Category Archives: Austin

The Industry, Education and Healthcare in Austin

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The phenomenal growth in Austin is spurred by the presence of vital structures in the field of industry, education and healthcare. Through the years, major developments have been made from these three fields which propelled the city to be ranked third in Money magazine’s “Best Places to Live In” in 2009. With a notable education system, a thriving industry and an excellent healthcare network, Austin is certainly the best place for you and your family to settle in.

 

Austin is a respected and well-known center for education. There are top-ranked universities that can be found in this place. Among them is the famous University of Texas in Austin. This university is the largest in this area with an immense enrollment of up to 50,000 students. Other noteworthy educational institutions situated here include St. Edwards University, Huston-Tillotson College and Concordia University at Austin.

 

When it comes to the industry sector, Austin is famous for being home to many computer and technological companies. Big-time companies that can be found here include the Dell Corporation, the IBM Austin Research Laboratory and the Freescale Semiconductor. Because of the large numbers of computer-related industries making a base in Austin, this city earned the nickname of “The Silicone Hills of the Southwest”.

 

The people of Austin are well-provided with an excellent number of healthcare facilities. St. David’s Healthcare, a major healthcare network in Austin operates four big hospitals and several outpatient surgery centers, occupational health services and rehabilitation clinics. Seton Healthcare Network, another major healthcare provider, runs seven hospitals which include the University Medical Center Brackenridge, Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas, Seton Medical Center Austin, Seton Northwest Hospital, Seton Southwest Hospital, Seton Shoal Creek Hospital, and Central Texas Rehabilitation Hospital.

Places You Can Visit for Free in the City of Austin

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Austin, the capital of the Lone Star State, boasts of wonderful surroundings and many beautiful metropolitan attractions. If you think that visiting the place will have you spending lots of money, you’re wrong. There are many places you can visit in Austin city which you can do for free.

One of the top spots that you can venture out for great sights and relaxing atmosphere is the Zilker Park. This is a public place which hosts several distinctive areas such as the Barton Springs pool where you can go swimming and the Zilker Botanical Garden where you can immerse yourself in the beauty of rose gardens and butterfly trails.

Another free site where there is no entrance fees imposed is the Texas Capitol Building. If you’re fond of cultural and arts explorations, you will have a field day in this place as there are several monuments and iconic historical buildings that you’ll find. You can explore the grounds of the University of Texas which is situated on it and find a great niche for picnicking on its open and grassy lawns.

When it is summertime, you can try heading out to the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue bridge and watch the nighttime flight of hundreds of thousands of bats. Mexican free-tailed bats migrate and make a home out of the crevices under the bridge during summer. Their flight at twilight can be quite fascinating and this is an activity which you can do together with your friends or family without spending any money.

Barton Creek Greenbelt in South Austin

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Barton Creek Greenbelt is a great destination for outdoor recreation in the southern part of Austin. It encompasses around 800 acres of landscape that stretches from Zilker Park towards the Lost Creek Subdivision. The land in this Greenbelt zone features wooded trails which are ideal for biking. There are also shallow water areas great for swimming and limestone cliffs where more adventurous visitors can go rock-climbing.

Barton Creek Greenbelt is divided into three distinct sections: the Barton Creek Wilderness Park, the Upper Greenbelt and the Lower Greenbelt. Because of the diverse terrains in the area, many activities can be carried out by tourists usually comprised of visiting families. You should be aware that the Greenbelt has a curfew imposed in which you cannot access the place from 10pm until 5am. Dogs can be brought into the area but they must be kept on leashes.

Biking is a favorite activity that people elect to do in this place. Due to varying terrains, it poses various levels of difficulty for the bikers. There is a main Greenbelt trail that people can follow. But if you want to veer away from the main thoroughfare, there are also a good number of back trails that you can explore. The only problem with this Greenbelt bike trail is that they can get muddy during heavy rains to which park officials kept them close.

Swimming is another popular activity with the presence of numerous waterfalls and natural swimming holes. This commonly occurs during spring. In summer, however, the watering holes dry up leaving people with no place to swim under the intense heat.