Manage your expectations if you choose to visit the Austin Zoo. It is a very small zoo - more like…read morean animal rescue. I knew this going in so was prepared for what to expect and really enjoyed my experience. I visited on Presidents' Day holiday with my daughters (6 and 2). Tickets were under $20 which I found reasonable and felt good to know that the money is going back to maintaining and preserving the zoo. I thought the size of the zoo was perfect for younger children. My daughters loved seeing the animals without massive crowds, within a restively small space. They particularly loved seeing the Galapagos turtle, lions, and snakes in the tiny reptile house. There are gorgeous peacocks roaming the grounds. They have the option to feed some animals (goats, farm animals) which we did not do this time. They also offer tours, educational programming and some extra cost activities. What I think could be better - - Their website doesn't mention that their train has been down for a long time, and requires major repairs. This was disappointing to find out there. My girls were looking forward to it. - No cafe or proper concessions stand - Parking can get crowded and require long walks to the entrance

Horrible service!! As I was walking around with my grandchildren I saw several workers on their…read morephones, so unprofessional. I've heard rumors they treat the animals poorly and when I saw the animals I'm starting to believe them. I've also heard about what they do to the animals dead bodies and I'm DISGUSTED. I saw serval cages empty, really makes you think why is that? What are they doing to these poor animals because from my own knowledge you're not supposed to put an animal that been held CAPTIVE back into the wild. Even with that one of the workers told me that evil place is their forever home more like forever prison or death sentence. I also saw rust in the water the animals were drinking and this is what they claim is an animal sanctuary?? On top of all of this I saw a worker with no bra on and nearly got flashed, MY GRANDKIDS were with me. On top of all of this I met a woman Kim and she was SO RUDE and made my grandkids uncomfortable. That woman immediately gave me predatory vibes and I felt like I needed to get them out of there as soon as possible. I will NEVER return.

Wine and Swine. Where have you been all of my life? I'm calling it -- best food and wine festival…read moreI've been to all year. Gorgeous weather, fabulous food, a great crowd from all over and the perfect backdrop makes for a perfect sunday funday. Food: I dove in. Starting with what was one of my favorites, Swifts Attics deconstructed taco. It was spicy and savory and delicious. Then I proceeded to piggy my way through cubanos and ribs and pulled pork and pork belly and chili cheese ramen (you read that right!) and deviled ham sammies and smores and so much more. Thank god I wore a stretchy dress. Drinks: Every kind of wine -- Texas and beyond -- graced my lips this day. Usually more than once. The folks serving bubbles, crisp whites, therich reds, sake, cider, craft beer (hops n grain, jester king, etc) were generous and informed. Honest Tea helped me out mid rampage when I needed something more than a sample of wine to wash down the goodness. Setting: Ceres Park. I've been here once but I didn't know how perfect it could be. It's just beautiful with a huge barn like structure set up to host the hundreds of folks. Dangling lights, strings of pretty paper ruffling in the breeze and the band. Oh the band! Not to loud, perfect for dancing, funny and fun. The Austin Food and Wine Alliance put on one hell of an event. Well worth your price and get them early next year y'all. And bring a DD so you can get realllllll friendly with the wineries.

Do yourself a favor, pay the big bucks and get the most incredible experience of your life. Just…read moredon't get white girl wasted like I.....I mean my friend did. Amazing chefs, bartenders, wineologists? Band, and just ppl in general. If I'm taking time to write this when I could be watching Hulu, you know it's good.

Awesome. Go visit and check it out. Very friendly, very knowledgeable!! Check website and calendar…read morefor dates and times :)

I discovered this Austin gem last year and I can't stop going back for their high‑quality plants…read moreand incredible selection. The best part of shopping here is the staff--they're knowledgeable, patient, and always willing to answer every question I have about plant care. I've spent a small fortune on plants, soils, succulents, and pots, but it's absolutely worth it. The Natural Gardener has become one of my true happy places, and I especially appreciate the free monthly classes they offer. It's a wonderful spot for both new and experienced plant lovers. Highly recommend!

I would like to thank the staff at The Natural Gardener. All are knowledgeable, friendly, helpful…read moreand kind. However one of your staff stands out hands and feet above all others. Andy is a GEM! Her personality is effervescent, her smile lights the garden, and her helpfulness is beyond all others who I have worked with in your store and garden. If she does not have the answer, she finds the answer or seeks wisdom and knowledge of fellow workers. She is a true team player and an asset to the garden and store.

Took the Intro to Beekeeping class here. It was a really informative class. I wish the PowerPoint…read morehad been distributed, but I can understand how giving all the info away could hurt their business. The class is super casual, in what looks like a converted garage on their property. You get to check out the hives briefly before class starts, which is cool. Was surprised at the wide range of folks in the class. People of all walks of life really are drawn in by bees! It made me feel less like I stuck out like a sore thumb for sure. :) You can try on beekeeping suits in various styles which is also helpful. The only reason this class doesn't get 5 stars yet is the website advertises it as a 2 hour class but it was ready to go on for more than 3. Definitely clear your schedule. I had to leave at the 3 hour mark and wished I had known in advance.

If you are looking into beekeeping in the Austin area, Bee Friendly is THE PLACE. Tanya's…read morebeekeeping classes are excellent, fun, filled with great best practices and confidence building. We also bought 2 of Chuck's Top Bar Hives. They are beautifully constructed. Beekeeping is a bucket item for me and having Tanya as a guide has been great. Highly recommend you check out Bee Friendly Austin!

Last summer I finally decided to head up the Lady Bird Johnson park, all because it had the…read moredinosaur animatronic exhibit. I'm a bit of a dinosaur nerd, have been since the early 1970's. I wanted to be a Paleontologist when I was little. So, off to see the dinos I went. There were lots of parents with their kiddos, & grandparents with their grandchildren, a few couples, but I was the only older single. Lol We were all enjoying the animatronic dinosaurs. It's was a cool summer day, and the park was lively in size with plenty of sitting places, and restrooms located throughout. Nice gift shop, & a small little grab & go type of foods. All & all a fun time. I look forward to going back & seeing other exhibits in the future.

I visited my father in Naples, Florida and they have a wonderful botanical garden there. I visited…read moreit several times while I was there. I was inspired to join the Wildflower center right in my backyard!!! It was 60 bucks for the year and what I'm most excited about it being allowed in at 800 before it opens for the crowds at 900. I went for a nice long walk this morning. I can't wait to come back when things are in bloom but also loved having the place mostly to myself on this chilly winter morning.

Top horse trainers, well kept horses and extremely clean barn. Our daughter was able to take horse…read morelessons here on a leased horse for over a year. However, they told us up front that they expect riders to buy their own horse eventually at this farm so she enjoyed horse lessons while available as a special circumstance. My daughter just rides for fun, not competitions, but this is a very competitive farm with top skilled riders and trainers. Since my daughter is a skilled and experienced rider, they were happy to train her just like they do the competitive riders even though she chose not to compete as her personal preference. We would still be taking her to lessons here if we could lease time on a horse instead of buying it. We really liked the owner, how well she and the back-up trainer worked with our daughter during private lessons and most importantly how well they took care of their horses. Their animals are definitely loved and cared for.

What can I say? I started riding at 62 and am now 65. I enjoy myself so much that I should pay for…read moreit! Oops I do and will definitely keep doing so because Crista is a superb trainer, the facility is beautiful, the riders are like family and I absolutely love Oliver, the school horse. Crista has me competing and guess what I've actually beat some 9 year olds. I encourage anyone from a rank beginner to an accomplished rider to come out and have the time of your life!

Laura Persons is an absentee owner who cares more about her own horse show circuit than she does…read moreabout what goes on at her barn. After many months of regular weekly lessons, our child was not past walking the horse in a small enclosure. The large riding ring was always occupied with advanced riders. I emailed a number of requests for progress reports, but never got an answer. The instructor we were assigned lacked basic safety training and put our child in dangerous situations. In one instance she was thrown from a horse. When we tried to discuss the hazards, the the owner refused to acknowledge any responsibility and asked us to " go "elsewhere" for lessons. I strongly recommend staying away from this farm because of overall poor management.

This place is awesome! We have had a great experience here. My daughter went from a total…read morebeginning rider to jumping 3 feet fences here. The two trainers here Laura Persons and Guen Holden clearly care about the girls and the horses. They have helped my daughter reach her goals and have always been open to talking with us. I can't recommend it enough!

We had the best time at hill Country Pumpkins. My 2 year old was all smiles and we took super cute…read morepics at their pumpkin wall. Definitely check them out!

I cannot say enough about my experience here. Our family visited this past week and found a great…read morefirst experience for my two year old grandson. We were greeted by a friendly staff member who let us know that snacks and all drinks were complimentary. They had an amazing photo booth and a large variety of pumpkins from $3.00 to very large ones for $45. They also had a decorating station if you wanted to paint your purchase. They also had a bouncy house play area for the younger kids. High quality, friendly experience. I highly recommend Hill Country Pumpkins to anyone wishing for a great family experience.

I was so looking forward to finally taking a tour of the city. I've been coming here visiting my…read moreson for the last dozen or so years and I've never done it. At first, I sat on the upper level. It was wonderful to be out in the fresh air. However, the sun was a little too much for me so I had to move down to the inside area. I was the only one down there which was fine, but it was really quite filthy. There was thick gray dust on the top rail of all the seats and the fabric on the seats themselves was all thick with black grease. The tour guide was really wonderful. Entertaining and knowledgeable with one exception that was actually kind of disturbing to me personally. When we got to South Congress he talked about the "I love you so much" wall. His story of a husband painting it for his wife could not have been more wrong. It was in fact done by an artist named Amy for her then girlfriend Liz an infamous Austin hotelier and restauranteur. It is an incredibly iconic part of Austin history and if it's told it should be not fiction. I hope for sure this can be corrected for future tours.

Really good tour led by Jason, who was very upbeat and knowledgeable…read more Did the tour at the start of our trip which gave us a preview of the city; additional places to check out, and how neighborhoods intertwined. A few tips: - Don't forget your sunglasses and sunscreen if you plan to sit on the upper deck. -If you're tall, consider sitting on the left side of the upper deck to reduce the chance of getting hit in the head by low branches. -Bring cash in case you'd like to tip at the end (optional). -If you're hearing impaired, arrive early to increase your chances of getting a seat up front (on upper deck) closer to the guide. Despite being mic'd, there were times it was a bit challenging to hear. -If you get a single loop trip, you're better off staying on the bus the whole tour. If you get off at any of the stops, you won't be able to hop back on. Have an open mind and have fun!