you can often find live music in most places on any given weekend (and most weeknights). We are the live music capital of the world after all!
Hundreds of musicians got their start in Austin, including Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Janis Joplin, Bob Schneider, Spoon, Shakey Graves, Gary Clark Jr. and more.
Read Next: Your Guide to Downtown Austin’s 8 Neighborhoods
Where did Austin get its name?
Austin was named after Stephen F. Austin who is known as the “Father of Texas.” Prior to being named Austin, the city was called Waterloo.
What are the major universities and colleges in Austin?
- The University of Texas at Austin
- Austin Community College
- Huston-Tillotson University
- St. Edwards University
- Texas State University in nearby San Marcos
What are residents of Austin called?
Austinites.
What sports teams are in Austin?
- Austin FC – MLS team
- Texas Longhorns – The University of Texas athletic program
- Texas Stars Hockey – Dallas Stars affiliate team
- Austin Spurs Basketball – San Antonio spurs affiliate team
- Austin does not have any major league football, baseball or basketball teams
Read Next: Guide to Austin’s Major Office Submarkets (Demographics, Large Projects, Etc.)
What are some major events in Austin?
Austin has so much going on and these three are just the tip of the iceberg! To learn about more events in Austin, check out our Austin event guide: Austin, Texas Events Calendar: Your Guide to the City’s Annual Festivals, Events and More
What are the most popular parks in Austin?
Austin has over 300 parks and over 20,000 acres of greenspace.
Some of the most popular parks include:
- Zilker Park
- Waterloo Park
- Pease Park
- Emma Long Park
- Mueller Lake Park
- McKinney Falls State Park
- Barton Creek Greenbelt
- Bull Creek District Park
Conclusion
We hope this article answered all your top questions about Austin, Texas! If we missed anything, please reach out to us through our contact us page and we will get you an answer as soon as possible.
Hopefully, you’ll end up loving Austin as much as we do!
