In planning a visit, keep in mind the calendars of the state legislature and the University of Texas. Lawmakers and lobbyists converge on the capital from January through May of odd-numbered years, so you can expect tighter bookings. The start of fall term, graduation week, and football weekends—UT’s football stadium now seats 100,000—will also fill lots of hotel rooms. Formula 1 Grand Prix events may also result in room scarcities. 

The busiest season, however, is the month of March, when the ever-growing South by Southwest conference fills entire hotels. Another part of the year when the hotels are busy is in early October for the Austin City Limits Music Festival. Not only are rooms hard to come by during SXSW and ACL but rates tend to skyrocket. All in all, the best time to find a hotel room is during the hottest late-summer days—when most out-of-towners have enough good sense to stay home in cooler climes.

Climate

May showers follow April flowers in the Austin/Texas Hill Country area; by the time the late spring rains set in, the bluebonnets and most of the other wildflowers have already peaked. It’s a lovely anomaly: The weather for enjoying the glorious flower arrangements in early spring is mild and dry, making it an ideal and deservedly popular time to visit. Summers can be steamy—more and more years are seeing triple digit temps for long stretches—but Austin offers plenty of places to cool off, among them the Highland Lakes and Barton Springs. Fall foliage in this leafy area is another treat, and it’s hard to beat a Texas evening by a cozy fireplace—admittedly more for show than warmth in Austin, which generally enjoys mild winters.

For a list of national holidays, see Calendar of Events.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.