Billy Brookshire wearing a brown cowboy hat and jacket, smiling and tipping his hat indoors.

Billy Brookshire

Billy Brookshire is a public speaker, training consultant, author, and Austin tour guide with over 50 years of experience in education, rehabilitation, and professional development. Known for his humor, insight, and engaging storytelling, Billy offers custom tours of Austin through the Austin Tour Guide Association.

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Scenic Austin Tour, #1

When one thinks of Austin, one of the first things that comes to mind is the beauty of the terrain: the lush vegetation, the peaceful rolling hills, the sheer limestone cliffs, the meandering canyons, the idyllic waterways. It’s easy to see why humans have been drawn here for thousands of years. In this tour, we will take in some of the best views of Austin.  We’ll concentrate on the hill country to the west and journey from Mount Bonnell through nature preserves, across lakes and streams, taking in scenic overlooks and enjoying the beauty of the countryside and magnificent skyline. Along the way, we’ll share bits of Austin’s unique geology/geography, regional history, and its colorful folklore. Come join us and soak up some of the natural beauty of Austin.

Scenic Austin Tour, #2

Ever wonder how all the hill country neighborhoods around Austin got their names and their starts? As we explore the beauty of the hill country in West Austin, we’ll visit the Westlake, Rollingwood, & Bee Cave areas, discuss their origins, and take in some of the attractions, natural beauty and spectacular vistas that make West Austin unique.  Come join us!

Austin City Tour

You can discern a lot about Austin from its many nicknames: Cap City, The Live Music Capitol of the World, The City with the Violet Crown, Silicon Hills, Bat City, The People’s Republic of Austin, the Weird City.  Austin is the center of Texas government, history and culture. It has gorgeous outdoor spaces, including lakes & hills & trees & gardens…and bats. And the options for entertainment are endless. Austin offers the greatest variety of live music anywhere.  It is also a showcase of architectural design, has world-class museums, and a vibrant arts scene on the street and in the studio. On this tour we will explore the historical heart of Austin and the many attractions that draw visitors from all over the world.  We’ll visit the places that make it memorable and also those that make it unique (some say weird).  So come explore Austin’s history and attractions with us.  Let’s have some fun and maybe make some new roads. 

View of the Texas State Capitol building in Austin, Texas, with people crossing the street, cars, trees, and traffic lights in the foreground during daytime. view is from the south facing north.
A bronze statue of a Joanna Troutman in a dress sewing the Texas flag, with foliage in the background. This statue is in the Texas state cemetery.

Austin Sculpture Tour:  A Monumental Experience

Austin is a vibrant city with many beautiful, outdoor sculptures. These phenomenal works of art are sometimes whimsical, sometimes historical, always magical. On this tour, we will explore a sampling of the sculptural works around our city, works created by talented sculptors utilizing a variety of styles. You’ll learn about the artists, their inspirations, and the media and technique they employ in the creation of these artistic marvels. Come enjoy and learn about these beautiful works, vital components of Austin’s artistic landscape.

Bronze sculpture titled 'Spirit of Learning' depicting three abstract figures with extended arms, positioned outside a modern glass building that is our library.

Austin German Heritage Tour

Beginning in the 1830s, German citizens for various reasons sought sanctuary in Texas; and by 1850, nearly 5% of Texans were German immigrants. As German Texans planned and engineered a new life in Texas and Austin, their influence spread to nearly every facet of community life: industry, politics, music, religion, food, and education. They profoundly influenced the growth of both state and community. They built churches, established newspapers, and founded businesses. They contributed to Texas architecture, food, music, and politics. One of the most significant imports they brought was their culture: an appreciation for classical music and opera; social traditions like breweries and biergartens; a deep belief in the importance of public education and the trades; an abiding love for freedom and equality; and a social fabric that was more about community than the individual. There are many examples of German heritage throughout Austin and their legacy continues to influence the modern-day community. In this tour, we will explore Austin’s German heritage. Come join us!

Multiple rows of cowboy boots in various shades of brown, black, and tan, displayed on wooden shelves in a store.

The MoonTowers Tour

In 1894, Austin purchased 31 Tower Lights to illuminate the city. Some speculated they would eliminate the need for police. The claim was their illumination (carbon arc lamps) could light a 16 block area so brightly that residents could read their watches. These lights have undergone substantial change over the years but 14 remain standing with 2 in storage.  Some individuals have died in falls from the towers.  At least one tower is considered cursed. Nowadays, they are recognized as Austin icons. In fact, the towers are the only light source listed on the Federal Register.  On this tour, we will visit the remaining 14 towers and discuss the origins, evolution, associated tragedies, and importance of these impressive structures. Come join us!

Kempelen's Owls is an artistically designed sculpture on the sidewalk with striped pattern, at the intersection of 2nd and Nueces in front of the Proper Hotel with the downtown library building and a sky with clouds in the background.

Whimsical Sculpture & Street Art Tour: Northside or Southside

One of the key elements giving Austin the ‘weird vibe’ is the preponderance of whimsical sculpture and street art gracing the city.  Austin is blessed with a cadre of exuberant artists who have fun-loving outlooks and fanciful imaginations.  They are more than happy to share their unusual, colorful, sometimes outlandish, always entertaining, creations with the rest of us. Come join us as we explore Austin’s more effervescent side.

The Jeremiah Hamilton Building with banners promoting the Austin Symphony, one orange with a conductor and one green with a musician playing a bassoon.

Austin Historic Homes Tours

There are many historic homes in Austin, Texas. These homes present a lasting and vivid example of our city's rich heritage.  They are also a testament to the vision and skill of Austin architects and builders. On this tour, we’ll explore and discuss several of Austin’s oldest historic homes and neighborhoods. You’ll observe, firsthand, the architectural styles of early Austin and learn about the architects and builders of the period. The history of early Austin will unfold, as we discuss the homes and the families who inhabited them.  Come join us!

A historic church building called Saint Mary Cathedral with gothic architecture, featuring spires and a large stained glass window, located in at the intersection of E 10th and Brazos, under a clear blue sky with a few clouds.

The Austin Places of Worship Tour

There are over 800 places of worship in Austin, serving congregants of many faiths. They include churches, meeting houses, temples, synagogues, cathedrals, and mosques. Numerous communities from all over the world are responsible for their foundation and some have been serving the area for over a hundred years. On this tour we'll explore some of these magnificent edifices, their congregational histories, their architects and architecture, and the movers and shakers who founded them. Come join us!

Statue of a woman holding a torch and a wreath, with a graveyard in the background. Grave site is the Bremond. Graveyard is Oakwood Cemetery.

The Austin Cemetery Tour

There are roughly 50,000 cemeteries in Texas.  About 80 of them are in Austin. These final resting places include solitary, sometimes unmarked graves, intimate family plots, and large cemeteries encompassing hundreds of acres.  On this tour, we will investigate several Austin cemeteries, their buildings, and some gravesites.  We'll talk about the histories of the sites as well as those of the notable persons interred there.  We'll witness a microcosm of Austin's past revealing a lot about Austin's present. Come join us!

Blurred colorful Christmas tree with red, green, yellow, and orange lights against a dark night sky. this is pulled from the Zilker Trail of lights during Christmas time.

The Happy Holidays Tour

Hard to believe the holidays have rolled around again.  Is it just me or do they seem to arrive sooner each year?  Regardless, I believe our best response is to celebrate.  Let’s sing a song or two, marvel at the decorations and lights, and explore the beauty that announces the holidays in Austin.  Time to get in the spirit, kick up our heels a bit, enjoy each other, and celebrate the season.  Come join us.

Austin: Live Music Capitol of the World, The Early Years Tour

In 1991, Austin officially adopted the motto: ‘Live Music Capital of the World’. But the story goes back much further. Live music has always been in Austin’s roots. In the beginning, all music in Austin was live, a hearty blend of hymns, spirituals, beer-hall tunes, folk songs, cowboy ballads, tribal chant, and more.  It drew its inspiration from diverse influences and many cultures. In this tour, we'll visit the sites of some of Austin’s historic music venues, and learn about the people and places influencing the development of the live music scene in Austin.

Austin: Live Music Capitol of the World, The Beat Goes On

In 1991, Austin officially adopted the motto: ‘Live Music Capital of the World’. This tour will explore the roots and evolution of the current Austin Music Scene. We’ll talk about the factors, personalities, and events contributing to live music here in Austin during the past several decades. And we’ll visit historic sites, monuments, and current venues/institutions that continue to foster live music in The Live Music Capital of the World.  Come hum along with us!

  • Street Art is all around us in Austin. And it is at its most diverse and beautiful on the North Side where street art images decorate neighborhood walls, dumpsters, fences and alley ways. We'll view brilliant mosaics as well as spray can masterpieces. From colorful creatures to historical figures and politically charged imagery, Northside Art always entertains. You’ll be amazed by the quality and diversity of the art. So come journey with us and learn more about the art, the artists, and the changing neighborhood.

  • Street Art is all around us in Austin. On the South Side, you’ll find inspiring street art images in the most wonderful places. Some of the most iconic Austin street art resides in the South. From the beautiful to the bizarre, Southside Art always entertains. So come journey with us and learn more about the art, the artists, and the changing neighborhood.

  • Street Art is all around us in Austin. And it is exceptionally vibrant and colorful on the East Side where street art images decorate neighborhood walls, dumpsters, fences and alley ways. We'll view brilliant mosaics as well as spray can masterpieces. From colorful creatures to historical figures and politically charged imagery, Eastside Art always entertains. You’ll be amazed by the quality and diversity of the art. So come journey with us and learn more about the art, the artists, and the changing neighborhood.

  • Street Art, no matter the locale, is always interesting and diverse in Austin.  Downtown is no exception…but downtown street art changes more frequently, draws artists from all over the world, and includes some of the best displays in Austin. The diverse subject matter, skilled artistry, varied genres/styles, as well as the intriguing  symbols and messages captivate.  Come learn more about the art, the artists, and the ever-changing neighborhoods.

The Civil War Era in Austin

Although Travis County residents voted 704 to 450 against Texas' secession from the United States, the majority of Texans voted for secession.  Texas would eventually join the Confederacy and send Texas troops to fight in the Civil War.  On this tour, we will explore locations, buildings, and monuments in Austin which tell the story of Austin during the Civil War/Reconstruction era (roughly 1860-1873).  Come join us!

The Republic of Texas-Austin Tour

On March 2, 1836, a delegation at Washington-on-the-Brazos adopted the Texas Declaration of Independence, and so was born the Republic of Texas. After Texas won independence from Mexico, the capital of the new republic migrated a bit; but in 1839, thanks to Mirabeau Lamar, it settled in Austin. Texas would remain a republic until 1845 when it was annexed by the United States. On this tour, we will explore locations, buildings, and monuments in Austin which tell the story of Austin during the days of The Republic of Texas (1839-1845).  Come join us!