The iconic Driskill Hotel is now offering history tours to the public.
The Driskill Hotel history tour highlights lesser known facts about Austin’s oldest hotel, which opened in 1886. Photo courtesy Driskill Hotel
The guided tours start at 4 p.m. daily and cost $10 for the public. They’re free to overnight guests.
Participants gather under the iconic lobby dome and move throughout the 189-room hotel, which opened in 1886 at the corner of Sixth and Brazos streets. The excursions highlight the lesser-known history of The Driskill, from the days when horse-drawn buggies dropped off guests on the dirt road out front and it was one of the tallest buildings in sight.
“When Jesse Driskill opened the hotel, he envisioned the landmark would rival the palaces in New York, Chicago, St. Louis and San Francisco,” general manager Markus Puereschitz said in a press release. “Austin continues to exceed expectations as a popular destination, so we’re excited to share a piece of its history with locals.”
Read more: Soaking in Austin’s history at the iconic Driskill Hotel
Details of the Driskill Hotel history tour
The Driskill Hotel history tours highlight lesser-known facts about Austin’s oldest hotel. Photo courtesy Driskill Hotel
Tour participants will learn about the famous barbershop that operated inside the hotel in 1909 and the gold-leaf-framed mirrors that once belonged to Emperor Maximillian and his wife Carlotta of Austria. They’ll see the recently reopened Driskill Grill, where President Lyndon B. Johnson and Lady Bird had their first date in 1934, and the Jim Hogg Suite, where the couple awaited the results of LBJ’s 1964 presidential reelection run.
The property also offers a self-guided art tour so visitors can explore the hotel’s art collection at their own pace.
The Driskill is located at 604 Brazos Street. Private tours for larger groups are also available with 72 hours notice. For more information email sales@thedriskill.com.
