Spring is in the air, bringing with it perfect weather for swimming and picnics, a number of events and spring showers. From festivals to swimming holes to indoor activities on those rainy days, we’ve got your list to experience all that’s happening in Austin this season.
Mark Your Calendars
Here are a few of our favorite events happening in Austin this spring.
Austin Reggae Festival | April 19-21
Enjoy great music, food, and crafts while supporting the Central Texas Food Bank.
Moontower Comedy Festival | April 24-27
Get your laugh on with some of the funniest comics in the world.
Austin Food + Wine Festival | April 26-28
Three days of artisanal food, beverage tastings, culinary demos, and more.
Eeyore’s Annual Birthday Party | April 27
Celebrate with music, food, and art at one of Austin’s most iconic events.
21st Annual Weiner Dog Races | April 27-28
Arts + crafts, BBQ cook-off, and the world-famous wiener dog races.
Pecan Street Spring Festival | May 4-5
A free two-day arts festival featuring local and national artisans.
Make A Splash
Take a dip in one of Austin’s best swimming holes.
Contains 12.68 miles of gorgeous trails, with the main trail spanning about 7 miles. This particular greenbelt is considered one of the top hiking trails in Texas.
Socialize, swim, relax, and cool off from the hot Texas sun at Barton Springs Pool where the water stays a cool 68 degrees all year long.
The state’s oldest swimming pool, Deep Eddy, offers lap swimming, wading pool and pool-side movies in the summer.
Take a day trip to cool off under the waterfall at Hamilton Pool. Don’t forget to make a reservation.
Spend a day or weekend camping and swimming in the beautiful Texas Hill Country.
Offering endless fun with lots of trails, wide open spaces, and water that you can swim and jump in.
Picnic In The Park
Pack a lunch and head out to one of these fab picnic spots.
The perfect place when you’re longing to put your toes in the sand, go for a swim, and let the kids splash and picnic.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
It doesn’t get much better than having a picnic surrounded by wildflowers. Eat lunch and learn more about the conservation of native plants at this internationally recognized botanic garden.
With its lush grounds, Laguna Gloria will make you feel like you’ve been whisked away. Bring a basket lunch and enjoy the Lake Austin views, cool sculptures, and gardens.
This East Austin neighborhood park offers unique play structures and a lake where you can feed the ducks, take a stroll and spread out a picnic blanket.
Open Room Austin at Sand Beach Park
Near the Seaholm Power Plant, you’ll find a long table that is part of the Art in Public Places program named “Open Room Austin”. It features a 24-foot-long table with a “delicate” lace tablecloth, benches, and lighting structures, all made of powder-coated aluminum.
Whether you’re out climbing on the rocks or running around the playground, Zilker has so many great spots to choose from. Sit down, spread out your blanket and enjoy the sweeping city views in the background.
Rock A Rainy Day
Don’t let spring showers ruin your plans, instead try one of our favorite indoor activities.
Enjoy dinner, drinks and a movie at this fun and unique movie theater.
Take rock climbing but lose the ropes and harnesses, and you have bouldering. The world’s largest bouldering gym is located in Austin at the Austin Bouldering Project with this 50,000 square foot facility.
Located on the University of Texas Austin campus, The Blanton Museum of Art is one of the largest university museums in the nation. Admission is free on Thursday.
Lively adults-only gaming spot with vintage bowling lanes, ping-pong tables, Skeeball lanes, shuffleboard, Zoltar fortune telling and a private karaoke room.
Follow the steps of the archaeology professor who went to discover the most important secret of Ancient Egypt….and never came back! You’ll have one hour to figure out your way out of this real escape game.
A family-friendly arcade experience with an assortment of classic and new arcade gameplay. Don’t forget it’s also BYOB!
Head To The Hill Country
Take a day trip and enjoy the postcard-perfect Texas hill country.
Burnet sits within close distances of two perfect hill country lakes, is filled with history and wine, and even a few State Parks. It is also known as the “Bluebonnet Capital of Texas,” so don’t miss your chance getting those family bluebonnet photos.
Located within one of the most beautiful areas found in Texas, with its rolling hills and gorgeous views. Be sure to stop by the famous barbecue joint, The Salt Lick and the vineyards of Driftwood Estate Winery.
Known as the “Gateway to the Hill Country”, this town offers gourmet food, craft breweries, popular distilleries – on top of the killer Hill Country vibes. Be sure to make a stop and tour the Deep Eddy Vodka Distillery and Tasting Room.
The drive to the quaint German settlement is worth the trip. Visit the charming shops on Main Street and stay the night in one of the town’s many bed and breakfasts. It is also a great time to visit Wildseed Farms, a family-owned wildflower farm featuring blooming fields.
Only a 45-minute drive northwest of Austin, this town is on Lake Marble Falls. While there, you will want to stop at the “World Famous” Blue Bonnet Cafe for Pie Happy Hour. Then visit Sweet Berry Farms and pick some fresh berries.
A quick 30-minute drive south of Austin, this town is perfect for shopping at the quaint boutiques and floating the Blanco River, and don’t miss the Wimberley Pie Company and Jacob’s Well.