Texas Capitol

30 Best Things to Do in Austin, Texas

"Take a free, guided tour of one of the largest capitol buildings in the country, designated a National Historic Landmark." - Amanda Ogle Amanda Ogle Amanda Ogle is a writer and editor who specializes in travel, food and drink, sustainability, and general lifestyle topics. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, National Geographic, Condé Nast T

"Since everything seems bigger in Texas, it's no surprise that the Texas State Capitolholds the title for largest state capitol building in the union (360,000 square feet of floor space in the main building!). The building is alsoquite beautiful and houses some historical paintings. The inside of the capitol dome, with a lone star at the apex, is an impressive sight.Stroll the groundsto see fountains, old trees, and sculpturesof historical Texas figures. The capitol grounds also offer a great view of downtown to the south and the University of Texas to the north. The Texas landmark is definitely worth a visit on a trip to Austin ."

"Since everything seems bigger in Texas, it's no surprise that the Texas State Capitolholds the title for largest state capitol building in the union (360,000 square feet of floor space in the main building!). The building is alsoquite beautiful and houses some historical paintings. The inside of the capitol dome, with a lone star at the apex, is an impressive sight.Stroll the groundsto see fountains, old trees, and sculpturesof historical Texas figures. The capitol grounds also offer a great view of downtown to the south and the University of Texas to the north. The Texas landmark is definitely worth a visit on a trip to Austin ."

Texas Restaurant Workers Still Aren’t Vaccine Eligible As State Reopening Looms | Eater Austin

"On March 8, service-industry workers and allied groups gathered outside the state government’s seat in Austin to protest an order that, beginning March 10, would lift statewide mask mandates, capacity limits, and social distancing rules. Organized by groups including the Restaurant Organizing Project, the Texas Service Industry Coalition, the Amplified Sound Coalition, the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee, and Austin Mutual Aid, the rally centered on fears about being forced to work without COVID protections while still largely ineligible for vaccination; organizers demanded the governor delay full reopening until 70 percent of essential workers are vaccinated (noting that roughly 91 percent of Texans had not yet been vaccinated). Speakers such as Crystal Maher and Jeannette Gregor described workers’ precarious conditions—low wages, lack of insurance, multigenerational households, and disproportionate impacts on minorities—and highlighted specific concerns like enforcing workplace rules amid anti-mask confrontations, the threat posed by St. Patrick’s Day crowds, and the financial fallout from the cancellation of South by Southwest. Protesters wore masks labeled “expendable” to express feeling sacrified by policy; rally speakers also raised issues around vaccine access, unemployment eligibility for workers who quit for safety reasons, and broader demands for hazard pay, dignity, and investment in frontline workers." - Nadia Chaudhury

Texas Passes Bill to Protect Chick-fil-A Under Religious Liberty Laws | Eater

"A state legislative chamber recently passed a bill that prevents government entities from acting against businesses or individuals for donations to or memberships with religious organizations. Although the bill’s text does not name any company, it has been widely dubbed the "Save Chick-Fil-A Bill;" proponents present it as protecting religious liberty, while critics say it functions as a thinly veiled protection for businesses with anti-LGBTQ positions." - Jaya Saxena