Austin
Austin live music
Austin
Five days on South Congress with a club every night: the Continental Club, ACL Live, a two-step lesson at the Broken Spoke, and the rock rooms of Red River.
From $2,290 per person, double room
See the tour
Austin, 4 days
Austin City Limits Festival and SXSW trips
Twice a year Austin becomes the music capital it says it is. In March, SXSW puts hundreds of bands in every bar and parking lot; in October, the Austin City Limits Festival (ACL Fest) fills Zilker Park for two weekends. We get you in, house you close, and help you choose.
From $3,190per person in a double room
- $300 deposit by card or bank transfer holds your seat
- Balance due 60 days before departure
- Free date change up to 45 days before
A 4-day music tour of Austin by our van
Four days timed to SXSW in March or the Austin City Limits Festival in October, with passes, a hotel near the action and a tour leader who has done both many times.
Categories: Festival Trips, Live Music Nights. Destinations: Austin. Getting around: tour van. Tour leader: Rosa Delgado or a colleague from our team.
Highlights of the tour
Festival passes
SXSW music wristbands or three-day ACL general admission.
A hotel near the action
Booked a year ahead.
A daily plan
Your tour leader's picks from hundreds of bands.
Shuttles
To Zilker Park and back for ACL Fest.
A night at the Continental Club
Away from the festival crowds.
After dark
Festivals run late, and so do the after-shows. The tour leader shares the list each day.
Your tour leader
Rosa Delgado, based in Austin. A former club booker on Red River Street in Austin who knows every dance hall within two hours of the city.
The music you will hear
Styles and shows
- Indie and rock
- Hip hop and pop
- Texas country
- Electronic
3 live shows in the price
- Two festival days
- The Continental Club
Studios and sites you go inside
- Zilker Park festival grounds or SXSW showcases
Seen from outside only
- Sixth Street
Austin festival trips day by day
Show nights follow the club and theater calendars; your tour leader confirms each evening the day before.
- Day 1
Arrive in Austin
Airport pickup, welcome dinner, club nightPickup at the airport, check-in and a welcome dinner, where your tour leader goes through the lineup and helps everyone mark the bands they want to catch. First night at the Continental Club.
- Day 2
Festival day one
Festival dayFor ACL Fest, the shuttle to Zilker Park at noon and the stages until ten. For SXSW, showcases in the clubs on Sixth and Red River from midday to the early hours. The tour leader holds a meeting point every two hours.
- Day 3
Festival day two
Festival day, farewell dinnerA second full day of the festival, with a quiet morning by the lake first. Farewell dinner on the way out to the evening sets.
- Day 4
Departure
Airport transferTransfers to the airport, or stay on for the last festival day at the group rate.
Where you stay
Hotels within walking distance of the clubs, or a short ride away, or similar of the same class. Breakfast is included every day.
Austin
Hotel San José
4-star3 nights
The tour on the map
Loading the map
Tour vanAmtrak trainRiverboatShort flight Map tiles: © Esri, HERE, Garmin © OpenStreetMap contributors. Lines join the stops in tour order in simplified form.
What the price includes
3 breakfasts and 2 dinners2 studio and museum entries3 live shows in the price
Included
- 3 nights in central hotels (4-star) with breakfast
- Our own van and driver between cities, as in the program
- Airport pickup and drop-off on the tour dates
- A named tour leader from the first evening to the last morning
- Show tickets, studio tours and museum entries listed in the program
- 2 dinners, including the welcome and farewell dinners
- Reserved tables or seats at the shows in the program
- Local music guides in each city
Not included
- Flights to the start city (optional add-on, priced on each tour)
- Lunches and the dinners not listed
- Drinks and cover charges on free nights
- Travel insurance
- Tips for the tour leader, guides and driver
- Single room supplement
Good to know before you book
Pace. Active. Long days, standing room at festivals and clubs, late nights back to back.
Good to know. Big crowds, long lines and late nights. SXSW wristbands enter showcases after badge holders, so busy rooms can fill. ACL passes cover three days; the trip covers two. Weather is warm, with storms possible.
Weather and changes. Shows and studio visits run in all weather; if a venue cancels, we replace it with one of the same kind and tell you in writing.
Flights to Austin
Most of our guests fly in on their own, drive, or use miles, and the tour price does not include flights. If you would rather we handle it, we book round-trip economy flights on scheduled airlines to Austin and back, and the airport pickup on the tour dates is already included.
| Fly from | Airport | Add-on from |
|---|---|---|
| New York | JFK, LaGuardia and Newark | $390 |
| Chicago | O'Hare and Midway | $390 |
| Atlanta | Hartsfield-Jackson | $390 |
| Dallas | DFW and Love Field | $390 |
| Washington DC | Reagan National and Dulles | $430 |
| Boston | Logan | $450 |
| Philadelphia | PHL | $430 |
| Denver | DEN | $450 |
| Los Angeles | LAX | $500 |
| San Francisco | SFO | $500 |
Fares change daily; the add-on is confirmed when you book. Other US airports on request.
Austin festival trips dates and prices
4 dates from to . "Guaranteed" means the group has reached its minimum and will run.
| Dates | Status | Tour price | With flights from New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| Few seats left | $3,190 | $3,580 | |
| Available | $3,190 | $3,580 | |
| Few seats left | $3,190 | $3,580 | |
| Available | $3,190 | $3,580 |
Single room supplement $990. Deposit $300 per person; the balance is due 60 days before departure. All dates, booking terms.
Austin festival trips: your questions
- Activity
- Active. Long days, standing room at festivals and clubs, late nights back to back.
- Group size
- Up to 14 guests with one tour leader and a driver.
- Meals
- Breakfast daily and 2 dinners.
- Age and ID
- Adults only. Bring a photo ID: many clubs check it at the door whatever your age. More in our questions.
Which dates are SXSW and which ACL?
The two March dates fall in SXSW music week, and the two dates from late September and early October cover the first and second weekends of ACL Fest.
Is the SXSW pass a full badge?
It is a music wristband, which gets you into showcases after the badge holders. A full music badge is available as an upgrade.
Does the third ACL day count?
Your pass covers all three days; the trip covers two full days and the evening of the first. Stay on an extra night to use the third.
How crowded is it?
Very. ACL has about 75,000 people a day. The tour leader keeps fixed meeting points.
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Book Austin festival trips
Email a travel advisor with the date you like and whether you want flights to Austin. We answer within one business day with seats and the exact price, and hold your places for 72 hours while you decide.
- Tours[email protected]
- Groups of 8 or more[email protected]
Email a travel advisor
[email protected]SubjectAustin festival trips: tour enquiry
What to include
- The tour and the departure date you would like
- How many are traveling, and double, twin or single rooms
- Whether you want us to book flights, and from which city
- Names as they appear on your photo IDs
- A phone number and any questions
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