St Edward's - nearby hotels

My son will be attending St. Ed%26#39;s in the fall and we will be in the last weekend of June for orientation. Can someone recommend a hotel/motel, pref $100/nightish. Also, is there one fabulous thing we need to show him to make him fall in love with the city? I want him to really love his new home for the next 4 years!!!!!!! Thanks for your help.

St Edward's - nearby hotels

I would head straight down Congress (maybe take the bus to get used to it)to Lady Bird Lake (used to be Town Lake) to the hike/bike trails. Walk along the trails to Zilker Park and cool off at Barton Springs Pool!

There is a Wyndham Garden Hotel on the east side of I-35, about half a mile from the university. Otherwise, it might be just as well to look closer to downtown.

St Edward's - nearby hotels

I%26#39;d suggest a downtown hotel, even if it%26#39;s a bit more than you had planned to pay. There%26#39;s so much going on downtown and lots of places (restaurants, music, etc) within walking distance. Austin is very easy to navigate and it%26#39;s a cinch to drive out S. Congress to St. Ed%26#39;%26#39;s. The %26#39;dillo (trolley) doesn%26#39;t quite go all the way to St. Ed%26#39;s.

Knowing what your son enjoys makes a big difference in what we suggest. Barton springs pool is very special to Austin and even if it%26#39;s colder than what you want to swim in (68 degrees year round), make a point of seeing it. Old and young alike really enjoy renting a canoe in Zilker Park and getting out on Lady Bird Lake.

What prompted your son to choose St. Ed%26#39;s? Academics, Catholic connection, location? Knowing that will give you more clues on what to show him in Austin and help us in making suggestions on places to check out.

Definitely request the Visitor%26#39;s Guide and maps from the Visitor%26#39;s Center www.austintexas.org. There%26#39;s a wealth of information in the guide.

Welcome to Austin!

Yes, Austin will sale itself. It has a charm one simply can%26#39;t describe in words. Downtown is where it%26#39;s at.

South Congress Ave. past the Congress Ave bridge, Sixth St where all the college kids hang, the Warehouse district just west of Congress and south of 6th St.

If you get a chance drive out to Lake Travis and catch the sunset at the Oasis restaurant. I haven%26#39;t eaten there in years but the view with drinks is pretty nice.

BBQ at the County Line on Bee Cave Rd. Pleasant view of the hill country.

All three of my kids are past college or still in college and they all still love Austin.

Best music city in America.

Thanks for all of your replies. I know he will get to love Austin because of all it has to offer. I%26#39;m sure we%26#39;ll be back and forth as well learning the landscape. His major interests are music (loves JazzFest) and photography. He%26#39;ll enjoy the nightlife, though not a major partier. I know, that can change once he gets out on his own! He%26#39;s also a 3rd degree KC. The connection with St. Ed%26#39;s was made through his high school, Holy Cross.

You have a beautiful city! I look forward to many return visits.

Forgot to mention: favorite foods are steak and ribs.

No Mexican (bummer). I%26#39;m also hoping it won%26#39;t be too hard for him to find a part time job not too far from school. He%26#39;s worked for a caterer for the last 3 years. He%26#39;s a people person. Major: Photocommunications

Again, thanks for your help. We will check out all your suggestions!!!!

Definitely www.elephantroom.com for jazz. It%26#39;s right on Congress.

Think about attending mass at St. Mary%26#39;s Cathedral. It%26#39;s at 10th and Brazos. Not the closest to campus, but a beautiful church and very historic. This is where Bishop Aymond celebrates major occasions.

Artz Rib House is popular for its ribs and it%26#39;s easy to get to on S. Lamar. Lamar parallels S. Congress.

And I%26#39;m sure your son already knows that the Harry Ransom museum on the UT campus has the first photo ever taken. Also has one of the few remaining copies of the Guttenberg Bible.

They just recently opened Robert DeNiro%26#39;s collection of his movie scripts and such to the public. James Michener is another who has donated his works to the Ransom.

Again, welcome to Austin!