Austin and Houston Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour Bundle

Overview

Experience the hippest cities in Texas with these self-guided driving tours of Austin and Houston. Dig into the long, embattled history of this fiercely independent state, witness the beauty of Houston’s bayou and Austin’s historic downtown, and much more. Featuring must-see landmarks like Austin’s Congress Ave Bridge (home to a huge urban bat colony) and the Johnson Space Center in Houston, there’s no better way to discover these two incredible cities. Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! After booking, you can check your email before downloading the Tour Guide App by Action, entering your unique password, and accessing your tour. The preceding steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. Simply follow the audio instructions and the route from there. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. Not an entrance ticket to attractions. Please check opening hours before visiting.

Itinerary

1. Buffalo Bayou Park

   Next, we'll arrive at the Buffalo Bayou Park, where we'll get a chance to see the enormous cisterns the once quenched the thirst of the entire city! We'll also learn how the city transformed and found new uses for these cisterns once they weren't needed for drinking water any longer. NOTE: The tour is over 40 miles long, with more than 40+ audio stories, and takes about 2-3 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.

   · 5 min

2. Sam Houston Park

   Our drive takes us past Sam Houston Park next, where a row of preserved historic homes display how Houstonians from all walks of life lived, from freed slaves building new lives for themselves to affluent merchants.

   · 5 min

3. We'll park at City Hall and hear about the challenges of building it during the Great Depression. We'll also get a good look at the statues of Houston's founders which stand before the hall, and learn about how those statues had to wait over 80 years to be built!

   · 5 min

4. We'll keep driving until we see Pennzoil Place, a pair of huge black towers looming over Houston. Here, we'll pick up some facts about the imposing buildings and the innovative architect behind them.

   · 10 min

5. Our route takes us next through Houston's Historic District, chock full of gorgeous old buildings. We'll also hear about the multiple fires which swept across the old City Hall, and the celebrities like Johnny Carson who have partied in this very district!

   · 10 min

6. JPMorgan Chase Tower

   The next sight we'll see is the Chase Tower, the tallest building in all of Texas. Here, we'll uncover some secrets of its construction, like how the original design was hazardous to air traffic and it sports a helipad that's never been used!

   · 10 min

7. Christ Church Cathedral

   Next, we'll park at the Christ Church Cathedral, Houston’s very first religious congregation which dates back to 1859. We'll also hear about the generous stranger who's responsible for a steer's head being part of the church seal.

   · 10 min

8. Daikin Park

   Our route then passes Minute Maid Park, the famous baseball stadium designed to imitate the Golden Age of baseball.

   · 10 min

9. Next, we'll see Emancipation Park, a lovely recreational space with a rich history. We'll hear about emancipation, Juneteenth in Texas, and how this park became an epicenter for the Black community in Houston. Then, we'll get the real facts on some of Houston's most notorious urban legends.

   · 10 min

10. Houston Museum District

    As we drive, we'll enter Houston's Museum District, home to fascinating museums covering everything from Black history to natural science to fine arts and beyond. If you want a really deep dive into the city of Houston, this is the place to be.

    · 10 min

11. Hermann Park

    Next, we'll pass Hermann Park, home to plenty of attractions for the little ones, including an entire zoo featuring cheetahs, chimps, and more!

    · 5 min

12. Rice University

    Our route brings us through the Rice University campus next, where we'll get some insight into the founder and hear about a baffling--and very ambitious--senior prank conducted by an alum known only as "The Mastermind."

    · 10 min

13. James Turrell's Twilight Epiphany Skyscape

    As we continue through the Rice campus, we'll see the strange, pyramid-shaped building known as Skyspace. Here, we'll get a quick rundown of what this odd building is for, and how you can experience its beautiful sky viewings for yourself.

    · Non-stop passage

14. We'll keep driving past MacGregor Park and listen to the story of how he revolutionized Houston's transit system by replacing the donkeys it relied on for far too long.

    · 10 min

15. At the end of the boulevard, look to the right. You should be able to spot the bronze statue of Dr. King. For a full picture of his life and achievements, check out the African American Culture Museum in Midtown.

    · 10 min

16. As we drive, we'll end up on the Old Spanish Trail. Once upon a time, it spanned the entirety of the country! This trail stretched over 2,750 miles from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. Next, we'll look down get the inside scoop on the importance of oil and gas in Texas's development, and look up at the stars to hear about NASA, the infamous Apollo 13 mission, and world-famous astronomer Carl Sagan.

    · 10 min

17. The San Jacinto Monument is a 567.31-foot-high column located on the Houston Ship Channel in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, near the city of Houston. The monument is topped with a 220-ton star that commemorates the site of the Battle of San Jacinto, the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution.

    · 10 min

18. Discovery Green is an 11.78-acre public urban park in Downtown Houston, Texas, bounded by La Branch Street to the west, McKinney Street to the north, Avenida de las Americas to the east, and Lamar Street to the south.

    · 5 min

19. Grouping of industrial structures featuring rotating displays of colorful street art & murals.

    · 10 min

20. The Holocaust Museum Houston is located in Houston's Museum District, in the U.S. state of Texas. The Holocaust memorial museum is the fourth largest in the U.S., and opened in 1996. A major commitment of the Holocaust Museum Houston is education.

    · Non-stop passage

21. The Houston Museum of Natural Science is a natural history museum located on the northern border of Hermann Park.

    · Non-stop passage

22. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, located in the Houston Museum District, Houston, is one of the largest museums in the United States. The permanent collection of the museum spans more than 6,000 years of history with approximately 70,000 works from six continents.

    · Non-stop passage

23. Bustling family museum with a wealth of hands-on activities such as a Bubble Lab & a Tot Spot.

    · Non-stop passage

24. James Turrell's Twilight Epiphany Skyscape

    Built in 2012, the pyramidal structure accommodates 120 people between two levels. Twilight Epiphany is acoustically engineered to host musical performances and to act as a laboratory for Shepherd School of Music students. Constructed of grass, concrete, stone and composite steel, the structure is equipped with an LED light sequence that projects onto the ceiling and through an aperture in the 72-foot square knife-edge roof during sunrise and at sunset. Turrell's composition of light complements the natural light present at twilight, and transforms the Skyspace into a locale for experiencing beauty and reflecting on the surrounding campus and the natural world.

    · Non-stop passage

25. The John P. McGovern Museum of Health and Medical Science, or The Health Museum in short, is a museum in the Museum District of Houston, Texas. The museum is a member institution of the Texas Medical Center.

    · Non-stop passage

26. One of the things that made Austin a prime candidate to become the capital of Texas was its place along the Colorado River. This allowed lush greenery to bloom in an otherwise harsh and challenging environment, and the park up ahead showcases exactly that. Note: The tour is over 19+ miles long, with more than 20+ audio stories, and takes about 3-4 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.

    · 10 min

27. Coming up in a minute is the Pennybacker Bridge Overlook, offering excellent views of the Colorado River and what locals simply refer to as the “360 Bridge.”

    · 10 min

28. This is Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve, home to over 200 acres of preserved wilderness and three miles of hiking trails. The preserve requires a small fee on weekends and holidays, but is free and totally open during weekdays.

    · 10 min

29. Just ahead is the Zilker Botanical Garden, featuring 28 acres of local and exotic flora. Here you can see native succulents, prehistoric plants, and even a Japanese garden!

    · 10 min

30. This three-acre, spring-fed pool is a favorite swimming spot among locals, but it’s also much more than that! Here, you’ll also find a miniature train for kids and a community theater that puts on free shows for the public.

    · 10 min

31. See the big Paramount sign? That marks the historic Paramount Theatre, and it’s over 100 years old! This Austin landmark got its start in 1915, when architect John Eberson designed what was originally called The Majestic.

    · 10 min

32. Here’s what happened: In 1842, Austin was technically the capital of Texas. But it was a frontier town, seemingly at risk of being seized by Mexico at any moment.

    · 10 min

How to use your ticket

Ticket handed over by the operator on site

1. Find The Setup Instructions NOW: • Download the App: actiontourguide.com/app • Find Your Password: Search your email or text messages for “Action Tour Guide” • Enter Password: Open the app and enter your 8-digit password • Download the Tour NOW while you have Wi-Fi or cell service • Offline Ready: Once downloaded, the tour works without internet • Need Help? Visit: actiontourguide.com/redeem 2. Download The Tour NOW: • Download NOW over WiFi or cellular data ahead of your trip. • Don’t wait until travel day - your tour is VALID FOREVER from purchase. • Your password redemption is limited to the number of travelers booked. Please enter the same password on each device. 3. Audio Tour Tips: • This is a self-guided audio tour - no one will meet you at the starting point. • Entrance and attraction tickets are not included. Please book those separately. • Curious how it works? Watch a quick video here: actiontourguide.com/tutorial • For the best audio, connect to the car stereo via Bluetooth, USB, or Aux, or listen from your phone speaker. • CarPlay and Android Auto aren’t supported yet. • Bring headphones for the best experience on your walking tour. • New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. 4. Help & Support: • Visit our FAQs: actiontourguide.com/faq • Chat online: actiontourguide.com • Call: 1-315-291-0634 • Email: support@actiontourguide.com Please note that an entrance pass is required to visit Redwood National and State Parks. State fees may apply for certain day-use areas, and these are not included with this tour.

Meeting point

What to know before you go

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Easy to use: GPS-triggered audio plays automatically along the route for a hands-free experience.
• Private tour: Explore in your own vehicle without crowded buses or large tour groups.
• At your own pace: Start anytime and pause for hikes, picnics, photos, or scenic stops.
• Works offline: Once downloaded, the tour works using GPS without Wi-Fi or cellular service.
• Good value: One purchase covers everyone in your vehicle, not each person separately.
• More ways to save: Choose a single tour, a nearby bundle, or access to 200+ tours.
• Download in advance: Download the Tour Guide app by Action and tour while connected to Wi-Fi or a strong cellular signal.
• Follow the route: Begin at the suggested starting point or join anywhere along the route shown in the app.
• Lifetime access: Preview the tour before your trip and revisit the stories, photos, and details afterward.
• Supported devices: iPhone with iOS 15+, Android with version 9+, or a GPS-enabled iPad/tablet with cellular capability.

Travelers

Pricing per vehicle (up to 4 people).

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

• From 1 days before : 100% refunded
• From 0 days before : 0% refunded

Product code: 259428P48

Activity offered by Drive with Action via Viator.