We did that already for Austin Mega Do 1. This time, the events are focused more in the north part of the city, so that is where the event hotel is. We may return to the downtown area as far as the event hotel is concerned in the future, but not for this Do.


No one is preventing anyone from visiting 6th Street during their time off. Indeed, no one has to stay at The Westin at The Domain. If they want to stay downtown and walk to live music on 6th Street, SoCo, or the Warehouse District, more power to them. They will just have to get themselves to The Westin if they want to catch the bus. Otherwise, they can stay wherever and with whoever they wish.

As an Austinite, I can tell you that the 6th st experience is NOT Austin, and it's NOT the Austin music scene.

Additionally, Austin isn't a walkable town, despite how it's advertised. The best way to describe is is an eclectic mix of neighborhoods and small communities all immediately adjacent to each other.

I hope it ends up being downtown.

My apologies, but what are you hoping ends up being downtown?

I don't think this Do is exactly intended for those who are visiting AUS for the first time, rather it's focus seems to be the 2nd in a series where a local and his friends share their perspective on Austin and all the amazing BBQ and foods the region has to offer.

I'm sure you can find many paid tours for the tourist stuff, as well as music focused tours, but the experience our host is providing is unique and IMHO priceless.

I'm extremely interested in attending as its my b-day weekend. I have subscribed to this thread. I see supershuttle is about $35 from the airport to the host hotel. Is there any ground transportation for the Thursday event? I dont drive and it seems everything is very spread out

If by ground transportation, you mean from the airport to the event hotel, no. You would be on your own for that.

Thursday's transportation to various events on the schedule will probably be provided by locals. I don't figure there to be more than 30 people in town, and able to attend, by the time 10 AM rolls around and we arive at Amy's Ice Cream. Anyone coming in after that will have to catch up to us however they can.

I will probably rent a passenger van for that day and Mackieman might do the same (he did last year). We just couldn't justify spending $800 on a tour bus to drive us around for that few folks.

We really like the Westin at the Domain but would not go up there other than with a rental car.

Also, there are a few things that we missed the last time around that we "must" get to this time. One of them is the LBJ Library which joined our "must" list after Cholula took us over to visit the fascinating Nixon Library located near his home in California last month.

And for anything other than eating breakfast or having cocktails in the hotel, you need wheeled transportation. As janetdoe averred above, almost nothing in Texas is within walking distance.

Count me as interested, I shall start my diet today.

^ ^ The approved procedure indeed.

I agree that a rental car will give anyone the best flexibility of scheduling there can be when visiting Austin, but for those on a budget, we'll do what we can to get them around town. I figure between out-of-towners with rental cars and locals with their own transportation, there will be a robust availability of transport before, during, and after sanctioned events on the itinerary.

Couldn't wait until 2014, eh, when I anticipate that, out of necessity, Austin Mega Do 3 will probably return to the downtown area? :) I really wanted to get us out further west towards Lake Buchanan and south to Fredericksburg in 2014, but I may have to give the sponsors a break the next time and do things closer in.

It's easier to just buy new pants...;)

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: I have complete wardrobes in three different sizes.

You know which one I am going to need after a weekend with Pa Kettle and Mackieman. :D

Just doing what we can with what we got. :D

You haven't been to The Domain recently. There's more than enough places to eat somewhere different every night, and there's a posh movie theater for entertainment (along with people watching, etc.).

It's on the outside edge of walking distance, but there's a MetroRail train station a mile from the Westin. They probably have a shuttle. That'll get you both north and downtown.