Austin is a generally safe city. As with most American cities, credit cards are accepted nearly universally, especially for nightlife. Therefore, for convenience and safety, it's inadvisable to carry large amounts of cash. The number for police, fire, and medical services is 911.
In many parts of Austin, there are beggars on the street corners, particularly off of the freeways, who will hold signs asking for money. Some of these people are totally fake, while other use this as drug money, therefore is is not recommended that you give to these people.
There is generally a large, visible police presence mounted, foot, and cruiser at night in the 6th St. area. They are quite willing to let belligerent drunks dry out overnight in the city jail. They do, however, provide a safe and secure area to enjoy yourself and Austin's famous live music.
Because surrounding hills concentrate the water, some streets in Austin and the surrounding area are prone to flooding during periods of heavy rain. These areas are typically marked as 'low water crossings' but in any event do not drive or walk across moving water. Each year several people are killed as they are swept away by flooding. You will also see many flood control structures built into the landscape. Small, dry low places with bounding berms during the dry season, these are dangerous places to be in, but keep Austin safer when the rains come.
There is an area near 6th st. and the Red River district that houses a large homeless shelter known as the Arch. This area is generally safe during the day, but often filled with panhandlers at night. They can be fairly aggressive and sometimes follow people traveling alone. In addition, groups of muggers sometimes target drunks leaving the bar scene alone in that area.
Chittamani Buddhist Center
1918 Bissel Ln, +1 512-916-4444, (http://www.meditationinau...). Offers relaxation meditations and meditation classes to increase inner peace.
weather
Austin weather is generally nice year-round; activities are generally not limited by season. However, as Austin lies within Central Texas, be prepared to deal with the long, hot summers if you are visiting between May and September. It is not uncommon for daily high temperatures to be between 90 and 100 degrees during this time - in fact, a day in the 80s is rare, and several days may even reach triple digits 69 days in 2009. If you are here when the weather is like this, dress accordingly, drink plenty of water, and do not plan on staying outside for long nearly all indoor places are air-conditioned - unless you're taking the opportunity to take a dip in Barton Springs Pool or any of the other swimming holes in the area. This is especially true if the heat index is around 105 or higher, which is considered to be dangerous. Also keep in mind that the interior of cars will get dangerously hot, especially if the windows are up and it's parked in the sun - don't leave pets or children in there, no matter how brief. How hot the summer gets usually depends on the amount of precipitation the area has been getting. If there is no drought and the spring has been particularly wet, temperatures will remain relatively tolerable and rarely break triple digits. If it has been dry, as it was from 2007-2009, summers can be very uncomfortable and triple-digit temps will be very common. In 2009, Austinites suffered 69 days with temperatures over 100 F.
Central Texas winters are short to non-existent. There are many pleasant or even warm days during the winter months the first 90 degree day of 2009 was in February, and snowfall is rare. However, hard freezes are less rare though not as frequently occuring as they are in more northerly places, and light freezes may occur frequently especially in the more rural areas, and when this mixes with precipitation, ice storms and other wintry weather happen. If the storm is severe enough, the city may shut down for a day or so, traffic may be snarled, and the local auto body shops may receive a spike in business. The Austin area usually experiences such events 0-2 times each year or so, from late December to mid-February. Generally, though, winter weather just varies a lot, with alternating cold and warm fronts that can make for large temperature swings within just a week's time.
Spring and fall are the best times to visit. Springs tend to be stormy see "Stay safe" for related warning, and falls may bring light freezes during the night. For the most part, though, springs and falls are very pleasant times to experience Austin.