Austin · DOWNTOWN AUSTIN WALKING TOURS
19 reviewed
Under the glass towers there is an older Austin worth slowing down for. Here are the best downtown walking tours: the pink-granite Capitol, the Driskill’s marble lobby, murals that change block to block, and the honky-tonks that were here first, with prices, distances, and which routes work best in the Texas heat.
Haunted Austin walking tour at dusk: Driskill Hotel stories, Paramount ghost photos, and a Speakeasy start. 90 minutes, $27.50.
“Will was a great knowledgeable and friendly tour guide ! He knew a lot of history about Austin as well !”
A small-group downtown Austin morning walk with a storyteller guide, coffee-shop start, Driskill Hotel inside stop, and then-and-now photo history.
“A great introduction to Austin! Lots of great historic tidbits and info in recent changes. Wonderful tour guide. Highly recommend.”
Austin Haunted Pub Crawl pairs ghost stories with downtown bar stops. Walk about 2 hours at 8pm, with drinks bought on your tab.
“I would like to start off by saying our tour guide himself was very nice and informative. However, the tour itself was severely disappointing and badly organized. A major problem was the size of the group. Since there were so many of us (about 25), we had literally no time at all to order drinks. At the very first place we visited, the guide ushered us out when we hadn’t had a chance to receive the drink we ordered, and many of the group that did have a chance to order didn’t have a chance to enjoy their drinks. Unfortunately we had already paid and were forced to leave our…”
A 2-hour downtown Austin walk that links 6th Street music, literary Austin, and the Driskill Hotel’s real stories for $32.
“This tour was awesome. Emily was great! She is very knowledgeable about the area. Learned a lot, very interactive, so glad we booked this.”
A 2-hour Austin downtown history walk with expert storytelling, a guided stop inside the Driskill Hotel, and real context for music culture.
“Caroline was a great guide! Very enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and all around great vibes. It was great to brush up on my US/Texan history.”
A family-friendly haunted walk through Austin’s Capitol, Driskill Hotel, and Governor’s Mansion with spooky local lore.
“Our tour guide was very friendly and sweet. She knew so much about Austin, and she made the experience very memorable!”
A 90-minute downtown Austin history walk with local stories, a 20% Jo’s Coffee discount, and an included Driskill Hotel lobby visit.
“The tour could use more concrete destinations like venues and parks.”
A 2-hour small-group Austin walk linking Tito’s roots, Willie Nelson, Lady Bird Lake, Rainey Street, and a classic Driskill finish for $40.
“Our tour guide showed up 5 minutes late, did not wear the tour co shirt. Told us he had texted that he was late, which he had not. He was someone substituting for an actual tour guide. Jake did not know that the bar at the end of the tour is closed for reno. Don’t waste your money! Buy a book, walk around town and save $100”
Austin taco walk with three tastings, dessert, and downtown sights. Small group, 2 hours, $99, guided in English.
“The guide was fantastic. The group was supposed to be small - around 4 and that morning he got informed he would having 12. He made it work (much to his credit and hard work with the restaurants) but it makes me question booking again with Viator.”
Austin’s Haunted Pub Crawl is a 2-hour walk with a live guide through historic bars, including Driskill Hotel and Buffalo Billiards.
“There was nothing to see - lots of walking and stops designed to make us purchase expensive drinks along the way -only very lengthy stories by an older woman who at the end literally almost forced us to tip her in front of the whole group. This one wasn’t great”
A small-group haunted Austin pub walk with ghost stops at historic sites and local bars, starting at Shiner’s Saloon and ending back downtown.
“Honestly, this is pretty much a rip off and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. The advertisement for this experience is misleading and untrue.”
Austin’s spooky 1-mile night walk with US Ghost Adventures, led by a local guide, featuring haunted spots like the Driskill.
“The tour was fun and our guide Vincent very knowledgeable. He made the tour fun and informative, teaching us about the town's history along the ghost stories. Would recommend to anyone!”
Follow 1885 Austin murders on a 90–120 min true-crime walk from Congress Ave to the Driskill. $55, mobile ticket.
“Was amazing, guide was so knowledgeable, the tour was one of the highlights of our Austin trip. 100% recommend”
Walk Austin’s downtown music stops from the Moody Theater to Stubbs BBQ, with guided history, included venue entry, and a small group.
“Vic was a great tour guide and was super for coming out on a very hot Friday morning when I was the only one who had booked! He was very knowledgeable about Austin's music scene and gave me a great overview of the history of how everything has evolved over the past 50+ years.”
A 90-minute Austin walk through bribery, gunfights, serial killers, and Madam’s Row, led by Emily and ending at Halcyon.
“Emily is a fantastic tour guide. Her stories are really interesting all based on historic events. We would definitely recommend her tours.”
