14 Tours in Austin to Build a Day Around

1.Best of Austin Small-Group Driving Tour with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,275 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $49Our pick

Ride through Austin in a group of no more than 10, with a local guide such as Joey, Ike, Jax, or Joel. Visit the Texas State Capitol, photograph the Greetings from Austin mural, pass South Congress and Dirty 6th, and learn where food, music, parks, and local life fit into the city.

“Great tour of the city. This tour was 2 hours and a perfect way to learn about a new city. Joey was our tour guide and he was a fountain of knowledge even for a guy from Nebraska!”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Austin Biker Gang E-Bike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,399 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $85

Join a small Austin e-bike group for a 90-minute ride from 506 Walsh Street. A road captain such as Captain Kid, Captain Edge, or Captain Morpheus leads you past Lady Bird Lake, South Congress, the Capitol, ACL Live, the bat bridge, and more. Bikes, helmets, water, safety training, and guide commentary are included.

“Great fun, cool bikes and easy route. Definitely recommend. Captain Kid was great. ………………………………………………………………..”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Austin Food Tour with Local Flavors, Tacos & 6 Food Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 987 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $98

Spend about three hours tasting Austin favorites with a guide such as Jack, Zachary, Alexis, or Pola. Choose downtown for brisket, breakfast tacos, beans, cheesecake, and a secret dish, or South Congress for tacos, a meatball sub, sweets, drinks, and more. Groups are capped at 12, with private tours available.

“Make sure you come hungry as there is plenty of delicious food. The tour guide was excellent and kept us entertained with his stories”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Double Decker Austin Single Loop Sightseeing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 979 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $36

Ride a 75 to 90 minute loop through central Austin with a live guide, open-air upper deck, and climate-controlled lower deck. You’ll pass 6th Street, the Driskill Hotel, Texas Capitol, UT campus, Congress Avenue Bridge, South Congress, and more. Guides such as Jason, Lawrence, and Will are praised for clear local stories and useful dining tips.

“We had a very enjoyable double-decker tour with our guide Will. An admitted transplant from the UK, his local knowledge of Texas/Austin history and culture is rather comprehensive, and very informative. He is well spoken, funny and very considerate of his passengers and audience. This is the second time we’ve taken this tour from 2 years ago and we are pleased with addition of the UT campus segment.”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Hill Country BBQ & Wine Shuttle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 954 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $69

Leave downtown Austin at 10:30 a.m. for a 4.5-hour Hill Country outing with Salt Lick barbecue and tastings at two wineries. Your air-conditioned shuttle carries no more than 11 people, and guides such as Evan, Kelty, Joey, Luke, and Ike add local history, humor, and practical tips. Food and wine cost extra.

“So much fun. Food was great wineries were too. Joey was a great guide and we met some really fun people.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Austin and Hill Country Sightseeing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 928 reviews · from $33

Spend 90 minutes touring Austin and the Hill Country in an air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van with a local guide. Pass the Capitol, Bat Bridge, Zilker Park, Mount Bonnell, UT, music venues, historic districts, and lake country. Guides such as David, Doug, and Matthew add local stories and food tips, but this is a drive-by tour with no sightseeing stops.

“Our tour guide, Matthew, was a wealth of knowledge and very courteous. The length times for the various stops were perfect and did not feel rushed.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Haunted Austin Walking History Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 921 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $27Best value

Join a professional guide for a 90-minute evening walk through Austin’s darker past. Hear stories of murder, mayhem, and reported hauntings at the Driskill Hotel, Paramount Theatre, Dirty Sixth, and Speakeasy. Guides such as William, Will, Tyler, Audrey, and Shannon use photos and local history to bring the tales to life.

“The 10/2 Haunted Austin Walking History tour at 8pm was great! My best friend and I had a blast. I’ve been a frequent visitor over the years and have become pretty familiar with Austin, but this tour opened my eyes to a whole other side of Austin. The history is fascinating and our guide was detailed. The pricing was also decent. I would recommend this to anyone 21+ to enjoy the Speakeasy side, especially during October.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Austin Electric Bike Tour: Let it Ride

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 892 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $55

Ride a pedal-assist e-bike through Austin with guides such as Michael, Peter, Mark, and Robert. In about three hours, you’ll see Barton Springs, Zilker Park, South Congress murals, the Capitol, and Congress Bridge. The group is capped at 13, and the bike, helmet, guide, and water are included.

“Michael was an excellent guide. It was a great way to see the city. Lots of areas and fun facts we would never have come across otherwise. Highly recommend!”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Austin in a Nutshell Bike Tour with a Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 529 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $58

Ride about 6 to 7 miles through Austin with guides such as Pete, Michael, Toby, Mark, Rob, and Ace. You’ll use a regular hybrid bike, follow park and bike paths, visit the Capitol and Congress Avenue Bridge, and get local food and sightseeing tips. Morning and afternoon departures are available.

“The great information our guide gave us throughout the tour…..outstanding. Our guide had a plethora of historical knowledge about Austin.”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Austin Live Music Crawl

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 485 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $99

Join Austin Detours for a three-hour, 21-and-over music crawl in a Mercedes Sprinter van. Guides such as Ike, Joey, Kelty, Evan, and David lead small groups to two or three venues, mixing local music with Austin history. Entry is included, but food and drinks are not. The evening begins at 8 pm and usually ends around 11 pm.

“We visited three classic Austin Music spots, each was unique. Joey, our guide was great. He shared a lot of great information about the city, and the music scene.”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Austin Small Group Morning Walk

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 412 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $32

Start at Jo’s Coffee on West 2nd Street for a relaxed 75 to 90 minute walk through downtown Austin. Guides such as Tyler, William, Audrey, and Jake mix city history with practical tips on coffee, barbecue, restaurants, and live music. You’ll visit the Driskill lobby, Congress Avenue, the 2nd Street District, and Willie Nelson’s statue.

“A good orientation to Austin, including some history and culture. At times it seemed to promote certain businesses “so when you’re out tonight…”. A little heavy on the foodie scene. William did a great job on directing our small group , timing the lights. At the statue of woman and cannon, a family w a big stroller blocked the view. I wish he had asked the family to shift . He was spontaneous when policemen on horse was nearby. He took us over to the horses so people could pat them.. William is pleasant, Could talk a little less about himself. But he is a natural at tour guiding .”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Austin Good Vibes E-Bike Tours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 411 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $78

Ride an easy-to-use e-bike through Austin with a Good Vibes Guru such as Rooster or Hollywood. In about two hours, you’ll see murals, music landmarks, Lady Bird Lake, the Capitol, South Congress, and more than 15 city sights. The group is capped at 15, with helmets, water, walkie-talkies, and a rain poncho included.

“Hollywood was very informative around the area, he took his time explaining. He also waited for me and my wife making sure we all stayed together.”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Austin Guided Outdoor Climbing Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 386 reviews · 5 hours (approx.)

Meet your private Rock-About Climbing Adventures guide at Gus Fruh at 8:15 am for five hours of outdoor climbing in Austin’s Greenbelt. You’ll learn knots, belaying, climbing communication, and rappelling, with instruction adjusted to your level. Russell is praised for his patient coaching and local climbing stories.

“This was one of our favorite experiences during our time in Austin, if not our favorite!! My husband and I had never been outdoor climbing before but Russell was an absolutely amazing guide/ coach and made us feel so comfortable and taught us so many different things that we will hold on to! He is so knowledgeable, helpful, encouraging, and patient! We not only learned how to rappel, climb, tie the rope, etc but also about the history of climbing in the area and other interesting facts!! By the time we left we felt like we had been climbing for years!”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.The Escape Game: Epic 60-Minute Adventures in Downtown Austin

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 358 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $44

At The Escape Game Austin on Red River Street, you and your team get 60 minutes to complete a mission in one of eight themed rooms. A dedicated guide helps when needed. Choose from stories involving gold, prison, art theft, time travel, secret agents, science, school, or a cosmic crisis. Plan about 75 minutes total.

“Lots of fun. Staff friendly and helpful. Will go again. Challenging and a good exercise in team work.”

Check availability →Read our full review