You can't swing a yoga mat in Austin without hitting a cool place to exercise—whether it's inside a gym or outdoors in a natural, spring-fed pool.

Austin has an abundance of vegetarian restaurants that make creative use of produce from the city's 10 farmers' markets. Five of the best places to sample the bounty: Mr. Natural (512-916-9223, www.mrnatural-austin.com), Cosmic Cafe (512-482-0950, www.cosmiccafeaustin.com), Mother's Cafe and Garden (512-451-3994, www.motherscafeaustin.com), Casa De Luz (512-476-2535, www.casadeluz.org), and Veggie Heaven (512-457-1013).

Barton Creek Greenbelt (www.texasoutside.com/bartongreenbelt.htm) features nearly eight miles of hiking trails. If you want to do an all-day hike, try the Zilker Park entrance, and on the way back, stop for a dip in Barton Springs Pool.

Bookstores are at the heart of the "Keep Austin Weird" movement, a grassroots effort to help the city retain its offbeat charm. BookPeople (512-472-5050, www.bookpeople.com) is the largest independent bookstore in Texas.

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