Austin Texas Homes

Forbes.com has ranked Austin as the 7^th on its America’s Best Cities for Outdoors list.
One of the reasons has to be one of my favorite places, Town Lake. Town Lake is one of the most popular places in all of Austin to enjoy the great outdoors.

Town Lake is located in the heart of downtown Austin. The lake is formed by two dams on the Colorado River. The Tom Miller Dam located upstream and the Mansfield Dam, downstream.

Town Lake is comprised of several parks greenbelts and play areas.The most popular park in Austin is Zilker Metropolitan Park which is the largest of all the Town Lake Parks. Zilker Park is located on the south side of the lake. The park is also referred to as Zilker, this may be a little confusing for outsiders as there are actually two Zilker Parks. One is the Metropolitan Park and the other is a small city park.

For those not familiar with Austin Town Lake refers to the lake and to all the surrounding parks. Zilker refers to the Zilker Metropolitan Park.

Zilker Metropolitan Park is amazingly beautiful with miles of hiking and biking trails. The park features the beautiful UMLAUME Sculpture Gardens, Austin Area Garden Center, the Botanical Gardens, Zilker Hillside Theater and a miniature train ride, the Zilker Eagle.

You will also find the Austin Nature and Science Center, a popular place for young and old to visit, you will find so much to do there. The main features of the center are botany, natural history and science exhibits. There is also a living nature museum which is home to injured or orphaned native wildlife and a Birds of Prey aviary. Be sure to walk the Eco-Detective Trail while visiting the center.

Zilker’s Austin Area Garden Center features an oriental garden complimented by waterfalls and ponds, a rose garden and a butterfly trail. There is also a small pioneer village and a xeriscape garden which displays water conversation principles. Dinosaur tracks were discovered here in 1992.

In the heart of Zilker is The Barton Springs Bathhouse. Here you will find Splash! which is a simulated limestone cave with several multimedia and interactive exhibits.

Another one of Austinites’ favorites, located in the center of Zilker Park is the Barton Creek Swimming Pool. The pool is fed by a 68 degree cool, clear, natural spring and is over 1,000 feet long (that is longer than 3 football fields!). Zilker also features a rowing dock where canoes and kayaks can be rented for a leisurely ride on the lake.

Town Lake Metropolitan Park is located on the southeast banks of the Colorado below the Miller Dam. The Park is comprised of several smaller parks (Auditorium Shores, Butler Shores, Festival Beach, Holly Shores. Lakeshore, Lamar Beach, Longhorn Shores, Norwood Tract, Shoal Beach, Waller Beach) but is usually referred to as a whole, Town Lake. The park offers great views of the Austin skyline and Town Lake.

On the south side of Town Lake is Auditorium Shores, as its name indicates this area is home to many concerts as well as several of Austin’s large events.

Town Lake Park hosts some of Austin’s favorite hiking and biking trails. The main trail is a 10 mile gravel pathway which circles the lake. You will find 17 sports fields within Town Lake Park, where you can play anything from baseball to rugby. There are several restaurants nearby and of course, live music.

There is so much more I could say but I don’t think I can remember everything there is to see and do, and give it all justice. Each park and greenbelt offers something unique as well as its own individual beauty. I will end by letting you know that a row on the beautiful waters of Town Lake makes you forget that you are in the middle of the city. If you are not into rowing take a cruise by boat or ride on an old fashion Paddle Wheeler. There are day cruises, sunset cruises and even bat-watching excursions.

Well, I hope you are beginning to see why we love Town Lake and why Forbes has found us to be one of the best cities in outdoor living. Most cities cannot match the beauty of our Town Lake, its many parks, exhibits and uniqueness anywhere within their city boundaries; but here in Austin, we have it all in the heart of the city.

Town Lake Parks:
Barton Creek Greenbelt East, Barton Creek Greenbelt West, Barton Creek Wilderness Park, Barton Hills Playground, Butler District Park, Colorado River Park, Eilers (Deep Eddy), Gaines Creek Greenbelt, Metz Park, Palm Park, Red Bud Isle, Sanchez Playground, Town Lake Metropolitan Park, Zilker Metropolitan Park and Zilker Park.