This realistic UT Austin Self Guided Tour Review helps you plan your next adventure on this university campus.

The University of Texas Austin is one of the largest public institutions in the United States. Its campus has become a must-visit spot on any Austin itinerary. Come see how what starts here changes the world.

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The University of Texas at Austin dates back to 1883. This date makes it older than the University of Chicago. But UT Austin is much younger than Harvard University, the oldest school in the United States.

The original UT Austin campus took an area of 40 acres. The university has outgrown this territory over the years. Yet, the name stuck. A handful of Austinites still refer to UT Austin campus as Forty Acres.

Most buildings on the historic campus date back to the 1930s. They use uniform Indiana limestone for exterior walls and red roof tiles. Newer buildings on campus are built of concrete and are far less scenic.

Sights & Places of Interest

The campus of the University of Texas at Austin has a handful of sights. You do not need to be a student to enjoy its architectural landmarks, museums, art, sports, and entertainment venues.

A self guided walking tour is one of the best ways to enjoy UT Austin campus. You could visit the main attractions for free and at your own pace.

This UT Austin Self Guided Walking Tour lays out a path through the campus. It covers UT Tower, Littlefield Fountain, Blanton Museum of Art and Darrel K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.

1. UT Tower

• Address: 110 Inner Campus Drive, Austin, TX 78705.
• Cost: free or $6 per adult for a tour.

The best way to start any visit to UT Austin is to go to the Mall. This square is in front of the University’s Main Building. You cannot miss this building thanks to its 27-story tower.

The UT Tower, or just The Tower, is the symbol of the university. It is a 307-ft (94-m) structure that dates back to 1937. It carries more resemblance with the buildings of NYC and Chicago than the rest of Austin.

The Tower is lit if you visit the campus after the sunset. Depending on the occasion, different colors are in use. You could also see the year number if you stop by the Main Building in May around graduation.

You could see the UT Tower from the Mall and other areas of campus for free. But it will cost you $6 to tour the observation deck of the Tower. Only student led guided tour groups could go to the top floor.

You will get a beautiful view of the city from the Tower. The entire campus will be below you. The Texas State Capitol and Downtown skyscrapers will be on full display, too.

The UT Tower had a dark side. It was the place of the first mass shooting in the United States. As a result, you have to go through a security screening before visiting the observation deck.

The University approved a renovation project to restore the UT Tower. All tours have been suspended for the project duration. Here is to hoping that it reopens sooner than Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada.

2. Littlefield Fountain

• Address: 201 W 21st St, Austin, TX 78705.
• Cost: free.

Your UT Austin Self-Guided Walking Tour will bring you to South Mall next. You will be walking downhill in the direction of the Texas State Capitol. Enjoy a beautiful view of the landmark thanks to the hills.

The walk covers about 3 blocks and a few stairs or ramps. It is hardly a hike even for the beginner hikers. But you might start to feel the incline if you choose to go in the opposite direction.

Littlefield Fountain is the reason to take this walk. The 1933 fountain is far smaller than Buckingham Fountain in Chicago, Illinois. But this fountain’s sculpture in front of the UT Tower is a campus symbol.

The fountain has attracted controversy over the past few decades due to its relations to the Confederacy. The University decided to remove a few stone inscriptions and statues from the fountain.

3. Blanton Museum of Art

• Address: 200 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Austin, TX 78712.
• Cost: $15 per adult.

Keep walking south after visiting Littlefield Fountain. You will reach MLK Jr Boulevard in a few blocks. This street used to be a southern boundary of campus before Dell Medical School came to life in 2016.

You should turn east on MLK Jr Boulevard. It will bring you to the Blanton Museum of Art in no time. This 1963 museum is a must-visit stop on your Austin itinerary if you like art.

You could see the Petal Stage, Moody Patio, and Austin by Ellsworth Kelly from the outside for free. All other exhibitions and galleries require an entrance fee.

The museum takes up three buildings. The visitor center and museum store are in the Smith Building. Most exhibitions are in the Michener Gallery Building. Austin is in-between the two main buildings.

3.1. Austin by Ellsworth Kelly

Without a doubt, Austin by Ellsworth Kelly is the most famous art installation in the museum. This cross structure takes its own building. While Austin only dates back to 2018, it has become a centerpiece.

You could enter this stone building after paying your admission fees at the Smith Building. Art lovers could find this art installation worthwhile. The heavy wooden doors let you into a dimly lit hall.

Colorful stained glass panels create amazing light and shadow combinations. Each wall has a different pattern. You will see rainbow blocks and lines. They overpower the paintings and exhibits inside.

3.2. Michener Gallery Building

It is hard to top a visit to Austin. But you should explore the exhibits in the Galleries of the Michener Gallery Building. This is the only way to make the most of your $15 admission fee.

You might get lucky and time your visit with Austin Museum Day every September. In this case, admission to the whole Blanton Museum of Art is free.

An impressive collection of modern and contemporary art awaits you in this museum. You will see sculptures and drawings, art installations and paintings over 3 museum levels.

4. Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium

• Address: 2139 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78712.
• Cost: $40+ per game.

No visit to UT Austin is complete without a stop at the Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. At over 100,000 seats, the home of Texas Longhorns football team is the 9th largest stadium globally.

It is a center of sports life on campus together with 4,000-seat Gregory Gymnasium and over 15,000-seat Moody Center. The latter venue also hosts a handful of concerts and events year round.

It is impossible to miss DRK stadium from nearly everywhere on campus. You could walk around this massive structure for free. But getting inside the stadium will cost you more than a penny.

UT Austin Students get discounted tickets to Texas Longhorns games. Of course, you could visit a game if you are not a student. But you might need to pay hundreds of dollars if the team is on fire that season.

5. LBJ Presidential Library

• Address: 453-401 W 23rd St, Austin, TX 78705.
• Cost: $16 per adult ($8 on Tuesdays).

The Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium is next door to the LBJ Presidential Library. Lyndon B. Johnson was the 36th President of the United States.

He was also a native of the Hill Country near Austin, Texas. The Library on campus is your chance to learn more about the former U.S. President without driving to the LBJ Ranch.

You could see the Oval Office replica in the LBJ Presidential Library. It is far easier (and cheaper) than visiting the White House in Washington, D.C.

Admission is $16 per adult. This is more than the Blanton Museum of Art. On the bright side, there are a few discounts. Parking is also free when you visit the LBJ Presidential Library.

6. Austintatious Mural

• Address: 453-401 W 23rd St, Austin, TX 78705.
• Cost: free.

The Blanton Museum of Art is not the only spot on campus to visit for art lovers. You should head to a corner of 23rd Street and Guadalupe Street to see an iconic mural.

Austintatious dates back to 1973. A lot of hard work went into preserving this mural. It has been vandalized more than a handful of times over the years. The artists restored it every time.

The area around the mural is not very picturesque. There are piles of trash on this pedestrian only street nearly every day. A few homeless people might also approach you for money.

This does not sound like a welcoming experience. But there is a way to make it more enjoyable. Stop by University Co-op to buy your UT memorabilia. This non profit funds scholarships from the proceeds.

Continue with this UT Austin Self Guided Tour Review. You will learn more about ways to get to the sights, entrance requirements, and places to stay.

Getting to UT Austin

The University of Texas at Austin is in a central part of the city. The campus is directly north of Austin Downtown. This location makes UT Austin a great addition to your weekend trip to the city.

You could choose a number of transport modes when visiting this campus. A car is the fastest way to UT Austin. You could start your campus tour in 5 minutes from Downtown and 20 minutes from the airport.

But driving a car to the University has a few disadvantages. You cannot use the campus streets without a permit. There is also little parking near UT Austin.

The San Antonio Garage and the Brazos Garage are the nearest options. They are still a few blocks away from the main sights. You have to pay to park, too. Rates start at $3 for 30 minutes but get a bit cheaper.

A few streets around campus have meter parking. You could park along Guadalupe Street and San Jacinto Boulevard. To save on parking, visit UT Austin on any Sunday. Meter parking is free then.

You should take public transport if you prefer to not deal with traffic. There are plenty of bus routes that stop near the campus. You could choose from buses 1, 3, 20, 30, 481, 640, 801, 803, 982, and 990.

If none of these routes work, look at buses 7, 10, 18, 465, 641, 642, 670, 671, and 672. There are bus stops all around campus. Just pick one that works with your itinerary and get a day pass at $2.5.

You could also consider biking to UT Austin. There are a couple MetroBike Stations on Guadalupe Street. Rent a bike elsewhere, pedal to campus, and leave the bike. A day pass costs $12.99.

Where to Stay near UT Austin

The University of Texas at Austin is in a central part of the city. As a result, you have plenty of places to stay on or close to the campus.

AT&T Hotel & Conference Center is on campus. You will be equally close to Littlefield Fountain and Blanton Museum of Art. This is an unbeatable place to stay if UT Austin is your main destination.

There are more options if you do not mind walking a few blocks to the campus. Hampton Inn and Suites Austin University Capitol and Hilton Garden Inn Austin University Capitol District are great hotels.

Moxy Austin – University and AC Hotel by Marriott Austin-University are also worthy contenders. All of these places to stay are within a 15-minute walk to UT Austin sights.

Austin Downtown is a solid choice for exploring the University of Texas at Austin, too. You could take a bus or ride a bike from this neighborhood.

Check out Hyatt Centric Congress Avenue Austin, The Stephen F Austin Royal Sonesta Hotel, and Canopy By Hilton Austin Downtown. You will be close to the Texas Capitol and Austin house museums.

Most other places to stay require you to rent a car. Origin Austin, a Wyndham Hotel and Drury Inn & Suites Austin North are solid choices.

The final alternative is to stay in the Domain neighborhood. Do not overlook Residence Inn by Marriott Austin Northwest/The Domain Area and Hilton Garden Inn Austin North-Near the Domain, TX.

Entrance Requirements & Passes

The UT Austin campus is open from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. It is probably a good idea to visit UT Austin during daylight hours. Seeing the UT Tower light up is the only reason to be on campus after the sunset.

It is free to visit UT Austin. You are welcome to explore the sights like Littlefield Fountain and Austintatious Mural free of charge. Parking fees would be the only cost of visiting UT Austin if you drive.

Other notable places on campus have shorter hours and different admission requirements. Here is a summary for the main sights.

• UT Tower: closed to renovation; $6 per adult to tour the observation deck once it reopens.
• Blanton Museum of Art: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Saturdays) or 5 p.m. (all days but Monday); $15 per adult.
• LBJ Presidential Library: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; $16 per adult or $8 on Tuesdays.
• Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium: open during Texas Longhorns games only; $40+ per ticket.

You might be able to save when visiting these campus highlights. There are discounts for students, youth, seniors, teachers, and military members. You could find similar discounts at most sights in the US.

But there are a few uncommon ways to save. The campus museums are free on Austin Museum Day. The LBJ Presidential Library is free if any part of your name is Lyndon.

Takeaways: UT Austin Self Guided Tour

The campus of the University of Texas at Austin is a great place to explore in the city. It is easy to spend a few hours admiring the UT Tower, Littlefield Fountain, museums, stadiums, and other landmarks.

Architecture geeks will appreciate Indiana limestone and red roof tiles of the historic buildings. Art lovers will certainly get a kick out of Austintatious Mural and Austin by Ellsworth Kelly.

If the schedule, price, and your preferences works out, you could catch a game or a show on campus. It is surreal to be at a stadium with 100,000+ other visitors even if you do not care about sports.

Paid parking is the one downside of your visit. Fairly high admission fees to the Blanton Museum of Art and LBJ Presidential Library is another. You could spend over $100 as an adult group on UT campus.

Get ready to walk a lot. You will cover a few miles while exploring different sights at UT Austin. Do not underestimate the hilly landscape of this campus, too. Your legs will feel tired after a day on campus.

Take a look at this UT Austin Self Guided Tour Video Review. And visit the YouTube channel for the latest videos.

Frequently Asked Questions

Safe realist travels!