Welcome, ACL!

As someone who lives here and has for some time, the Austin City Limits Festival perhaps does not have the same allure as it does for others. I love music and I'm actually pretty envious of the people with tickets whom will be seeing some of my favorite artists this weekend, but the traffic, crowds, and influx of out-of-towners can, for me, turn that envy into impatience and mumbled curses. Nonetheless, I'm actually really excited to welcome those whom have come from high and low places to the beautiful city of Austin! Austin is so lovely, it is meant to be shared and thoroughly explored. So, if you're looking for things to do, places to see, and free internet to use, this little blog post is meant to be a big Austin Public Library welcome - and no library welcome would be complete without a rundown of the info you need to enjoy your trip:

Library Services:

• The Austin Public Library is a perfect place for out-of-towners to stop in for free internet access and book and magazine browsing at any of our 21 locations. All you need is a photo ID to use one of our computers or just bring in your laptop to hook up automatically to our wireless connection.


• Want to check out a book or two, like those Austin travel guides? Library cards are free to Texas residents that can show a photo ID and proof of current address.


• Check out our very cool used bookstore, Recycled Reads.


• Need help with anything or have questions about Austin? Ask a Librarian!

ACL Info:
ACL Website
Line-up info can be found here and you can also create your own printable schedule of the artists you want to see.

Austin City Limits, More Than Music
An article by the Austin Business Journal featuring some of the cool, non-food and non-music booths from "homegrown" companies you can expect to find at ACL.

PBS's Austin City Limits
The show that started it all. This Saturday the band Spoon will be playing on the show. Check out past artists on the show including clips from their performances and full episodes.

Getting Around:
As the ACL website encourages, respect the residents of Austin and do not park in the surrounding neighborhoods - use one of the many alternatives out there and don't worry about your car at all. For a complete list of transportation options, see the ACL website.

Austin Bike Shops
Listing of Austin area bike shops. According to the ACL website, this is the best mode of transportation to the Festival (and the healthiest)! You can even rent a bike from most of these shops, if you didn't bring yours along.

Austin Taxis and Taxi Alternatives

Capital Metro
Austin's public transit system; here's the info for the free ACL shuttles: http://www.capmetro.org/aclfest/

Capital Pedicab
You'll see them all around the downtown and Zilker park area this weekend

Transportation to and from Austin-Bergstrom Airport
All of your transportation options to and from ABI

Places to Go/Things to Do:
Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau
Info on shops, outdoor recreation, art and more

Austin, Texas
A guide to Austin from The New York Times

Best of Austin (2010)
The best of everything in Austin, from parks to pools to shopping, selected by the critics and readers of the Austin Chronicle

South Congress Avenue, Austin
This famous street is a major tourist attraction for its shops, restaurants, and atmosphere - you can read this article for free, but you must register with Texas Monthly (see the webpage for details).

Restaurants and Dining:
Austin360's Top 10 Restaurants

Austin Chronicle Restaurant Guide
Pick a type of food and the side of town you're on and you can pull up a list of all of the restaurants in the area complete with pricing info and a description.

Best Food & Drink in Austin (2010), Critics Picks
From the Austin Chronicle

Best Food & Drink in Austin (2010), Readers Picks

Where to Eat in Austin
From Texas Monthly