Kick Back With A Book In The Central Library’s Rooftop Garden
Part of an extensive redevelopment of the former Seaholm Power Plant, the six-story Central Library overlooks Shoal Creek and Lady Bird Lake. It’s free to visit, and you can sit back with a novel in the rooftop garden, outdoor reading porches or the indoor reading room. Dont miss the collection of public art on display around the building, including CAW, a 37ft cuckoo-clock sculpture inspired by Austins resident grackles .
Enjoy The Urban Outdoors On The Barton Creek Greenbelt
Austin is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, with plenty of public green spaces. Just a short drive from downtown, the Barton Creek Greenbelt is a favorite escape for locals. Named for William Barton, who settled in the area shortly after Texas became a republic in 1836, the Barton Creek Greenbelt stretches for more than seven miles from the Zilker Park area. With multiple access points, the woods and limestone creeks make for excellent walking, biking and swimming, depending on the water levels.
Planning tip: Numerous trails and swimming holes dot the Barton Creek Greenbelt, providing a popular escape from the city on warm summer days. Visit Austin has a useful blog entry highlighting the main spots to visit.
How to spend the perfect weekend in Austin
Visit The Hope Outdoor Gallery
Hope Outdoor Gallery is an ever-changing public art project at an old abandoned construction site. Lovers of street art and graffiti will feel right at home at Hope Outdoor Gallery.
The walls are packed with colorful images including graffiti and murals and are free to visit.
Be sure to snap pictures while you are here because more than likely, the wall will change soon!
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Ifly Austin First Time Flyer Experience
This experience may not be at the forefront of your mind when thinking about things to do with kids in Austin, but dont mark this off! iFly Austin First Time Flyer Experience offers a fun indoor skydiving experience for adults and children.
Get ready to get your heart pumping when you head to iFly Austin. This venue is genuinely for first-time flyers, and children as young as 3 years old can fly using their state-of-the-art wind tunnel technologies.
All flyers will receive flying gear included in the cost of the attraction, along with 1-on-1 instruction. Get ready to experience a thrill of a lifetime while visiting Austin.
Recap: What Is There To Do In Austin For Cheap
Well if you havent got a lovely compiled list of cheap things to do in Austin after reading this post, then shame on you!
Theres so much to do both indoors and out in the capital of my home state.
And while yes, everything is easier with extra cash, some of my favorite travel experiences were made when I was struggling to make it to the next paycheck.
Good friends, great atmosphere, and a list of budget-friendly and free ideas are enough to plan a trip of a lifetime!
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Hike And Bike Zilker Park
Zilker Park spans more than 350 acres and offers free recreational activities from volleyball to swimming, biking, and hiking as well as the Zilker Botanical Garden. The Lady Bird Hike and Bike Trail is 10.1 miles long and the perfect place to start exploring the park. Zilker is also home to a variety of events from kite competitions to holiday light spectaculars. For a little culture, head over to the Umlauf Sculpture Garden in the park. Best of all, the park is conveniently located in downtown Austin so you can pop in when you need a breath of fresh air and a respite from hectic city life.
Guss World Famous Fried Chicken
Guss World Famous Fried Chicken, Austin TX
Its tough to live up to a name like world famous, but Guss World Famous Fried Chicken rises to the challenge.
Originally based in Memphis, Tennessee, its expanded to several other southern states, and its converted thousands to its menu.
Whats so special about Guss?
For starters, its a southern buffet through and through.
Whether youre craving coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad or fried okra, you can find some finger-licking goodness on the menu.
Its also completely devoted to fried chicken.
It doesnt serve any other kind of meat, and it refuses to bow to customers who want things baked or steamed.
At Guss World Famous Fried Chicken, you go greasy or you go home. Thats the Texas way.
If you want to experience it while youre in Austin, look for a red rooster on the outside of a brown brick building.
Address: 117 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78701, United States
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Free Things To Do With Kids In Austin This Fall
- Meet your favorite authors and discover some new books at the Texas Book Festival on November 5 & 6, 2022. Downtown Austin in and around the State Capitol.
- Thinkery has free community nights every Sunday from 3-5 p.m.
- Visit Wimberley for their free Wimberley Market Days , Pioneer Town, and the creek downtown.
- Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival is free on Community Mondays: Sep 26 & Oct 3, 17, 24.
- Texas Pumpkin Fest opens on October 8, 2022 and runs through October 30, 2022. CLOSED MONDAYS! Open Tues-Sun from 10-7. Tuesdays are FREE!
- Evergreen Farms Pumpkin Hunt is from October 2-31, you can buy pumpkins and enjoy activities such as a zip line, mazes, a train ride, pumpkin launcher, and more. Admission is free and each activity is $3. Weekdays from 12-5 p.m. Saturdays from 10 a.m. 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1-5 p.m. 242 Monkey Rd, Elgin.
- Sweet Berry Farm opens on September 17, 2022. 1801 FM1980, Marble Falls. Admission is free .
- Creek Show 2022 is coming back to Waterloo Park from November 11-20. This free display of illuminated art created by local artists and live music is fun for the whole family. Reserve your free tickets in advance.
- Holiday Bazaar Arts & Crafts Show is on November 12 from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. at Clay Madsen Rec Center in Round Rock. Live music, shop, and stroll. Admission is free but please bring a canned food item or boxes of colorful Band-Aids for the Childrens hospital.
Best Free & Affordable Attractions In Austin Texas Year Round
A large number of public parks and lakes in Austin provide opportunities for free outdoor recreation, serving as popular spots for swimming, boating, hiking, and biking. Many free festivals and events are held in the city throughout the year, and major public art installations are on view temporarily or semi-permanently at many sites throughout the city. For a lower-cost option to explore some of the city’s most unique landmarks, Austin’s CapMetro system offers bus, paratransit, and commuter rail lines with stops throughout the city’s eclectic and vibrant neighborhoods. Some attractions are free only on certain days please check before you go.
We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times.
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Schedule A City Tour With Tipster
Most every city in the US has some sort of free walking tour you just have to do your homework to find it. My suggestion is to google search free walking tour
If I were you, Id take a Tipster tour of Austin to fill me in on the music vibe around the area. Austin is home to more live music venues than any other city in the United States. Austin has shows for everyone, from jazz to country, hip hop to blues, and everything in between! Learn about Austins music scene and history.
Ride Around Austin With Mike’s Bikes Tours And Rentals
We love biking in Austin and nobody knows the trails and sites better than Mike. His crew offers a variety of tours to choose from including a couple on Austin’s premiere mountain bike trails and a few that explore the city itself. You might think summer is the only time for a bike tour in Austin, but due to our warm weather these tours run all year round
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Bonus 5 Fun Seasonal Freebies In Austin
SXSW event in March has a bunch of bargains for the budget conscious Austin traveler. One of the best SXSW Free events is the concert series at Lady Bird Lake. From free booze and food to swag or souvenir items, check for updates on the official SXSW website.
Zilker Park Kite Festival is a fun family friendly event every year in spring March 26 and March 27, 2022
Pecan Street Festival is a big arts and crafts events with dozens of booths to shop for your favorite Austin souvenirs, edibles, and art work. Pecan Street spring festival is in May. And Pecan Street fall festival is in September. Takes place at 6th Street downtown Austin formerly known as Pecan Street.
Eeyores Birthday Party will hold the next birthday bash on Saturday April 30, 2022 from 11 am til dusk at Pease District Park. If thats a rainy day the event will reschedule.
Wear your favorite costume and bring your musical instruments to the party.
Austin Dragon Boat Festival is held on the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar. The location is Festival Beach at Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin.
Have fun in Austin!
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Break Out Of Prison + More At The Escape Game
Located downtown next to the Austin Visitor Center, this is the #1 escape room in Austin. You and your friends will work together to find clues and overcome challenges to ultimately complete a mission and ESCAPE! The Escape Game has 5 different adventures to choose from including The Heist, Gold Rush, Playground, Classified, and our favorite – Prison Break.
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Things To Do In Austin This Weekend
Always a happening place, the capital of Texas has an activity for everyone all throughout the year.
The city offers amazing seasonal activities, from Oktoberfest in the fall to drive through holiday lights in December.
Check out the citys Fall Bucket List here for great pumpkin-y spice happenings.
The December/January calendar of events can be found here.
Umlauf Sculpture Garden And Museum
Directly across from Zilker Park, you will find Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum. This outdoor museum is home to over 160 sculptures from artist Charles Umlauf, who was also a notable professor at The University of Texas at Austin. They offer free admission for children 12 and under and for active military and their families.
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Enjoy Zilker Park All Year Round
The jewel in the heart of Austin, Zilker Park is a 351 acre space at the juncture of Barton Creek and the Colorado River.
Locals spend sunny days lazing around on the grass with friends, walking their dogs or getting into the water which well discuss in the next free Austin activity.
In winter, a 155ft string of lights decorate the park during the Trail of Lights!
There are a handful of restaurants such as Chuys and Green Misquite near the park at Barton Springs Road if you get peckish.
Crush Devil’s Cove With Lake Travis Yacht Rentals
Often catering to Austin’s elite, the boat scene at Devil’s Cove has earned its nickname with boats tying together creating a dance floor that rival’s Austin’s best night clubs. With 4 yachts and 12 different pontoon boats, the captains that work for Lake Travis Yacht Rentals often organize their boats to form the core of party island in the center of Devil’s Cove. Yachts are 40 foot in length and have plenty of space + a fresh water bathroom. Pontoon boats come in single or double decker units. All boats have captains, large floating pads shown in the image above, plenty of pool noodles, and big coolers. If you want to seize the day in Austin, there’s no better experience than Lake Travis and Devil’s Cove!
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The Bullock Texas State History Museum
The Bullock Texas State History Museum details the social and cultural history of the state of Texas, opened to the public in April of 2001. The non-collecting museum showcases a variety of rotating exhibits and artifacts on loan from other museums, with three floors of exhibits arranged around the concepts of “land,” “identity,” and “opportunity” and how they relate to the story of Texas’ development. Notable artifacts on display include recovered artifacts from the 17th-century La Belle shipwreck, the original Goddess of Liberty statue from the state capitol building, and an authentic NASA console loaned from the Manned Flight Center. The museum offers free admission for visitors of all ages on the first Sunday of each month between 12:00pm and 5:00pm. For an additional ticket charge, film presentations are offered at the museum’s Spirit Theatre, which presents the interactive documentary films Star of Destiny and Wild Texas Weather, and at the museum’s 3D IMAX theater.
1800 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701, Phone: 512-936-8746
Acl Live At The Moody Theater
Home of Austin City Limits Live , this 2,750-person capacity live music venue hosts about 100 concerts a year. Produced by KLRU-TV, PBS presents ACL Live as the longest running music series in American television history. Hosting some of the largest, most popular acts, look for giveaway tickets to live performances and special events. One of the top free things to do in Austin, you have to see a performance at this historic theater if possible.
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Bullock Texas State History Museum
Take a trip through Texas history and discover the role this region played throughout American history at the Bullock Museum. The museum features three floors and an on-site IMAX theater to help people understand and discover the history of the lone Star state. The museum features an easy to understand layout with the bottom floor featuring exhibits on the land and early settlers. Second-floor exhibits focus on the creation of Texas while the top floor emphasizes modern Texas history.
Are You Wondering Is There Anything Fun To Do In Austin
Austin is a great city with plenty of things to do for free. If youre looking for something fun, Austin has it all: live music, museums, festivals and outdoor activities. The only thing thats getting expensive in Austin is housing. But even then there are still lots of ways to save money on your stay in town!
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Hike Up Mt Bonnell For Skyline Views
One of Austins best vantage points is also one of its oldest tourist attractions, providing panoramic views to visitors since a stairway to the top was installed in the 1830s. Rising 775ft above the Colorado River, Mt Bonnell is the perfect place for an afternoon picnic with views of the skyline to the east and the arches of Pennybacker Bridge to the west.
Planning tip: The hike up Mt Bonnell involves climbing 102 steps, but it’s an easy ascent, and many visitors come here early to catch the sunrise from the summit. Free parking is available at the start of the trail the Visit Austin website has more tips.
Ghost Tours In Austin Tx
Haunted Ghost Tours are in abundance in any city and Austin is no exception. Viator offers several different options but they certainly dont fall into the cheap category!
Instead, arm yourself with this guide to haunted Austin and tour the city at your own pace.
That way you can skip what doesnt seem interesting or is too scary for the kids!
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Dine At The Best Austin Restaurants
Everybody has a friend that claims their city has the most restaurants per capita. You hear that from Austin locals all the time. While it may not offer the most restaurants per capita, it’s definitely a hot market for culinary talent looking to escape the high prices of running a boutique restaurant along the nation’s coasts. Austin City Guide recently released our Best Austin Restaurants Guide that is organized like this things to do list. We figured we’d give it a quick plug here since everybody loves to eat!
Top 15 Best Things To Do With Kids In Austin
Considering its the live music capital of the US, most people know that Austin, Texas is a great place to visit. You may not know that there are also tons of amazing things to do with kids in Austin. Weve had the opportunity to visit Austin with our kids more than once, and we would definitely go back in a heartbeat.
Sure, the city has its fair share of nightlife and rowdy music festivals. Still, youll also find lots of family-friendly live music, kid-friendly museums, opportunities for outdoor activity as a family, and of course, plenty of delicious food!
Do you want to visit Austin but feel overwhelmed by planning such a trip? We get itleaving the serenity of Texas Hill Country and jumping into the colorful arts, and music scene of Austin city limits can be a bit much. Lucky for you, this article is an excellent trip guide that makes visiting Austin a breeze.
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