Perhaps you've heard one or two (thousand) times that Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World. But with a laundry list of top-notch bars and restaurants, shops, family attractions and movie theaters, there are plenty of entertainment options that don't require earplugs.

Antone's — Austin's most famous venue, especially with Europeans who think they still play blues there. This club has great sight lines, so you can try to see what Sandra Bullock saw in ex-boyfriend Bob Schneider. 213 W. Fifth St. 320-8424. www.antones.net.

Beerland — The no-frills home of garage music, whether it's rock, bluegrass or blues. Raw sounds in a family setting. 711 Red River St. 479-7625.

Broken Spoke — Walk through these doors and escape to honky-tonk paradise. This is not a theme club, so try not to look like a tourist. And try the food: best bar grub in town. 3201 S. Lamar Blvd. 442-6189. www.lone-star.net/bspoke.

Cactus Cafe — This club is for listeners, not Lotharios. Lyle Lovett got his start here. So did Ani DiFranco, Kelly Willis, Jimmy LaFave and many others. Down side: It's part of the University of Texas Union, an intellectual food court. Texas Union, 2247 Guadalupe St. 475-6515.

The Continental Club — Owner Steve Wertheimer is a stickler for detail (he's also a classic car collector), mixing the right generally rootsy entertainment with a staff that seems to be grooving as much as the fans. Toni Price's Tuesday evening "Hippie Hour" harks back to the Austin of the '70s, and other regulars worth a shot include Junior Brown, Li'l Cap'n Travis, Jon Dee Graham and the Weary Boys. 1315 S. Congress Ave. 441-2444. www.continentalclub.com.

Emo's — The best punk-rock club in the country, made legendary the night Johnny Cash blew Beck off the stage. 603 Red River St. 477-EMOS. www.emosaustin.com.

Hole In the Wall — It's back. . . sort of. A lamented loss when it closed in 2002, the Hole was recently reborn under new ownership. While early shows featured a bunch of old favorites, only time will tell if the new owners embrace the in-your-face acts and Austin attitude that made the ol' Hole beloved. 2538 Guadalupe St. 472-5599.

The Mercury — The stairs are a drag, though an amazing derelict deterrent. Inside, it's all good, especially if your tastes run to the more groovy and experimental. Plus, the sound's the tops. Even bands from Houston sound good here. 214 E. Sixth St. 478-MERC.

Stubb's — This outdoor amphitheater brings up-and-coming national acts of various styles to a pleasant outdoor setting. The club, also a barbecue restaurant, has an indoor venue which will make your clothes smell more like brisket than cigarettes the next morning. 801 Red River St. 480-8341. www.stubbsbbq.com.

NIGHTLIFE

For more evening planning options, here's a wider sample of what Austin's nightlife has to offer. To see a complete list of local clubs, check out XLent section on Thursdays or Best Bets in the Life & Arts section daily.

Blues/R&B

311 Club — Hosting two jam nights and several house bands, 311 is always brimming with bluesy tunes. 311 E. Sixth St. 477-1630.

Country/Folk

Donn's Depot — Since there's always someone on the piano, there's always someone on the dance floor. 1600 W. Fifth St. 478-0336. www.donns depot.com.

Saxon Pub — Have a drink or play pool as local performers sing you their hearts and minds. 1320 S. Lamar Blvd. 448-2552. www.thesaxonpub.com.

Dance

Club Endup — Open Thursday through Saturday until the wee hours of the morning with a DJ providing a mix of dance music. 318 E. Fifth St. 478-6363.

Element— Spinning everything from house to jungle to trance 'til 4 a.m. 301 W. Fifth St. 480-9888. www.elementaustin.com.

Spiro's— Upscale and trendy, with DJs inside and salsa on the patio. 611 Red River St. 472-4272.

Texture — Features many resident DJs and some touring talent with a large dance floor and couches for lounging upstairs by the DJ booth. 505 Neches St. 480-8921.

Jazz/Soul

Cedar Street Courtyard — Sit back under shady oak trees and sip on a martini as jazz — everything from swanky to Latin — filters though the air. 208 W. Fourth St. 495-9669.

Elephant Room — Jazz, jazz and more jazz every night of the week. 315 Congress Ave. 473-2279.

Jazz — Name says it all. Oh, yeah, Cajun food on the table. 214 E. Sixth St. 479-0474. www.jazz.citysearch.com.

Speakeasy — Head to the basement for an intimate evening of jazz, soul and some funk. 412-D Congress Ave. 476-8017.

Rock

Back Room — If you want loud, if you want heavy — or if you want video games — the Back Room's open. 2015 E. Riverside Drive. 441-4677 or 444-ROCK. www.backrm.com.

Tejano

Club Rodeo — Enjoy various types of music from cumbia to merengue. 7601 N. Lamar Blvd., Suite A. 453-6615.

Desperado's — Live tejano every Thursday night. 9515 N. Lamar Blvd. 834-2640.

Tropical

Miguel's La Bodega — Salsa to live music Wednesday through Saturday and enjoy the Latin sounds. 415 Colorado St. 472-2369.

World

Flamingo Cantina — Reggae. Hip-hop. Rock. Funk. You name it, Flamingo's going to have it. 515 E. Sixth St. 494-9336.

Ruta Maya — Acoustic singer/songwriters dominate Ruta Maya, but it isn't rare to find an open mic or DJs on stage. 3601 S. Congress Ave. 707-9637. www.rutamaya.net.