Hey!! Getting bored this weekend?
Wanna try something different from your daily schedule?
Need a break from Austin’s busy city life?
Let’s go, pack your bag and explore the best day trips from Austin. Now it’s time to hit the road from Austin. First, want to bring up a brief introduction to this exciting and dynamic city of Texas. Austin is the central heart of Texas, the State of the United States. It offers lots of enjoyable things to do here.
Basically, Austin is popular for its cultural activities like live music, street art, great restaurants and bars, Delicious food, and great BBQs. It is honored as the “live music capital of the World” because Austin has more live music spots than anywhere else in the nation.
If you don’t have time to plan a vacation but badly need an escape from your busy and scheduled life, then Austin offers you the best and cheap day trips to recharge yourself.
Best Weekend Day Trips From Austin
- 1. Interact with nature in Zilker Botanical Garden
- 2. Enjoy a Picnic in Zilker Park
- 3. Feel the pride of the city at Bullock Texas State History Museum
- 4. Float away in Barton Springs Pool
- 5. Adore a Romantic Trip to Drilling Springs
- 6. Delight the real taste of Texan BBQ
- 7. Catch Glimpse of Sunset at the Oasis on Lake Travis
- 8. Calm Down at Lake Austin Spa Resort
- 9. Enjoy the live music on 6th Street
Now, let’s lookup for the best day trips from Austin.
1. Interact with nature in Zilker Botanical Garden
It covers 31 acres in Zilker park with plants, ponds, and trails and is known as the focal point of Zilker Park. Zilker Botanical Garden is a collection of 13 independently maintained gardens, each garden is decorated with its own themes like a cacti garden, succulent plants garden, Herbs plant garden, Japanese Garden, and plants from a particular part of the world. This trip can be very informative for you as well as your kids.
Perfect place for visitors who are seeking peace, you can easily spend a couple of hours exploring each garden without even knowing.
One more very important thing you have to pay some amount to get an entry in the botanical garden i.e,$1 for kids and seniors,$2 for Austin resident adults, and $3 for non-Austin resident adults.
Suggested Read: 9 Best Day Trips from Phoenix For Trekking Valley of the Sun
Address: 2220 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78746.
Opening Hours:7am-7 pm.
2. Enjoy a Picnic in Zilker Park
It is located just south of downtown Austin and covers across 350 acres of rolling hills. Zilker Park is the city’s most popular park and is known as the glory of the city’s parks system. This park is popular for hosting major city festivals like the City music festival and the Zilker park kite festival.
If you are planning for a get-together with your old friends and also want to spend some quality time with your family this park is the best option for you.
When the weather is sunny, just pack some snacks and drinks and Walkout there with your Friends and Family, surely you will find an awesome experience here.
Address: 2100 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX 78746.
Opening hours: 5 am – 10 pm
3. Feel the pride of the city at Bullock Texas State History Museum
Bullock Texas State History Museum is the History Museum in Austin, Texas. It is dedicated to interpreting the “Story of Texas” and broadcasting to the visitors through meaningful educational experiences.
It is one of the largest museums which shows all the Texas-related things. This museum includes three floors of exhibitions i.e, IMAX and 4D special effect theatres, a cafe, and a world-class museum that shows texas history and culture.
The entry fee is $12 and additional charges for the IMAX theatre. If you are not from Texas, surely you will feel the spirit of Texas after the visit to this museum.
Address: 1800 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701.
Opening hours: 9 am-5 pm(Monday to Saturday), 12 noon – 5 pm (Sunday).
Suggested Read: 10 Best Places To Visit In Texas To Chill Out In Lone Star State!
4. Float away in Barton Springs Pool
Barton Springs pool is an amusement outdoor swimming pool that is filled completely with water from nearby natural springs and is located in the ground of Zilker Park. During summer and winter, it is a popular place for swimming because of its stable temperature of 20 degrees Celcius (68 degrees Fahrenheit).
The pool is closed for several weeks for cleaning so please make sure to check, it is open on the day you’re going. While on the day trip, Barton pool Cost $3 for local residents and $8 for non-resident visitors, and summer swimming is free here.
Address: 2201 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704.
Opening Hours: 5 am – 10 pm, closed on Thursday (9 am – 10 pm for cleaning).
Important Note: Lifeguards are available only from 8 am-9 pm, rest swim at your own risk.
5. Adore a Romantic Trip to Drilling Springs
If you are looking for a best day romantic trip from Austin with your partner No doubt, Drilling Springs is the best option for you, where you can enjoy lots of fun activities, live music, and explore the natural beauty. Drilling Springs is also known as the “Gateway of the Hill city”. It is famous for its beautiful trails, Rolling hills, Vineyards, Crafts Breweries, local Distilleries, and Hamilton Pool.
Not only this is famous for a romantic trip but also for the best road trip from Austin by car. Drilling Springs offers you more than 20 historic houses and buildings that visitors can see on a walking tour.
Just outside of the town you will find the store Deep Eddy Vodka where you can try a different flavors of vodka, Try cocktails and do a flight of vodka.
Address: City in Hays County, Texas, United States.
6. Delight the real taste of Texan BBQ
Texan’s first love is barbeque so your trip is incomplete without trying their local favorite dish. Austin is Specifically famous for its central Texas-styled barbeque which involves meat with spices and cooking over the indirect heat from ook woods.
Franklin barbeque is one of the best barbeque spots in Austin one more very important piece of information you should need to know before visiting here, be prepared for the long lines, people are waiting before 1-2 hours even before it opens and tries to get there early because the restaurants close once they are sold out.
If you are not comfortable standing in line there, don’t worry you have another option to check out Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ.
Address of Franklin BBQ: 900 E. 11th Street, Austin, TX 78702
Opening Hours: 11 am – Sold out(Monday Closed).
Address of Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ: 1500 Manchaca Rd, Austin, TX 78748, United States
Opening Hours: 7:30 am- 9 pm(Tuesday Closed).
7. Catch Glimpse of Sunset at the Oasis on Lake Travis
Oasis is not only famous for being the largest restaurant in texas but is also popular as the “The Sunset Capital of Texas”. Located at the reef of 450 feet(137 meters) above Travis lake, offer you a large outdoor terrace to catch a perfect view of the sunset to make your day trips from Austin a memorable gateway.
Enjoy the Sparkling rays of light like a sun’s reflection on the lake with some snacks and Food. It is such a beautiful scene in the evening to see and also don’t forget to take a camera with you.
Address: 6550 Comanche Trail Austin, TX 78732.
Opening Hours: 1:30 am to 9:30 pm(Monday to Thursday), 11:30 am – 10:30 pm(Friday), 10 am – 10:30 pm(Saturday to Sunday).
8. Calm Down at Lake Austin Spa Resort
For those who are looking for a luxurious and peaceful trip, this is the best place for them. It is located 22.5 miles outside of downtown Austin. Lake Austin Spa Resort offers you a wide range of Services i.e, Body relaxing Activities(Yoga, Dance, Massage, Facial), accommodation-related facilities, and some outdoor waterfront activities ( Boating, Kayaking, Stand-up paddle Boarding, pontoon boat tour, etc).
The Waterfront activities are only available for overnight guests. It is a little expensive resort because it provides all the world-class facilities.
Suggested Read: Most Beautiful Lakes in The World To Feel The Silence of Nature
Address: 1705 S. Quinlan Park Rd, Austin, TX 78732.
Opening Hours: Provides 24*7 days services, Duration depends on the choice of your package.
9. Enjoy the live music on 6th Street
As we already knew Austin is known as the “Live Music Capital Of The World”, then how our trip is complete without enjoying the Live Music in Austin? Austin has more than 100 venues of live music every night and 6th street is one of the famous and largest live music spots.
Here you can enjoy a vast range of genres, from jazz to rock and pop. On this street, you can find countless bars and a large number of venues that hosts live performance to enjoy the public.
Address: Austin, Texas.
Bottom Line
As we know Austin is not an overrated city like Los Angles, New York, and Chicago, but it does not mean it can be missed. It has everything to offer including splendid natural sceneries, Historical monuments, live music, and Yummy food. It has its own cultural beauty that makes tourists more attractive to visit here.
Don’t be afraid of the weirdness of Austin just focus on its beauty and uniqueness and enjoy your trip with your dearest one. So, that’s all from our side for the best day trip from Austin. I hope, you definitely got an idea for the next trip plan.
Wishing you a wonderful time with your loved one. GOOD LUCK!!
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