My wife and I recently visited our State’s capitol of Austin for the very first time ever while celebrating our 4th Wedding Anniversary. Now, I know what you’re thinking. “How have you never been to Austin before!?!”. Well, we’re not from Texas originally but as they say “We got here as fast as we could!”. One of our Austin must sees on the top of the list was the Texas Capitol building and we came away extremely satisfied with our visit.
I wouldn’t exactly pin myself as a History buff, but this was a real treat for the artist in me as I was overloaded with the architecture & details put into every little nook & cranny. Immediately, the rotunda & dome in the central portion took our breath away with how awe inspiring & massive it was. Just imagining how this was all built in the 1800’s is mind-blowing to think of, & getting to see & touch the hand crafted details is a great experience.
Now we were unaware at the time, but you have the option of either taking a self-guided tour & just looking around or you can follow a Texas Capitol Building tour guide for free! We didn’t happen to see a guide at the time we entered so we showed ourselves around. It was interesting to walk the wings and see the active offices. While exploring, we did happen upon a tour group toward the end of our visit upon entering the House Chamber. The guide was extremely knowledgeable & really easy to listen to with a way of making what can be a little dull for children, very interesting & engaging with questions, fun facts, etc.
Did I mention it was great exercise? Climbing the huge three stories to the top floor and cruising the halls can provide plenty of interaction & build a Texas sized appetite. Luckily, the massive landscaped grounds around the Capitol provided perfect spots for families interested in having a picnic in the beautiful Texas weather.
This really was a great activity for both my wife & I to get us a little more connected to what has been our home for only the past 5 years. As a first timer & someone who will definitely go back, I would absolutely recommend visiting the Texas Capitol Building for a Texas history lesson & an overall enjoyable experience.
Eric Oss – Director of Marketing – The Rhodes Team