Our Most Popular Tour

The Story of Austin

Downtown History Walking Tour

Times vary seasonally

What’s this tour all about?

Tour guests appreciate the mix of traditional facts and entertaining historical tales on this engaging downtown Austin walking tour. The tour offers a thorough exploration of the city’s rich history, covering notable landmarks and the intriguing stories behind them. Learn about Austin’s evolution from its founding to its modern-day vibrancy. Reviewers describe the tour as both informative and enjoyable, ideal for visitors with varying levels of prior knowledge about Austin. This tour has a 5-Star rating as well as 100% recommendation rate on Tripadvisor/Viator.

All stops are outside, except the Driskill Hotel.

Topics include:

  • Texas/Austin general history

  • Historic Red Light District

  • Transportation History

  • Music History

  • Architecture (limited)

  • Keep Austin Weird

  • O Henry in Austin

  • Wild West Austin

  • True Crime

  • History of Historic 6th Street District

  • The Driskill Hotel

A large custom group tour poses for a picture in front of the O. Henry museum on 5th Street in Austin.

Where we Start:

Halcyon Coffee @ 4th & Lavaca St

Halcyon Coffee in the warehouse district in downtown Austin, Texas.

Located East of Congress Avenue in the heart of the Warehouse District, this 1900 warehouse has been one coffee house or another for over 40 years. Halcyon coffee opened here in 2001 serving up coffee, food, and cocktails.

If you need to use the restroom prior to your tour, you’ll need to let the barista know you are with the history walking tour.

Our first stop will be our longest stop. We’ll get you checked in, introduce the guide and the tour, and launch into some Texas & Austin history to provide context for the rest of the tour.

The Details:

Length, Duration, Price, etc

A tour guide speaks to a group inside the lobby of the Driskill Hotel.

  • 1.5 - 2 Hours

  • 1.1 Miles

  • Begins @ 4th & Lavaca St

  • Ends @ 4th & Congress Ave

  • $25/person

  • 13+ Age suggestion (Historic red light district, historical violence)

  • Times vary seasonally. Click Book Now to view the calendar.

What to know:

FAQ

A tour guide speaks to a group outside Antone's music venue on 5th Street in Downtown Austin.
A tour guide speaks to a group on the grounds of the Capitol building in Austin.

Weather:

Rain: Please keep an eye on the weather leading up to your tour. We will usually run the tour in the rain, so please cancel more than 24 hours in advance if this is going to be a problem for you.

Heat: It can get very hot in Austin. We try to stand you in the shade, but it may still be very hot. On hot days, it is important that you bring water with you on the tour.

Cold: Downtown can actually be a little colder on cold days due to wind. Please bring an extra layer on cold days. We typically keep on schedule if it snows.

Sitting, Wheelchairs, and Strollers:

It is not an issue for us to take a wheel-friendly route. If you show up with a wheelchair or stroller, the route will be accessible for you.

If you are on foot, please note that there are only a few opportunities to sit down on this tour.

Cancellation:

If there’s a booking, we show up. We don’t cancel due to low guest-count. We also don’t cancel due to rain, heat, or cold.

You may cancel up to 24 hours prior to your tour departure. You may reschedule your tour at any time. If you need help, please contact us directly.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Historic photo of the train station at the corner of Congress & 3rd.
Historic photo of Barton Springs Pool
City of Austin 1839 City plan, map of the original square mile.
Historic photo of the check in desk inside the Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas.
A bricklaying crew lays brick on 6th street in the early 1900's in front of O Henry Hall which was the Post Office at the time.
Protestors in the 1970's protesting adult movie theaters downtown.
Opening page of William Radam's Microbes and the Microbe Killer 1895 edition with photo of William Radam.
Historic Austin train station at the corner of 3rd and Congress in Austin, Texas.
Ben Thompson Lawman and Outlaw, Gunfighter and Austin City Marshall in 1881.
Partygoers enjoy live music in Austin in 1954
Historic drawing of original Capitol building at the corner of 10th and Congress Avenue in Austin.
Congress Avenue looking south from 8th street, circa 1880.