This newly installed historical landmark is in the vibrant LGBTQIA+ district of downtown Austin…read more This nightlife district runs along 4th Street and the installation is at the corner of 4th and Colorado. It's an importantly beautiful dedication to the LGBTQIA+ community. The painted brick wall shows the colors representing the Trans/Pride flags. It has a bronze plaque that pays homage to the community (referencing AIDS crisis, Gay Liberation Front, safe havens, LGBTQIA+ owned businesses and more). Unveiled on 8/21/26 just ahead of Austin's annual Pride parade. This is such an imperative piece of work for all to experience; most especially in today's climate that seemingly takes human rights back decades. A must-see for locals and tourists whether you're an ally or a member of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Round Rock is the epitome of a modernized western town. A mixture of modern architecture with that…read morefrom the days of the cowboy and dirt roads. Very clean, welcoming, and vibrant town square. This thriving city is just a stone's throw from Austin yet feels like a million miles away. Everyone is so friendly and helpful. Lots of history in this great little piece of Texas. Perfect for a leisurely stroll about town, window shopping, or checking out live music at one of the various bars. Don't just window shop, buy something. Support local as much and as often as possible.

I was doing a road from Cypress, Tx to Round Rock, TX to just pick up so furniture from IKEA. The…read moredrive was so wonderful. When I arrived in Round Rock I noticed it was very clean. (Not that Cypress, Tx is not) The roads, landscaping along the freeways parking lots were well maintained. I stopped at the IKEA and the people all seemed nice. I will have to make another trip to Round Rock soon and explore.

I was in Austin, TX for vacation and was told that there was a Thomas Dambo troll that was located…read morein the city. Steve told me this and so we went and looked it up while we were here taking in the sights and I was so glad I did! I love the Thomas Dambo trolls and there are several located where I live and after finding all of them I was really interested in finding more that were wherever we may do our travels. Malin or Malin's Fountain troll was in Pease Park and after figuring out where a good place to park the car we dove out and went looking for the troll. It wasn't long before we did find it. It also helps to look for a group of people because a lot of them are there to take pictures of these trolls. I got pictures of her big aqua gem necklace, the big bowl she was holding ( this troll was a she) and of course her big face. It was great and I always love to share my pictures with friends with the trolls I go see. Unfortunately on May 21st, 2026 Malin was destroyed in a fire. Completely reduced to ash. The cause as of 5/22/26 is still under investigation. I was there about a month before. The Austin area is very upset with the loss of their troll. This isn't the first time a troll has been destroyed. Vandals destroyed one in Australia and natural weather occurrences has destroyed at least one in Latin America. Eventually it seems a troll that is destroyed gets replaced by another eventually in the nearby area where one may have been but it is a completely different troll with a new name and nor a recreation of the previous one. From my understanding the previous troll's story ends with it's destruction and the new troll has a new story of it's own. It's kind of sad but also cool at the same time as each sculpture has it's own story regardless if it remains intact or not. But the loss of Malin is more upsetting than anything as these Dambo trolls are so beautiful and a delight to see for anyone.

Finding Malin feels like discovering a magical secret in the woods. As you walk along the trail in…read morePease Park, she suddenly appears sitting quietly among the trees watching over the creek holding a large bowl meant to collect rainwater for the animals. She is an 18-ft reminder that the park belongs to the wildlife as well and that we should all share the resources around us. Handmade completely from recycled and reclaimed wood, most of it locally sourced and assembled with the help of volunteers, Thomas Dambo designed Malin as a part of his worldwide series of giant trolls to encourage people to care for nature and reuse materials instead of throwing them away. She is absolutely magical and I highly recommend you come and visit her if you are anywhere near the area. It's an incredible experience to gaze up at her beautiful hair made from twisted boots and branches, and see the gentle, peaceful expression on her face. You will have to walk a bit on the trail to find her, but if anything, that makes it even more special when you do see her. Please, please be respectful to these beautiful art installations and the other people who are visiting them and hopefully your stop here will inspire you to listen to Dambo's message and seek out more of his work.

AKA Austin Fire Drill Tower. Originally used by the Austin…read moreFire Dept. as drill practice this sixty-seven foot tower made of brick is registered as an historic place (National Register of Historic Places). If you're like me and seek such places out, this is one not to be missed. I remember seeing it for the first time ten years ago and being in awe of it. Now that I live here, the appreciation of the architecture goes even deeper. I love the view of it when walking the Butler trail. Couple of facts: Built in 1930. In 1978 it was dedicated to James Buford who died in the line of duty six years prior. In 2021 a deliberately set fire at the bottom of the building caused massive damage. It's since been completed restored back to its original elements (2023). It's got a bell tower and you can hear the bells ringing everyday. It's now a memorial to firefighters, EMTs, etc. in Austin. So again, if you're into historical monuments and architecture this is something worth checking out.

Such a beautiful historic tower! Walked past it on our way to Zilker Park…read more As you cross over the bridge where the infamous bats reside here in Downtown Austin, you will come across it!!! Worth a stop to check out!

Super cool spot we just found…read more It's free. 17 known bodies were thrown down the hole. We used a flashlight and saw some golf balls. Def check it out if you're out this way.

If you are in the Marble falls area this is a nice stop to check out. No buildings... nothing…read morearound it. Don't expect much of a hike or any long activity. It is cool though to see history alive.

There are approximately 1.8 million Mexican Freetail Bats living under this bridge. Compared to…read moreCongress Bridge, that's 300,000 more bats! Although there are more bats living here, viewing the nightly emergence can be a hit or miss because they can swarm out from various locations under the bridge. Sometimes, it can be so far out that you might miss it. You might get lucky though and they emerge closer. Spectators commonly park at NAPA auto parts (free parking) and wait for the bats from the grassy lawn up front, however on both occasions we went, the bats emerged so far away that it was hard to see. People say that they do fly closer by, but we didn't have much luck. What's the best time to go? It really varies. Generally they emerge at dusk, but it's unknown what causes them to do so. Last time they came out at around 8:30 pm the day before we arrived (mid-May), however it can vary. A fun fact is that the Red Tail Hawks have a better knowledge of when they are about to come out because they feed on them - once you see a few hawks flying around, you'll know it's about time. When's the best date to go? They say "Begin arriving in late February until about May...". TIPS: -You can bring a picnic blanket and chairs. -Park at NAPA Auto Parts -It's not too crowded and kid friendly. -Friday nights there are some friendly volunteers that give really cool facts about bats! -The train tracks bring loud trains rolling by. -Headlights from traffic can be a little annoying but it's not too bad. -Understand that the emergence is not a guarantee but you can still see, hear, (and smell) the bats easily. -This place isn't as popular as Congress Bridge yet, but some people say it's even better. Way less crowded and easy free parking. Just no guarantee to see bat emergence.

The Heritage Oak tree is massive live oak tree in the middle of Heritage Oak Park. This tree is a…read moregargantuan Southern live oak estimated to be around 400 years old. The tree is massive with a large circumference with branches that extend wide and deep. It has a large tree trunk, which immediately grabs attention. It is important to note that his particular tree was here long before the city of Cedar Park existed as a town. The Heritage Marker near the tree provides an explanation of the historical significance of the oak and its role in Cedar Park's development. The historical marker is thoughtfully done with visitor friendly, easy to read language. It highlights why this tree is important.

I discovered this tree shortly after the F5 Tornado that blew through Jarrell and danced and…read moretwirled it's despicable self to Cedar Park to gut out the Albertson's that no longer exists. I felt the energy of Cedar Park and bought me a house out there. No regrets as it has turned out to be a great investment. This tree is over 400 years old standing at 57 + feet with a span of 80 feet. The trunk is 50+ inches with a circumference of 13 freaking feet! It is majestic people! I have had a love affair with this tree since the first time we met. She is magical and powerful. It is located in the median on Quest Blvd. I love to go and sit under her and just let my thoughts go. In a sense, meditate. Can you imagine how many secrets this tree could tell. I mean being 400 years old an all, ya' gotta know some good tales. Every year during the Christmas Holidays this tree is decorated with over 30,000 lights, and, it is a site to behold! One of the most beautiful things you will ever see. This beautiful Live Oak has free access. The Cedar Park Heritage Society has done a wonderful job at preserving this wonderful tree. Come visit and enjoy and please be respectful to the tree and Mother Nature.

I am a cemetery junkie, often walking cemeteries performing Find A Grave work and genealogy. Since…read moreI was in the area, I wanted to check out the grave of Sam Bass. He was a notorious outlaw in the area. Thankfully someone had attached GPS coordinates to his grave. I didn't know where his grave was, so I simply punched up the GPS coordinates and took a leisurely walk to where he is interred. Of course I took pictures and added updated GPS coordinates. There were a few other memorials I "worked" while I was out there. There is a slave portion of the cemetery. My mother and I paid our respects to one and all. Please check out this cemetery.

We mainly stopped by this cemetery because of the infamous Sam Bass gravesite. For those looking…read morefor it if you're standing out front of it...it's on the far left side near the chainlink fence. We weren't able to find AW Grimes here or at least Google didn't want to cooperate. There are many old gravestones dating back to the 1800s for those looking to see the carvings. This cemetery is pretty clean and the newer graves are closer to the front entrance. There sadly are some graves where the headstones have fallen down and broken and I wish some folks would come here to do cleanings of the stones but it is what it is. There's not much else to see here other than the historical area I mentioned before. Parking is a bit limited toward the front. It's all gravel, nothing is paved.