There is so much to see when visiting Austin, Texas, and about a thirty-minute walk from downtown, visitors will find the Zilker Metropolitan Park. From downtown Austin, it is located directly across Lady Bird Lake. There is plenty of nature and enough activities here to entertain you and your family for an entire day—maybe more.
Start by simply exploring. Hiking and bike trails are mostly flat and offer beautiful scenic views. The trails run for over seventeen kilometres throughout the park and along Lady Bird Lake, the man-made lake which extends through the centre of Austin. Visitors can also explore Zilker Metropolitan Park from the water. Take a swim in Barton Springs Pool, which is fed by underground springs with a lovely year-round temperature of 20 degrees Celsius, or head over to Zilker Park Boat Rentals and scoop up a canoe. For an even more relaxing ride, hop on the Zilker Zephyr, a miniature train that runs through the park.
Visitors enjoy the natural beauty here, but they also enjoy music and other events. Zilker Metropolitan Park offers special events and live entertainment year-round. In the spring, the Zilker Park Kite Festival takes place held on the first Sunday in March, it has been entertaining families since 1929. In the summer, Zilker Hillside Theatre stages plays and summer musicals. The Austin City Limits Music Festival graces the park in the fall with over 100 national and international acts covering genres from contemporary pop and rock to Texas blues and swing. And winter is a great time to visit for a spectacular holiday event: the Zilker Holiday Tree is an Austin tradition in which a 47-metre tree is created from a collection of 39 streamers containing more than 3,000 multi-coloured lights. What a sight!
Regardless of what time of year you visit, there is plenty to do. Check out the website for a full list of events, and plan on spending a day to relax, swim, and simply explore Zilker Metropolitan Park.
