If military history is your thing, the Texas Military Forces Museum, tucked away deep inside the active Camp Mabry, is a great way to pass a few hours. Located a few miles north of downtown and just off of Mopac, the museum houses a bunch of cool exhibits and memorabilia from Texas’ military past. Entry is free, but donations are welcome. You’ll need a photo ID to get past security at the camp entrance, and a keen eye to make sure you don’t take a wrong turn while navigating to the museum…remember, those army Humvees will make a real mess of your SUV!

The history starts in the 1800s when Stephen F Austin first rallied his militia together, and spans through the Mexican War, the Spanish-American War, the First and Second World Wars, Korea, the Cold War and right through to the present day. The museum’s 45,000 square feet are home to jeeps, helicopters, guns, aircraft and several well-presented displays and information boards. Some stuff, like an F-16 cockpit and a field kitchen, are open for public access so your kids (and you, if you like) can get in and play around.

The museum carries out on outside were there’s a kinda tank parking lot, with literally dozens of army tanks, dozers, big guns and other heavy stuff in full action camo paintwork. If you want to get close to these metal dinosaurs you can, as close as you like. Photo opportunities abound.

While the museum itself is usually fairly quiet, Camp Mabry hosts several really popular events each year. When we say popular, we mean Austin popular, which can equal long, long lines to get into the camp and the same again to park. If you’re looking to make a relaxed visit to the museum we recommend checking the website first to make sure you visit during the quieter times. You can find out more here: http://www.texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org and about other Austin museums here: http://www.austinmuseums.org

Austin’s neighborhoods are diverse and serve up a host of living options. Want a lakefront gated community (if you can afford it)? You got it. Looking for a cute heritage cottage surrounded by a bunch more cute heritage cottages? You got it. Downtown condo tower? You got it. You get the picture. In this blog we give an overview of several neighborhoods that offer something a bit different. Our earlier blog (see: https://austindetours.com/austins-growth-part-1-some-numbers/ ) gives a summary of current price trends, all of which are on a seemingly unstoppable upward curve.

Hyde Park:

Hyde Park is one of Austin’s older neighborhoods and crammed full of 100+ year-old homes brimming with heritage and history. Bordered by Interstate 35 to the east, Guadalupe St/ Lamar Boulevard to the west, 51st St to the north and 38th St to the south, Hyde Park is a well-located ‘hood in demand with price tags to match. Many of the properties fall into the ‘quaint, characterful, small’ bracket so if you have a large family and pets you might feel a little squeezed. Some parts of the ‘hood are going through a transition creating striking contrasts between newly remodeled properties and those that long-time residents prefer to keep funky. It’ll likely cost you $400,000 to get any sort of foothold in Hyde Park and much more if you’re looking for a larger, pristine place.

Riverside:

A few miles to the south of Hyde Park is the up and coming ‘hood of Riverside, sandwiched between Interstate 35 to the west, Pleasant Valley Rd to the east, Oltorf to the south and the lake to the north. Being so close to the water is a major attraction, as the rows of kayaks tied up outside the apartment complexes will attest. Riverside is close to downtown and the ever-sprawling east side, and offers a good range of properties to suit most needs. If you’re looking for a house, the prices are lower than in many parts of town and you’ll have a chance of finding a yard with enough space for great entertaining. Expect to pay comfortably above $250,000 to get on the ladder here. You won’t need to travel far to find some of Austin’s best food trucks, including our favorite Churro Co who you can read more about here: http:austindetours.com/austins-food-trucks-part-1-desserts

Mueller:

New mixed-use master-planned developments aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but we think the folks behind Mueller got it dead right. Situated east of Interstate 35 on the old Mueller Municipal Airport site between Airport Boulevard to the north, 51st St to the north and Manor Rd to the east, this urban ‘hood is home to nearly 6,000 households and has parks, retail and entertainment in abundance. Properties range from apartments to large single family homes, with a range of price-points that include some sensibly-priced alternatives. That said, you’ll still need to find upwards of $700,000 if you want a bigger place, and private yard space is at a premium.