Known for being down-home and sophisticated, laid-back yet bustling with high energy, traditional and avant-garde at the same time, Austin defines coolness. Yet, Austinites remain individualistic and embrace traditions that brand the city’s unique, often quirky, identity. For instance, thousands flock downtown to Congress Avenue Bridge nightly, April through October, to watch more than 1.5 million Mexican free-tail bats take flight at dusk.

As home to the University of Texas and 52,000 college students, the city is awash in burnt orange and white in the fall when the University of Texas Longhorns take to the football field. Aside from politics, nothing strikes up a heated discussion more quickly than trying to name the best barbecue around. From festivals spotlighting today’s arts and music to museums showcasing a rich and varied history, Austin possesses a wealth of cultural offerings. Over the past two decades, the small university town where Willie Nelson sought respite in the 1970s to brand his own unique musical style, grew into a big city with a glittery skyline and more than 1.2 million people in the metropolitan area.

An incubator for creativity, the Capital City of Texas is alternately dubbed “Live Music Capital of the World,” “City of Ideas,” and “Silicon Hills” in tribute to a high-tech industry that includes the headquarters of Dell Computer and IBM Corp.

Reprinted, with permission of the publisher, from 50 FABULOUS GAY-FRIENDLY PLACES TO LIVE (www.FabCities.com) © 2005 Gregory A. Kompes. Published by Career Press, Franklin Lakes, NJ. 800-227-3371. All rights reserved.