There are plenty of things to do in Austin in the summer. Beat the heat or soak up the rays!
1. Swim in Austin’s natural springs and pools
Austin has a number of natural pools that are just perfect for cooling off during the hot Texas summers. Since these pools are spring-fed, they often are wet when all other pools are dry! Some of our favorites include:
Hamilton Pool
Hamilton Pool Preserve is a historic swimming hole where Hamilton Creek spills out over limestone outcroppings to create a 50 foot waterfall. The pool’s water level stays pretty constant, even during periods of drought. After cooling off in the pool, take a nice short (.6 mile) hike out to the Pedernales river for a change in scene. Learn more.
Barton Springs Pool
Three acres in size, the pool is fed from underground springs and is an average 68 degrees year round. With all the beautiful trees, clear water, and diving board, this is certainly a favorite! Be sure to bring a mask and snorkel to check out all the fish life. Moss makes the bottom a bit slippery for young children and non-swimmers. Learn more.
Deep Eddy Pool
Deep Eddy Pool is a historic, man-made swimming pool in Austin, Texas. Deep Eddy is the oldest swimming pool in Texas and features a bathhouse built during the Depression era by the Works Progress Administration. The pool began as a swimming hole in the Colorado River, became a resort in the 1920s, and is today a popular swimming pool operated by the City of Austin. Learn more.
2. Hike, Bike and Swim at a State or County Park
Pack up the car with bikes, swim suits and a picnic lunch and for a nominal fee, you can have a fun filled day!
Pedernales Falls
Pedernales Falls is located a few miles outside of Austin (about 45 minutes), but well worth the drive. It has one of the most unusual geologic structures in the area! The park has swimming (though none near the falls), fishing, biking, hiking, geocaching and more! Learn more.
McKinney Falls State Park
Located in South Austin, this park has a 3 mile asphalt path for biking as well as miles of mountain biking trails for the more adventurous biker. There is a nice swimming hole, fishing along Onion Creek, plenty of hiking trails and a nice picnic area and a small nature center (open only on weekends). Learn more.
3. Visit the Capitol
Spend an morning or afternoon visiting the Capitol. Start at the Texas Capitol Visitors Center, a free museum that has a lot of interactive exhibits, to learn more about the history and building of our Capitol. Then head over to the Capitol for a free 45 minute tour. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on the Capitol grounds under the huge pecan trees. Learn more.
4. Listen to Live Music While the Kids Play
This is Austin – live music capital, so it shouldn’t be surprising that there are lots of concerts in the park.
Blues on the Green Every other Wednesday from May 29th to August 7th, Zilker Park will be filled with thousands of people, blankets and lawn chairs, families and music lovers. As Austin’s largest FREE concert series, KGSR’s Blues on the Green is consistently ranked as a top annual entertainment event and has become a staple of the Austin lifestyle and a very casual and comfortable experience. Learn more.
KASE101/KVET Country Music Series Concerts are held throughout the Summer at Stubb’s BBQ. Learn more.
Concerts in the Park at the Long Center Every Sunday night from June 2nd to August 25th, the Austin Symphony Concert selections range from film scores and pops selections to jazz and light classical.
5. Fly Lake Austin
Fly like a bird or swim like a dolphin with the Flyboard® or Jetovator. The Flyboard® is a watersports apparatus which allows propulsion underwater and in the air, it could be compared to a powered wakeboard. The Jetovator is a water sports accessory that extends the ability of an existing personal watercraft (PWC). Learn more.
6. Visit a Cavern
Longhorn Cavern Located in Burnet, this park features a Texas Hill Country wonder created over thousands of years by the dissolving and cutting action of water on the limestone bedrock of the area. Fossil remains show that many Ice Age animals once occupied the cave. Learn more.
Inner Space Caverns Inner Space Cavern was discovered by a Texas Highway Department core drilling team in the Spring of 1963. While drilling through 40 feet of solid limestone, the bit broke into what is now known as Inner Space Cavern. Learn more.
7. Take a Hike
Austin has some great hikes. Some hikes are best to hit early in the morning, before the day heats up. Others have great swimming holes and are perfect any time, just bring along a swim suit.
Bull Creek Greenbelt Trail
The Bull Creek Greenbelt is a gem of a hike, located near 2222 and 360. The 3.5 mile hike has lots of small waterfalls, gorgeous wildflowers and all sorts of critters. The hike starts at Bull Creek Park on Lakewood Drive. But a short hike along the creek will take you to a less populated area, where dogs frequently roam free. Be sure to bring a swim suit and water shoes, as the trail crosses the creek many times, and the sweet water holes are impossible to resist! Learn more.
Turkey Creek Nature Trail
The Turkey Creek Trail is located just outside of Emma Long Park. The trail is a fairly easy and flat 2.7 mile hike, 1.35 out and back, that winds back and forth over Turkey Creek. This is a great place for dogs to run (the entire trail is off-leash) and for kids to catch frogs and pollywogs, dig with rocks, and do all the things kids do! Learn more.
8. Rent a Canoe, Kayak or Stand Up Paddleboard
The Texas Rowing Center located on the Hike and Bike Trail on Lady Bird Lake is open from 6am to dusk each day. They rent canoes, kayaks and SUPs. Learn more.
9. Go to the Beach
The Gulf is probably too far a drive to visit for the day, but there are a couple of lake beaches in Austin. While they tend more toward gravel or mud then sand, they still are perfect for a hot day!
Westlake Beach This privately owned park has a shaded picnic area, marina, concession stand, diving platform, playground, showers, and beach and water volleyball. Learn more.
Emma Long Beach Located 6.2 miles off FM 2222 on City Park Road. The park is on the shores of Lake Austin, and consists of a total of 1150 acres, 70 of which are developed. Emma Long Park has a designated swimming area in Lake Austin and has a large sandy beach. A nice hike begins right outside the park alongside Turkey Creek.
10. Ride Your Bike at The Veloway
The Veloway is southwest Austin’s first trail exclusively for bicycles and rollerblading, making it the perfect place for young bikers. No worries about cars pulling out, and if you have two children who ride at different speeds, it is pretty easy to coordinate a hook-up (there are multiple length routes, the longest is 3.1 miles). Learn more.
About Jenkins Custom Homes
Jenkins Custom Homes is a Design-Build Custom Home Builder in Austin with 20+ years experience & numerous awards, including Texas Custom Builder of the Year, twice. Known for their almost fanatical emphasis on the science of building a home (i.e., using scientifically proven methods with only the highest quality materials), their white glove all-in-one service focuses on taking care of everything. From the home, pool, landscaping, even the driveway, starting with lot selection and then moving through design and finally construction, every detail is handled with care by a Jenkins team member. So, there is only one point of contact and one phone call to make…”Hassle-free, efficient, and fun,”–that’s how clients describe the process. Contact us to learn more about building a custom home in the Austin area.
