Austin experiences the migration of about 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats that emerges from under the Congress Avenue Bridge. This unique spectacle happens at night during spring and summer. Residents and tourists wait in anticipation to watch the bats.
Austin Trivia Quiz Questions and Answers
Remember the fictional character – Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh? Austin has celebrated his birthday since the year 1963. The party usually happens on the last Saturday of April. Guests arrive in colorful costumes and enjoy live music and large drum circles.
You can tag your Dog along as Austin is ranked one of the most dog-friendly cities in the U.S. There are about 12 off-leash parks, dog-friendly restaurants, and hotels to ensure your paw friend has a good stay.
For more information about the city of Austin, take the quiz below.
1. When was Austin founded?
2. To which fraternity did actor Matthew McConaughey belong when he was a student at the University of Texas at Austin?
3. Near the end of Austin director Richard Linklater’s “Slacker,” a few of the characters end up seeing a band for a few seconds in a club. What band was it?
4. Below what present-day Austin restaurant are the beer vaults of one of Austin’s first commercial brewers, Johann Schneider?
5. How many of the city’s famous moon towers were originally built? Seventeen still exist.
6. Gus Garcia was Austin’s first elected Hispanic mayor, but another Hispanic trailblazer first served in the office on an acting basis for three months in 1983. Who was it?
7. Actress Sandra Bullock used to own Bess Bistro in downtown Austin before it closed. What spot in town does the “Gravity” star still own?
8. The members of rock duo Black Pumas are Grammy nominees now, but in what Austin club did Eric Burton and Adrian Quesada first introduce audiences to the project through a residency?
9. What is another name that Austin, Texas, is known by?
10. What is the lay of the local terrain of the city of Austin?
11. What was the city’s first newspaper, according to the Texas State Historical Handbook?
12. What is one of the big attractions that bring people to Austin?
13. The site on the western frontier that would become Austin was chosen by a commission appointed by the Texas Congress in 1839. The commission was directed to see the site by which early Texas leader?
14. How many students attend the University of Texas located in Austin?
15. In what Texas town was Academy Award-winning actress, former Austinite and UT alum Renée Zellweger born?
16. How many visitors make their way to Austin each year?
17. During the mid-19th century, what Native American tribe lived prominently near present-day Austin, even reportedly camping in what’s now Republic Square Park?
18. As far as food events go, which event held in Austin is America’s second-largest such festival?
19. Austin City Limits Music Festival has given the stage to a bunch of artists over the years. But which of these never actually played the fest in Zilker Park?
20. Austin is noted for having an abundance of sunshine. How many sun days does it have yearly?
21. You might know that Zach Theatre is named after Austin actor Zachary Scott, who also found a career in the Golden Age of Hollywood. He co-starred with fellow Texan Joan Crawford in three feature films: “Hollywood Canteen,” “Mildred Pierce” and what other movie?
22. How many Mexican Free-Tailed Bats fly out from under the Congress Avenue Bridge each night from May to October?
23. In the late 1800s, Austin’s William Sydney Porter — the prolific short story writer better known as O. Henry — founded a humor publication with the same name as which popular magazine?
24. What is the population of the greater metropolitan area of Austin?
25. José Antonio Menchaca, the veteran for whom Menchaca Road is believed to be named, most famously served in what Texas Revolution battle?
26. What is an important thing to remember about taking a bus from the airport to downtown Austin?
27. If you are planning to drive north of Austin during rush hour, what is the maximum delay that you should plan for and anticipate?
28. What is a nice service offered by Capital Metro that makes being a tourist easy?
29. What year was the first Gay and Lesbian Pride Fiesta, the ancestor to the annual Austin Pride celebration, held?
30. What is a popular tourist destination that is grand as well as historic?
31. Which fashion designer was born in Austin?
32. What is a favorite cooling-off spot where you can take a dip without leaving the city?
33. What prestigious distinction did Runner’s World magazine give to Austin?
34. Which pair of famous Austin names are siblings?
35. What is a tourist attraction in Austin that is the only one of its kind in the world still in operation?
36. Tex-Mex institution Matt’s El Rancho is famous for its Bob Armstrong dip. What are the main ingredients?
37. What is considered the best example of unique Austin architecture?
38. Austin’s Barbara Jordan broke many barriers: first woman in the Texas Senate, first Black woman to act as governor (for a day), first woman and first Black person to give the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention … the list goes on. What Texas journalist once compared interviewing the great orator to being “a bit like grilling God”?
39. What is unique about the University of Texas Tower, built in 1936?
40. The Goddess of Liberty currently on top of the state Capitol is a replica. Where’s the original?
41. Austin is bursting with great places to shop. What location is considered the coolest shopping district in the city?
42. What happens at Rock Island every Sunday night throughout the summer?
43. While Janis Joplin lived in Austin in the early 1960s, what was the name of the folk band was she a part of?
44. Who kicked off BookPeople’s half-century tradition of hosting renowned authors for public events, back when the store was known as Grok Books?
45. Under what Austin bridge would you find the largest urban bat population in North America?
46. What song was Willie Nelson’s first No. 1 single on the country charts?
47. According to Forbes, between 2004 and 2014 Austin, Texas had the largest growth of jobs in the country in what field?
48. What professional football team was the first to count Texas Longhorn alums among its roster during a Super Bowl game, according to Sports Illustrated?
49. Select the name of the central Austin, Texas park that hosts the annual Christmas Trail of Lights and Barton Springs Pool.
50. Which 2000s pop star filmed a music video for one of their songs at UT?
51. For which events would you visit Zilker Park in Austin, Texas?
52. Cookie delivery company Tiff’s Treats was founded in Austin by Tiffany Taylor and Leon Chen in 1999. Which of the following is not a current standard flavor of cookie on their menu?
53. On 22 November 1963, US President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. At what Austin, Texas landmark was he scheduled to appear later on the same date?
54. How tall is former Texas Longhorn basketball star and current NBA player Kevin Durant?
55. Esther’s Follies has been a well-known landmark in downtown Austin, Texas since 1977. What is Esther’s Follies?
56. What types of bats fly out from the Congress Avenue Bridge from March to November?
57. What road should you avoid during rush hour traffic?
58. Who played Mini Me in the “Austin Powers” movies?
59. What is Dr. Evil’s son’s name from the “Austin Powers” movies?
60. Who is Austin named after?
61. Who is Scott Evil’s mother in “Austin Powers”?
62. How many districts are represented on our city council and how many city council seats are there?
63. What sets Central Texas barbecue Apart from other regional styles?
64. How did former governor Rick Perry once describe Austin’s political leanings?
65. What recent Oscar-winning film was (partially) filmed in Austin?
66. Where do most new Austinites come from?
67. What’s the name of Austin’s public bike-sharing service?
68. Where are you most likely to spot Matthew McConaughey hanging out?
69. Where did the name “Waterloo” come from? Why was Austin called Waterloo?
70. What’s the origin of the term “City of the Violet Crown” referring to Austin? Did it really originate with O. Henry?
71. When were the names of the east-west streets downtown changed from the names of trees to numbers?
72. Why is there a cross in Austin’s city seal?
73. Who was Austin’s first Mexican-American elected official?
74. What is the oldest house in Austin?
75. Why was Austin’s first municipal airport named Mueller Airport?
76. When and how did Austin get its start as a high-tech mecca?
77. Where was “Chili Square”?
78. What 1940s Austin nightclub was on the “Chitlin Circuit”?