Making Memories in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas was another place that I could find cheap flights through a budget airline from our home airport. Therefore, it was the next trip we decided to do over a long weekend during the summer of 2022.
I knew it would be HOT, and looking back, I would probably wait to visit here in any season other than summer. Thankfully, I had found some fun ways to beat the heat (for at least some of the time). During the month of July, the average temperature has a high of 96 degrees and a low of 74 degrees with a heat index that is typically between 100 and 105 degrees. Unfortunately for us, we were there on the hottest day in documented history – July 10, 2022, so the heat index was quite a bit higher!
I made this trip with my daughter, who was 8 at the time, and my sister’s family which includes two kids who were 10 and 12 at the time of this trip. We came here in the summer, and we only budgeted a few days because of other travel plans earlier in the summer.
This post is primarily focused on places and activities that we could keep somewhat cool during the heat of July, so if you have a few days during the summer, this would be perfect for you. If you are visiting when it’s cooler, then there are many other cool things that you may consider doing in the city that we did not do. I will list and link to some of those at the end of the post. I’d personally love to come explore this city further when it’s not a furnace!
Where We Stayed in Austin, Texas
Although we ventured outside of the city quite a bit, we chose to stay in downtown Austin. We also wanted a hotel with a pool – both for the kids and to help beat the heat if needed. There are plenty of hotels that meet these desires, but we chose one of the few with a rooftop pool which I thought would be really cool.
We ended up staying at The Westin Austin Downtown. This was a 4-star hotel, and we were very comfortable here! TripAdvisor ranks the walkability of this hotel as a 100 out of 100, so there’s a lot to walk to close by. We did have a rental car to get to some of the places we were visiting further away, so the only downside to the Westin was the $50 (now $54) parking fee each night, though that is pretty typical in cities. We decided to park at the Littlefield Garage and walk a little bit for just $28 a day. The other thing to note is that the pool was pretty small and there weren’t a lot of places to sit around the pool.
Our Itinerary for in and near Austin:
Here is a map and a quick summary of the main activities we did each day throughout our trip. Below this, I go into detail for each day. I include information for cost, hours, etc., that is correct at the time of writing.
Day 1:
- Arrive (we did not arrive until around 6:30 p.m.)
- Check out live music on 6th St.
- Get settled at hotel
Day 2:
- Barton Springs Pool
- Austin Nature and Science Center
- Barbecue
- Lone Star Riverboat Cruise
Day 3:
- Exploring around Austin
- Jacob’s Well Swimming
- Blue Hole Regional Park
- Wimberley Glass Works
- Peter Pan Mini Golf
Day 4:
- The Alamo
- Natural Bridge Caverns
- Depart (late departure of around 7:30 p.m.)
Day 1: Arrival, Live Music, Get Settled
Live Music on 6th St. & Getting Settled
We arrived late on our first day, but our hotel was very close to 6th St. which is famous for a lot of live music. We walked around a little bit and stopped to listen to some of the live music on the street. Because we had our kids, we did not go into any of the bars or venues along the street. Before going back to our hotel, we did eat at a mini food truck right beside our hotel.
The kids really wanted to swim at the roof top pool, so after walking around a little bit, we made our way up. There were not many spaces to sit to watch the kids especially because there were a few cabanas that took up quite a bit of room and were closed off for people to use. My sister and I found a couple of stool type chairs to sit on. There was also a bar where we could order drinks and some food.
We headed down to sleep after an hour or so at the pool.
Day 2: Barton Springs Pool, Austin Nature and Science Center, Barbecue, Lone Star Riverboat Cruise (to watch bats from Congress Bridge)
Barton Springs Pool
Barton Springs Pool is an iconic place in Austin, Texas, and I knew it would be the perfect place to stay cool for a while! This pool measures 3 acres in size, so although it was very busy, you could easily spread out. It is fed by underground springs, so the temperature stays between 68 and 74-degrees year-round. It felt great but was almost too cold even in the crazy heat – it was like a shock to the body!
Before getting in the water, we walked around to the other side and found an empty spot on the grass to put our stuff. On this side of the pool, you could enter with a step ladder, or you could just jump in! Also, a little further down was a diving board where there was a pretty long line the whole time we were there, but it would go fast. Further up from the diving board, on the side we came in, was a place to easily walk into and around the water because it was much shallower, but it was very slippery. There were also lifeguards on duty.
You can bring your swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, and even inflatable toys for the shallow area. Also, although you can bring water (re-sealable plastic container), you cannot bring other drinks, food, speakers, glass, hard balls, tobacco, or pets.
| Cost: | Non-residents: under 1 and veterans – free 1-11: Non-resident – $4 12-17: Non-resident – $5 18-61: Non-resident – $9 62+: Non-resident – $5 |
| Hours: | Every day except Thursdays 5:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. swim at own risk 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. with lifeguards |
| Address: | 2201 William Barton Dr, Austin, TX 78746 |
| Parking: | There is a north and a south parking lot There are some spots close to building, but they get full early M-F – free; weekends/holidays – $3 per hour |
Austin Nature and Science Center
The Austin Nature and Science Center is only 4 minutes from the pool, and a lot of it is inside which was good for the heat. I would not drive out of my way for this, but the kids really liked it because they had some cool interactive exhibits even though it was pretty small. There is also a forest trail, but we didn’t do that since it was outside. We spent 30 to 45 minutes here. Oh, and it was free!
| Cost: | Free |
| Hours: | Mon – Sat: 9 to 5 Sunday – 12 to 5 |
| Address: | 2389 Stratford Drive Austin, TX 78746 |
| Parking: | Handicap near main entrance Others – lot across from the entrance |
Barbecue
I know my trips are not based around food like some peoples as I tend to base them more around activities/adventures, but I love food, and I knew I wanted to eat some good barbecue on this trip! Afterall, Austin is world famous for their barbecue!
We decided to try Franklin’s Barbecue – consistently considered one of the best in the city. I was worried about the line, but it was not too bad although I’ve heard it can be. Maybe the heat of the day worked to our advantage on that one!
As a table we got pork ribs and beef ribs along with an array of sides. It was not cheap, but it was well worth it. The sides were all very good, but the meat is why I’d go there again if I was in the area. The mouth is watering just thinking about it.
| Cost: | Check here for menu |
| Hours: | Monday: closed Tues.-Sun.: 11 a.m. to sold out (2 or 3 p.m.) |
| Address: | 900 E. 11th, Austin, TX 78702 |
| Parking: | Has its own parking lot but can fill up quickly; street parking is also available in the neighborhood but can get crowded as well |
Lone Star Riverboat Cruise (Congress Avenue Bridge Bats)
Congress Avenue Bridge is famous for the approximately 1.5 million bats that emerge from it each night from about mid-March to mid-October. This is the largest urban colony in North America. The link above has a lot of information such as the best viewing times and locations.
We decided to see the bats from a boat, so we booked a Lone Star Riverboat Cruise. I chose them because of previous reviews, and they did not disappoint! We were allowed to bring our own drinks (including beer) as long as there were not glass containers.
The tour itself was fantastic. We got to have a gorgeous view of the city on both sides along with interesting commentary on some of the buildings and what not. Once we were near the bridge, we didn’t have to wait long for all of the bats to start pouring out. If you do the boat tour, be aware that you’re likely to feel bat pee (guano). I didn’t feel much, and when I did, it just felt like a little drop of rain. I told my daughter to make sure she kept her mouth closed if she looked up! If that completely grosses you out, you may be better off watching from somewhere else.
The company we used has multiple tours, so the table below is specifically for their bat watch tour.
| Cost: | Adults: $14 Kids (12 and under): $9 Kids (2 and under): free Seniors (60+) and military: $12 |
| Hours: | Depends on sunset time |
| Address: | 100 yards west of 208 Barton Springs Rd Austin, TX 78704 (Hilton) |
| Parking: | Limited free parking at Vic Mathias Shores Alternative paid parking options here |
Day 3: Exploring Austin, Wimberley Glass Works, Blue Hole Regional Park, Peter Pan Mini Golf
Exploring Austin
We chose to get up early and explore some of Austin before it got too hot. My brother-n-law loves Willie Nelson, so we went to see his mural and his statue. We also went to see the famous “Greetings from Austin” mural and ate some macaroons. Finally, we went to Alliance Children’s Garden which is a really fun playground.
We drove to each of the places, but we walked around a little bit near the statue. We also bought some macaroons very close to the Austin mural because my niece loves them. If it wasn’t going to get as hot, we would’ve walked around more because there were a lot of murals that I would’ve wanted to see. However, I knew that would not have been smart, and I wanted to get to the playground early, so the kids could play a little there before the heat really set in. This was all free! Below is the address for each location in the order we did it based on where we started.
| Willie Nelson Mural | 1415 S. Congress Ave. |
| Willie Nelson Statue | 310 W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701 |
| Austin Mural | 1720 S. First St. |
| Alliance Children’s Playground | 1000 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704 |
Jacob’s Well
The original plan was to hit up Jacob’s Well and then Blue Hole Regional Park since they were both fun looking swimming spots and only 11 minutes apart. They are about one hour from Austin, but we had a rental car, so it was a no brainer for us considering how hot it was going to be. I had Jacob’s Well reserved from 12 to 2 and had paid the fees ($9 for each adult and $5 for each kid). Unfortunately, there was some sort of bacteria, so it got cancelled, and we were refunded.
As of right now, the water levels are low, and there is no swimming for the foreseeable future. They do still have hiking and geocaching. I’ve linked to it above as I still think it’s worth to see if swimming has resumed for your own trip. Because we knew the bacteria issue ahead of time, we just went to our next destination a little bit later than originally planned and ate lunch.
Wimberley Glassworks
Wimberley Glassworks is close to the two swimming spots we were in Wimberley to enjoy, so it made sense to include this while we were out there. The really neat thing about this place is that they have free, live glassblowing demonstrations. It was really cool to see how they create something from start to finish with explanations! They also have classes where you can pay to work one-on-one with an expert on whatever the seasonal object is. I would’ve loved for us to be able to do this, but you have to be at least 15 years old, and all of our kids were younger than this at the time. It’s also only one participant at a time, so if you have a big group, it could take some time. Wimberley Glassworks also has a storefront where you can browse/purchase all sorts of beautiful creations.
| Cost: | Free for live demonstrations One-on-one private: $100 per hour plus cost of piece ($69 to $120); each private is 6 to 15 minutes, so could fit several in the hour |
| Hours: | Free: Thurs. – Sun. from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. Classes: Fri. – Sun. from 3 to 5 p.m. or 5 to 7 p.m. |
| Address: | 6469 Ranch Road 12, San Marcos |
| Parking: | There is a lot in front of the store. |
Lunch
We decided to eat lunch at Wimberley Cafe. There are also other restaurants and shops right in this area. It is located just 3 minutes from Blue Hole Regional Park which was our next destination. They are open each day except Wednesdays, but like I said, there are other restaurants in this same area, so it’d still be a good spot for lunch if you’re going to Blue Hole Regional Park. We parked in a lot behind the cafe, and by the time we got here, it was absolutely pouring with some thunder and lightning. I was worried our next swim session would also get cancelled, but the storms moved out before that happened thank goodness.
Blue Hole Regional Park
Our reservation for Blue Hole Regional Park was from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. This area has a beautiful, natural swimming area fed by Cyprus Creek and is covered by the most gorgeous Cyprus trees. There are also two rope swings. One is smaller and one is bigger. Both rope swing areas also had a place you could just jump off as well.
When we arrived at 2, the rain had vanished, but the lady said there had to be no thunder or lightning in the vicinity for at least 20 minutes, so we decided to go back and wait in the car. The good news was that the weather pretty much drove everyone else away. By the time we walked in around 2:45, there were other guests, but it was blissfully uncrowded. There were almost no lines for the rope swings the entire time we were there.
This was my favorite part of the vacation – all of us adults and kids absolutely loved it! And, bonus, we were nice and cool even with the sweltering heat.
| Cost: | Hiking trails, playgrounds, picnic areas: free 1/2-day swimming (4 hours): adults – $12, youth (4 to 12) and senior (60+) – $8, 3 and under – free |
| Hours: | Park: 8:00 a.m. to sunset 1/2-day swimming: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas |
| Address: | 333 Blue Hole Ln, Wimberley, TX 78676 |
| Parking: | There is a lot near the swimming area |
After swimming, we hit up The Wooden Spoon to get ice cream in the same area we ate lunch. Apparently, they are now closed, but there is still a Twisted Treats with frozen yogurt in that location as well.
Peter Pan Mini Golf
After swimming and ice cream, we headed to Peter Pan Mini Golf to putt-putt around 7:30 p.m., and although it was still very hot, it was tolerable. We chose here because it looked so fun and was close to where we were staying though it wasn’t walking distance. They offer two courses. We were able to find parking, but I could see it being full and having to loop around some. You can also bring your own coolers and drinks including alcohol as long as there are no glass containers. They also let my daughter just play in her bathing suit (not sure if that would’ve been the same for an adult)!
| Cost: | 6+ – $10 5 and under – $8 |
| Hours: | Sun. – Thurs.: 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Fri. – Sat.: 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. |
| Address: | 1207 Barton Springs Road Austin, Texas 78704 |
| Parking: | Small lot, paid street parking, or after 6 p.m., can park at the bike shop; they recommend using a ride share company to get there |
Day 4: Natural Bridge Caverns and The Alamo
Natural Bridge Caverns
Because San Antonio is only about 1 hour 15 minutes away from Austin, we decided to visit here on our last day since we had a late flight. Natural Bridge Caverns is on the way down, but it was about 15 minutes off path, so it added an extra 30 minutes onto the drive down. I knew the caverns would be cool both literally and physically, so it was a great activity in the crazy heat.
The history of the place is pretty interesting. Four college students convinced one of the ranchers on property to let them explore what they believed was a small cave on property. It turns out there was more than 2 miles of chamber after chamber and it was still growing.
We did the Discovery Tour, but there are two tours available here, and you can purchase a combo ticket. I chose the Discovery Tour because it’s the biggest in the state and seemed more magnificent of the two. They also have a maze, gem mining, a ropes course, and food. Our tour was very well done, and it was stunning. Two of the kids really wanted to do the ropes course. Though they didn’t last long in the heat, they both thought it was fun.
We also ate lunch here purely out of convenience, and it was decently good.
| Cost: | They use dynamic pricing. If you purchase early, you can save. Prices are where they start if you’re not buying early: One tour: adults (12+): $30.75, kids (3-11): $20, 3 and under: free Combo tour: adults: $52, kids: $33.75 |
| Hours: | Park Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tours: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Other activities: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
| Address: | 26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Rd, San Antonio, TX 78266 |
| Parking: | $10; big lot |
The Alamo
The Alamo is one of those places I’ve known about forever, so there was no way we weren’t going to see it while we were close to Austin. Because it was so hot, we should’ve gone here first and hit up the caverns afterwards. We seriously debated getting out of the car once we got there as we could see the heat radiating off of the pavement, and the parking was a little bit of a walk. We were here on July 11, 2022 when temperatures hit 107 degrees (heat index was a lot higher). To date this was the 6th hottest temperature ever recorded in San Antonio!
Armed with our fans, water, and cooling towels, we ventured into the miserable heat. We started with the area to the left of the church. It was outside, but the walkways were sheltered from the sun and was much cooler. There was also a beautiful tree. I really wanted to explore more outside beyond the walkways, but we just couldn’t. At the end, we went into the church which has air-conditioning! The Alamo offers tours, but we just did the self-guided one. You can actually visit just the church part for free.
| Cost: | Guided Tour: 13+: $48, 12 and under: $38, 65+: $43 Self-Guided Tour: 13+: $20, 12 and under and 65+: $18 Alamo Church: Free |
| Hours: | 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Fri. and Sat.: 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Closed Christmas Day |
| Address: | 300 Alamo Plaza San Antonio, Texas |
| Parking: | No parking, but a number of public parking lots close by |
We wanted to do the San Antonia River Walk which is only a 1-minute walk from here and drive to Mission Concepcion, but we couldn’t tolerate the heat. I’d love to visit both of these in the future though!
Additional Fun Activities to Make Memories:
Between the heat and the short duration of our trip, we were only able to fit in a sliver of what this city and surrounding area offers. If you have more time, less heat, or different interests, check out all of the additional suggestions below.
Each picture is linked to their site for more information if you want it.
Please leave suggestions for cool activities or places to visit in Austin that I missed so future readers and myself can learn from your knowledge and experience!
*The Westin Hotel picture was taken by Sk5893, and license can be found here.
