Top 4 Things To Do In Austin This Summer

If you live here, you don’t need to be reminded of how awesome this city is. The arts culture, the entrepreneurial startup hustle, and the nightlife make Austin the best damn city in Texas. Here are 4 new things to check out if you want to experience Austin on a deeper level this Summer.

1. Meet people working on world changing ideas.

Capital Factory / Via capitalfactory.totemapp.com

Let’s face it. Austin is a “cool” city. We’re frequently mentioned as an alternative to Silicon Valley. There is a definite entrepreneurial culture here.

It’s not hard to meet people working on epic projects that could change the world.

Tech startups, courageous social entrepreneurs, futurists…Austin has the “vibe” that attracts these types of thinkers.

The innovative culture of SXSW isn’t just a temporary event; it’s a year round mindset in Austin.

If you make an effort to “network,” it’s fairly easy to meet awesome people working on awesome projects. That’s what happens when you live in an awesome city.

2. Experience a live show in an unfamiliar genre.

David Starfire by Collective Perspectives / Via collectiveperspectives.wordpress.com

If you love music, Austin is one of the best cities in the world to see live shows. We have amazing bars, restaurants, and venues.

Bands frequently remark that Austin is one of their favorite tour stops.

But when was the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone and went to a new show?

When was the last time you saw a performer you've never seen before, or an up and coming band whose lyrics you didn't already have memorized?

Austin is a great place to check out live shows—especially from experimental groups with innovative, edgy performances.

3. Learn about new technologies and business trends.

Forbes / Via forbes.com

Austin’s culture is the result of a beautiful synergy between academic inquiry and entrepreneurial hustle. We have a college town vibe, but that doesn’t mean we don’t know how to launch million (or billion) dollar ideas.

Traditional cities have unwritten rules of business in the front, party in the back. In Austin, this is a false dichotomy. Even if you’re not a newly minted MBA, the business culture can still be really interesting.

Austin has its share of larger, established companies, but the real vibe comes from the fearless entrepreneurs that are constantly starting new ventures.

Startup accelerators like Capital Factory help make this happen on a daily basis (if you haven’t dropped in to their co-working space, check it out!)

Sometimes we “locals” take it for granted that there are so many innovative companies working on products that will change the world.

And if you live here in Austin, it’s happening right in your backyard.

4. Attend the Voice & Exit conference in June.

Voice & Exit / Via voiceandexit2015.pr.co

Voice & Exit has been called the “festival of the future.”

It’s the perfect way to check the first 3 items off this list, all in one weekend.

According to BrainJuice CEO Sam Elick, Voice & Exit is “what SXSW used to be” and its organized around the principle of maximizing human flourishing.

At Voice & Exit you’ll learn about new technologies and trends like digital currencies, biohacking, and seasteading (Peter Thiel’s vision to build floating cities on the ocean).

The speakers this year for the short, TED-style Seeds talks include Whole Foods founder and CEO John Mackey and bestselling author and marketer Ryan Holiday. Sprout workshops range from disrupting higher education to biohacking to creating an organization with no bosses.

A previous attendee said the networking opportunities “were worth at least 10x the price of admission.” Some “Exiters” drove over 2,000 miles to attend last year’s event. Lucky for us, it happens in our backyard.

It’s one of Texas’s best-kept secrets.

(If you want to get down like it's 2025, the futuristic Blooms party on Saturday night will feature live performances from David Starfire and CAPYAC.)

Voice & Exit is the ultimate representation of Austin’s culture — intellectual, entrepreneurial, and artistic.

Click here to watch the talks from last year’s event, and order your passes.