Spring is almost here! And with it comes loads of outdoor fun in Austin. From picnics in the park to scenic biking trails and alfresco drinking and dining, you’ll find that the city knows how to make the most of this sunshine season. Here are 15 fun things to add to your Austin spring plans.

Witness Wildflowers in Bloom

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in southwest Austin displays 650 native Texas plant species throughout its beautiful gardens and nature trails. Or take a day trip to the Texas Hill Country, where meadows and valleys burst into a colorful carpet of bright bluebonnets every spring. Be sure to stop in historic Fredericksburg and visit Wildseed Farms, a family-owned wildflower farm featuring blooming fields. In Burnet, known as the “Bluebonnet Capital of Texas,” snap a selfie with the giant bluebonnet statue. Visit April 10-12, 2026, during the annual Bluebonnet Festival, featuring live music, parades and a wildflower show. Discover more places to see wildflowers near Austin.

Photo credit: Credit to Theresa DiMenno.

Field of Bluebonnet flowers with sunset in the background at Muleshoe Bend

Rock a Rainy Day

Don’t let a few raindrops ruin your good time in Austin. Go shopping in the trendy West Sixth District, where you can wander the bookshelves at BookPeople, thumb through the rare vinyl at Waterloo Records and grab a bite to eat at the Whole Foods Market flagship store. Or slip into a theater seat and catch a blockbuster film or an art house flick at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema or Violet Crown.

Photo credit: BookPeople. Credit to Zareef Chowdhury.

The inside of BookPeople has bookshelves lining the walls and the stairs that lead up to the second floor.

Attend a Spring Festival

Some of Austin’s most exciting events happen during the springtime. Tune in to see international speakers, up-and-coming bands and emerging films at SXSW, happening from March 12-18, 2026. The Moontower Comedy Festival, from April 8-19, 2026, brings some of the funniest and most unique comics from around the globe to The Paramount and stages around downtown. The Memorial Day weekend Hot Luck Festival, held May 21-24, 2026, in various venues around Austin, features chef-driven food experiences and events with live music. Find more spring events to attend.

Photo credit: Hot Luck Festival. Credit to Chad Wadsworth.

Image of the outdoor space at Hot Luck Festival with people everywhere and food tents in the background with string lights hung over the crowd.

Make a Splash at a Swimming Hole

The year-round temperature of the crystal-clear, spring-fed Barton Springs Pool is an invigorating 68 degrees. It's a beautiful spot in Zilker Park for swimming, sunbathing and people watching. The Twin Falls and Sculpture Falls areas of the Barton Creek Greenbelt are local secrets. Hike for about a half-mile and you’ll find Twin Falls, known for its relaxing, shallow stream waters and rocky areas for climbing. Hike a mile farther and you’ll reach Sculpture Falls, another hidden gem watering hole. Whether or not there is water flowing in these two secret falls is dependent on recent rainfall levels. Find more places around Austin to take a dip.

Photo credit: Barton Springs Pool. Credit Nathan Fluellen.

Man freestyle swimming in an empty Barton Springs Pool.

Explore Must-See Museums

The Blanton Museum of Art features artist Ellsworth Kelly's dazzling permanent exhibition Austin, a 2,715-square-foot stone building with brilliantly colored glass windows and a totemic wood sculpture. See outdoor installations by internationally renowned artists at The Contemporary Austin’s Betty and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park at Laguna Gloria, nestled on the Lake Austin waterfront. Explore more must-see museums.

Photo credit: Courtesy of the Blanton Museum.

Groups of people standing around and sitting on picnic blankets across the Blanton Museum's lawn, in between museum buildings.

Drink & Dine on a Patio

Spring is the perfect time to dine outdoors. P6 offers some of the best rooftop views in the city at the stylish LINE hotel. Watch a live band as you savor a craft brew in the sprawling outdoor beer garden at Easy Tiger Bake Shop & Beer Garden outpost on South Lamar. In the Clarksville neighborhood, kick back under the shade of a historic heritage tree on the patio at Bar Peached. Soak in the backyard barbecue vibe at Loro, an Asian smokehouse and bar. Dine on some of Austin’s tastiest tacos under the oak trees on the sprawling patio at Fresa’s South First. In East Austin, order house-roasted coffee, craft brews and Mexican street tacos to enjoy on the pooch-friendly patio at Lazarus Brewing Company. Find more patio bars and alfresco dining.

Photo credit: Courtesy of The Line. 

Two people sitting and talking the rooftop restaurant P6 at The LINE Hotel with Lady Bird Lake in the background.

Picnic in the Park

Pack a picnic and amble over to Zilker Park, a 360-acre oasis in the heart of downtown that’s the site of festivals, free music and live plays at Zilker Hillside Theater. It's also home to Zilker Botanical Garden, UMLAUF Sculpture Garden & Museum, the Austin Nature & Science Center and Barton Springs Pool, a spring-fed swimming hole. More Austin parks perfect for your next picnic. 

 

Photo credit: Zilker Park. Courtesy of Visit Austin.

Image of four women sitting on a blanket in Zilker Park chatting with the Austin skyline in the background.

Hike Mount Bonnell

Austin is pretty as a picture in springtime, so you’ll want to find the best photo spots. Head to Pennybacker Bridge on Loop 360 to get a perfect sunset snap, hike Mount Bonnell’s gentle slope for a bird's-eye view of the lake or drop in at Mayfield Park for a glimpse of their famous peacocks.

Photo credit: Mount Bonnell. Credit to Gabi Meit and Shanna Sciara. 

Two woman sitting close atop Mount Bonnell.

Shop Local at the Farmers Market

There are few things as refreshing as a sunny morning surrounded by fresh produce, colorful bouquets, hot coffee and the strum of live music wafting through the stalls at one of Austin's many farmers markets. Browse homemade treats and gourmet snacks at the SFC Farmers’ Market Downtown, held Saturdays in Republic Square. Or, make a Sunday morning trip to the idyllic Texas Farmers Market at Mueller. Find more local farmers' markets. 

Photo credit: Courtesy of Texas Farmers Market.

Image of two women browsing the flower selection at the Mueller Farmers Market.

Dine at a Food Truck

Post up at The Picnic, a food trailer park offering plenty of picnic tables and must-try eats from trucks like Coat & Thai and The Mighty Cone, located just down the road from Zilker Park. Dig into Mexico City-style tacos such as barbacoa, pork or chorizo at Cuantos Tacos’ East Side food truck. At Ranch Hand, try the organic grain bowls filled with locally sourced meats and vegetables. The Vegan Nom, Austin’s original all-vegan taco truck, serves up breakfast tacos all day long. Order a wood-fired pizza or try items like Korean rice cakes with vodka sauce, fire-roasted pasta with pomodoro sauce or a salumi sampler at the Sterrato Italian Specialties food truck parked at Still Austin Whiskey Co. Try more Austin food trucks.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Still Austin Whiskey Co.

Image of a man and women holding their cocktails together on the patio at Still Austin Whiskey Co.

Get Outdoors

Strap on a helmet and bike along the leafy 10-mile Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake, which winds along shimmering waters and has picturesque views of Austin’s skyline. The Barton Creek Greenbelt is also a great destination for mountain bikers, offering varied terrain within a beautiful landscape of cliffs and shaded groves alongside scenic Barton Creek. Road riders will want to bicycle from downtown to Mount Bonnell, peddling Scenic Drive along the waters of Lake Austin and catching an awesome sunset view from Pennybacker Bridge. If you’re looking for an adrenaline rush, Lake Travis Zipline Adventures offers five pulse-pounding ziplines (one being the longest in Texas) to take you on an exciting outdoor adventure. Experience more of Austin’s outdoor offerings.

Photo credit: Lake Travis Zipline Adventures. Credit to Hans Millet Photography.

Image of a man taking a group photo of kids at Lake Travis Zipline with someone zipping down behind them.

Head to the Hill Country

It’s easy to take a day trip to the beautiful Texas Hill Country, located close to Austin. In Dripping Springs, sip your way through the Distillery District and stop at Treaty Oak Distilling, featuring food truck fare from Louie's NY Sammies and The Rickhouse, an open-air lounge serving craft cocktails made with Treaty Oak gin and whiskey. In Driftwood, dig into family recipe brisket and pork ribs at The Salt Lick BBQ. Then head off on the Driftwood Wine Trail, where you can sample award-winning wines at popular spots like Duchman Family Winery and Fall Creek Vineyards. Explore more things to do in the Hill Country. 

Photo credit: Courtesy of Salt Lick.

Photo of people sitting at long tables eating barbecue at Salt Lick Barbecue.

Cheer at a Sports Event

Catch one of Austin’s many exciting sporting events. Watch MotoGP and NASCAR races at Circuit of The Americas, Austin FC soccer matches at Q2 Stadium, top women's tennis players in the ATX Open, and the San Antonio Spurs competing in two I-35 Series NBA basketball games. Get the scoop on the top 10 sporting events in Austin.

Photo credit: Courtesy of ATX Open.

Aerial image of the ATX Open tennis court at Westwood Country Club with a bright green, illuminated court in the middle surrounded by spectator stands with people sitting on bleachers.

Take an Open-Air Tour

Enjoy the outdoors while seeing the sights on an Austin tour by bus, bike, boat, pedicab, walking and more. Comfortably cruise around Austin on a fat-tire electric bike during a YourBikerGang.com group tour. Hop on and off the bus as you wish to explore on your own along Double Decker Austin’s route. Hop on an amphibious Austin Duck Adventures that drives you past Austin's iconic spots before the HydraTerra vehicle takes you out on Lake Austin. Find more information about Austin tours.

Photo credit: Austin Duck Adventures. Credit to Chad Wadsworth. 

A woman, man and child loading on to the Austin Duck Adventure tour bus, outside of the Austin Visitor Center.

Catch a Concert

Listen to live music at one of Austin’s indoor/outdoor venues. At Armadillo Den, musicians perform nearly every night at the sprawling three-acre venue that also features two bars and food trucks. Empire Control Room & Garage offers a large space for big-name performers, a 350-person indoor space, and the quieter outdoor patio for chilling between sets. See shows in a variety of genres and join the roster of fans who have visited Historic Scoot Inn since 1871. The outdoor stage at Stubb's Bar-B-Q hosts local artists and big-name touring musicians in a spacious amphitheater. Discover more great places to see outdoor concerts.

Photo credit: Stubb's. Credit Jake Rabin. 

Planning an upcoming spring visit to Austin? Don’t miss our Springtime in Austin webpage for more trip planning inspiration, exciting events and top things to do during the Spring.

The silhouette of a crowd and someone crowd surfing during a concert at Stubb's.