Off leash dog parks are a huge non-tourist attraction for local residents of Austin, Texas and Austin Parks and Recreation has 12 off leash dog parks for you to enjoy. It is tempting to take your off leash dog to other city non-tourist attraction areas, but you might want to remember that Austin has a city ordinance with a fine of $500 if you do not keep your dog on a leash no longer than 6 feet in areas other than these dog parks. Click on Austin Dog Parks to see addresses and maps for this best non-tourist attraction in Austin, Texas.
Austin Parks and Recreation manages over 50 miles of Hike and Bike Trails around the city and one of the nicest is the Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail located in the heart of Downtown Austin. The Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail is 10.1 miles long and has scenic stops and water fountains along the trail. It runs from Mopac to Congress Avenue and continues from Congress Avenue to Pleasant Valley Road. Many special events like free summer concerts, cultural festivals, and canoe renting can be found along the Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail. They recently renamed Downtown Austin’s Town Lake to Lady Bird Lake. Click on Austin Hike and Bike Trails to see addresses and maps for this best non-tourist attraction in Austin, Texas.
Zilker Park, spreading across 35 acres in Downtown Austin is loaded with non-tourist attractions and festivals year round. It is home to the Austin City Limits Concert each Fall, the Kite Flying Contest in Spring, the Zilker Hillside Theater that hosts Shakespeare and Jazz festivals in the Summer, the Trail of Lights at Christmas and the Zilker Botanical Gardens that includes the Taniguchi Oriental Garden. Zilker Park also hosts the Austin Sunshine Camp for 700 at-risk and disadvantages youth sponsored by the Young Men’s Business League of Austin. Click on Zilker Metropolitan Park to see addresses, maps, and dates for all the special events of this best non-tourist attraction in Austin, Texas.
Barton Springs Pool has long been a favorite swimming hole for local residents of Austin. The Edwards Aquifer feeds the natural spring waters of Barton Springs Pool and drains into Town Lake in the heart of Downtown Austin. What was once the old Barton Springs Bathhouse is now the Beverly S. Sheffield Education Center. The Sheffield Center created the Splash! Into The Edwards Aquifer exhibit where families can take children to see the endangered pink salamander, travel through a simulated limestone cave, and learn how their behavior impacts the environmental quality of Austin’s water source, the Edward’s Aquifer. Click on Barton Springs Pool to see addresses, maps, and visiting hours for the Splash! Exhibit, a best non-tourist attraction of Austin, Texas.
Best Outdoor Live Music Venues in Austin Texas
Austin Texas is known as the Live Music Capital of Texas and with places like Antone’s for blues music, the Broken Spoke for country honkey tonk music, along with 6th Street and the Music District in Downtown Austin, there is no doubt why Austin Texas is known for having the best live music in Texas. Austin Texas also has the best outdoor live music venues including The Backyard, Stubbs, and more. Click Best Outdoor Live Music Venues in Austin to see addresses for these best non-tourist attractions of Austin Texas.
Hippie Hollow for Nude Sunbathing in Austin Texas
Hippie Hollow Park is a clothing optional, 109 acre park on Lake Travis, about 35 miles west of Austin, Texas. Hippie Hollow is a day use only park and besides being popular for nude sunbathing and swimming, Hippie Hollow is also popular for bird watching, trails, and cliff diving. Click on Hippie Hollow to see addresses, maps, and park hours for this best non-tourist attraction of Austin Texas.
Hamilton Pool Nature Preserve located 30 minutes west of Downtown Austin is a historic swimming hole with limestone cliffs that create 50-foot waterfalls. You can swim, hike, go on nature trail tours, and watch birds at this best non-tourist attraction of Austin Texas. Click on Hamilton Pool Nature Preserve for directions, fees, and visiting hours at Hamilton Pool.
Highland Lakes of Austin Texas
The Highland Lakes of Austin Texas are a great place to engage in bald eagle watching, water sports, hiking, biking, and camping. The Highland Lakes actually begin about 85 miles north of Austin and meander through the Texas Hill Country, through Downtown Austin, and into the Colorado River, before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. There have been many a local Austin outdoors enthusiast who has canoed the entire trip. The Highland Lakes include Lake Buchanan, Inks Lake, Lake LBJ, Lake Marble Falls, Lake Travis, Lake Austin, and Lady Bird Lake formerly known as Town Lake. For more information about this best non-tourist attraction of Austin Texas, click Highland Lakes.
Best Restaurants in Austin Texas
There are some tourist and non-tourist favorite places to eat in Austin Texas, but they are the same places. The Austin locals love watching the sunsets at the Oasis on Lake Travis, gazing through the Austin music nostalgia at Threadgill’s, listening to Willie Nelson jam at the Broken Spoke after chicken fried steak, and lounging on the outdoor patio at Guero’s Taco Bar where Bill Clinton goes when he visits Austin. Click on each restaurant name below to see reviews, addresses, hours and prices for these best non-tourist attractions in Austin, Texas.
