Nicknamed "The Live Music Capital of the World," and one of America's premier college towns, Austin, Texas, offers restaurants, clubs, museums, galleries, outdoor recreational activities, and more—right in the heart of the Lone Star State.

Austin was recently rated the second best place to live in the country among big cities by CNNMoney.com.* Texas's state capital, Austin is also home to numerous colleges and universities. And, with the presence of companies like Dell and IBM, it's benefited in recent years from the booming high-tech industry. The end result is a city with an incredible depth of personality, culture, and diversity.

Located just a few hours from Dallas and Houston, Austin stands as the gateway to the scenic Hill Country and the Highland Lakes. Outdoor enthusiasts will discover an abundance of parks, trails, and lakes along with a temperate year-round climate. Austinites can anticipate 300 days of sunshine a year.

Texas, of course, is legendary for its barbecue. Yet incoming TCA students will find that Austin simmers with an eclectic mix of flavors and cuisines. In addition, Texas is home to a growing wine industry with over 100 wineries, many located in the nearby Hill Country region.

In addition to restaurants, TCA students will find a large concentration of music venues and bars in Austin’s Warehouse District and along Sixth Street. Each March, the city hosts the music, film, and multimedia festival South by Southwest. The Austin sound resonates through the entire city with live music stages at Austin's airport, parks, and lakes and at landmarks along South Congress Avenue.

Contact us today to find out more about Austin and Texas Culinary Academy.

*http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/top100/bigcities.html