Austin, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
1) You’re weird, like me. First came the bumper stickers. Next were the tie-dyed T-shirts. Now you’ll find “Keep Austin Weird” (originally a slogan urging support of local retailers like BookPeople and Waterloo Records) stamped on everything from oversized coffee mugs to mouse pads.
But even if commercialism is, as many natives fear, on the rise in the Texas capital, odd-tastic residents—like the Austin Lounge Lizards (“the most laughable band in show business”), cross-dressing street person and three-time mayoral candidate Leslie Cochran, and the colony of bats that summers beneath the Congress Avenue Bridge —aren’t giving up their eclectic home without a fight.

Want to seek out the city’s kookier side? Check out SoCo, a funky neighborhood highlighted by several offbeat S. Congress Avenue shops, then take a bat-viewing cruise aboard the Lone Star Riverboat. Catch a “Weird Wednesday” midnight show at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, or, if you’re in the mood for an evening stroll, walk on the wild side in the 6th Street and Red River nightlife districts, where you’ll find at least one mosh pit, several tattoo parlors and a museum dedicated to all things weird. 

2) You make mouths water. Whatever you may be in the mood for, Austin’s got you covered—whether it’s the lip-smacking ribs of The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que or slurp-worthy pho broths. And, while a nice sit-down meal is certainly at your fingertips at such upscale spots as Uchi and Wink, this city keeps your foodie cash flow in check with the finest in Airstream cuisine. There’s the Crepes Mille food truck in SoCo, which serves up savory and sweet crepes along with views of the Texas State Capitol; the long-but-totally-worth-it line for Odd Duck Farm to Trailer’s inventive morsels; and Lulu B’s, where fresh Vietnamese sandwiches are happily devoured beneath a sinewy tree just off S. Lamar Boulevard. (More on the Austin food cart scene)

Of course, when I’m in town, pretty much the only thing my belly wants is Gourdough’s, known for such sinfully delicious doughnut creations as the Flying Pig, featuring maple syrup icing and bacon, and the Son of a Peach, with peach filling and cake mix topping. Yum!


3) You rock. It doesn’t matter if the songs are slow and bluesy, the singer is wearing a cowboy hat or the audience is a gaggle of goth kids—Austin lives up to its “Live Music Capital of the World” title. You’ll find today’s trendsetters rapping, crooning and wailing on guitars at about 200 venues scattered throughout the area, including a few local institutions where legends like Janis Joplin and Willie Nelson once jammed.

Even if you’re without wheels, Austin’s compact downtown area makes concert-hopping a breeze. Before the night is over you’ll likely have danced your way through the trendy Warehouse District, made more than a few pit stops on historic 6th Street and found your new favorite indie band at Stubb’s or Emo’s in the edgy Red River District.

As if all this weren’t enough, the city also hosts several melodious annual events, from South by Southwest (SXSW), one of the country’s largest music festivals, to the 3-day Austin City Limits Music Festival, named after the popular PBS program taped on the University of Texas at Austin campus.

4) You’re green, one of my favorite colors. Though one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation, this urban destination isn’t all concrete and steel. Because the grassroots initiatives of eco-conscious Austinites have made this one of the greenest cities on the planet, the Texas capital also is made up of environmentally friendly and recycled materials (much of City Hall, which earned LEED Gold certification in 2006, was built with reprocessed resources). And the city’s tree-hugging ways are only getting more ambitious: By 2020, government leaders plan to meet at least 20 percent of Austin’s energy needs entirely with renewable sources. In addition 15 percent of Austin’s land is devoted to green space, and lush landscapes weave through the metropolitan area, which lays claim to more than 200 parks, over a dozen nature preserves and 25 greenbelts.

With such divine natural scenery constantly beckoning, it’s a wonder residents get any work done. But, then again, perhaps views of verdant hills and sun-kissed waters inspired the founders of Whole Foods Market to start their health food empire here in 1980. With its corporate headquarters still located in downtown Austin, the country's first national certified organic grocer now operates more than 270 stores in North America and the United Kingdom.

5) You get me in shape in spite of reason #2. Thankfully, it’s easy to burn off extra calories in Austin, without ever setting foot in a gym. Instead, climb the 99 steps to the top of Mount Bonnell  to get your heart pumping; reach the summit and you’ll be rewarded with gorgeous views of Lake Austin, the city skyline and the surrounding Hill Country.

If you’d prefer to don a bicycle helmet or to slip on a pair of running shoes, a scenic 10-mile recreation trail stretches along the banks of Lady Bird Lake. Spanned by several bridges, the reservoir divides Austin in half and is often traversed by well-conditioned sculling crews clad in burnt orange Longhorns tees. Just off the Lady Bird Lake Trail, Zilker Metropolitan Park offers a picture-perfect setting for a casual morning swim—at Barton Springs Pool, you can dip your toes in tepid waters fed by an underground spring. For a hardcore workout, hike the 8-mile Barton Creek Greenbelt to discover the city’s most serene spots.

No matter where you venture, you’re apt to meet a few health-conscious natives along your route—Forbes ranked the state capital among America’s 10 fittest cities in 2010. Plus, thousands of able-bodied athletes inundate the area during both the Statesman Capitol 10K in April and October’s LIVESTRONG Challenge Ride for the Roses, promoted by road-racing cyclist and Texas native Lance Armstrong. (For cycling gear, check out Armstrong’s Austin bike shop, Mellow Johnny’s, at 400 Nueces St.)

There aren’t too many places on earth that ooze Austin’s brand of free-spirited appeal, but maybe that’s a good thing. How could anyone not love a place where insect-munching bats peacefully coexist with doughnut aficionados and ironmen, hippies and new agers, and cowboys and aspiring rock gods? Austin charms because it is a little weird—here’s hoping it always stays that way.