We’ve all been there: someone’s trying to give you directions by describing 10 lefts, 20 rights, and a jumble of cardinal directions. Isn’t it easier to just point out a landmark?

That’s exactly what we’re doing. We have 25 of the most recognizable Austin landmarks — from Pennybacker Bridge to the plethora of moontowers. Not only are these local icons easy to remember, but they’ll also get you where you need to go in a jiffy.

Seaholm Power Plant

Address: 222 West Ave.
Nearby: Austin Central Library and Lady Bird Lake
The Seaholm Power Plant is highly recognizable due to its iconic art deco architecture, though it hasn't generated power since 1989. Now, the site is home to offices, residences, and restaurants.

Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge

Address: 100 S. Congress Ave.
Nearby: The LINE Hotel, YETI Flagship, and Fareground
There's a reason why Austin is known as Bat City — the bridge is home to ~1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats. You can catch them coming out for a meal at dusk from late spring to early fall.

The Austin Public Library has more than a dozen branches around the city. | Photo by ATXtoday

Austin Central Library

Address: 710 W. Cesar Chavez St.
Nearby: Seaholm Power Plant, Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge, and the flagship Whole Foods Market
Austin's enormous, six-story Central Library opened in 2017, featuring a rooftop deck, local art, event spaces, a gallery, a gift shop, and more.

The Driskill hotel has been serving Austinites for more than 130 years. | Photo by @where_is_brandy

The Driskill

Address: 604 Brazos St.
Nearby: The Contemporary Austin - Jones Center, Mexic-Arte Museum, and Frost Bank Tower
Built in 1886, Austin's oldest hotel once served as the White House Press Corps for the Lyndon B. Johnson administration and had a suite permanently reserved for him.

The flagship Whole Foods Market

Address: 525 N. Lamar Blvd.
Nearby: Waterloo Records and Book People
This health foods grocer started on the 900 block of N. Lamar Blvd. — moving up the block to the current location in 2005 — in Austin well before it went national. The flagship store is known for its rooftop ice skating rink in the wintertime, plus a year-round array of local offerings.

This Willie Nelson statue was unveiled outside of Austin City Limits in 2012. | Photo via ATXtoday team

Willie Nelson Statue

Address: 310 W. 2nd St.
Nearby: ACL Live at the Moody Theater, Austin City Hall, and the W Austin
The 8 ft-tall Willie Nelson statue was unveiled at 4:20 p.m. on April 20, 2013.

The Stevie Ray Vaughan Memorial Statue pays homage to one of the most iconic artists from Austin's music scene. | Photo by ATXtoday

Stevie Ray Vaughan Memorial Statue

Address: 210 Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail
Nearby: Auditorium Shores and Palmer Events Center
Located at the site of many of the beloved guitarist's concerts, the bronze statue was erected near the shores of Lady Bird Lake in 1993.

Warning: these romantic outings will have your date saying "I love you so much" by the end of the night. | Photo by ATXtoday

"I Love You So Much" Mural

Address: 1300 S. Congress Ave.
Nearby: The Continental Club and the Austin Motel
This ultra-famous landmark was painted on the wall of Jo's Coffee by musician Amy Cook as a message to her then-girlfriend and building owner, Liz Lambert.

The mural is so popular, Austin even has a "Hi, How Are You" Day on January 22. | Photo by @eriwinter

"Jeremiah the Innocent" Mural

Address: 408 W. 21st St.
Nearby: Harry Ransom Center, Littlefield Fountain, and Guadalupe Street
The other-worldly frog asking "Hi, How Are You" was painted by artist Daniel Johnston in 1993. Today, it's a historical landmark and has been preserved, even though the building around it was torn down.

Zilker Park is home for 262 wildlife species, including two species of endangered salamanders. | Photo via @bott_scutler

Zilker Park

Address: 2100 Barton Springs Rd.
Nearby: Barton Springs Pool, Zilker Botanical Garden, and Lady Bird Lake
The crown jewel of Austin's public spaces, Zilker is Austin's oldest park and spans more than 350 acres. You can take a virtual tour of the park for yourself.

Did you know Austin’s moonlight towers are the only surviving examples of these tower lighting systems, which were common across the country in the late 1800s? | Photo by ATXtoday

Moontowers

Address: multiple locations
Precursors to modern street lamps, moontowers were erected all over the country in the late 1800s, but Austin hosts the only ones left standing today. There are 13 moontowers parceled around ATX, including one that becomes a Christmas tree each year in Zilker Park.

UT Tower

Address: 110 Inner Campus Dr.
Nearby: The Drag and the Moody Center
When it opened in 1937, the 307-ft-tall tower only had the Texas Capitol dome to compete with in the Austin skyline. Throughout the year, the tower lights up orange in honor of Longhorn graduations and other university wins.

The State of Texas is the largest employer in the Austin metro area, with a local workforce of more than 63,000 people. | Photo by ATXtoday

Texas State Capitol

Address: 1100 Congress Ave.
Nearby: Waterloo Park, Texas Governor's Mansion, and Scholz Garten
The Capitol building is made from pink granite sourced from the nearby town of Marble Falls, and the statue on top has a funny-looking face.

Blanton Museum of Art

Address: 200 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Nearby: Bullock Texas State History Museum, Harry Ransom Center, and UT Tower
The newly renovated art museum spans 189,340 sqft and offers free admission on Tuesdays.

Austin's Free Day of Yoga offers classes on a range of yoga styles. | Photo by Ryan Vestil, @waterloogreenway

Waterloo Park

Address: 500 E. 12th St.
Nearby: Texas Capitol and Red River Cultural District
Although it opened in 2021, Waterloo Park has quickly become a beloved spot in Downtown Austin. It's also not complete yet — phase two, The Confluence, is under construction.

Pennybacker Bridge is located in northwest Austin. | Photo by Jeff Gunn

Pennybacker Bridge

Address: 4801 Plaza on the Lake
Nearby: Capital of Texas Highway and Ranch Road 2222
The majestic Pennybacker Bridge (aka the 360 Bridge) was only the second bridge in the world built with a cable support system.

The sun sets over houses and the Colorado River from Mount Bonnell. | Photo via @jason_kautz

Mount Bonnell

Address: 3800 Mt. Bonnell Rd.
Nearby: Balcones Park, Camp Mabry, and The Contemporary Austin - Laguna Gloria
Gaze upon the hills of west Austin and the Colorado River at the top of this popular spot for tourists and locals alike.

"Austin's Biggest Party" is nestled in north Austin. | Photo via @touche_oshea

Q2 Stadium

Address: 10414 McKalla Place
Nearby: The Domain and J. J. Pickle Research Campus
The home of Austin's first professional sports team, Q2 Stadium opened in June 2021. The stadium is also the first soccer-specific stadium to earn Total Resource Use and Efficiency Gold certification.

The Oasis

Address: 6550 Comanche Trail
Nearby: Lake Travis and Bob Wentz Park
This restaurant and event venue calls itself "The Sunset Capital of Texas," and for good reason: it's known for its breathtaking views over Lake Travis and live music on the terrace. Once you're done eating, explore the rest of the complex for bars and local shops galore.

Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez will be at the Summer Classic Film Series all season, including a "Sin City" Q&A set for opening weekend. | Photo via Rachel Parker

The Paramount Theatre

Address: 713 Congress Ave.
Nearby: The Texas Capitol and Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge
This historic theater has entertained Austinites for over 100 years, opening as the Majestic Theatre in 1915. These days, The Paramount is as busy as ever, hosting films festivals, movie premieres at SXSW, and concerts.

Victory East

Address: 1104 E. 11th St.
Nearby: George Washington Carver Museum and Franklin Barbecue
Established in 1945, this historic venue was on the Chitlin’ Circuit and hosted prominent Black performers like Bobby Bland, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, W. C. Clark, and B. B. King. Victory East still lends its stage to up-and-coming performers today — it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998 — and serves a menu of American food.

Head to Austoberfest at Scholz Garten for polka dancing, beer specials, sausage samplings, and live music. | Photo courtesy Scholz Garten

Scholz Garten

Address: 1607 San Jacinto Blvd.
Nearby: Moody Amphitheater and Blanton Museum of Art
A beloved local hangout for sipping brews since 1866, Scholz Garten is the oldest beer garden in Texas. Psst — stop in for a UT game and don't forget to order some German fare when you visit.

Historic Scoot Inn

Address: 1308 E. 4th St.
Nearby: Cosmic Saltillo and The White Horse
The Historic Scoot Inn, a haven for concerts and drinks, is believed to be the oldest continuously operating bar in Central Texas. Established in 1871, the Scoot Inn hosts concerts of all genres to this day.

Huston-Tillotson University was established in 1875, making it the oldest institution of higher learning in Austin. | Photo by ATXtoday team

Huston-Tillotson University

Address: 900 Chicon St.
Nearby: Historic Scoot Inn and The White Horse
As the oldest institution of higher learning in Austin — established in 1875 — Huston-Tillotson University was built around a decade before UT Austin and St. Edward's University.

Test out your square dancing moves at one of Austin's most famous honky tonks. | Photo by @sunshine.standards

The Broken Spoke

Address: 3201 S. Lamar Blvd.
Nearby: Ann Richards School For Young Women Leaders and Matt's El Rancho
Head on down to this honky-tonk hangout (which has been standing since 1964) for a $10 two-steppin' lesson.

Which landmark would you like to see added to this list? Send us an email.