In this capital of Texas, you may also want to experience the residential lifestyle of the state's First Family at the Governor's Mansion (1010 Colorado Ave., 512/463-5516, governor.state.tx.us/mansion). Free tours are conducted every 20 minutes Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to noon. Across the street: The State Capitol of Texas (11th St. and Congress Ave., 512/463-0063) is 14 feet higher than the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Free tours begin every 15 minutes on weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and every 30-45 minutes on weekends, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Walk to the other side of the Capitol building and you will see a monumental 35-foot bronze star marking the entrance to the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum (1800 N. Congress Ave., 512/936-8746, thestoryoftexas.com), which displays through multimedia exhibits everything you ever wanted to know about the Lone Star State for $5.

Lodgings

For lodging during your stay, you can always choose from every famous name in low-cost motel chains-they're all here in Austin. But my recommendations are for three more distinctive properties, named in ascending order of cost:

For old-school cool and affordability, you might first choose the Austin Motel (1220 S. Congress Ave., 512/441-1157, austinmotel.com), where doubles start at only $60. Each room here is thematically unique (such as the Beach Room, the Great Wall of China Room, etc.), and there's a classic '50s pool to boot.

Or try Hotel San Jose (1316 S. Congress Ave., 800/574-8897, sanjosehotel.com), surely the trendiest spot in Austin, with 40 rooms offering a taste of urban-loft living. Concrete floors and wrought-iron fixtures contrast with honey-colored wood, thick futons, and olive-green doors. The courtyard features a tiny but warm pool-made more for mingling than for laps. Rooms are $69 per double for a shared bath, $105 for private bath, and rates include continental breakfast, DSL access, and newspapers in the lobby.

The historic 1888 Miller-Crockett House (112 Academy Dr., 888/441-1641, millercrockett.com) is a charming, well-appointed, plantation-style B&B run by the perky hostess, Kat Mooney. For $99, two can sleep in Caroline's Room-complete with brass bed and a balcony with a view. A gourmet breakfast is included, free evening yoga is offered on the lawn, and mountain bikes are available for guests' use at no extra charge.

BBQ heaven

Texas barbecue is the best the world over (proudly claim the Texans), and a great place to chow down on this specialty is local favorite Salt Lick (FM 1826, in Driftwood, 512/894-3117, saltlickbbq.com) near the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Try the heaping family-style (and family-size) meat combo for $8.95 and then top it off with freshly-made-this-morning peach cobbler (tm) la mode ($4.95)-and you'll understand why local girls Sandra Bullock and the Dixie Chicks keep coming back.