Austin, Texas is a big city with lots of things to do, but if you are looking to get out of the city these are the best day trips. All these places offer unique things different from Austin, they offer things that tourists would want to see while they are in Texas.
Painted Churches McKinney Falls State park: This is a great way to see wildlife and have a great time outdoors. They also have interesting oil wells that part of a beautification process have been made into moving sculptures in the shape of different cartoon characters. St. Johns church includes beautiful stained glass windows. All this is only about 10-15 minutes outside of Austin, Texas.
Piedras Negras, Mexico: This is a fun trip that is not far from Austin, Texas. This is a great chance for people that want to get out of the United States with out much trouble. This is an easy way to see Mexico, and have a good time. Piedras Negras is well known for its shopping and partying. This is also a great chance to try truly authentic Mexican food. The great thing about boarder towns is that they are mainly bilingual, you will do fine even if you speak no Spanish. Piedras Negras, Mexico is about four hours away from Austin, Texas. It is an easy drive and you can easily make this a fun day trip.
San Antonio, Texas: Traveling over to San Antonio Texas is a great day trip from Austin. It is close enough for a day trip, but there is enough to do there if you want to spend the night. San Antonio has a large selection of restaurant and attractions. One great free attraction is the San Antonio river walk. The river walk is beautiful and has lots of shopping. You also should stop by the Alamo while you are in San Antonio, it is full of lots of history and a must see for any visitor.
Barton Springs Pool: This is a fun adventure if you have kids, even if you don’t you would have fun making a trip to this natural springs pool. This pool is a warm 68 degrees year round. It is a natural springs but they have set up diving boards, and if you aren’t into swimming the rocks around the pool are perfect for relaxing on. The pool costs $3.00 per adult and $2.00 per child, a very inexpensive price for a day of fun.
Zilker Botanical Garden: While you are at the Barton pool you should stop and see the Zilker Botanical garden, it is right next door. The botanical gardens are over 22 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens. The have several divisions in the gardens including a rose garden, a cactus garden, and a herb garden. The gardens are landscaped beautifully with a waterfall and a running stream. Admission and parking fees apply for certain events so call them at (512) 477-8672.
