LOWELL THOMAS AWARDS WEEKENDCALENDAR OF EVENTS & ATTIRE

Friday, November 1, 2024

7:00 – 9:00 AM and 1:00 – 3:00 PM/ Registration and Packet Pick-Up
Driskill Hotel Lobby/604 Brazos Street
Name tag identification is mandatory for all events

10:00 AM and 12:00 PM Private Tours of Tesla Giga Texas/All Ticket Holders
1 Tesla Road (approximately 25-minute Uber or Lyft ride from Driskill)
Pre-Registration including security clearance required
Casual Attire; Wear comfortable shoes

5:00 PM – 6:30 PM Tequila Tasting & Private Exhibit Access/VIP Ticket Holders
Bullock Museum/1800 Congress Avenue (7-minute Uber or Lyft ride from Driskill)
Western Chic or Business Casual…dust off your boots!

6:00 – 9:00 PM Boots and Bling Barbecue Dinner/All Ticket Holders
Cooper’s Barbecue/217 Congress Avenue (5-7minute walk from Driskill)
Western Chic or Business Casual…best pair of boots wins a prize!

Saturday, November 2, 2024

9:30 AM – 12:30 PM Pathfinders Symposium/All Ticket Holders
Texas State Capitol Auditorium/Room E1.004
1100 Congress Avenue (15-minute walk; 5–7-minute Uber or Lyft from Driskill)
Casual Attire; Comfortable shoes if going on Capitol Tour

1:00, 1:40, and 2:20 PM Tours of Texas Capitol Dome/VIP Ticket Holders
Reservation required; Participants must be physically capable of climbing steep stairs

LOWELL THOMAS AWARDS DINNER/All Ticket Holders

Historic Driskill Hotel/604 Brazos Street
Attire:  Black Tie or Texas Fancy
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Cocktail Reception/Driskill Hotel Mezzanine
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Awards Presentation/Driskill Ballroom
7:00 PM – 9:30 PM Gala Dinner & Surprises

Sunday, November 3, 2024

10:00 AM – 1:00 PM Treasures of the Explorers Club Brunch/VIP Ticket Holders
Informal Conversations with Honorary Hosts
Sylvia Earle, Johan Reinhard and Victor Vescovo
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center/4801 La Crosse Avenue
Business Casual (20-minute Uber or Lyft ride from Driskill)

Austin Hotels

Prices Approx.

Host Hotel

• The Driskill Hotel – Historic Downtown – 604 Brazos Street – $300

Other Nearby Hotels

• Stephen F. Austin Hotel – 701 Congress Avenue – $250
• Courtyard Austin Downtown – 300 E. 4th Street – $235
• Hotel ZaZa – 400 Lavaca Street – $450
• La Quinta by Wyndham Austin Capitol – 300 E. 11th Street – $125

Farther Away But Super Cool (similar to Austin)

• Hotel San Jose – 1316 S. Congress – $375
• Four Seasons Hotel on Lake Austin – 98 San Jacinto – $800

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This chart provides a helpful guide for visitors to Texas, offering an educated guess on what to wear during late October to early November. With fluctuating temperatures, it’s always a good idea to pack layers, including your cowboy hats and boots, for that authentic Texan style!

What to wear for LTAD events?

• Friday Tesla – dress comfortably and wear your walking shoes.
• Friday evening VIP and all ticket holder events – Dust off your boots and press your jeans (no holey/ripped jeans, please).
• Saturday symposiums – Texas business casual. If you didn’t spill BBQ sauce on your jeans last night, you can wear em – just dress em up a bit.
• Saturday night awards and gala – trade in the jeans and boots for the tux, gowns, and heels. However, if you have a 1950’s Western leisure suit or dress – by all means!
• Sunday VIP Treasures of The Explorers Club – Texas business casual

For those of you who want to know what insiders know about our city, or maybe you just want to explore a bit on your own, here is a list of things to do, with a variety that is quintessentially Austin.

Visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
https://www.wildflower.org/
4801 La Crosse Ave.
512-232-0100
$15 adults
Daily entry 9:00 a.m.– 5:00 p.m. Garden entry closes at 4:00 p.m.

There is no more delightful place than the Lady Bird Wildflower Center for flower enthusiasts. Named after the wife of former president Lyndon Johnson, and co-founded by the actress Helen Hayes as a way to promote the benefits of planting native species, the Wildflower Center has 284 acres of scenic gardens and trails. It is a wonderful mix of mix of cultivated gardens, an arboretum, managed natural areas and wildlands. There are more than 900 varieties of native Texas plants here. During late October and early November, the Wildflower Center will be also be hosting an exhibit on Monarch Migration. Although the migration season will be nearing its close, we hope there will be some late fliers to hold us in their thrall.

The One and Only South Congress Experience

Want to get your cowboy on? Or maybe just enjoy the best and quirkiest shopping area in Austin? Head down to South Congress. There you can find an array of famous boot and hat stores – Allen’s Boots (1522 S. Congress), Maufrais (1512 S. Congress), Heritage Boots (1714 S. Congress), and Tecovas (1500 S. Congress). Wander beyond the hat and boot stores and you will discover a myriad of other shops and restaurants. Among the many are: Guero’s Oak Garden (1412 S. Congress) for Tex-Mex food, hand-shaken margaritas and live music in an outdoor setting; Howler Bros. (1333 S. Congress) for their famous H Bar B snapshirts; Big Top Candy Shop (1706 S. Congress), with a fully functioning soda fountain, 400 bulk candies, and over 3000 wrapped candies; Magnolia Café (1920 S. Congress), an iconic Austin diner; Paperwork (1704 S. Congress), selling art and objects designed by independent artists from Texas; the Kendra Scott Flagship Store (1701 S. Congress), where you can customize your selections by style and by stones; Perla’s (1400 S. Congress), for fish, oysters and surf and turf lunch and dinner. This is not your average shopping day. Prepare to be entertained.

Find the Troll in Pease Park
https://peasepark.org/pease-park-troll
100 Kingsbury, Austin, TX 78703
512-842-9018
Daily, 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Free

Great for the family, or for just getting outdoors, Pease Park is an 84-acre multipurpose conservancy, and was Austin’s first public park. Insiders know to look for Malin the Troll, a wood sculpture designed by Danish artist Thomas Danbo. Malin is a female troll, and she is holding a bowl. The bowl is meant to be a reminder to us to share our water and resources with the animals that live around us.

Go Behind the Scenes at Austin City Limits Live
https://www.acllive.com/tours
310 West Willie Nelson Blvd.
512-404-1300
$12 pp. (buy online)
Tours depart M – Sat. at 11:00 a.m. Tickets required.0 West Willie Nelson

Austin City Limits is the longest running music series in television history. Produced by Austin PBS, it is also the creator of the famous Austin City Limits Music Festival, which hosts over 130 artists and 225,000 patrons every year at Zilker Park in Austin. Everybody who is anybody in music has either played, or wants to be invited to play, at Austin City Limits. ACL Live’s Moody Theater is the epicenter of ACL Live. This tour takes you behind the scenes at the Moody Theater. You will walk on the same stage as music’s all-time greats, see their dressing rooms and sets, and hear stories of the music icons who have graced the center stage. If you get lucky, your tour guide may take you to see the stage hands’ canteen, where an electronic cigar hangs from the ceiling as a tribute to Willie Nelson.

Blanton Art Museum and Ellsworth Kelly’s “Austin”
ray.williams@blantonmuseum.org
200 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
512-471-5482
$20 for adults, $17 for seniors (65+)
10am-5pm: Tuesday-Friday; closed Monday
10am-8pm: Saturday
10am-5pm: Sunday

For art lovers, the Blanton Art Museum, located on the University of Texas campus, has the largest art collection in Central Texas, and is the largest university collection in the country. There are more than 21,000 works in the collection, ranging from ancient Greek pottery to abstract expressionism. The museum is best known for its collection of modern and contemporary American and Latin American art, Italian Renaissance and Baroque paintings, and prints and drawings. The Blanton is also home to Ellsworth Kelly’s “Austin,” the only building the artist ever designed. Kelly intended the building to be a site for contemplation and joy. Check the website for a list of current exhibitions and events.

Swim Outside in November
Barton Springs Pool
https://www.austintexas.gov/department/barton-springs-pool
2131 William Barton Dr., Austin, TX 78746
512-476-9044
M – Wed, F – Sun; 5:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Thursdays closed for cleaning
$9 for non-resident adults, seniors (62 and older) $5.00

Deep Eddy Pool
https://www.austintexas.gov/department/deep-eddy-pool
401 Deep Eddy Ave., Austin, TX 78703
Hotline: 512- 974-1189
Phone: 512 -472-8546
$9 for non-resident adults, seniors (62 and older) $5.00
Check website for hours recreational and lap swimming times.

Swimming outside in November? You bet. The Barton Springs Pool is a 3-acre pool fed by a natural spring flowing from the Edwards Aquifer. This unique circumstance gives the pool an average temperature of 68 – 70° year-round. People from all walks of life swim here, from University of Texas students to state legislators. It is even said that Robert Redford learned to swim here when he was 5 years old. Unfortunately, on August 24, 2024, the pool temporarily closed due to needed repairs, but it may well be in service by the LTAD weekend in November.
In the meantime, the Deep Eddy Pool, also in the Barton Springs area, a concrete man- made pool, but also fed by springs flowing from the Edwards Aquifer, can be used instead. Deep Eddy is shallower than Barton Springs, boasts a one- acre wading area, and has ten, 100 ft. long, lap lanes. It also has the same incredible 68 – 70° water temperature year-round. Get your swim trunks on, and go for it!

Bat Watching and Sightseeing Cruises
https://capitalcruises.com/bat-watching/
Hyatt Regency Boat Dock
208 Barton Springs Road
$13/pp for public tour, other prices depend on boat and amenities chosen
Sunset tour departure 5:00 p.m.; check in 4:30 p.m. Changes to one hour later in early Nov.
Day time sightseeing tour departure 1:00; check in 12:30.

Bat watching is “a thing” in Austin, as an estimated 1.5 million bats make their home at the Congress Avenue Bridge for part of the year. So is seeing the Austin skyline while sipping an adult beverage aboard a boat. Bat watching takes place at sunset, typically March through the end of October, and occasionally mid – November, depending on mother nature. Sightseeing is fun in every season, and is even more fun aboard a cruise ship. Capital City Cruises offers both bat (sunset) and sightseeing (day time or sunset) cruises, with a variety of transports, from large electric cruisers, to kayaks. All cruises depart from the boat dock at the lakeside of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Austin, and travel along beautiful Lady Bird Lake. The views of Austin from this vantage point are breathtaking. For more information and pricing of the various transport options, please check the website. For those who prefer to skip the cruise, head to the Statesman Bat Observation Center to watch the bats for free. The Observation Center is located next to the Congress Bridge, on the south side of Lady Bird Lake.

The Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail
https://www.austintexas.gov/department/ann-and-roy-butler-hike-and-bike-trail-and-boardwalk-lady-bird-lake
Daily 5:00 a.m. – midnight
Free

Want to get your run in while you are in Austin? The Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail is a 10-mile trail that is walkable from the Driskill. A favorite of locals, the trail takes visitors along the edge of Lady Bird Lake, where you have amazing views of the lake and of downtown skyscrapers as well. Runner, walkers and cyclists are all welcome. You can find restrooms and water fountains along the way. A map of the path can be found at the website. There are several access points along Cesar Chavez Blvd. and Riverside Drive, making entry easy.

The Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library
https://www.lbjlibrary.org/
2313 Red River Road
Austin, TX. 78705
512-721-0200
Daily 9:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., last entry at 3:00 p.m.
Tickets $16; can be purchased online

The Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library is dedicated to the life and legacy of our 36th President. It contains presidential papers, artifacts and other information about LBJ from his hardscrabble upbringing, to his as a US Congressman, Senator and Vice President, and the day he became President following the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The museum also covers the enactment of the Civil Rights Bill, considered by many to be his greatest piece of legislation, and the turbulent times of the Vietnam War. There is also a display of the Oval Office, and a talking animatronic of LBJ telling stories about his life. Lady Bird Johnson also has a gallery dedicated to her time as the nation’s First Lady. Located at the eastern edge of the University of Texas, this is history at its finest.

Tour Austin Murals by Pedicab
Metrocycle Pedicabs
https://www.metrocyclecab.com/book-a-tour
512-825-1276
contact@metrocyclecab.com
Book online to choose time; minimum 2 participants
Tour is 1.5 hours.
$65/pp

Austin’s street artists use its buildings, walls and storefronts as canvases for art. These artworks may have begun as guerilla graffiti, but they have now morphed into legendary status – so much so that many are now commissioned. In stunning color and detail, they tell the story of the city, its people and the times. See over 20 of these murals, including the iconic “Greetings from Austin” and “I Love You So Much,” in this fun, 90-minute pedicab tour. (Of course, you must stop at a few of the more famous pieces for selfies!) The pedicab will pick up from most downtown hotels, and bring you back at the conclusion of the tour. You can also meet the pedicab at the Austin Visitor Center, 602 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701.

Climb Austin’s Highest Mountain
https://www.mountbonnell.com/your-visit
Mount Bonnell at Covert Park
3800 Mount Bonnell Road
512-974-6700
5:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. daily
Free

Okay. It is a fact that we don’t have the kind of mountains that would ever allow us to host the winter Olympics. But Austin does have a mountain. It’s called Mount Bonnell, and at 775 ft. above sea level, and 102 stairs, Mt. Bonnell is the highest point in Austin. Not only this, but the view from Mount Bonnell is said to be the best in all of Austin. Take a thermos of freshly brewed coffee at sunrise and have your socks knocked off by the gorgeous view. Or climb at sunset and have a romantic picnic. The 360° panorama at the top of Mount Bonnell makes any time of day worthwhile. And the best part? It’s an easy climb.

Dine Like a Local at a Food Truck Park
https://www.thepicnicaustin.com/
The Picnic Food Truck Park
1720 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX. 78704
Monday – Friday 11:00AM – 9:00PM
Saturday 10:00AM – 9:00PM
Sunday 10:00AM –8:00PM

Food-court trailer parks are an Austin phenomenon in which multiple trailers cluster to create a dining destination. Want burgers, Italian, Thai, Tex-Mex? You can have it all at the same place. Started in the 90’s, food trucks have sprung up around the city as chefs turned away from traditional sit-down restaurants to mobile Airstreams kitted out with all the amenities to cook up delicious cuisine. The trend is so hot in Austin that at the latest estimate, 2000 food trailers were operating in Austin. The Picnic, located near Barton Springs, is a popuar trailer park that sports nine different food trucks throughout the year, most of which are in the top ten of Austin’s best known food trailers. There is no charge for the perfect weather we will likely be having in November as you enjoy your meal.

Visit the Bullock Texas State History Museum
https://www.thestoryoftexas.com/
1800 Congress Avenue
512-936-4689
M – Sun. 10:00 – 5:00
$13 adults; IMAX and Texas Spirit Theater tickets sold separately.

Named after the State’s 38th Lieutenant Governor, the Bob Bullock Museum is dedicated to the preservation and exploration of Texas History. The museum is located near the Texas State Capitol, and tells the story of more than 16,000 years of Texas history, using artifacts, exhibitions, and film. One of the earliest objects created by humans in the Americas, found 40 miles north of Austin, is housed at the museum. With a robust calendar of programs, films, lectures and exhibitions, in addition to the permanent exhibitions, the museum offers something for everyone. Check out the calendar to find out the current offerings, and what is playing at the popular IMAX and Texas Spirit theaters in the museum. There is no charge for admission on the first Sunday of every month, which means that guests who visit the Sunday of LTAD weekend get in for free!

Grab a Brew at the Zilker Brewing Company
https://www.zilkerbeer.com/
1701 E. 6th Street
512-712-5590
Mon – Thurs: 11-10PM
Fri – Sat: 11-11PM
Sun: 11-8PM

Like many origin stories, Zilker Brewing was started in a garage by two high school friends. First experimenting, and then winning awards for their beers, the two ultimately upgraded from their garage brewery, and in 2015, built the Zilker Brewery and Taproom as a state-of-the-art urban brewery. Grab a brew (or two), and contemplate nature, or the savory nuances of your lager(s), in the outdoor biergarten. You can also take a 20-minute tour of the brewery and see the insider’s view of the brewing process. For those of you who come hungry, Spicy Boy’s Food Truck is on the premises, and in case you don’t know, the Austin Chronicle voted it best food truck in 2023.

Tour the Texas State Capitol
https://tspb.texas.gov/plan/tours/tours.html
1100 South Congress
Free tours depart every 30 to 45 minutes from the South Foyer tour guide offices
M – F 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Sat. – Sun. 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Texas State Capitol is a must-see for any visitor to Austin. It was designed by architect Elijah Meyers, and built in 1888. All these years later, it is the still the largest state capitol building in the United States, and is 14 ft. higher than the United States Capitol. The pink granite used to build the capitol came from Marble Falls, Texas. It took some 4000 train trips and 15,700 flatcars loads, to finish the building. On top of the dome is the Goddess of Liberty, part of the original contest design for the building by Elijah Meyers. The Goddess has the sword of justice in one hand and a gilded Lone Star in the other, and represents truth, justice and art. In the 1990’s, the Capitol underwent a major renovation, which included building an expansive underground addition, and exchanging the original zinc Goddess for an aluminum Goddess. The original Goddess is now housed at the Bullock Texas State History Museum.