From the UT Tower to the Capitol dome, a riddle at each monument
The Austin scavenger hunt is a self-guided city game you play on your phone: you walk between monuments and landmarks on the university campus and the Capitol grounds, solve a riddle at each stop by observing closely, and unlock the stories and local legends behind them. The walking part is short, 2.7 km or about 37 minutes on foot between 10 stops, and the riddles and stories around the campus and the Capitol grounds fill out the rest of roughly 3 hours.
Highlights include the UT Tower, the George Washington statue on the South Mall, Littlefield Fountain, the Bullock Texas State History Museum, the Texas State Capitol with its memorials, and Saint Mary Catholic Cathedral. The route is short and easy to walk, and it links the university, the state government and the city's history in one stroll.
- Durationabout 3 hours
- Walkingabout 37 min · 2.7 km
- Stops10
- LanguagesEnglish, German, Spanish
How the game plays out between campus and Capitol
Clues cast in bronze and carved in granite
Every stop poses one riddle that the monument in front of you answers: Coppini's figures on Littlefield Fountain, the twin granite spires of the Peace Officers' Memorial, the panels Ed Dwight made for the African American History Memorial. You need sharp eyes and a bit of deduction, not a Texas history degree.
Stories behind a state's landmarks
Solving opens the story: why the Capitol stands taller than the one in Washington, how many bells hang in the Tower's carillon, how the Tejanos helped shape Texas. The audio narration reads each one aloud as you head on to the next stop.
2.7 km from the campus to the cathedral
Just 37 minutes of walking lead you down the South Mall, across Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard past the Bullock Museum and onto the Capitol grounds, ending a short walk east at Saint Mary Cathedral. Google Maps handles each leg, so nobody has to fold a map.
Tacos, shade and a second session
No clock is running: rest under the trees on the Capitol grounds, find tacos or a cold drink nearby and finish later that day or another. Along the route the app points out a few places where Austinites like to eat.
See the route and attractions →
How it works
- Book online Choose the number of players. Your booking reference arrives by email straight away.
- Get the app Download the World City Trail app from the App Store or Google Play and enter your booking reference.
- Play when you like Start whenever you are ready, walk at your own pace and pause any time. No guide, no fixed schedule.
Who a game from the Forty Acres to the Capitol suits best
An afternoon before the live music starts
Three hours cover the university's landmark tower, the state history museum from outside, the Capitol and its monuments, a compact introduction to Austin before an evening of live music. It fits just as well into a conference break or the morning before a flight.
Kids who like big statues and big numbers
Children enjoy counting the nine bronze figures of the Tejano Monument, spotting the Goddess of Liberty on top of the dome and hearing that this Capitol beats Washington's for height. Each team needs one adult, and with only 2.7 km of walking the distance stays manageable.
Longhorns, co-workers and tour groups
Up to 5 players form a team, each following on their own phone, and several teams can leave the Tower minutes apart and compare results at the cathedral. Campus and Capitol grounds are open to the public, so there is nothing to rent.
Good to know
- Bring a charged smartphone with mobile data; a power bank helps.
- No entry tickets needed: everything happens outside the buildings. Going inside is optional and paid separately.
- Family friendly; children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Not suitable for wheelchair users and difficult with strollers.
- Teams of up to 5 work best; bigger groups split into several teams, one ticket per player.
- Every purchase helps support stray cats and dogs in Greece.
Anonymous (verified owner) –
Super way to explore the city with this scavenger hunt! Highly recommended, the infos were just what we needed and the puzzles entertaining.