For anyone looking for Austin apartments, checking out the different neighborhoods is essential. This city of just over 700,000 encompasses five counties and sixty distinct communities, each with a slightly different flavor. The growing size of the outlying “bedroom communities” is a testament to the popularity of this quirky city. Lying along the Colorado River, Austin is home to three manmade lakes and one of the most dynamic music cultures in the southwest. These are great reasons to consider exploring the possibility of renting apartments in Austin. The unofficial slogan for Austin – begun by a group of small business owners to encourage the retention of small, boutique style businesses – is “Keep Austin Weird.” It aptly reflects the city’s pride in being home to unusual festivals and an eclectic mix of people and cultures. Festivals include Eeyore’s Birthday (a counter-culture festival with lots for families) and First Thursdays, a once a month celebration of local artists celebrated on Sixth Street, where shops and clubs stay open late the first Thursday of every month. The annual South by Southwest Festival celebrates independent art, film and music. Austin apartments start at around $650 for a one-bedroom, making them affordable for almost anyone. Most have access to at least one of the over two-hundred parks and playgrounds that dot the city. This is a place for relaxed fun built on the success of cutting-edge technology. While one of the most-watched attractions is the flight of thousands of Mexican bats from under the bridge near here each morning and evening (a cloud large enough to show up on weather radar), there are also more musical venues per capita here than any other city in the U.S. and many museums and galleries.