Social Events - Take a tour of Austin
Join us to enjoy some of the sights and sounds of Austin before the conference begins. Please note, separate registration for these social events are required. To register for any of the events below, please click here.
Austin Duck Adventures: $40 per participant, max of 44
You will meet your CPA.com Host in the Fairmont lobby on Sunday, December 4 no later than 12:45pm CT. The group will then board the 1pm Austin Duck Adventures together.
The original Austin tour, Austin Duck Adventures, offers an amphibious excursion that includes tours of downtown Austin and beautiful Lake Austin in the UNSINKABLE, US coast guard inspected, Hydra Terra vehicles. Austin Duck Adventures is 75 minutes of sightseeing that encompasses the Historic Sixth Street, the State Capitol Building, the Governor's Mansion, and Lake Austin. The tour will take place rain or shine.
Walking Tour of Austin: $30 per participant, 50 max (15 person minimum)
Departing from the Fairmont Austin, participants will enjoy a leisurely 1-mile stroll through Austin's beautiful historic district!
You will meet your CPA.com host in the Fairmont lobby at 1:15pm CT to check-in before the 1:30pm CT departure.
Sites and stops include:
- Two of the oldest homes in Austin: the historic Susanna Dickinson house and the home of William Sydney porter, a.k.a. O’Henry the great American author
- Two blocks of historic 6th St., Austin‘s world famous live music headquarters. On 6th, our guides will give great suggestions on where to hear live music, where to eat, and where to... just have fun in general!
- The famous Driskill Hotel, circa 1886. This iconic landmark is an active hotel that has been in constant use since its construction by Colonel Jesse Driskill, a cattle baron in 1885. The hotel was the first in Austin to boast working elevators and attach the bathrooms on the top floor. It is unique in that it is in the 90th percentile of its original integrity!
- A quick cocktail for whoever is interested at the Driskill bar
- Stroll the famous Congress Avenue, with a clear view of the beautiful Texas state capitol. Also, we will discuss Congress Aves' only statue and the story behind Angelina Eberley, who saved the city back in 1842.
- Historic landmarks, including the warehouse district, the original railroad depot (1871), the infamous red-light District, known as “guy town”, and our guides will offer some great suggestions for Texas barbecue
- Lastly, we will go back to the Fairmont, down famous 4th Street, past the Austin visitor center (a great place to buy that perfect Austin gift) and the convention center to the front door of the hotel.
The entire tour will take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Rain or shine.