Austin Nature & Science Center
If you are the more adventurous kind, here are some great things to do while you are in the Austin area. First starting off with the famous Austin Nature & Science Center. They are open 7 days a week: Monday-Saturday their hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays they are open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The center has both indoor and outdoor exhibits for visitors to enjoy. Some of these exhibits include a dino pit that teaches visitors about paleontology, a naturalist workshop where visitors can touch and examine furs, rocks, bones, plants, and more. Furthermore, visitors can observe the inner workings of a bee hive, a human sundial, the water system at the facility, and small objects at the nano exhibit. There is an additional feature called the seed library where visitors can observe all of the different types of seeds used at the facility and even take some home to plant! Overall there are so many features that the center offers that will keep both kids and adults completely entertained throughout the visit. If you are looking to attend an Austin staple, don’t miss out on this amazing site!
Central Library Downtown
If you are an avid reader like myself, you absolutely have to make a stop at the Central Library Downtown. This library isn’t like your traditional small town cutesy store, but instead an overall sight to see. The library is open 7 days a week with their hours being 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday thru Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday thru Sunday. The facility offers so many things to visitors such as the Austin Public Library Shop, an art gallery, computers and printers available for public use, an innovation lab, meeting rooms, event spaces, and even a seed library. Furthermore the library hosts numerous tours throughout the week and numerous events so if you are in town and want to take part in this amazing opportunity, make sure to check out their website for upcoming events and dates! The facility is a beautiful place to stop by and tour and you even get some Austin bonus points if you follow this guide to help tour the facility!
Lime Scooters
If you like to tour the city but you want to try something new, the Austin Lime Scooters are something that will definitely be worth your time. The Lime Scooters can be found practically anywhere in the Austin area and are the perfect solution to getting places that are a little too far to walk, but not far enough to merit driving your car and trying to find parking. Don’t worry, the scooters have a great braking system so long as you know how to use it and if you use Aspiration for banking, you actually get a free lime prime membership! You may not know this but Lime is the world’s largest shared electric vehicle company that can be found in over 200 cities across 5 continents! Lime’s overall mission is to create a transport system that is shared, affordable, and carbon free. The company offers affordable and reliable short term rentals for bikes and scooters that would be the perfect asset while trying to tour the beautiful city of Austin! Definitely try out this amazing transport system, but read the Lime directions because if you get yourself stuck in a no ride zone like in front of the capital, you’ll be stuck pushing your vehicle to the end of the zone…
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Another crucial and beautiful place to visit while in Austin, Texas is the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. The center is open everyday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. They host camps like Camp Wildflower and additionally have designated nights for specific aspects of nature which include things such as dino and nature nights, so if you are in the area and are interested in these events, definitely check their calendar and see if your schedules align. The center also has a wildflower cafe where they serve sandwiches, salads, snacks, desserts, and beverages — both alcoholic and non alcoholic — depending on how you’re feeling. You even get some additional bonus points if you can find the nest of the great horned owl that has lived at the center for 13 years now! But don’t worry, you can’t reach the nest to disturb her even if you tried. Regardless, definitely take the time to stop in and observe all of the natural beauties that the center offers.
UT Campus Green Tour
If you are in Austin, you will most likely at some point drive by the famous UT Austin campus. Now, if you are an Aggie, it might be best to keep your distance, but if you are or plan on becoming a longhorn, or even if you just love the burnt orange that UT represents, it will definitely be worthwhile to stop by the campus for a campus green tour. The self guided tours will take about an hour and will cover a little over two miles of the campus. Since the tours are self-guided, or cell phone guided, these can be accessed at any time meaning you can fit them into your schedule at any time. If you are interested in learning about how the UT campus is fighting for a more sustainable future, definitely take the time to stop by and follow this guide to learn all about the university’s green efforts.
Barton Springs Pool
If you are looking to go swimming, the Barton Springs Pool is a beautiful place to stop by. They are open everyday from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. except on Thursdays when they close at 9 a.m. and reopen at 7 p.m. Barton Springs will charge an admission fee from Spring Break until the end of October, but any other time of year, admissions are free. The pool itself is three acres in size and is fed from an underground spring with an average temperature of 68-70℉ which makes the pool ideal for year round swimming. A cool aspect to the pool is that because of the clear and pure water provided by the Barton Springs Aquifer, the pool is home to the endangered Barton Springs Salamander listing the pool as a federal protected habitat. If you see this salamander, make sure to give it a big smile and not disturb its peace. The Barton Springs Pool is definitely a top place to visit but I suggest just taking the plunge into the water or else you may never make it in because even in the Texas heat, the pool remains chilly year round.
Zilker Park
Zilker Park is yet another Austin staple and something that will definitely be worth your while. The park is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. everyday and is completely free for entry but donations are accepted and appreciated. Zilker is Austin’s oldest metropolitan park and serves as a hub for many recreational activities and even has major amenities. Some of these include the Barton Springs Pool, Zilker Botanical Garden, Umlauf Sculpture Garden, and so many more. Additionally the park has picnic sights, a disc golf course, and even volleyball courts proving that no matter what kind of mood you are in, Zilker Park will have something for you! Most importantly if you don’t feel like playing a game of volleyball or even checking out some of the amenities that the park offers, one of the best and most laid back things to do at the park is to simply people and dog watch. Just find yourself a seat and watch the magic unfold right in front of you. No matter what you may be up for, I assure you that you will find something enticing to do on your visit to one of Austin’s most beautiful places.
Paddle board/ Kayak
If you are looking to go paddle boarding and kayaking, there are two companies I would recommend that are both located on Lady bird Lake. The first company is Rowing Doc which is open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. with the last boat going out around 7:45 p.m. The company offers kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards and is very outwardly committed toward their sustainability goals of reducing their environmental impact. Rowing Doc has put into place numerous sustainability protocols and also offers educational programs to the public in order to highlight the importance of saving our natural world. But if this company doesn’t sound like the one for you, don’t worry, because Texas Rowing Center is yet another great company located on the lake. The center is open daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. for those of you who like to get an earlier start and they offer both kayaks and paddle boards. Texas Rowing Center is also dedicated to promoting sustainability as they have implemented numerous initiatives in addition to participating in clean up and educational programs based on environmental awareness. No matter which company you chose, your experience on Lady Bird Lake will definitely be one to remember.
Bats
If you are visiting the Austin area between late March through early fall, you might just be able to see one of North America’s largest urban bat populations. One of the best places to view these bats in action is at the Statesman Bat Observation Center. If you are interested in watching from here, paid parking is available at the Austin American-Statesman, or you can travel down the steps at the corner of Congress Avenue and Barton Springs Road for yet another amazing view. But, if you want to spice up the experience even more, you can rent a kayak, paddleboard, canoe, or waterbike and join the many other adventurers that float around the bridge until sunset. More information about renting a kayak can be found through this website. No matter which adventure you choose, make sure to head out to see the bats around sunset or more specifically anywhere between 7:30-9:45 p.m. And if you’re visiting Austin toward the end of the season, you are in for a real treat as you can see up to 1.5 million bats flying into the summer night. To learn more about how to see the bats or what best options there are visit this website for more specific information.
Alamo Drafthouse
If you are feeling chill and want to relax and catch a movie, it will definitely be worth your while to make a stop at the famous Alamo Drafthouse. Now, this theater isn’t like most. The drafthouse was introduced in 1997 and has since then become famous for its dinner and drinks during the showings — but don’t worry, the staff is very diligent not to interrupt the movie. From the delicious and buttery popcorn to even the cauliflower wings (don’t knock it until you try it), the Alamo Drafthouse serves the best food with the best movie experience. What makes all of this even better (possibly better than the reclining seats) is that both the popcorn and drinks come in either reusable packaging, or completely package free. But this is not the only sustainable effort within the facility. The drafthouse has energy efficient features that include high efficiency light, efficient HVAC systems, and state-of-the-art projectors that reduce energy usage. Overall, the Alamo Drafthouse is something all Austin visitors should experience, just be careful to look at the prices on the menu and only order what you can actually eat… things can get pretty pricey when left in the wrong hands.
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