Austin Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour: Explore Texan Culture

Embark on a self-guided driving tour of Austin, Texas and uncover the charm of Texan culture. Explore skyscrapers, green spaces, and quirky shops while diving into the city’s history and vibrant arts scene.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Bull Creek District Park - One of the things that made Austin a prime candidate to become the capital of Texas was its place along the Colorado River. This allowed lush greenery to bloom in an otherwise harsh and challenging environment, and the park up ahead showcases exactly that.

Note: This 19+ mile-long tour covers the essentials of Austin in 2-3 hours.

  • Pennybacker Bridge Overlook - Coming up in a minute is the Pennybacker Bridge Overlook, offering excellent views of the Colorado River and what locals simply refer to as the “360 Bridge.”
  • Wild Basin Preserve - This is Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve, home to over 200 acres of preserved wilderness and three miles of hiking trails. The preserve requires a small fee on weekends and holidays, but is free and totally open during weekdays.
  • Zilker Botanical Garden - Just ahead is the Zilker Botanical Garden, featuring 28 acres of local and exotic flora. Here you can see native succulents, prehistoric plants, and even a Japanese garden!
  • Barton Springs - This three-acre, spring-fed pool is a favorite swimming spot among locals, but it’s also much more than that! Here, you’ll also find a miniature train for kids and a community theater that puts on free shows for the public.
  • Paramount Theatre - See the big Paramount sign? That marks the historic Paramount Theatre, and it’s over 100 years old!

This Austin landmark got its start in 1915, when architect John Eberson designed what was originally called The Majestic.

  • Angelina Eberly Statue - Here’s what happened: In 1842, Austin was technically the capital of Texas. But it was a frontier town, seemingly at risk of being seized by Mexico at any moment.
What's Included
  • Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
  • Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
  • Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
  • Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
  • Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
  • Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
  • Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
  • Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!
What's Not Included
  • Attraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations
Additional Information

Embark on an enchanting self-driving journey to unravel the allure of Austin. Starting from the stunning Mount Bonnell, venture all the way to the vibrant city center, cruising past towering buildings, verdant parks, and idiosyncratic shops. Immerse yourself in the city’s past, teeming with iconic musicians, turmoil and a unique Texan ethos. With its diverse artistic vibe, scrumptious food trucks, and amazing panoramas, Austin is truly incomparable.

Contemplating enlarging your travel itinerary in the Southwestern United States? Consider undertaking a picturesque coastal drive in this region, traversing iconic metropolises like San Francisco and Los Angeles, and exploring the famous Californian national parks. If this sparks your interest, my Southwestern America Tour Package is tailor-made for you! This vast and breathtaking region beckons you to experience more than just one location.

The Southwest Package includes:
• Arizona (4 tours)
• California (14 tours)
• Colorado (2 tours)
• Texas (2 tours)
• Utah (7 tours)
• Wyoming (2 tours)

  • How to access: Once you book a tour, you’ll get a confirmation email with instructions. Follow the instructions right away: • Download the separate app • Enter the password • Download the tour • MUST DO while in strong wifi/cellular.
  • How to start the tour: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction. • Go to the starting point. (Note: no one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided). • The audio will begin automatically at the starting point. If you face audio issues, visit the FAQ. • Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
  • Amazing Savings: why pay for an expensive, crowded, and limited bus tour — priced per person! — when you can have ONE amazing audio guide on your OWN phone for your WHOLE group?
  • Flexibility and Convenience: • Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. It’s perfect for tailoring your exploration and revisiting your favorite spots on future trips. • Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace, free from the constraints of a group.
  • Comprehensive Tour Experience: •The app provides a full itinerary, travel tips, narrated audio stories, scripts, images, videos, and recommendations for additional activities. • Enjoy a private experience without the crowds, ideal for personalized stops and photo opportunities.
  • Ease of Use and Accessibility: • The app is hands-free and activates stories via GPS, offering support through call, chat, or email. • There is no need for a continuous cell or Wi-Fi connection as the GPS map works offline.
  • Memorable Keepsakes: • Utilize the app’s images to create a photo book or share on social media, ensuring you have high-quality, crowd-free memories from your trip.
  • Preparation: • After booking, download the app and the tour using a strong Wi-Fi connection. • Review the tour at home before your trip for a better experience.
  • Starting the Tour: • Open the app upon arrival at your destination. • Select the appropriate tour based on your starting point. • Head to the starting location; the audio will begin automatically. • Follow the suggested route and adhere to the speed limit for an optimal experience. • By following these instructions and taking advantage of the app’s features, users can enjoy a personalized, flexible, and in-depth exploration of their destination at their own pace and convenience.
  • Minimum Mobile OS Requirement: iOS 14 or later / Android 9 (Pie) or later. It is compatible with iPad models that have a GPS chip.
Location
3800 Mt Bonnell Rd
Mount Bonnell Road
After booking the tour, search your email for the phrase "Set up your self-guided tour now." Follow these instructions NOW to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until you are onsite.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.9
(15 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Jameshyunseoklim
Jul 21, 2024
Perfect for a self paced tour of Austin - Excellent. Exactly what we needed for our family. Self paced leisurely drive while avoiding the crowds and heat. The voice over was very entertaining with lots of interesting facts. The instructions were easy to follow as well. I actually recommended this tour to our friend who is an Austin native. The only things that probably need improvement is the tour of Austin city. With all the one way streets it was hard getting back on the right path to hear the audio guide again. I lost it when the guide recommended parking the car and walking the remaining spots. Austin in July you don't want to walk it. We drove it so the audio guide would intro a spot but with the moving traffic it would abruptly stop and then intro the next place of interest. I understand it was the walking section but unfortunately didn't hear the full audio guide. Overall, it was a great guide fairly priced as well. Great job guys. If I am back in the US in a different city I will pay for the tour gladly. Cheers!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pandjdmura
Apr 7, 2024
Enjoyed the app-tour very much - We were looking for something flexible to introduce us to Austin. A guided tour in our own car, on our own time schedule was just the thing! The tour was both driving and walking. A map showed where we were and when we arrived at a navigation point a message played. The information was informative and brief, so we were never driving past a point of interest before the message was complete. We also could stop and take extra time anyplace we pleased. It was very clever!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
145stephanies
Feb 27, 2024
Good intro to Austin-area history and high points, in a convenient, accessible format! - Directions were easy to follow, but definitely need 2+ in the car: 1 to drive, 1 to navigate. The narration was clear and basic. We got a kick out of his corny comments and he sounds like Casey Kassem. A great value at $15 and wonderful way for locals to show their visitors around.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nealf27472
Jan 26, 2024
Great way to see Austin - Excellent use of a morning . It was simple to use and blended well with CarPlay. Will definitely use again in other cities. I stopped at every mention of a special attraction which made the program last around 4.5 hours.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Roam312540
Jan 14, 2024
Good Value Tour - Was a good intro tour to some of the sights. We really Loved the Texas Capital Building and all of the history as we drove. Was good value.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Coastal11691934494
Jul 2, 2024
Hot Austin - It was 100deg F the day we did the tour so a driving tour was great and flexible. Information was balanced. It was historical and amusing. We were not aware of the walking parts but we stayed in the car and listened to the spots on the walking tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
V5660cestevem
Jun 10, 2024
Pretty Fun! - Technically, everything worked well. It was a little confusing at first to know that we needed to go to site number two for the program to continue. I thought each step would provide a better description of the particular site background, history, etc. It jumps in with a history of Texas rather than any description of what we’re seeing. To be honest, I wasn’t a big fan of that. I would have loved to know more about specific site. That seems to start at Pennybacker bridge which was interesting but prior to that not really. I hope this is helpful for other newbies.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nomad39957590775
Apr 10, 2024
Provided good overview of Austin while driving. - Great concept. Easy to use. Good overview of Austin. Could use more content on longer stretches. Would like to see upcoming turns displayed in similar fashion to Google maps along with speed limits. Looking forward to using the app on our future trips
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Passport651161
Feb 5, 2024
Frustrating until you figure it out. - The navigation does not hook up with my vehicle navigation system . After much frustration we discovered you use your phone for navigation and the audio routes into the vehicles radio. One road circuit in Austin has changed direction(one way road) and a short series of the tour was wrong. Once you figure the program out it works rather well.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Z5305ownancyb
May 7, 2024
Austin self-guided tour disaster - Nothing happened as described. Downloading was a challenge, so we asked for help or a refund. We were suggested to try it anyway to see if it did download. So we got in the car and went to the first starting point. We couldn’t get sound, or couldn’t get most attractions to come on. We jumped from 2-3 sequence spots frequently. We got lost near the beginning and started over, but little changed. Very frustrating! We were exhausted by the end due to the stress of the poorly performing tour, for both the driver and person running the program on our device. $16.99 wasted…and the gas in the car.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Select Date and Tickets
up to 4 guests
1
Traveler
September 2024
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Today