SUMMER TRAVEL SZN

Austin Airbnb prices are the 3rd most expensive in the U.S., report says

Summer is here, and so are the tourists.

Summer has arrived, and so have the summer tourists. For visitors looking to stay within their budget while traveling to Austin, or those who are looking for a staycation in their home city, you might want to allocate a little more for lodging. A new study by business website ChamberofCommerce.org has revealed Austin has the third least affordable Airbnb prices in the country, and was the only Texas city to make the top 10.

For the last 12 months, the average rate for "all [Airbnb] property types" in the city was $373 per night. However, the study did mention a dramatic decline of nightly rates as of May 22 to $243. There are a total of 3,761 active listings around town, which means there are 606 Airbnbs per 100,000 Austinites.

Looking deeper into average rates, a one-bedroom listing will cost you about $127 per night, while a two-bedroom will set you back $203 a night. The study says the average nightly rate for a three-bedroom Airbnb is $297.

This isn't the first time Austin-area Airbnb prices have caught the eye of budget-conscious travelers. In April, a Forbes Advisor study discovered visitors pay an average surcharge of 33 percent for an Airbnb in the city. At the time of Forbes' study, Austin Airbnbs cost an average of $244 a night.

Overall, California dominated the top 10 in the Chamber of Commerce report with three cities total making the list, and Oxnard ranking ahead of Austin in first place.

The top 10 U.S. cities with the most expensive daily rates are:

No. 1 – Oxnard, California
No. 2 – Scottsdale, Arizona
No. 3 – Austin, Texas
No. 4 – Las Vegas, Nevada
No. 5 – Honolulu, Hawaii
No. 6 – Virginia Beach, Virginia
No. 7 – Nashville, Tennessee
No. 8 – San Diego, California
No. 9 – Santa Clarita, California
No. 10 – Miami, Florida

The next Texas city that appeared in the ranking after Austin was Houston (No. 27), with their average rate for any Airbnb type at $224. Over in San Antonio (No. 32), their average rates are even lower at $218 a night.

In a separate ranking of cities with the most Airbnb listings, Austin ranked No. 12. The report looked at over 160,000 Airbnb listings within the largest American cities, analyzing the average daily rate and the total number of listings per 100,000 city residents.

austin reports summer travel airbnb

Movie Memorabilia News

Wicked movie costumes will be on display in a Texas museum this winter

Photo by Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures

Glinda's pink bubble dress will be one of the items on display.

Fans of the movie adaptation of the musical Wickedwill soon be able to get up close and personal with the box office smash when the Arlington Museum of Art (right between Dallas and Fort Worth) debuts a collection of costumes and more from the film in 2025.

Running January 17 to April 27, "Wicked Threads: The Artistry of Costume in Oz" celebrates the artistry of the costume design and the 20+ year history of the beloved Broadway musical.

Curated by the Arlington Museum of Art (AMA), the exhibition will feature original costumes, props, and images from the film, provided by NBCUniversal Archives & Collections. Highlights from the exhibition will include Glinda’s “bubble” dress and Elphaba’s “Defying Gravity” costume.

The costumes were designed by Academy Award-nominated costume designer Paul Tazewell, who was no stranger to the world of Oz, having designed five productions of The Wiz.

“Costuming and filmmaking is an exciting form of visual art and storytelling," said AMA Director of Exhibitions Kendall Quirk in a statement. "The AMA is always excited to showcase the work of these artists, especially in our free community gallery spaces. We hope to see emerging designers, filmmakers, and other visual artists come to enjoy these costumes from such a universal story."

The film adaptation of Wicked, which earned over $110 million in its first weekend of release, is based on the musical stage play with music and lyrics by legendary Grammy and Oscar-winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, and book by Tony nominee Winnie Holzman.

A prequel to The Wizard of Oz, it is the origin story of how Elphaba became the Wicked Witch of the West and Galinda Upland became Glinda the Good. It’s a story of an unlikely friendship between two young women — one ostracized, one adored — and how the untapped power of one will reshape their lives and Oz, forever.

"Wicked Threads: The Artistry of Costume in Oz" will be on display in the community art space at the Arlington Museum of Art, where all visitors can view the exhibition for free, with no tickets required for entry.

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