Austin?

I'll be going to Austin in a couple of weeks, my first time there. I'm going with my parents and brother to see the Formula 1 Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas.

As the weather gets cooler here in the mid-Atlantic, I'm getting ready to put away my summer clothes and take out the winter stuff. But I'm hoping I'll have a chance to wear shorts and sandals again during the trip.

Our primary focus will be race-related events during the day, and we are staying at a hotel in south Austin. I think we might have a chance to explore a bit in afternoon and evening on Friday and Saturday. Does anyone have any suggestions? Any good restaurants that serve not-spicy, not-fried food and won't break the bank?

I visited Austin several years ago and witnessed one unique event that stands out. Try to make time get to the Congress St. bridge by dusk to witness an amazing sight. Tens of thousands of bats making an appearance, coming out from under the bridge. Here is one (of many) links about them:http://www.batsinaustin.com/#
It was a wonderful experience.

Any suggestions? I'll be going from March 29th through April 2nd for a work conference. I'm staying at the Hyatt Regency. I'm trying to decide if it's worth renting a bike to possibly ride in the late afternoon/evenings. Any really cool place to ride that's not terribly far away (I really won't have more than 90 minutes max in the evenings)? Anything I must see? I've had local acquaintances recommend restaurants, but still looking for any suggestions.

Our trip in October was marked by heavy rain, I mean biblical someone-find-Noah-because-we-need-to-get-on-that-ark rain. It was wild. (Nonetheless the race was great.)

We wanted to visit the LBJ library, which a friend had recommended, but were unable to reach it because it's on the UT campus and there was a home football game going on so all the roads were closed and the parking lots were full. So instead we went to the Texas history museum, which was interesting and had a decent cafe where we were able to get lunch.

Another friend told me about visiting Austin several years ago in the month of January and doing some cycling -- I think in or near the Ladybird Johnson wildflower center.

Thank you! I'm always looking for cool things to do, and I hadn't even started looking up museums. I suspect this will be like my usual work trips, I get excited, plan a lot, and do half of it but I don't see the use in traveling (even for work) unless I do/find/see something that I couldn't see anywhere else.