The Best Outdoor Activities In And Around Austin

From paddleboarding on quiet reservoirs to hiking through tropical vegetation and watching the Milky Way at night, Austin ticks all the boxes for outdoor lovers. Here are some of the best things to do in and around the city, including places like Lady Bird Lake, Lower Colorado and Pedernales Falls State Park .

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Stand-Up Paddleboard at Lady Bird Lake

Stand-up paddleboarding is great fun and even better exercise. And don’t worry, it’s much easier than it looks. In Austin, Lady Bird Lake is a popular place to give it a go as it is known for its calm waters. You won’t find any motorized boats here. There are multiple places to rent a board and lifejacket from this reservoir on the Colorado River, so you don’t need to bring anything but yourself.

Palmetto State Park is one hour southeast of Austin and is the only destination that boasts tropical vegetation in the state. A great example of Texas’s natural beauty. The best way to take it all in is by making it a weekend of hiking and camping. There are loads of different trails you can take including the Palmetto Interpretive Trail, which lasts 30 minutes and introduces you to the various plants and animals in the park. As for camping at the park, check campsite availability and make reservations online.

Canoe the Lower Colorado

With seven Central Texas reservoirs and many man-made lakes in Austin, water-based activities are big business. Alongside paddleboarding, canoeing is a favorite activity among locals and tourists alike. Just outside of the city in downtown Webberville, you can rent your canoe from Cook’s Canoes and head out on Lower Colorado for the day. Trips vary in length, with the most popular route being five miles (8km) between Little Webberville Park and Big Webberville Park.

Stargaze at Pedernales Falls State Park

Catching a glimpse of the stars isn’t easy with the light pollution from the city, so going out to a park is the way to go. Although it’s not listed as one of Texas’s International Dark Sky Parks, Pedernales Falls State Park still promises sights of constellations and distant galaxies. It’s only about an hour away from Austin by car but you can choose to make a night of it by staying overnight at Pedernales Falls Campground.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.