Top Austin Historical Tours

Skip searching for best things to do in Austin, and let real locals show you the best of the city's rich culture and history, with a little bit of that famous Central Texas Hill Country. This signature Austin tour covers 30 miles, 50+ points of interest, in 90 minutes (1.5 hours). You'll get to see iconic places such as the Texas Capitol, as well important cultural areas like the Six Square District in East Austin. Sit back and relax in the comfort of a Mercedes-Benz sprinter van as you explore the city and head into hill country. Even lifelong Texans can't believe these rolling hills and greenery are in their own state! Read the What to Expect section below to learn about the places you'll pass by as your Austinite guide gives you anecdotes and ideas for how to enjoy the rest of your trip in this counterculture capital. For those who want to get out and explore, consider the 2.5-hour version of this tour with stops along the way!

Hear the historical tales of murder and mayhem that helped make Austin weird on this haunted history tour of Texas's capital city. Join an acclaimed storyteller and a small group for a walking tour through Austin's supernatural nooks and creepy crannies, including a tour of the famous Driskill Hotel.

Get a comprehensive overview of Austin on this sightseeing tour. See famous landmarks along with hidden gems, real neighborhoods, and food trucks. Learn about Austin's history and culture with commentary from your guide and hear fun facts about the city that even the locals don't know. Plus, choose a morning or afternoon departure to easily fit this tour into your schedule.

In the year 1885 America’s first serial killer stalked the streets and alleyways of the young, emerging city of Austin. More terrifying than any ghost story, this monster brutally and systematically hacked eight women to death using an ax. For one calendar year, he terrified a city and came to be known as the “midnight assassin”. He was never captured and his identity remains a mystery or does it...? This tour is our longest at 1 hour 45 minutes and covers 2 miles of historic Austin including West 6th street, Guy Town, the Warehouse District and a drink stop at the iconic Driskill Hotel. The pace is leisurely and, in addition to a drink stop at the Driskill, (drinks not included), there are short rests along the journey. Join us on this exceptional true crime walking tour investigating exact crime locations and the various theories surrounding the midnight assassin. It’s a “killer” tour.

Make your own way to the bike shop at Zilker Park to meet your guide arriving 15 minutes before tour time. Get outfitted with your bike and helmet, then set out with your guide to see the best of Austin. Pedal along the hike-and-bike trail that runs through Zilker Park and around Lady Bird Lake. Turn north to check out the Italian Renaissance Revival of the Texas State Capitol building. Learn about the city's history as you roll through downtown. Head down Congress Avenue and over the Congress Avenue Bridge, where 1.5 million bats take shelter between the months of March to November. Continue to South Congress, Rainey Street, and the boardwalk trail. Get great photo opportunities throughout the bike tour.

Join Austin Ghosts for a walking ghost tour through some of the city's most haunted areas. The history of the capital of Texas offers shocking stories of forbidden lovers, heartbreaking suicides, brutal murders, and freak accidents. Some of the ghosts we will encounter are playful and harmless, but others are quite wicked and have committed some horrific crimes in their lifetimes. Hear tales of authentic hauntings that occurred in places like The Cathedral of Junk, the Hope Outdoor Gallery, and the Museum of the Weird, among countless oddball restaurants and vintage shops. Our unique collection of captivating and unnerving historical stories reveal what makes Austin one of the most compelling haunted cities in the country.

Retreat from the city for a day of wine tasting in Texas Hill Country. After meeting at a designated location, hop into a luxury limousine and visit three wineries just outside Austin, sampling several wines at each. The tour also stops for lunch at the renowned Salt Lick restaurant in Driftwood - cost of lunch not included.

There's nothing better than getting to know a city from a local, and that's exactly what you can expect on this 2.5-hour tour (with stops). Your Austinite guide will share stories about the fun-loving Texas capital aboard a 14-passenger convertible Mercedes-Benz sprinter van. This unique vehicle, which is open air, is also equipped with sanitized headsets that you can use to get to know Austin through conversations, with English and Spanish language options. See all the local hangouts, hip and historic neighborhoods, and beautiful Central Texas Hill Country. Along the way, you'll get out to stretch for pictures and scenery on 3-4 stops that could include the the Driskill Hotel, Barton Springs, and the award-winning Austin Public Library. Read the What to Expect section below to learn more about what you will see and where you will stop to visit on this ultimate guided tour of Austin.

Get to know Austin on a leisurely morning walk with a nationally acclaimed storyteller as your guide. Learn little-known stories about the city, get inside tips on the best coffee shops, restaurants, and live music venues, and explore the city like a local. This tour helps you avoid tourist traps to make the most of your visit to Austin. Great for kids and adults alike, learn about the city in a fun, low-key way.

Go sightseeing in Austin by Segway on a 1.5-hour tour that allows you to cover more ground than other types of tours. Get an overview of downtown Austin and capture numerous photo ops as you pass by the Texas State Capitol Building, Congress Avenue, Warehouse Entertainment District, Lady Bird Lake, the historic Driskill Hotel, and other landmarks.

Save time looking up bus schedules and opt for this hassle-free Austin sightseeing bus tour instead. Travel on a loop around the city that passes by top landmarks in Austin’s downtown area. Along the way, listen to commentary from a guide, get great photos from the top deck, or sit in the climate-controlled lower deck. Highlights include 6th Street, The Museum of the Weird, The Driskill hotel, Texas State Capitol, and the Texas Governor’s Mansion.

Our experienced tour guides will take you on a fun and informative tour of Austin in a relaxing open air pedicab. You'll amble through all the sites of downtown, including the Capitol, Governors Mansion, Pecan St, Lady Bird Lake and more. Great for couples, friends and families of all ages. The tour moves at your own pace and is individually tailored to your group.

Discover another side of Austin on a 2.5-hour Segway tour that features bats and ghosts. Offered from March to October, this nighttime ride through downtown Austin visits haunted hotels and buildings, famous landmarks, and the world’s largest urban bat colony. See the Texas State Capitol Building, Lady Bird Lake, Austin Convention Center, the 6th Street Entertainment district, Moonlight Towers, and more

Discover the highlights of Austin along with several local breweries during this half-day beer tasting and bike tour. Pedal past landmarks including the Texas State Cemetery and the Texas State Capitol, and stop for sudsy refreshments at three breweries. Your guide shares commentary about the city and breweries on a moderate level bike tour that is suitable for most people with biking experience. Bike gear and beers are included.

Experience Austin like never before on this guided Segway tour. Learn about the history of Austin while rolling past the Texas State Capitol, the Driskill Hotel, historic Sixth Street, the hip strip of South Congress Avenue and much more. Guided Segway training plus all the necessary equipment and photos from the tour are included. Dress in weather-appropriate clothes with flat, closed-toed shoes.

Explore historic downtown Austin on an informative and fun 2-hour Segway tour. See many of Austin’s historic landmarks including the Texas State Capitol building, the Driskill Hotel, and the Austin Convention Center, and roll along the 6th Street music district, the Texas Walk of Fame, and Congress Avenue, and more.

Experience Texas Hill Country while exploring the life of U.S. President and Texas native son Lyndon Johnson. After a convenient hotel pickup, visit Johnson’s “Texas White House,” his reconstructed boyhood home (now a national park), and the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site. Learn about the cowboys and German immigrants who shaped the region, stop by historic Fredericksburg, and visit the legendary country music town of Luckenbach.

Lady Bird Lake is a popular nature escape in the heart of downtown Austin, complete with scenic footbridges, lakeside parks, and skyline views. Ideal for families and outdoor enthusiasts, this cycling tour allows you to escape city traffic and cruise around the Lady Bird Hike and Bike Trail, which spans 10 miles (16 kilometers) and loops around the lake’s shoreline.

See popular landmarks as you exercise on this guided running tour around downtown Austin. Run at a casual, accommodating pace through the streets of the city passing by Lady Bird Lake, the capitol building, the Governor’s Mansion, Congress, Ave, the Bat Bridge, and more. There are multiple guides on the tour, so it’s easy to go at your own pace or walk.

It's easy to book an Austin sightseeing bus tour, but a crammed coach is no way to enjoy the famous Texas sunshine. To enjoy Austin's balmy weather, and see the city's top sights, travelers shouldn't miss this attraction-packed Segway tour. Visit the Seaholm Power District and Texas State Capitol, cruise Congress Avenue, and stop for selfies with statues of two of Austin's most famous musicians. Wrap up your tour at Auditorium Shores, and take in fantastic skyline views.

Get more out of a night on the town with this spooky Austin pub crawl, complete with the haunted history of this historic city. Starting in Downtown Austin, you walk to several bars on your tour, each of which is housed in an historic building. As you drink up, enjoy your guide's narration about the legends—and ghost stories—of Austin's most haunted places. Though you need to purchase drinks, the eerie stories are included.

Austin's ONLY Adults-only Ghost Tour The Murder by Gaslight Ghost Tour is a thought-provoking Ghost Tour that explores murder and the afterlife in Victorian-Era Austin. Get to know the darker side of human nature - you might even leave the tour questioning your own being The Murder by Gaslight Ghost Tour contains mature themes and language.

Relax in an open air pedicab as our knowledgable tour guide rides you around to all the venues and sites that gave this city the title - Live Music Capital of the World. Stops include Willie Nelson Statue, Stevie Ray Vaughan statue, Antones- Home of the Blues, Armadillo World Headquarters, Janis Joplin Mural and many more. The pedicab is equipped with a stereo to play music from local legends. This is a private tour and can be customized to your group.

Explore Austin in style with this small-group tour in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter that’s equipped with a convertible top. Having a driver means no navigation worries, and plenty of time to enjoy the views and take photos. Highlights include the University of Texas campus, the Texas State Capitol, and lots of historic sites and impressive murals along the way. As well as driving between sites, there’s time to hop off the bus and explore places on foot too.