Best guided tours in Austin: find options near you

The Bat Tour on Lady Bird lake was fun and informative! You are on a pontoon style boat that cruises the river at sunset, then you head up to Congress bridge to see millions of bats fly out at dusk. Bring your own beverage was a nice add !

Our boat guide Beck was funny, informative, and friendly. The whole bat bridge boat tour was amazing! It was so cool seeing all the bats come out at once!!! I highly recommend taking one of these boat tours to see the bats up close!!!!

This is an amazing experience! My son loved it. Very informative Captain that answered any questions my son could come up with. Truly unique and incredible experience to see the bats from this vantage. Much better than watching from the ground because you can see them more easily.

Booked a tandem kayaking and bat watching tour with my girlfriend through Capital Cruises and it was such a cool and fun experience thanks to our captain Carson! He made sure we had the best spot to see the bats and gave us an overall awesome experience on the water. He was also really good at giving history facts about the buildings, bats, and a lot of things around Austin which made it even better since we’re tourists visiting for the weekend. Super chill and helpful the whole time. Definitely would do it again!

So much fun to ride down the river at sunset and then back under Congress Bridge to see the bat nightly migration. Captain Alek is a great guide who kept us entertained the entire evening.

What an amazing experience … floating down the river, watching the sunset and then seeing those tiny bats leave the safety of the Capital Bridge in droves. Michael’s commentary was both enlightening and humorous. We had 2 teens with us and they too enjoyed this trip. Sailing back to the dock was also beautiful with the lights of the surrounding buildings reflecting off the river. A definite must for any visitor.

Had a great time being tourist in our hometown. This was a fun and relaxing way to view the Austin bat colony take flight. Definitely recommend it!

Our tour guide Ike was incredible!!!! He was super funny, told dad jokes, very informative, and super friendly. Me and my family wanted to see a lot of things in Austin and he took the time to make sure we saw what we wanted to see. In fact we went over our tour time by 15 minutes so we got to see a lot of the things we wanted too. He also treated us to cookies! At the end of our tour he played happy birthday for me and my brother on his pocket trumpet even though our birthday is in December. Thank you Ike and Austin Detours for an incredible experience! I cannot recommend taking one of these tours enough. It is so much fun!!!!!

Evan was fantastic. I had a broken foot and was needing a wheelchair. He made every effort to make my tour as comfortable and it’s easy as possible. He was so kind and gave us additional ideas for restaurants and things to do in Austin. He showed us all the great sites of downtown. It was one of the highlights of my visit.

I took the Austin Detours Street Art + Street Food tour today with Evan, and it was hands-down one of the BEST Austin experiences I’ve ever had!

Evan is an incredible guide — fun, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about Austin’s culture. I lucked out and was the only guest on the tour, so it felt like a private, behind-the-scenes adventure. We explored amazing street art spots, learned the stories behind the murals, and tasted some seriously delicious local food along the way.

Evan went above and beyond to make the day unforgettable — from sharing insider Austin history to introducing me to hidden gems I never would have found on my own. If you want a true taste of Austin’s creative side (and its killer food scene), THIS is the tour to book.

Thank you, Austin Detours and Evan, for an epic day! Oh, BTW, I’m born and raised here and I learned ALOT, lololololo!

I did 2 different tours and had 2 amazing guides! Jax for the “Tour Austin” was super friendly and knowledgeable of all the neighborhoods and the Austin music scene past and present. David was another great guide for the half day wine trip. I was solo but the whole group loved him! He was personable and open to all questions. He was so sweet with his personalization for each of passenger on places in Austin to check out. They both really care about what they do! I’m gonna be back soon and will definitely take another tour!

My friends and I went on the Urban Wine Tasting experience and ended up being the only 3 on the tour which was a fun surprise! We were energetic, talkative and overall excited, and that excitement only grew more and more throughout the day as the wine was poured 🙂 Our guide Evan totally matched our energy and made sure we were having a great time. Since we were the only ones on the tour, Evan was flexible with our timing and drop off location. It was a fun way to explore different parts of Austin in a short amount of time. Highly recommend for a memorable afternoon!

We took the Real Austin Tour with Ike as our guide. We instantly hit it off with Ike. Our demented sense of humor made the tour extremely enjoyable. Ike is very knowledgeable the history, music scene and was able to answer our questions. I named a couple of obscure bands and he knew them.

This tour was a great introduction to Austin. We definitely found more things to do in Austin than we knew about, so maybe allow yourself some extra time for those hidden gems. We especially liked learning about some of the murals. This also does a stop at the Capitol a very interesting piece of the heavy front door (not spoiling what it is) Take this tour to find out!.

We highly recommend this tour. Ike was so personable we plan on keeping in touch.

I asked for Ike’s permission to post his picture.

On April 28th my wife and I were lucky enough to take the Half-day Hill Country Wine Tour with Keltie. Awesome doesn’t say enough about what a great driver, narrator and guide she was. She was funny and informative. She kept us on schedule without making us feel rushed and gave us fantastic suggestions. She was our photographer and on the trip back to Austin, our disc jockey. I can’t imagine anyone being as skilled as her in her role. We came as strangers and we honestly felt we left as friends. What a great day we had and it was mostly due to Keltie.

The tour narrator was interesting and informative about downtown Austin.
We loved the bus going into the water and given information about different houses thst celebrities lived in. Very enjoyable time.

I surprised my daughter for her 23rd birthday by going on The Duck and OMG! We’re just from San Antonio, so we’re not true Austin “visitors”. My husband works in Austin every day driving medical linen trucks, and even he had a great time. It was an experience. The driver/captain was great and our tour guy…. superb.
And my daughter was so impressed with it that she recently thanked me again. Do it! Thank me later. ❤️!! We’re gonna go again. Love from South Texas!!

It’s was my first time In Austin and booking this tour was a great experience and fun as well! Captain Bob was great , very entertaining an knowledgeable about the area! Also since it was my birthday, Captain Bob made it a point to make me feel special by allowing me to drive the boat on the river and singing happy birthday to me duck style! Also enjoyed the quacker whistles as we blew them and waved at others! It was very memorable for me! Thanks Captain Bob for making my day!! I highly recommend this tour !

I’ve always wanted to do a duck tour, and this one definitely did not disappoint! The driver and tour operator were great! Learned a lot about Austin in a short time and quacking at random people was a lot of fun.

Eine sehr kurzweilige Tour die rund anderthalb Stunden quer durch Austin geht, um dann für circa eine halbe Stunde auf dem Wasser gemütlich herum zu schippern.

Gebucht habe ich den ganzen Spaß über die Tourismuszentrale in der fünften Straße.

We had a lot of fun on this tour. Our guide was knowledgeable and funny and it was far more entertaining to blow our duck whistle and wave at people than it has any right to be. A great way to see the city!

The Austin bus tour that is an amphibious tour, the bus becomes a boat and back !!!
Kids loved it, as we quacked at on lookers and others with a free duck whistle!
Must do if you are in Austin Tx.

Had a great time on the tour. The tour guides were amazing. I learned a lot about Austin and things I could do in the area. I highly recommend to check it out!

I LOVED this tour! We went on the brunch bus and had the best time ever!! Speedy was amazing and the band… they really will play any requests. It was so much fun! The food was outstanding and the drinks were even better. 10 out of 10 would recommend!!

Pimp and Hari were fantastic from the get go. Very knowledgeable and funny. Just don’t look in Hari’s eyes. You’ll fall in love! Highly recommend this tour.

We do this once a year and it is literally one of our funnest days of the year every time. Our group of friends do loads of group activities from wine party busses to party boats, but this one is always the most fun.

They have a live band on the bus and great spokespeople. To me, when they hire a band that combines some well-known singalong songs (such as Friends in Low Places) it gets the vibe up higher faster.

Although we did not have that combo on the bus yesterday to get the busgoers as involved, the music was awesome and the fun was spectacular. Tex offered a great vibe as the bus speaker and coordinator.

I despise ciders but I always bring along my own mimosas to share because usually you will be served ciders at most of the stops.

The food is always fantastic and we explore new places every time.

The bus vibe is exceptionally fun.

Well worth the price. Do it.

Twisted Texas tours was an absolute BLAST! My partner and I joined the Sunday brunch crew and our expectations were blown away. The band, tour guide and bus driver were all so incredibly friendly, fun and talented. The bus has instructions where guests can request songs and the band will play those songs as we moved from place to place. We stopped at 3 places and the tour cost covers 1 drink and 1 food item at each place. The drinks and food items are preset but guests can order whatever they want additional on their own. We stopped at 3 super cool spots – Freddo’s off SoCo, Still, and EastCiders in East Austin. It was such a cool way to see the different parts of Austin.

I had considered doing a different tour for less money but the more I researched, the more I felt that the Twisted Texas tour would be worth it – and I am happy to confirm that I was right!!! For the price and all that you get, it’s an incredible value and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my morning and my money! If you are in Austin – even for a short weekend – this is a MUST DO! It does not take up more than a few hours and you get to hear a great live band, meet new people, and learn a little about Austin TX food and drink scene.

Highly highly recommend and really appreciate Twisted Texas tours for having such a cool idea and executing it flawlessly. No complaints at all and really look forward to the next tour we go on with

Awesome tour with Pip Pickadilly (Darwin) and Brown Knights! Fantastic time! Thank you very much!!!

Update: Yet another (our fifth!) Twisted Texas Tour… This time a Keep Austin Weird tour, again FANTASTIC, with Pip Pickadilly and Harry. What a great time! Highly recommended!!!

Awesome experience! The band was so much fun and so nice. BBB was our host and was hilarious and friendly. The breweries were great and tacos were delicious! Strongly recommend

We had an amazing time on our Tipsy Tour, and Patrick made the experience even better! He was right on time, incredibly professional, and kept the day running smoothly. On top of that, his friendly personality and fun sense of humor made the drive between wineries just as enjoyable as the tastings themselves. Thanks to Patrick, the whole day felt relaxed, safe, and so much fun. I highly recommend Patrick with Tipsy Tours and will definitely use him again next time

Jordan took us all over Texas wine country and was the absolute best! Funny, accommodating, and prompt. Texas Tipsy Tours makes the booking process easy and enjoyable. Want to set it and forget it? Book with them and request Jordan to have the best time!

Patrick was amazing! He was friendly, professional, and made our wine tour so much fun. He kept us on time, shared great tips, and made sure we were comfortable the whole day. We felt safe, relaxed, and well taken care of. Highly recommend Patrick for any wine tour!

Patrick was fantastic! He arrived early, drove us safely and comfortably between all our winery and distillery stops, and made the day stress-free. He was friendly, professional, and made sure everything ran smoothly so we could just relax and enjoy.
Highly recommend Patrick if you need a reliable driver for a wine or spirits tour!

Just had a great experience with The Texas Tipsey Tour. Shout out to our driver Patrick, he was such a gentleman. We had a 2hr drive to the wineries and 2 hr drive back. He stayed with us the entire day, as a group of only women he took good care of us getting us to and from our various destinations safely, and helping us in and out of the van. We are very appreciative of him! 10/10 experience!

Absolutely the best wine tour!! From start to finish, this wine tour exceeded all expectations. Keith, our driver and tour guide, was incredibly helpful, professional, fun and made everyone feel welcome. Courtney and Nicole, who planned the tour, were amazing., and were so easy to work with! Each stop offered a unique experience- from scenic vineyards to intimate tastings, and the wines, sotol and vodkas were all top notch. The pacing was perfect- with the right balance of learning, tasting and relaxing. I especially appreciated the attention to detail. Highly recommend Texas Tipsy Tours and excited for my next visit!!

I celebrated my 50th birthday with 5 couples and used Texas Tipsy Tours for our private charter. Keith was a fantastic driver who was there to take photos and do whatever he could to make this the absolute perfect celebration. There are many wineries they work with for the perfect experience. I would highly recommend and would absolutely use them again!

Super chevere. Se pasa bien.Es un paseo lineal q si tienes bici o quiere caminar es super bueno.

Our daughter in law took us while we in town visiting. We were not prepared for how AWESOME this tour was. Just an incredible thing to see. The guides were fun and the boats were clean. We highly recommend!

It is a decent outdoor activity for a family but nothing special about it. The tour offers good downtown views. You also see bats under the bridge but it’s dark, it’s hard to see and almost everything can be sighted from the bridge or the bank. Take this tour if you want to spend sometime in a pontoon without much expectations.

The Bat Tour was amazing. It was really cool to learn more about the local bats! Watching the bats take flight at sunset was something I’ll never forget. The sunset and views of the skyline were beautiful! I would definitely recommend this cruise to anyone no matter if they are local to Austin or just visiting! We will be repeating this tour again. Thanks so much!

We really enjoyed our experience! Ross was an excellent guide and every fact he gave about the bats was fascinating! It was such a cool experience to see not only the bats, but also Austin from that angle! We would highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting!

I have no clue what anyone is talking about. We went today on 4/27 and it was the biggest waste of time I’ve ever experienced. it’s dark, the bats were apparently very small, I’m told there were a few but no one I was with saw any and we were first row on the viewing platform. We all felt completely mislead and pissed that we stood there like idiots for two hours. Don’t waste your time!! I felt great about Austin until this experience.

Holy bat cloud, Batman! This was a bucket list spot to visit for my son and I both. We had a blast watching the endless bats stream out from beneath the bridge at dusk. We love bats, and this is the most we have ever seen at once. I love how the local community has embraced these wonderful creatures and encourages others to appreciate them as well. Go watch the bats, you won’t regret it. This made a great memory for us.

My friend and I was in town for a long weekend. We researched city tours. We choose the pedal assist city tour. Our guide was named Michael. He was great. He was full of knowledge at each stop. The tour covers a lot of ground so wear good shoes and get good night’s sleep before tour. They provide the water. Sign up was fast and easy. Communication was good before tour. They even kept a swim bag for us so we didn’t have to Uber back to hotel to get it after tour. Tip- Barton Springs is close by for a dip in the natural springs. Perfect for a cool down after the tour.

The electric bike tour was very enjoyable. My tour guide Michael was lovely and clearly enjoyed doing what he does. He was very detailed in explaining each spot we stopped at, sometimes also adding little story-times about this statue, that mural, etc. He also stops for photo opportunities (which I think are the most important part of bike tours 😀 )

Duration was almost exactly 2.5 hours which was perfect for me. It was nice learning a lot about Austin in just one morning.

Rob was the BEST! Super knowledgeable about all kinds of city history & even ecological things. Was very safety conscious, prepared, mindful, & sweet! Made our first family day together meeting my partners family meaningful & fun. Great tips of activities too. Getting an Amy’s ice cream was yum!!! *Mexican Vanilla!!!

We took the “Let it Ride” e-bike tour around Austin with Toby and had an absolute blast! He was knowledgeable, entertaining, and shared great local stories. Plus, he took awesome photos throughout the tour. A must-do experience for anyone visiting Austin!

Fantastic E-Bike Tour!

This e-bike tour was a great experience from start to finish. Eric handled the intake and setup with a goofy, lighthearted approach, which made the process easy and enjoyable. He was also really accommodating when I requested a step-through bike, making sure everything was adjusted just right.

Peter led the tour at a comfortable pace, balancing great information with plenty of time to take in the scenery. He clearly knows his stuff and went above and beyond to make sure everyone was engaged and comfortable throughout the ride.

The route was well-planned, the e-bikes made it effortless, and the whole experience was well worth it. Highly recommend!

This was a very informative and BEAUTIFUL tour. We stoped at so many great places throughout the city. My mom and I did the tour with Micheal as our give it it felt very personalized

I had an absolute blast exploring Austin with Michael as my bike tour guide – his knowledge and enthusiasm made for an unforgettable experience despite being the only 1!

Michael’s insider tips and hidden gems showed me a “weird” side of the city I never would have discovered on my own.

Really cool to learn about LBJ, the river, Jo’s and of course the bats!

Jaye was amazing and very comical. He went into detail to explain history, values, and even a little real estate (which has peaked out interest).

Very safe driver and gives time for photos and questions.

My husband and I came to visit from DFW, and we had a great time with AO Bus Tours in Austin! Our driver, Greg, was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the day so fun! Loved seeing Lady Bird Lake, Mozart’s Coffee, Mount Bonnell, the Austin Public Library, UT campus, the Capitol, and more—even a scenic drive through the Texas State Cemetery. Such a perfect mix of sights and history even if you know things about Texas—highly recommend!

Doug is an awesome tour guide! He gave us plenty of recommendations and suggestions for places to eat and explore including historic sites. I enjoyed this tour – we saw plenty in about 2.5 hours. Definitely worth the price.

Jay did a great job giving information along with slowing down when possible to get a good picture. Jay gave interesting facts and knew a lot about the houses in the hill county. Loved it!

We had an amazing experience with AO Austin Tours! Doug was absolutely fantastic! He made the ride so much fun while also sharing tons of great information about the city. His insight was incredibly helpful and really helped us shape our weekend itinerary. Highly recommend this tour, especially if you’re looking to get a great overview of Austin with a guide who knows his stuff and keeps things engaging the whole time. Thanks, Doug!

Jaye was awesome. I really learned a lot on the tour. He was really informative and patient. I have never been on an Austin tour. My wife and I enjoyed our first experience. Please take advantage of this opportunity. Great views and information.

Doug was an interesting and fun tour guide.
He was very knowledge and a great driver. We got to see many diverse locations in Austin and made two stops. I would highly recommend Doug and the 2 1/2 hour tour around Austin.

Very fun experience. Also very informative. Our guide was very humorous and very knowledgeable. This walking tour is a 50/50 mix of Austin history and ghost stories. Your stops are both outside and; inside, so you get plenty of opportunities to either cool down or warm up. Highly recommend this tour if this is your first time in Austin (or if you are an Austin native).

William was a great tour guide! Enjoyed our creepy tour of the paranormal and first serial killer of Austin. (Hint: ask him about his speculations of who this killer may be, you’ll be shocked!)

Super fun Haunted Tour!! Interesting history, very chill vibe — I recommend going closer to evening/night so it’s a little cooler.

Our host for the haunted tour was Will and he was great! He brought a tablet to showcase various historical photos (to help showcase what we were seeing in today’s age vs how it used to be) and spooky photos. Very entertaining. The tour didn’t have too much walking, and had a good amount of history. All of the locations were very interesting! Definitely would recommend this tour.

My family was in town for the weekend and we did the Pub Walking tour with Tyler. It was awesome! Tyler was an amazing guide, and told the history of Austin in a compelling way. My husband and I have lived here for a year, but hadn’t had the chance to explore downtown Austin. Tyler’s tour was the perfect way to see some really cool parts of downtown that we’re bound to go back and visit in the future now. I’ve done a few walking tours in a bunch of different cities (including overseas), and this was one of my favorite. Highly recommend!

Wow! Tyler was our tour guide and he was exceptional! It was an hour and a half, but was not a difficult walk. I have been on a few ghost tours in different states and this was really one of my absolute favorites! He has pictures that he shows and even takes you inside of the Driskel Hotel to talk about the hauntings that happen there. I cannot recommend this tour and Tyler enough. He also went above and beyond to stay behind and give several recommendations to several people including ourselves for places to eat and get drinks. Really amazing experience!

We enjoyed our morning tour in a hot downtown Austin. Tyler was very knowledgeable, and we liked the additional photos he had of ‘then’ when compared to ‘now.’ He was very energetic, yet the walk was neither too long, nor to arduous despite the heat. Our only regret is that we did not do this tour on our first day in Austin so we could take advantage of all of Tyler‘s recommendations.

I recently returned from the Under30Experiences South Korea trip, and I had an incredible time! I had to leave a review to let other people know how awesome this trip is. The trip was a perfect mix of beautiful sights, rich culture, and delicious food. It’s the best and most comprehensive food trip I’ve ever been on. Our trip leader, Dennis, was incredibly informative and helpful. He took us to so many local food spots that I never would have found on my own. The accommodations were also very nice. The hotels were excellent, and the one night in the guest house also came with great service.

This was my third trip with U30X, and while they’ve all been great, this one was particularly outstanding. I’d love it for more people to experience how awesome South Korea is, and this trip with U30X is a great way to do just that!

Croatia was a beautiful country all on its own but our group was spoild with Experiences Over 30 and our travel leader Robert! He went above and beyond to manage and accommodate our travels! His historical knowledge and home ties to all the local places we went gave us more than the average tourist could ask for! As a Game of Thrones fan, seeing the locations was surreal! The cats were also some of my favorite locals!

My husband and I went with Experiences Under 30 about 10yrs ago for our honeymoon to Costa Rica and it was perfect 10yrs ago! I am glad we returned for our 10yr anniversary trip!

Zero complaints! 10/10 will recommend to everyone who will listen! Thank you Robert and ExO30 for hosting such a memorable trip!

Had the opportunity to experience Central America in Summer. I’ll treasure the memories visiting the Caribbean sea in Belize. Our tour guide Leonardo was the greatest! Showed my group the best places to eat more & sites to see around the island. Highly recommended for any young thrill seeking traveler trying to fill up their passport

I did the Belize trip recently. It was a fun experience and loved the Mayan ruins. I also liked the snorkeling. I just wish it was a bit better organized as I was not a big fan of having a free day.
I have also done Costa Rica, Iceland(I loved that trip in 2021), Peru, and a Mexico trip not done anymore in the past.

I had a great trip to Costa Rica. It was the adventure trip with rafting. The activity level was perfect to keep it fun but not overwhelming. Our trip leaders were friendly, knowledgeable, and easygoing. Gabriel, Alex, and Edgar were all fantastic and the country is absolutely beautiful. It was exactly what I wanted and I’m greatful for the experience.

Just returned from my second U30 trip and it was even better than the first. Highly recommend heading to Peru & Machu Picchu with Roland as your guide. It’s a jam packed itinerary, but you get to see and do so much. From Machu Picchu’s history to the flora and fauna, mountains and animals on the various hikes – Roland’s knowledge knows no bounds and it’s clear that he loves sharing it. I appreciate that this tour group always makes an effort to immerse us in to the local culture and allow us to spend time with a local family while learning about their life and traditions.
As a gluten intolerant person, I felt well cared for by Roland as he was always helping me navigate each menu or dining experience. The food was delicious and beautifully arranged wherever we went.

Shout out to the Vietnam and Cambodia trip I took with U30 in 2023 – also an incredible itinerary showing us both the city and countryside of both countries. Again, remarkably knowledgeable guides, awesome activities and sites to see and really loved getting to spend time with the local people. Slightly harder as a gluten free person, but the guides still did their best to help me figure things out!

The extended Costa Rica trip was amazing. Our trip was lead be Gabriel. He was so fun it was not like having a “guide” but more of a local friend showing us around. The places we went were amazing but the friends I made along the way was definitely my favorite part. It was like being a kid at summer camp. Highly recommend to go on this trip!