Austin Texas Parks & Gardens
Enjoy Austin Outdoors at its many parks, lakes, trails & gardens.
Austin offers an incredible number of parks, trails, lakes and opportunities for outdoor fun and relaxation. In the shadow of downtown (and about 6 miles from the hotel) is one of Austin's treasures, Town Lake, and the many parks located within the "Town Lake Corridor". This spot along the Colorado River is a popular site for walking, biking, picnics, concerts, bat-watching, and much more.
Enjoy the view of downtown Austin while hiking, running, or peddling the Hike & Bike Trail, or by paddling on scenic Town Lake. To cross the lake on foot, there are three primary pedestrian bridges - at 1st near Auditorium Shores, the new bridge adjacent to Lamar Blvd., and the bridge below the Mopac overpass at Zilker Park.
Austin Texas parks and gardens are listed by distance from North Austin Plaza Suites hotel:
Town Lake Metropolitan Park • 6.7 mi
1928 S. Lakeshore Blvd., Austin, TX 78741
Town Lake Metropolitan Park stretches along the banks of the Colorado River from Tom Miller Dam on the west to Colorado River Park on the east. This giant park contains 10.1 miles of hiking and biking trails. The trail around the lake is mostly flat, fairly wide, and very popular. It offers great views of the lake and the Austin skyline. The Town Lake trail has branches off to some of the other great Austin biking and hiking trails. Town Lake Park features 17 ball fields for baseball, football, soccer and rugby, and volleyball. The area on the south side of Town Lake from Lamar Boulevard east to South First Street is known as Auditorium Shores, and many concerts and large events are held there. Butler Shores refers to that stretch of Town Lake from the Lamar bridge over the Colorado River to the east bank of Barton Creek.
The various Town Lake Metropolitan Parks and other Town Lake recreational areas are at:
Auditorium Shores: 920 W. Riverside Dr. - 7.0 mi
Butler Shores: 200 S. Lamar - 6.9 mi
Eilers (Deep Eddy) Park: 401 Deep Eddy Ave.- 7.3 mi
Festival Beach: 2101 Bergman St. - 6.5 mi
Holly Shores: 2709 Canterbury - 6.7 mi
Lakeshore: 1928 S. Lakeshore Blvd., Austin, TX 78741 - 6.7 mi
Lamar Beach: 1200 W. Cesar Chavez St. - 6.6 mi
Longhorn Shores: 200 S. Pleasant Valley Rd. - 7.0 mi
Metz Park: 2407 Canterbury St. - 6.5 mi
Palm Park: 200 N. IH-35 - 5.3 mi
Red Bud Isle: 3401 Red Bud Trail - 9.2 mi
Shoal Beach: 707 W. Cesar Chavez St. - 6.2 mi
Waller Beach: 30 East Ave. - 5.7 mi
Zilker Metropolitan Park • 7.8 mi
2100 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78746
Zilker Metropolitan Park is considered "Austin's most loved park." This 351 acre park is home to a variety of recreation opportunities and special events for the individual or the whole family. Ride the Zilker Zephyr miniature train or canoe on Town Lake. Play on the large multi-age playscape, hike and bike trails and lunch in large full-service picnic areas. For the swimmer, Zilker Park offers Barton Springs Pool (below), a natural spring-fed pool with a year-round average temperature of 68 degrees. Sports enthusiasts will enjoy the sand volleyball courts, a nine-hole Disc Golf Course, 9 Soccer Fields, 1 Rugby Field, 2 Multi-use Fields. The park is home to the Zilker Botanical Gardens (below), which includes the Taniguchi Oriental Garden and the Austin Area Garden Center.
The Zilker Hillside Theatre hosts concerts ranging from Jazz to Country. Additionally, the theatre is the site of the Zilker Summer Musical and Shakespeare in the Park. The Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum, home of the collection of work by sculptor Charles Umlauf, is located on the south end of the park.
Website: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/zilker/default.htm
Zilker Botanical Garden • 7.8 mi
2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX 78746, 512-477-8672
Zilker Botanical Garden is located in the center of Austin. The gardens are on land that is magnificently endowed by nature with handsome trees, natural grottoes, and aquatic habitats that have been integrated into a design of spectacular beauty and tranquillity. Featured gardens include a Japanese garden, xeriscape demonstration garden, rose garden, cactus garden, bedding displays, floral display garden, butterfly trail, butterfly garden, and herb & fragrance garden and the Hartman Prehistoric Garden. The Zilker Botanical Garden is free and open to the public with 18 acres of garden displays.
Website: http://www.zilkergarden.org
Barton Springs Pool (located in Zilker Park) • 9.2 mi
2101 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX 78704, 512-476-9044
Millions of years ago Barton Springs, the fourth largest natural springs in the state, was created as a result of a landshift that created the Balcones Fault. Today, within Zilker Park's 358 acres, lies one of the crown jewels of Austin, Barton Springs Pool. Three acres in size, the pool is fed from under ground springs and is on average 68 degrees year round.
Website: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/bartonsprings.htm
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