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Photo: Margaretwmiller, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Showcases flowers and plant life of the area. The center is a bit southwest of downtown and worth the drive, especially during spring.
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin is the state botanical garden and arboretum of Texas. The center features more than 900 species of native Texas plants in both garden and natural settings and is home to a breadth of educational programs and events. The center is 284 acres and located 10 miles southwest of downtown Austin, Texas just inside the edge of the distinctive Texas Hill Country. It straddles both Edwards Plateau and Texas Blackland Prairies ecosystems.
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A 3.1-mile-long, paved asphalt bicycling and rollerblading trail.
An art installation in Austin resident Vince Hannemann's backyard built over 20 years from scrap metal and other junk, now standing at three stories high. A very interesting sculpture and probably something you find in the guidebook. Free entry but donations are welcomed. Call ahead to check if he's open. Parking is a sensitive issue with his neighbors — do not park illegally, or on private property without permission.
Sitting atop a hill with gorgeous views of downtown, this professional Equity house at St. Edward's University allows college students and seasoned actors to work together creating exceptional theatre at a great value.
It is Austin's first public concrete skate park.
Nothing beats the heat on a hot afternoon like a dip in Barton Springs Pool. This natural spring pool is fed from an underground aquifer, keeping the water between 68°F and 72°F (20°C-22°C) year-round. It is one of Austin's most unique attractions: a beautiful spring-fed pool over 3 times longer than a football field, nestled in the heart of the city at Zilker Park. $3 entrance fee for the whole day. If you are short of cash or have a dog, head downstream just on the other side of the fence and find more clear beautiful water.
Austin's city park, near downtown, it is the home of Barton Springs Pool, Zilker Botanical Garden, Zilker Hillside Theatre, Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum, and soccer fields which, in October, host the annual Austin City Limits (ACL) festival. Undoubtedly Austin's favorite park. Amazing location on the banks of Town Lake with several miles of hiking and biking trails.