As far as I know, the state capital of Texas is still booming. It seems like every time I was there, I drove through road construction. And, even if all that road work is over, I’m sure Austin still has a traffic problem, particularly on the inadequate stretch of I-35 that runs near the UT campus.
Austin is the easiest of the Texas Big 12 schools to reach because of the ample number of flights to Dallas. Once upon a time, Midwest Airlines had non-stops from MCI to Austin, but no more, so you’ll have to connect at either DFW (American) or Love Field (Southwest).
I’ve done the pub and eatery crawl along Austin’s famed Sixth Street, and it’s worth your time. Otherwise, look in the phone book for a Tex-Mex restuarant, and pick one. There can’t possibly be any bad Tex-Mex eateries in Austin.
Funny thing. I can’t remember eating at a Whataburger in Austin. I don’t know why. Surely, they have a bunch of them. But I do remember eating at a hospital cafeteria next to the Irwin Center prior to a basketball game.
Why a hospital cafeteria? Well, it was close and UT officals didn’t provide a pre-game meal for the media — like most Big 12 schools, including Kansas — and I just couldn’t stomach the thought of a hot dog in my stomach that night.
Guilty Pleasure: Not having to cover KU football games in Austin anymore. The average score of the Jayhawks’ last three trips to Texas is 57 to 15.
