4 Best RV Parks in Austin, TX

Located in Travis County and stretching out into Hays and Williamson counties in the very center of Texas, Austin is the Lone Star State's capital city and ranks as the fourth most populous city in all of Texas and the 11th most populous in the entire United States. It's one of the fastest-growing cities in the country and currently houses over 950,000 people, with over 4.2 million in the full Austin metropolitan area. CDC information for travelers. Hours/availability may have changed.

4 Best RV Parks in Austin, TX

• RV Parks in Austin, TX, Photo: Charly Hafner/stock.adobe.com
• Austin Lone Star RV Resort , Photo: FotoKachna/stock.adobe.com
• Austin RV Park North, Photo: Iuliia Sokolovska/stock.adobe.com
• Midtown RV Park , Photo: Iuliia Sokolovska/stock.adobe.com
• Evergreen RV Park, Photo: Tomasz Zajda/stock.adobe.com
• Cover Photo: Tomasz Zajda/stock.adobe.com

Attraction Spotlight: Blanton Museum of Art

Located at the University of Texas at Austin, the Blanton Museum of Art is one of the most renowned university art museums in the United States. The Blanton Museum of Art is home to approximately 18,000 pieces of art. Their extensive permanent collection features various art forms from all corners of the world.

In 1963 the Blanton Museum of Art was founded as the University Art Museum in the Art Department building of the University of Texas at Austin. One year after the museum was founded, Donald Goodall became the first director. From 1965 to the early 1990s, the University Art Museum was spread out across various locations on the University of Texas at Austin’s campus. During the direction of Jessie Otto Hite, Mari Michener donated $5 million to the University Art Museum to use to construct a permanent museum building with adequate space.

Shortly after Mari Michener made that large donation, the board of trustees campaigned to construct the new museum building, The Houston Endowment, Inc. made a donation of $12 million in the honor of Jack S. Blanton, who was their current chairman. In early 2003, construction began on the new museum’s building. Once construction began, the board of trustees decided to change the name of the museum to Blanton Museum of Art.

In recent years, the Blanton Museum of Art has continued to expand artistically and architecturally. Small renovations have been made to expand the space and potential of the Blanton Museum of Art.

European Art contains a variety of art work that dates back from 1350 to 1850. This collection contains a variety of sculptures from Greece and Rome, as well as Italian Renaissance art. Some of the featured artists include; Jacopo Bassano, Parmigianino, and Sebastiano del Piombo.

American & Contemporary features over 4,000 drawings, sculptures, paintings, and newer art forms that range from 1875 to the present day. Concentrations in this exhibit include; early American modernism, Pop, Social Realism, and American West.

Latin American showcases approximately 2,000 pieces of art that depict the diversity and significance of art within Mexico, the Caribbean, and South and Central America. This collection is ranked among the oldest, largest, and most expansive of its kind in the United States.

Prints & Drawings is home to the largest collection within the Blanston Museum of Art. With over 14,000 pieces of art, Prints & Drawings showcase the characteristics, processes, and historical significances of these art forms. Featured artists include Rembrandt and Picasso.

Like most renowned museums, the Blanton Museum of Art regularly hosts special attractions throughout the year. Since it is close to the end of the year, the Blanton Museum of Art only has two special attractions. Be sure to check out the list of current special attractions on the Blanton Museum of Art’s website prior to visiting.

Xu Bing: Book from the Sky features artwork from Xu Bing, one of the most famous and renowned Chinese artists. Xu Bing’s work is regarded as a global piece of art that is a masterpiece of the 20th century. Various books, scrolls, and wall panels are displayed throughout this exhibit to resemble the innovative and revolutionary nature of the original context. This exhibit will be on display until January 22, 2017.

Warhol by the Book is the first exhibit to examine Andy Warhol’s personal life and career throughout the usage of books. This innovative exhibit showcases almost every book project that Warhol completed, even ones from his childhood. Over 250 objects that date across five decades are showcased within this exhibit. Many objects in Warhol by the Book are being displayed for the first time. Check out this intimate and revolutionary exhibit prior to January 29, 2017.

Since the Blanton Museum of Art is situated among the University of Texas at Austin’s campus, it shouldn’t be a surprise that education is extremely important to the museum. The Blanton Museum of Art has a variety of educational opportunities that include; university programs, school programs for Pre-K to 12th grade students, interactive family programs, art classes, and even a public study center that is geared towards people who are interested in studying art.

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200 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Austin, TX 78712, Phone: 512-471-5482

Attraction Spotlight:Texas State Capitol

Widely considered as one of the most distinguished state capitol buildings in the United States, the Texas State Capitol in Austin, TX was listed in 1970 on the National Register of Historic Places. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1986. Spaces within the State Capitol were identified based on their architectural and historical significance in the 1990's during the restoration of the building. These spaces were returned back to their 1888-1915 appearance by preservationists, and include reproduction and original furniture, decorative elements, and artwork. The State Capitol building's grandeur is showcased through these significant spaces. These spaces, however, still remain functional for the current state government.

Austin was established as the capital of the Republic of Texas in 1839. The Capitol started out as a log cabin containing two large rooms and several smaller meeting rooms. A stockade fence surrounded the building to protect it from Indian raids. Three million acres were authorized by the Constitution of 1876 to create a new Capitol in the Texas Panhandle. A nation-wide contest was announced in 1880 for the new Capitol design. The winner was Elijah E. Myers, an architect from Detroit. The new Texas State Capitol was officially dedicated on May 16 in 1888, during which Congress Avenue was lined with crowds.

The Visitors Center of the Texas State Capitol is located in a building that dates back to 1856-1857. The castle-like building is three stories and is the state's oldest building containing state offices. The Capitol Grounds surround the Texas Capitol and span around twenty-two acres. The historic South Grounds were restored in 1955-1956 to return them back to their 1888-1915 park-like appearance. The restoration also included vital updates such as accessible walkways, lighting, water-conserving irrigation, and fire protection.

The Texas State Capitol offers free guided tours that lead visitors through the Capitol's key areas, as well as provide information about the building, the Texas legislature, and the history of the state. Tours begin in the South Foyer, outside the tour office, and usually depart ever thirty to forty-five minutes. Each tour typically last about thirty minutes. Tours in a language other than English may be available if requested in advance.

Themed tours are also available at different times of the year. One such tour is the Women in Texas History tour that highlights women's contributions in the state. Texas-sized heroes involved in the 1836 fight for independence are featured in the Heroes of the Texas Revolution tour. October brings about the Rest in Peace tour, featuring haunting tales and urban myths of the Capitol. A Holiday Tour is offered during the first three weeks in December, showcasing the architecture that was the inspiration behind the annual Capitol Ornament, as well the different holiday traditions of the state's ethnic cultures. The artwork of Influential artists of Texas are the focus of the Early Texas Artists in the Capitol tour. These works of art are displayed throughout the Capitol building.

112 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas, Phone: 512-463-4630

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Attraction Spotlight: LBJ Presidential Library

The LBJ Presidential Library, situated on thirty acres of the campus of The University of Texas at Austin, is one of the National Archives and Records Administration's fourteen presidential libraries. Over forty-five million documents are contained within the library. There is also an extensive collection of audiovisuals, including 5,000 hours of recordings, over 650,000 photographs, and 54,000 historical items donated by President and Mrs. Johnson, their friends and family, and the citizens of America.

The Civil Rights exhibit at the LBJ Presidential Library is dedicated to the Civil Rights legislation that was passed during LBJ's administration. The exhibit features the desk on which the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. It also includes letters from people who benefited from social programs, such as Head Start, and an interactive table that illustrates how a pill is passed. Also included in the library is the November 22, 1963 exhibit which focuses on the transition of power to President Johnson after John F. Kennedy's assassination. It showcases important artifacts from that infamous day and the ones that followed.

The library's Legacy Gallery focuses on the impact of the legislation passed by LBJ on the United States. Anyone who has visited a national park, uses Medicare, received college financial aid, or has ever watched PBS has been impacted by legislation passed by President Johnson. His Great Society vision covered such an array of topics that it's near impossible to not be effected by LBJ's presidency. His legislation significantly changed everyday life in the United States, from the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act to requiring wearing seat belts.

The Social Justice Gallery highlights the reasons why much of the legislation passed by President Johnson was needed, as well as graphics and descriptions of the legislation. Such legislation includes Civil Rights, Medicare, education, The War on Poverty, consumer protections, public broadcasting, his Great Society vision, and beautification. LBJ wanted to create a nation where all Americans had opportunities. Back then, over twenty-five percent of the population didn't have a high school education, and over twenty percent were living in poverty. President Johnson desired to spend his time in office fixing these problems, as well as bring opportunity to those without it. By the end of presidency, Johnson had reduced the percentage of the population living in poverty from twenty to twelve.

A replica of President Lyndon B. John's Oval Office is also present in the LBJ Presidential Library on the tenth floor. The exhibit duplicates the White House office at 7/8th scale exactly as it looked during his presidency, including his books, the desk used during his days in the Senate through his years in the White House, and a portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt. According to Johnson, FDR was his inspiration to go into public office. Visitors can also listen to the telephone conversation during which LBJ requested the Oval Office exhibit be added to the library.

2313 Red River Street, Austin, Texas, Phone: 512-721-0200

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