Welcome to Austin

“The city lies against and below two short spiny ribs of hill. One of the little rivers runs round and about, and from the hills it is possible to view the city overall and draw there from an impression of sweet curving streets and graceful sweeping lawns and the unequivocally happy sound of children always at play . . . Occasionally through the trees, and always from a point of higher ground, one can see The University of Texas tower and the Capitol building. On brilliant mornings the white sandstone of the tower and the Capitol’s granite dome are joined for an instant, all pink and cream, catching the first light.
Nestled in the heart of the Texas hill country lies a sprawling metropolitan area known for its unique combination of business, higher learning, government and quality of life. Austin conforms elegantly to its setting, with streets curving to miss trees, creeksrunning through the center of town and deer loping through the winding hills of Westlake and Lakeway. In short, sense of place pervades the Texas capital. Austin, Texas is truly a city where legends are made and dreams are realized.”
– Billy Lee Brammer, The Gay Place

Each year Austin pops up on national ranking lists, bringing the city publicity and reinforcing Austin’s high quality of life. Yet for those who live in Austin, day-to-day experiences count more than statistics on paper.

Austin is a forward-thinking city that has gained global attention for its technological innovation and business growth in various industry sectors. At the same time, Austin is still a medium-sized city populated by residents with a strong sense of local pride and love for the city’s laid back way of life. It is this happy medium between progress and preserving the Austin way of life that only those who live in the city can truly appreciate.