Hubby and I got lost on one of the trails several weekends ago. We were following it up over a high cliff and suddenly we were in someone's backyard. I could smell breakfast cooking! If this happens to you, just turn around and wait for a screech from a peacock. Those babies will lead you right back to the parking lot. An amazing historic cottage, c. 1870, is situated inside the stone wall adjacent to the parking lot. While we were there, a showy peacock was strutting on the roof in an attempt to get visitors' attention. The Mayfield Cottage and Gardens is also home to towering palms and beautiful ponds filled with water lilies and koi. It is a gorgeous setting for a wedding or other evening event. read more

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After visiting Laguna Gloria, I noticed a Peacock (of the Peafowl family) all of a sudden appear walking down the street. I was curious and found myself wondering where he had come from so I followed him, and he led me to the beautiful hidden gem of Mayfield park + nature preserve. Mayfield park is both a National Register of Historic places and a Nature Preserve. Because this is a nature preserve, no dogs are allowed. The first noticeable residents of this space are the peafowl (female peahens + the male peacocks). Some of them are actual descendants of the original mom + pop brought to this place as gifts in 1935. This site was developed over a 62 year period by the Mayfield family. Mr. Mayfield bought the 23 acres in 1909 as a summer home, and his one daughter and husband moved into the space in 1922 and made it into the place we know and love today. By 1971 both had passed away, and the space became a Austin park. There is a small parking lot here and portable toilet at one far end, and drinking fountain and picnic tables outside the historic stone walls that encompass the cottage and gardens. The cottage is not accessible for typical visitors, but is fully restored and can be rented out, the pics on the website look great. The gardens and koi ponds are beautiful, and are kept up by volunteers. The volunteer gardening workday is held on the second Saturday of each month and you can talk to the coordinator then if your interested in helping out. Even when I came here this past weekend (622) there were still flowers in bloom, and the garden space was peaceful and mesmerizing. The rest of the 21 acres is made up of the nature preserve which has a small loop trail system that takes you through the area and down to the lake. You quickly will notice all the palm trees. They are Sabal Mexicana Palms and were introduced in the thirties. There is even a trail that connects Mayfield Park with Laguna Gloria. I found the trails shaded and peaceful, such a great place to explore. I will definitely be back throughout the season to see the peafowl raising their chicks, and when they have their feathers out for the show. read more

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I need to qualify this because I'm not giving Mayfield Park 4 stars for the peacocks. Sure, they're there, but there was all of like 3-4 and some of them looked like they could use a little sprucing up or needed some additional care. I'm not sure how the previous photos of this place included so many .... However, this place is amazing! It's definitely an incredible sanctuary even if you're not here for the animal encounters. There are many gorgeous ponds, great little benches and resting places, and generally extremely green. I loved how pretty everything was here. I definitely recommend this place, not for the peacocks but for the gorgeous display of nature & man made ponds. read more

Mayfield Park is a hidden gem in Austin. I wasn't sure how many peacocks to expect in late November, but there were plenty roaming around! It's a beautiful, calm green space that I would definitely recommend visiting. read more

Mayfield Park - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Mayfield Park is one of those places that makes me feel so lucky to live in Austin! Right in the center of bustling central Austin is this beautiful serene nature preserve with peacocks, koi ponds and several lilie ponds! Reading the other reviews I discovered that my friend Michelle C. had her wedding here - how beautiful that must have been! This small nature preserve has "preserve" status to maintain the flora and fauna so dogs are not allowed and DO NOT feed the wildlife. Many years ago I volunteered here planting lilies and cutting back the dead stems and you can too if you want to:) read more

Mayfield Park - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

Check to make sure there isn't an event beforehand so that you can see the gardens! Lots of neat foliage. The trail paths are very nice but the map of the trails was quite confusing. The peacocks seem to mostly hang out around the parking lot, so you can't really miss them. read more

A nice little park that's like a tucked away little haven - and it has peacocks too! All for free! There are some stone paved and sandy gravel walkways surrounding multiple small ponds with lily pads and other plants growing in the ponds. There's also a round/cylindrical castle thingy with a pointy roof. There is actually a pretty decent amount of shade from the trees, which is great. The peacocks were really cool. They are quite loud when they start squawking, but they are magnificent. I think there were at least 4 male peacocks and at least 2 females. They just hang out, walk around, jump on the roofs of the buildings, walk around in the trees, eat, and of course occasionally display their signature male tail plumage. This is the kind of place where you can stop by and spend just 10 minutes if you're in a rush or you can spend like half the day here just lounging around and enjoying the grass/sun/shade/park-ness. One warning - we saw a rather large, dark colored snake slithering around among the plants. So be careful. read more

When my children were younger, it was easy to make their day. All we had to do was mention "peacocks" and take them to Mayfield Park. It was as good as Disneyland. If we remembered to pack a few grapes for the peacocks, it turned into feeding hour at Animal Kingdom. We're a more mature family now, but Mayfield Park continues to be a favored destination. We still admire our old friends the peacocks but quickly bypass them for the walking trails. My kids love to walk in the woods, and can talk about different trails the way certain grown men go on about football stats. My favorite walk in on the creek trail, which has nice views of Lake Austin. If you follow it far enough, the creek trail will take you onto the grounds of Laguna Gloria next door. All the trails here are extremely easy. They are not too long either, which makes for a short overall hike. Nevertheless, it's an enjoyable experience. Somewhere in the preserve there is a fairly large, tall rock face that my son likes to climb up and slide down on. He did this over and over on New Year's Day and had a blast! read more

This place is an awesome hidden treasure. I can't believe it's just there in the middle of Austin. I lived here for 6 years and didn't know about it. It's right across from Mount Bonnell behind a stone wall. Once you enter, peacocks galore. I suggest going during mating season so you can see their feathers in full plumage. They are so used to people being around that most of them don't even pay any attention to you. Once you get your fill of pictures and weird noises they make (swear it sounds like a cat yelling help), take a look at the lilypads in the water and the pretty gardens. If you can, take a little hike through the trails in the back. I don't suggest going on a weekend though. I went during the week and no one was there so I had full reign. Everytime I've tried going on a weekend there is a wedding and you cannot enter the main section where the ponds and gardens are, which also happens to be where most of the peacocks hang out. If you want to do something fun and free, this is the place to go. read more

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Located at the foot of Mount Bonnell, Mayfield Park provides the best peacock watching experience you'll ever have, guaranteed. The peacocks here are so friendly and chill that it's hard to believe they're even real. There are 2 sections to this "park": the trail and the garden. If you're here for a hike, head to the back. If you're here for the peacocks, head to the side visitor entrance gate. The garden itself is not that big. Plan for a 30 min to an hour long stay at most, which is great since you don't have to dedicate an entire afternoon for the trip. Maybe drop by after visiting Mount Bonnell or right before dinner. If you have young kids, don't bother bringing a stroller. The pathways are not that stroller friendly. It would be better to just hold them while walking around. The peacocks are just freely roaming around the whole garden. Don't be surprised to see them perched up on a tree or the roof of the gazebo. They are birds after all. Also, there's no restrooms so plan accordingly. read more

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This place is absolutely beautiful! My husband and I went for the first time yesterday and spend about a good hour here admiring the peacocks. They even have a sign in book in the front so make sure to sign in when you come :) My only complaint is that they should probably have a sign in the front stating to not feed the peacocks human food. We saw some people feeding them their lunch and it was rather annoying. I know you want to make nice with the birds but don't kill them unintentionally in the process. Ham sandwiches and chips aren't for peacocks to eat people! read more

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When I pulled up to Mayfield Park, Katy Perry instantly started sing to me, "I wanna see your peacock cock cock, your peacock cock""... I can't help how much I love that song. Anyways... Before getting there I was basically hoping to see 1 peacock. Just one that be strutting around showing off the feather spread. Low and behold, I pull into the parking lot, and already a strutting peacock. Mission complete? No no. I needed more. Unfortunately, the courtyard area was reserved for a field trip, there were plenty of peacocks everywhere. Even an white peacock. So quite, and peaceful out there, except when the male birds start yelling, but it adds to the excitement of the place. I will definitely be back when I'm looking for a moment to get away for a few mins. read more

Mayfield Park - Just a peacock, hanging out in the parking lot - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

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If the weather is nice, Mayfield Park is a cute, free date option or day out with the family. There are 1-2 picnic tables out front to set up a sweet meal, but you're welcome to bring blankets on the grounds to just relax and be one with the peacocks. My most recent visit was during Valentine's weekend. The park is comprised of a main building, mini pond, and a short trail. The parking lot can only fit 10-15 cars, which was not enough for the Valentine's crowd, but there is plenty of free street parking available. There were approximately 7-8 peacocks on the grounds. Being Valentine's Day, it was very crowded and the peacocks were wary of being on the ground. Instead, they preferred to stay up in the trees or on top of the roof of the building. During a previous visit on a non-holiday weekend, there were much fewer visitors so more peacocks were on the ground, and my boyfriend and I could actually be up close to them, so I would definitely recommend visiting during a normal day (non-holiday)! Overall, this is a fun, free idea to do if you want to pass some time. It's not an adventure worth even a half day unless you're planning a picnic. I was done with my visit after 30 minutes, but it was worth it... because where else are you going to be able to be surrounded by roaming peacocks? :) read more

Mayfield Park - Peacock pluming! - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

A great little park - a photographer's dream. This little park has both some short trails and beautiful gardens. The flowers and the peacocks inhabiting the grounds make a great background for portraits or good practice for macro shots. Trying to get a picture of a peacock with its tail spread is also good for practicing your patience. Kids can have fun hiking the trails down to creek or looking at the peacocks, turtles, squirrels, birds, etc. in the garden, but there is not really any open space for running and playing. One unfortunate aspect of this park, is that sometimes the garden area is closed for private ceremonies (e.g. weddings). On these occasions you can still hike the trails, but lose access to the beautiful gardens. read more

What a fantastic hidden gem this little park is! Though a little tricky to find at first, it was well worth the hunt! Heads up that parking is very scarce. There is a lot, but it fills up quickly and once it does it is street parking only. Walking through the park is nice any day, but on a beautifully sunny spring or fall day, it is just fantastic! There is this nice little stone path that goes to this little square with benches and a fountain and little ponds. There is also a nice little walking trail right outside the enclosed garden area. The icons and stars of the park are of course the feral peacocks that run around the park. They are temperamental to be sure, but whether they are strutting in full plumage display or hiding high in the tree tops or nesting amongst the brush, they are still a sight to be seen in the city of Austin! read more

The ladyfriend and I have lived a mile or so south of Mayfield Park for the last couple of years. We finally decided to go exploring and check it out. The park itself is very small, but very well maintained. There are a TON of peacocks. More peacocks in one area then I have ever seen before. Beyond that, the gardens are impeccably maintained. There are a few trails for hiking, but they are all very short, and most of them end at the water's front (Lake Austin). Definitely worth a short trip if you have a chance. We both enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. read more

Mayfield Park - Pushup woman! - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

A hidden gem. I love Mayfield Park and every experience here has been unique and endearing. On my first visit, a gorgeous small wedding was going on. The park was the perfect setting -- the historic white cottage as a backdrop, the wooden porch patio as space for the Jazz band, the rock paths intertwined with koi and lotus ponds as seating area for guests, and finally the arched dome space as platform for wedding vow ceremonies. Of course, majestic peacocks strutin' about added to the delicate and almost surreal scenery. My second visit almost blew me away. I went in February (2011) and apparently it was mating madness... Right upon entering, a peacock on the ground had its feathers all spread out and was shakin' its tail feather! Obviously trying to attract the ladies ... Then walking further into the park behind the cottage, perched on the roof we witnessed another mating call, this time the male was trying to attract the albino female peacocks. I probably will remember this day for a long time ... Next time calls for a lovely picnic, and time to hit the trails too! read more

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Beautiful park. Make sure to look up as several were in the trees. I recommend going earlier in the morning.

Such a neat find!! I ran into Mayfield Park about 5 years ago on my way to an event at Camp Mabry. I got to Austin super early and didn't want to travel too far from where I needed to be but wanted to take a minute to explore a part of Austin I had only gone through. Parking is minimal so at times I've found it to be a tiny bit of a challenge (especially on the weekends). But once you're in, wow! The peackocks are absolutely beautiful. The last time I was here, I think they were mating(?) cause the males were shakin it up as if they heard Tina call "Shake Ya Tail Feather!" If not, then whatever the hell they were doing, it was really cool. I've walked a little bit on the trails, sat on the benches along the trails, and taken multitudes of pictures all around this place and I know I'm not finished yet. Make sure to sign in the book in the mailbox! =) read more

Less traveled and quiet/relaxing park. Another one of Austin treasures - where peacocks can roam in the wild as they have their own designated park to do so! There's a nice herb garden too. And some paths down to the creek. Miami needs something like this since peacocks in Coconut Grove just run amok in the neighborhoods and through private properties as they don't have a turf of their own. This park is a great idea. read more

Very pretty park with lots of beautiful peacocks. Though, sadly, there was quite a bit of trash (versus other parks I've been to) and also, the trails weren't clearly marked or cleared off. Lots of bees due to all the flowers that were in the middle of the trail. read more

We had an amazing wedding ceremony held here. It is such a beautiful scenery, with peacocks and water ponds. The reception was everything we could have hoped for. The park is quite close to downtown, but once you enter, it feels completely secluded. Beautiful scenery that I would highly recommend! read more

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What a little treasure this place is! I feel lucky to have found it! Yesterday, I was bored with my old exercise routine and was looking for new scenery, so I decided to check this place out...and I am sure glad I did! I wasn't that impressed with the trails, but how can you ignore those BEAUTIFUL PEACOCKS?! Forget about the trails. I definitely want to take a book out there on another nice day and sit in the gardens to read. Or, it seemed that almost all the trails lead down to the water. It might be nice to read down there as well. Plus, it wasn't busy at all! And I went on a Saturday. It was very peaceful. I recommend anyone checking this park out! read more

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Ever see a peacock chilling in a tree? I personally hadn't. Apparently when it rains, peacocks like to take cover in trees. I thought it was pretty cool. The parking lot is small so I can imagine it gets full on busy days. Luckily it was raining when we went so there was barely anyone around. We came after visiting Mount Bonnell first. It's about a ~5 minute drive from there. We left in about 10 minutes because it started raining. There are trails and ponds here that I wish we had been able to check out. But we forgot our umbrellas. Mother nature wins this time. read more

Mayfield Park - Peacock taking cover from the rain in a tree - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

I'm really glad I was able to stop by this park. It is so relaxing to sit here and enjoy the company of the resident peacocks. They are beautiful and aren't too afraid of humans (with the exception of the children that chase them around.) I was able to get pretty close and take some great pictures with them. The trail is very nice with great views and isn't at all tiring to walk around. There are signs and maps everywhere so you won't get lost and there's always an easy way back to the entrance. I loved it here and can see myself visiting often to get away for a while. read more

Free. Fun for kids. The park is pretty and the peacocks are awesome. It is shaded and has losts of areas to explore for the kids. Bring a picnic. Bring your mom. Do it! read more

Mayfield Park - Male and female peacocks just lounging by the pool - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

Such a unique treasure within Austin! It's really cool being able to see peacocks up close and roaming around freely. The highlight is of course the peacocks, but there are also short walking trails. You'll be able to explore the entire park in under an hour, but Mayfield Park is also right by Mount Bonnell and Laguna Gloria, so you're able to absorb some more nature goodness. No entrance fee, which is a definite plus. And there's a small parking lot and free street parking. A great spot to check out if you need to unwind or want something a little out-of-the-box to do. read more

Beautiful park. Peacocks are really cool and there's a lot of them. The trail is really nice and has great views of the lake.

Nice walking trails. View of Lake Travis, I think? Actually, it's a reservoir of the Colorado River. There are peacocks, cool birds. The trees are majestic here, and come rest in their shade. read more

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I brought my two nieces here when they were in town and they really liked it, but what's not to like? There is no fee to visit. The gardens are beautiful and there are trails that you can go hiking down. The peacocks that live here are gorgeous and they roam around the grounds without barely noticing you. It is definitely worth checking out if you have never been. read more

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Fabulous garden and water ponds. They have gorgeous peacocks, that mill around the park with their babies, completely unafraid of you. The water garden are superb. Water Lillys in a variety of colors, Lotus flowers the size of your head. Really they are huge. turtles, fish and other varieties of Wildlife. Tranquil place to relax and enjoy the spacious gardens, up kept by volunteers. In all seasons, it is gorgeous. Used for allot of portraits, weddings, engagements, family, etc. type of photography. I have enjoyed taking an abundance of photographs there. And each time I find something new. read more

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Beautiful landscape for creating the perfect family outing. The peacocks make you feel like your in a fairytale. Very magical and perfect for capturing alluring memories with you camera. read more

Small parking lot in front . Free. Great spot to admire the peacocks . Family friendly . The grounds are nice with beautiful flowers . read more

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Loved this place! It was pretty small but super cute. And they have peacocks just roaming around!! Also they have a nice little garden and when I went in the spring everything was in bloom. Seemed like a great place for a picnic, or just to wander around for a little while. It's a hidden gem in Austin :) read more

Mayfield Park - Peacock in the tree (and lots of photographers) - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

For peace and quiet, except for the occasional screaming rug rat with inattentive parents, this is a great spot. For well behaved kids it is a great experience. Just be ready to answer a lot of "What is that?" and "Why?" questions. You will have plenty of opportunity to take some beautiful pictures. Love it! Bring your camera here! If you have a Macro Lens, this is a place to use it. Hey! Don't get too close to that giant stink bug! :-) read more

Don't start any shit with those peacocks. They don't mess around. They will eat your knees if you decide to sling even one dirty thought their way. They hate your guts and they're ruthless. Nevertheless, this park is worth putting up with a few tough birds. read more

Sounds like I had a similar experience with some other folks who have been to Mayfield Park for weddings: the grounds are striking, and on a day like we had this past weekend, when the breezes blow through the trees and the sun beams down from above, you'd be hard pressed to find a more idyllic setting, or at least so say the peacocks, who were hollering their fool heads off throughout the ceremony. Some things I learned about peacocks: - They fly. Here, they were all up in the trees. They may not fly particularly elegantly, but they get up there. And if you forget that they're up there, give it a minute and they'll remind you. - They're fairly desensitized to crowds. At least these peacocks were. They were cruising right through the middle of special moments all afternoon. Although in fairness, I'm sure if I were a peacock in that situation I'd be like 'Hey, I'm a peacock. Me stepping in this photo only makes it sexier.' All told there are several of these guys hanging around, and they really do provide for a pretty unique experience on special occasions. And I'm sure that my friends who tied the knot will never forget 'em. Or that awkward squawking sound. read more

My peaceful Mayfield Park wedding memories... Brightly colored peacocks strutting proudly. Koi pond. Stone patios and stone home with a place to change and use facilities. Dressed ALL in black, the mother of one of the brides - seated and SOBBING loudly with hiccups - as her daughter was escorted towards the love of her life. Macabre black mascara dripping from the mom's eyes created a dramatic Alice Cooper indelible memory. It was funny in a really not funny kind of way. Everyone I know who has ever gotten married at Mayfield Park is still together which is saying something these days. Wedding venues really need to keep up with these stats ... read more

OK, I may be a little biased on this review - I confess that I have a soft spot for this park, because I got married here! Mayfield Park is right next door to Laguna Gloria Museum. It features several lily ponds and is surrounded by a beautiful old stone wall that has a picturesque old archway in it (great for wedding photos). As Susie mentions, there is a house on the property, but we didn't use it and I haven't been inside. I do recall that it's not very big. I agree with the other reviewers who say that the peacocks are the main attraction here. It is so cool to see them strutting around in all their colorful glory. As Edie mentions, though, they are VERY loud - which can be a bit disruptive during a wedding ceremony! While we were taking our post-ceremony wedding photos, we also saw a really big snake here. Cool. In case you ever decide to get married here, the entrance to the parking lot is a little tricky for a limo to navigate. It took our driver several tries to get in the gate. Also, you have to participate in a lottery system through the City of Austin to reserve the park for a private event. On the plus side, it's dirt cheap - which is basically unheard of for a beautiful place to hold a wedding. We had a picnic here on our anniversary last year, and it was lovely! read more

A very serene park with 100% chance of peacock (and peahen) sighting. We came here on a Tuesday afternoon and it was practically empty. We were a lazy bunch and didn't walk through the trail. Instead, we went through the visitor entrance toward Mayfield House and looked around the well maintained yard, where there were a few ponds and a bunch of super chill peacocks and peahens. Maybe I'm easily amused, but I had fun just watching the peacocks: who knew they could fly up to the trees? Are they just surviving on their own? Who's taking care of them? SO MANY QUESTIONS. read more

Mayfield Park - Super chill peacocks - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas