Best Hiking Trails near Lake Austin

"Surrounded on three sides by water, Red Bud Isle is an ideal place to let dogs roam without a leash. The 13-acre park is basically one big, wide loop trail with a scrubby forest in the middle. Million-dollar mansions overlook the park, allowing a glimpse into the world of Austin’s rich folk."

"Your canine companion will love this trail road since they can be with you leash-free. Red Bud offers easy access to parking and parts of the Lady Bird Lake outside downtown Austin. If you don’t find yourself hiking or biking within the grounds, take a kayak and paddle away at the waters."

"If parks mean nothing to you unless your pal with four paws can come, head to Red Bud Isle. This is an island in the middle of the Colorado River between Westfield and Westlake Hills. It has a lakefront, off-leash dog park, where your pup can splash and play."

"The park is a long, narrow 76-acre greenbelt along both sides of Shoal Creek. The leash-free area is located in the Pease Park portion of the greenbelt, between 24th and 29th Street. Parts of the trail are made up of large, rough-hewn boulders that can be hazardous to dog paws and human ankles, but most of the trail is simply hard-packed dirt."

"This park located in the heart of Austin offers picturesque views of both the city and natural landscapes. Of course, there is also a mile of off-leash terrain between 24th and 29th streets. While this park offers only trails, it is a great alternative to the traditional fenced-in dog park."

"This hiking spot includes 81 acres filled with scenic trails and a dog park. You can’t go wrong with a stroll through Shoal Creek!. 🗓 Open 24 Hours 📍 2600 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78705"

"A great thing about this park is that it’s not as crowded as the others. Trails in Mary Moore Searight Park are separated from the recreational play area for kids. An exercise route is also available if you are looking into adding some workout into your hike or bike visit."

"Plank Seafood Provisions, a coastally-inspired oyster bar and seafood grill, will offer briny salt-water snacks, wood fire grilled provisions, cocktails and an unforgettable happy hour. Near Macy*s, Between Altar'd State and The Yard Milkshake Bar. Serves Lunch & Dinner"

"With a mission to offer reasonably priced seafood in a family-friendly environment, Deckhand Oyster Bar is the kind of place where you can let your hair down and enjoy a fuss-free good time. With two locations — North is on Parker Drive and South is on South Lamar Boulevard — the bar’s specialty is Gulf Coast oysters and made-to-order seafood dishes that span Thai, Cajun, and American cuisine. You can get your fresh fish broiled, blackened, or fried, and enjoy favorites like crawfish etouffee, shrimp pad thai, Southwestern stuffed oysters, and po’ boy sandwiches."

"Deckhand Oyster Bar & Seafood boasts a perfect blend of Cajun, Thai, and Asian seafood dishes. With very quick and friendly service, Deckhand’s is the place to go whether you’re craving gumbo, crawfish, or shrimp pad Thai. With locations in both North and South Austin, Deckhand’s offers a family-friendly and laid-back casual dining atmosphere with an expansive menu that the whole family is sure to enjoy."

"Deckhand keeps Round Rock and South Lamar residents happy with raw and cooked oysters, along with fried and blackened seafood."

"The venerable Velv, as it's known to habitués, started in 1988 as a stand-up offshoot of sketch/variety emporium Esther's Follies. Named after comic Kerry Awn's shecky alter ego Ronnie Velveeta, the club debuted in what had been Sixth Street's last strip joint (the Embassy Room) but now lives next door to Esther's, where it's been a sometimes thriving, sometimes struggling bastion of stand-up that's treasured by comics across the land as a tough room (on a recent trip to town, Louis C.K. tested new material here). Under the management of comedian Mario DiGiorgio, the Velv is enjoying a 21st century renaissance with hot local and touring acts setting the place on comedy fire."

"Also known as “The Velv,” this comedy club on Austin’s famous 6th Street was opened in March 1988. After seeing the success of Esther’s Follies, Michael Shelton purchased the closed down Embassy Room with a plan to create a new comedy club that was unlike any of the others in Austin. Comics like Jana Williams, Vanessa Kaufman, and Brian Malow were just a few of the many to perform stand-up routines in the early days of The Velveeta Room."

"Probably Austin’s most beloved park, Zilker Park is famous for the huge "Rock Island" and “Great Lawn” that hosts everything from the Kite Festival to ACL Music Festival. With room for literally hundreds of pick-up soccer games, off-leash dogs and people lounging on blankets, Zilker is the heart of Austin. This park is great for: Straight-up relaxing or participating in outdoor activities."

"The gem of Austin’s parks system, Zilker Park is 350 acres of forested areas, open spaces and trails. If you’re bringing a dog with you, head to the 46-acre Great Lawn near the western edge of the park along the MoPac highway. You and your dog may have to share the space with soccer players, picnickers and Frisbee hurlers."

": How about exploring the sights of Austin, just the two of you?. This informative and fun private open pedicab tour of Austin is romantic to boot. It’ll take you around Austin’s best sights and that too at the pace you like."

"The Wildflower Center is a wonderful place to visit any time of year, but the season when its namesake flowers are abloom is pretty special. Founded in 1982 by Lady Bird Johnson and Helen Hayes with the mission of conserving native plants, creating sustainable landscapes, and conserve resources, it features nine acres of gardens, a 16-acre arboretum, a large and impressive rainwater collection system, 800 species of native plants, and landscapes that, as its website notes, “support a vast web of life, and have recorded more than 143 species of birds, 15 species of mammals, and 1,800 species of insects.”. View this post on Instagram"

"The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin is great for exploring the beautiful flora and fauna native to the Lone Star State. It also offers family programs that allow children to get hands-on experience with gardening. Take your toddlers to Sprouts, an ongoing preschool program that leads you through its Family Garden, with each week focusing on a specific theme, such as “insect investigation.” For older kids, it provides free magnifying glasses, books, binoculars and more to enhance the possibilities of discovery."

"Lady Bird Johnson’s Wildflower Center is the home to sustainable, native plant gardens and education, conservation, research and consulting programs. The Wildflower Center is always blooming with plants that are in season. 4801 La Crosse Ave, wildflower.org"

"Cosmic Coffee is one of our favorite South Austin coffee shops to work and meet up with friends for an evening drink. Whether you’re looking for coffee, kombucha on tap, or an ice-cold beer, this is your place. They have an array of food trucks parked outside every day with more than enough picnic tables for you to spread out and keep your distance from others."

"There’s both indoor and outdoor seating, but the outdoor area is particularly magical with plants, rocks, and a chicken coop that serve as endless entertainment. There’s also food trucks parked on the property so you can make a meal of it. (photos by Chase Daniel of Greater Goods Coffee for Arch Daily)"