When my brother-in-law (BIL) was visiting, we took him down to Auditorium Shores (official name…read more"Vic Mathias Shores"). This place is serene, especially in the mornings, with the adjacent Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail. Auditorium Shores is a popular Austin location with a large green lawn, waterfront views, and a breathtaking panoramic of the downtown Austin skyline. We ate breakfast on the lawn and had a nice morning chat. In addition, Auditorium Shores is known for outdoor concerts, movies on the lawn, and outdoor events such as SXSW and July 4th firework displays. One notable landmark is the Stevie Ray Vaughan statue, who is one of our local music icons. My BIL loved visiting auditorium shores. Please note that there is plenty of street parking if you are lucky enough to find one.

Auditorium Shores aka Vic Mathias Shores is one of my favorite urban green spaces in Austin. Here…read moreis where you'll find the Stevie Ray Vaughan statue. Located just along the banks of Lady Bird Lake where the trails are. Lots of wide open green space for a picnic blanket, throwing a ball, playing with your dog, any outdoor activity. This area often has live music and festivals too. Check it out! Note: Parking can be a struggle. Early mornings are best to ensure getting a space.

Good: Really good green area and a nice place for a stroll when you're not doing anything or just…read morewant a little break. Trails are relatively well-marked. The bad: do not go there at night and when it's rained. The ground gets really wet and there is zero light on the park to guide except the northern parts.

1978-79 I was 18 year old freshman living in a four-plex down on 30th and Speedway. Played hoops…read morealmost five times a week there. Now am headed to 66 years and still have great memories playing. "Haz" the resident 33 year old with English degree working as security gave me the nickname "Pitt" and told anyone when he introduced me that I "was All-City from Pittsburgh" even though when I spoke I was All-East Texan from Pittsburg, TX. Lots of memorable characters from the court. 6'7" law student that played in the first all white vs all black Dallas Thomas Jefferson vs Houston Wheatley game for the UIL State Championship , Mike who when he got mad took his ball we would play with and threw it in his trunk and sped off, so many others, and the aroma of marijauna from the guys waiting for next. I was definitely the youngest as most were well into their twenties or more but getting beers or listening to stories, best of times as was the basketball. A very cerebral game was always on display. I graduated from Texas A&M 4years later. Made a few trips back with all three of our daughters so they had to listen to me recall the hoops with a few exaggerations of course. Played Gregory n West Enfield a lot n Adams was the best.

This is a local public park just off of Duval on Big trail. I noticed that the two previous…read morereviewer's gave it high marks, but failed to include any pictures or detailed description, so I'll fill in the gaps. This park is basically a large green space with a gravel trail that both runs around the park and through the park. There is a large covered picnic table area with a huge swing next to it and swings for the kids behind it. There is also a grill in case you want to cook out. Further inside the park and hidden from the road is a large children's playscape with swings. The park is well-maintained with a large number of oak trees and cacti on the property. There is also a basketball court and a few picnic tables scattered along the property. In the spring you will find this park to be a great place to view wildflowers. The reason this park is not five stars, is because there is no water fountain, no bathrooms, no pool, and no paved trail. Nonetheless, it is a great asset to the local community and for the local residents to enjoy. You should add this park to your morning walk list. Plenty of pictures included for greater insight. ***1/2 stars

We don't live close to this park but have visited it twice now for birthday parties. Very nice…read morepark, always clean and tidey and it's nice that the playground area is hidden behind trees and offers some security for children and parents to play in privacy. Also a walking/jogging area around the outside of the park which is also nice.

Republic Square Park on the Fourth of July is not for the faint of heart because wow Austin showed…read moreup like it was a competitive sport. I was not prepared for that level of crowd but honestly it was impressively well executed chaos. Do yourself a favor and skip driving unless you enjoy sitting still with regrets. Scooters bikes or a solid walk are the move. Also dress comfy because this is not the place for fashion over function unless you want to suffer for your outfit. There are plenty of restrooms which felt like a small miracle but eat before you go unless you love standing in food truck lines that test your patience. We tried one Indian truck that was fine but priced like it came with a private chef and a life lesson. All that said we had an absolute blast. The drone and firework show was hands down the best I have seen in the U.S. and the crowd was fun energetic and fully in the spirit.

Republic Square regularly hosts community programming, including events and gatherings, and is home…read moreto the Sustainable Food Center's Downtown Farmers' Market. The market features fresh produce and local vendors to the Square every Saturday. Public art installations like the dia des mortos skeleton heads in the park adds visual interest. These bright and colorful skeleton heads draw interest to park guests. An assortment of amenities enhances the experience as well. The park includes modern restrooms and an on site café (Rosen Bagels), ideal for a meal on one of the park benches. Its location at one of downtown Austin's busiest transit hubs means simultaneously accessible public transportation and being a high traffic area. That trade off is part of its character...a peaceful, busy area.

I discovered yesterday the Boggy Creek Greenbelt when I was looking for parking while volunteering…read moreat the Conley-Guerrero Senior Activity Center. There is a trail that meanders all the way to Rosewood Park...a park that I have spent a great deal of time in over the years. Boggy Creek Greenbelt is a public park and trail in East Austin. It has a mixture of lush green vegetation, a sea of trees and picnic areas sprinkled throughout the park. After my volunteer time, I walked through the park enjoying the fruits of nature. Boggy Creek Greenbelt can easily be used for walking, jogging, biking, and dog walking. You can see pedestrian bridges along the path. I can see the opportunities to unwind, meditate and relax while enjoying the park.

This part of the trail is on the street where I live and a quick jaunt from my place to enter the…read morepath. It's part of Rosewood Park that is also home to the Rosewood Pillar Mural (created by six different artists to beautify underpass columns over the trail). The mural installation is called 'The Pillars Project-Our History, Our Trail'. The project was sponsored by Public City and Raasin in the Sun as part of the trail beautification project. The trail runs along the entire greenbelt and provides a welcoming sanctuary for walkers, runners, and cyclists. Dogs are welcome on the trail and must be leashed. We like taking walks here in the evening and sometimes we'll take a snack and stop off for a mini picnic. Early morning walks along the trail are beautiful with the sunlight hitting the treetops and the creek, providing stunning reflections. The trail crosses Boggy Creek and runs along Webberville Road as well. You can walk it from Rosewood Park (near the pool and pillars) to 12th Street, MLK and more. It's also part of a 32 mile (Red Line Trail, Cap Metro) that goes from downtown out to Leander. It's lovely to have nature literally at our doorstep to be able to breathe in fresh air with peaceful walks to shake off the stress of the day.

Highland Greenway is a parklet with a walking trail situated near ACC Highland Campus Building 8000…read more(Clayton Lane) as well as Airport Boulevard. It sits amongst mixed-use space: residential condos/apartments and the college campus. The park opened in 2018 and is part of 80+ acres of offices, parks, retail space, and residential. It's got a concrete walking path, garden, picnic areas, and a small outdoor workout area. It's a charming and peaceful urban getaway. Perfect for a nice lunch or walk to enjoy the weather.

The Johnson Creek Hike and Bike Trail is a convenient and accessible city trail that offers a…read morerelaxed outdoor option in central Austin. Stretching for about 3 miles, the trail is considered easy to navigate and is ideal for walkers, runners, cyclists, families, and anyone looking for a low impact way to spend time outside. One of the trail's biggest advantages is its connectivity. Johnson Creek links neighborhoods in West Austin to popular destinations like Lady Bird Lake and the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail, making it especially useful for recreational riders and commuters. The route runs along Johnson Creek and passes beneath MoPac, creating an interesting mix of natural creek views, greenery, bridges, and urban infrastructure. We entered the trail on the Enfield side and enjoyed our walk. While the trail isn't a secluded nature escape, it offers a distinctive city trail experience. Some sections feel quieter and more scenic than others, especially during early morning. Also, the trail is dog friendly (with a leash...mostly the same in most parks). For a quick workout, leisurely stroll, or connection to other major Austin trails, Johnson Creek delivered a solid experience.

GREAT PICNIC spot!…read more Hubby and I took a last minute detour in hopes to find a park that we could picnic at to enjoy our Snarfs Sandwiches so we could let traffic die down and WOW - THIS WAS PERFECT! We parked along the street parking - super smooth and on pulling up we were taken back on how beautiful and well kept it was! We didn't venture around much, but lovely slightly shaded area with a couple picnic tables to sit and enjoy our sandwiches! Great random find!

This park sits along Philomena Street and Browning Street. Not too far away you can actually see…read morethe traffic on I 35 from this stretch of peaceful green space. The full length of this park stretches from Airport Boulevard with a trail that runs towards I 35. This property is also known as the Mueller green space. The space is flanked on one side with Lofts and Seton and on the other side are residential homes. At the far west end of the property near I 35 are retail outlets. The property does incorporate both sidewalks and gravel trails along the full stretch of the park. I did not spot any public bathrooms on the property, but there was a very nice children's playscape. As nice as this stretch of property is, you may likely find some homeless encroachment on the property. Lots of photos included to get you better acquainted.