Zilker Park is Austin's giant front lawn -- sprawling, busy, and full of every outdoor activity imaginable happening at once. On any given day you'll see dogs chasing frisbees, people picnicking like it's a competitive sport, and someone doing yoga in a spot that makes you wonder if they're performing for the whole park. The lawn stretches out forever, and on a sunny day it feels like half the city is out there claiming a patch of grass. Yes, the Zilker Zephyr (the little train) still exists in spirit, though it's been through closures and rebuilds. The current version -- the Zilker Eagle -- runs a short loop that's basically nostalgia on wheels. Kids love it, adults tolerate it, and everyone agrees it's one of those Austin things that doesn't need to make sense to be charming. Down by Barton Springs Pool, the real show is the area where the pool overflows into Barton Creek. It's almost always packed with families, college kids, and anyone who didn't feel like paying admission or dealing with lifeguards. It's a lively, slightly chaotic stretch of water -- people wading, floating, splashing, and generally having a great time in a spot that feels like Barton Springs' unofficial side‑door entrance. Parking is its own adventure, especially on weekends, and you'll see people trekking across the park like they're on a pilgrimage from wherever they finally found a spot. But once you're in, it's easy to settle into the mix of sunshine, crowds, and classic Austin energy. read more

Our wonderful Rhodesian Ridgeback passed on to the rainbow bridge three months ago at the age of 14 and we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to rehome a five-year-old Ridgeback -- see photos. Her name is Tails, previously Wrigley. Have been to Zilker with her five times in the three weeks that we have had her, most recently this morning. This continues to be a great place to take a friendly animal and allow them to run wild off leash. She loves mixing it up with the other dogs and, being a Ridgeback, she is the fastest dog out there other than some of the Vizslas. Loves the sand where volleyball is played! Lots of parking! Easy access! read more

Zilker Metropolitan Park - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

Beautiful park... with a few issues The park's gorgeous, clean, and spacious, with lots of families and animals just chilling. Just be cautious of the few homeless. read more

We try to get to Zilker Park whenever we visit my son in Austin. It's a large, well kept space with the most beautiful view of downtown. You can let your dog off leash and they can really get their zoomies out. If you're looking for a respite from the hustle and bustle of the city, this is the perfect place! read more

Zilker Metropolitan Park - love the view of the city - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

Another one of Austin's natural gems has got to be Zilker Park. I remember the first time I visited Austin and did a little walking and picnicking in the park. I enjoyed it so much that it became part of each visit to the city. Now that I live here, it's a regular visit for me (at least 3-4 times a month). You get such an amazing view of the city skyline from here. My boyfriend and I enjoy cycling the park as well. I have attended ACL and it has been insane with lines to get in but the workers do a pretty good job getting people through. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Barton Springs pool and how wonderful it is. I really like bringing friends and family to Zilker when they come for a visit. read more

If you live in Austin and don't go to Zilker park on the regular, why are you here??? Zilker Park and Town Lake were the reasons why I moved to Austin! Austin screams nature, and nowhere embodies this better than Zilker Park. I'm always ready to go with the essentials: a picnic blanket, snacks, a good book, wine, and of course-- my pups. We love to soak up the sunshine and people and dog watch. Life is pretty darn good. Pro tip: Make sure to follow all parking signs, as the meter witches stay active on patrol read more

Zilker Metropolitan Park - Zilker Park love - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

It's a nice park in Austin where you can access there for free but the parking lot is not free so you have to be aware of it. Twas a very nice visit there as my wife and I got to walk around the river and sat under the tree You'll get to see the city of Austin as a nice background view and it's a great place to get together with family and friends! Picnic is a great idea tho! You can do volleyball as nets are everywhere. Come enjoy the park! Cheers read more

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Oh I loved this park, it was gorgeous and plenty to do here. I can't wait to come back when it gets warmer and get in the water. Playground for kids, swimming spots, paddle boards, kayaks. They have it all! read more

Zilker Park is a huge, centrally located park in Austin,with a view of the skyline, that also doubles as a location for famous fest like ACL and Kite festival, both of which we have attended several times over the years. The park can accommodate 1000s of people without it feeling like a crowd. The park also offers a mini train ride, the Zilker Eagle which is fun for kids and adults alike. Paid parking is available around the perimeter of the park or across the bridge, in the Barton springs area, a short walk away. read more

My husband and I stopped at Zilker Park while on our E-bike ride. We found a tree to hang out under for the shade. It's a huge park that has an open field on one side with access to a walking/running trail. I noticed many people with their dogs, people playing volleyball, and kids kicking soccer balls with their families. Someone even set up a DJ Booth and was playing dance music. I've never seen that before while visiting Zilker but I didn't mind it as it created a fun atmosphere. On the other side of the street there is a playground. There is also access to Barton Springs Pool which is great in the summer. The parking situation is kind of tricky and most spots are taken on beautiful days. Overall it was an okay place to visit if you like the outdoors. We'll return in the future but next time I plan on bringing a blanket and a good book. read more

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The park was spacious and beautiful, with plenty of room to relax and explore. I enjoyed walking around and taking in the scenery. It's a great place to spend time outdoors. read more

Great Austin hangout with a great Austin vibe. Swimming is great and water is clear fed by a spring. All trees are old and beautiful. Park is monitored closely so it's clean and safe. Staff was friendly, engaging, and helpful. Put this on your checklist of things to do in Austin. read more

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Lively and spacious. Wish there were benches to sit on. It's all just an open grass field. Great view of downtown skyline. read more

Zilker Metropolitan Park - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

Although there is construction up now. This area is preparing for the "Trail of Lights." Great location, ample parking, fairly safe and clean. We launched off here to the water. read more

Zilker Metropolitan Park - Ladybird lake sunset - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

I used to come to Zilker Park all the time as a kid. The playground was always really fun, and on some days they have a little train that takes kids around the park (it's called the Zilker Zephyr). A lot of people like to swim in Barton Springs pool as well, but I don't like how cold the water is personally (can be nice in summer tho). There's also a big field on the opposite side of the street from playground that is really nice, and a lot of people like to go there to hang out with their families, have picnics, bring their dogs, and just relax in general. I came on a Monday night in September, when the weather was perfect, so we had a really lovely walk around the periphery of the park, which is largely shaded, then we sat down on the field and watch the sunset over downtown in the east which was gorgeous. Only reason I took off any stars at all is that they now charge for parking here on weekdays before six and I think on Saturday (but Sunday or after 6p is free). It never used to be that way, and honestly it just makes me feel petty at the direction of how much public parking has begun to cost in the last 10 years around Austin whereas in the past nearly all areas in and around Zilker were free. Hopefully that cost is to support maintenance though, but that playground is definitely the same as it was 20-25 years ago when I started going to it. But overall - Zilker is a wonderful park, and if you just want some outdoor time around Austin without a full hike, this place is an excellent spot to get some! read more

Zilker Metropolitan Park - Sunset over downtown - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

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My review is specifically about the Zilker Train, which is an iconic and nostalgic Austin must-do. I grew up in Austin and we rode the "Zilker Zephyr" every time we came to the park. They shut down the train about 5 years ago because it was desperately in need of some upgrades. It's now called the "Zilker Eagle", and thanks to funding from Capitol Metro it is spiffied up and ready to ride! A few things to note: --Very few bathrooms in the area and the bathhouse for the pool is currently under construction. Just be aware with little kids to do a proactive trip to the potty before waiting in line for the train. --If there is any lightning or rain in the area the train will not be running, for obvious reasons. We had already purchased our tickets and they honored them the next day when we came back. --If you have noise sensitive kids, be aware that the train whistle can be a bit loud and startling. Noise-cancelling headphones may help (see picture of me crying in 1979....) ALL ABOARD!! Enjoy the ride. :) read more

Zilker Metropolitan Park - Circa 1979; that's me in the red shirt crying. The train horn scared me. - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

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An oasis in the always bustling downtown Austin. Worthy of a visit even if you're only around a couple nights.

Absolutely LOVED our time spent here! Filled with happy families enjoying time together! Run, bike, scooter, and lounging spot! Make sure you wear comfortable walking shoes... you will be walking everywhere, even in places you didn't know you'll go!! We walked from the Nature Science Center to the Springs Pool which was closed Labor Day weekend! This led us to keep walking to do kayaking on the lake! Wowzers it was SUPER crowded!!! The 3 guys who came to work on Labor Day weekend worked super hard and even had exceptional customer service with a cheerful attitude! They did a great job controlling the crowd waiting in the long lines for kayaks. Shout out to DANE & the other brown haired guy who helped us on to the kayaks! They deserve a raise for working under short staffed! Don't practice your kayak skills in crowds! It will not end well! People were very nice and polite... lots of bridge jumpers and guys flipping into water! Great and fun crowd this weekend! It was our first time visiting! Would definitely go back! read more

Zilker Metropolitan Park - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

This park is amazing. It's huge and the views are beautiful. You can do so much here like play all kinds of sports, ride a bike, fly a kite, kayak and more. My friend and I chose to go on a 3 mile walk. Visiting Zilker Park is a must visit if you are in Austin. read more

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This is a popular park among the locals but it's also a park many visitors have been to since it's the location of the Austin City Limits Music Festival. I can tell why it's a good place for that because this park is huge and is a large plot of flat land. When there aren't tons of people shoulder to shoulder here for music though it's a more chill place for people to sunbathe, read, relax, have a picnic, or play fetch with their dogs. On one end of the park you can see a nice view of the downtown Austin skyline, and on the other end there are lots of volleyball courts. All around the park is an abundance of parking so you can pick which spot of the grass you want to be in. Further west of the park there is even a botanical garden. Rounding out this massive area is a disc golf course, a trailhead for the Violet Crown Trail, kayak and paddleboard rentals, and the Barton Springs Municipal Pool. There's really so much to do and you could spend anywhere from a couple hours to all day here. Take your pick! read more

Zilker Metropolitan Park - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Review purely for the disc golf course. A very solid course that I'd teeter between 4 and 5 stars. The course is pretty open and doesn't have any holes that are too long of a throw, probably the most approachable course for beginners in Austin. It's well maintained, while I'd love for the construction by the old 3/4 to wrap up eventually, I appreciate that they're doing a solid work around for the time being. A nice course that rewards you with some pretty views of the skyline near the end, you can absolutely do worse for a go to quick round read more

10/26/21 NOW this is a Park! 351 Acres! Quality/Quantity - Clean park Clean bathrooms Plenty of parking Views of Lady Bird Lake Atmosphere - Huge park, plenty to do Many hikes with good views Disc Golf Course - my highlight Volleyball courts Picnic sites Play structures Nature & Science Center - Free/Donation, bird rescue Dino Pit is a cool place for young kids to play - highly recommend it McBeth Recreation Center Botanical Gardens - $4 per adult UMLAUF Garden and Museum - $12 Hillside Theatre - small but cozy, plenty of lawn space Barton Springs Pool - $9; Free admission until 2/22. There were so many people here :) Deep Eddy Pool - $8, oldest swimming pool in Texas Boat rentals - $18/hr or $54 all day Rowing DocK - Kayak, Canoe and SUP rentals, $15-$25/hr Zephyr Train - very inexpensive, like $3 a person, but this is more for kids Service - Visited the closed Austin Sunshine Camps - team members inside saw us poking around and came out to greet us and gave us a tour and history. Very friendly and positive. I hope she did not get in trouble from her boss? Who came out after we left and had a talk with her. So if you are the boss reading this, you NEED to take care of your great people!! Price - Free to walk through the park Owner Suggestion - Thanks and keep up the good work. read more

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Zilker is the kind of park you can visit over and over without ever getting bored. I've had picnics, played volleyball, walked my dog, and even gone to music festivals here. It's massive, green, and always buzzing with energy. Whether you want to relax or get active, it's got something for everyone. One of my favorite spots in Austin, no question. read more

Right in the heart of Austin. You have to come here at least once, especially if you are visiting. The park has plenty of space, but I can only say that parking can be an issue. Other than that, it's worth it. read more

I recently attend ACL here and loved the set up. The work is clean and very spacious. I'd love to come back and enjoy it more but it was a perfect venue for the concert read more

Zilker Metropolitan Park - Music festival - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

This is Austin's very own central park if I may call it that :) many things to do around here - hike/bike/walk/run/swim/kayak/SUP/play/hangout/dog park. This place also hosts ACL, one of city's biggest music fests. No trip to Austin is complete without a stroll around Zilker! read more

Zilker is easily the best park in the ATX area. A huge park that has a great dedicated green space for families, individuals, and your furry friends. You can do so much here with trails where you can run, walk, or bike. It overlooks the skyline and is easily has the best view of the city. Has many connections to the water where you can rent kayaks and paddle boards. Also the home to many Austin events like ACL, kite festival, blues on the green, and many others. A must visit if you are visiting the Austin area. read more

Employees are so rude. Machines didn't work to pay for entry, app didn't work, website didn't work, cash only,

Zilker is an absolutely fantastic spot! We have been here many times and always enjoy it. The grass is clean and very well kept, and it's just an overall good energy spot. Great for going for a walk, throwing a ball around, playing sand volleyball or having a picnic! read more

We had a wonderful day at the park! We love that it has dog friendly and we were able to have her off leash without issue. Our dog is very well trained so that was a plus for us! Great view of downtown Austin and plenty of space for everyone. Grass was green and not too many muddy areas. There's a watering hole for humans and dogs. Can't wait to go again! read more

Zilker Metropolitan Park - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

This park is huge with array of things to do. children park , huge spring pool , park train , picnic area and what not. Green park and well managed. Most of the roads are one way but circles around and connect with each other. Even the area outside has plenty of restaurant and habitants. Definitely a great place to visit. Spring pool is the biggest we ever saw in US. read more

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Zilker Park is the best! It's a MASSIVE public park near the river with stunning views of the city. There's parking, sand volleyball courts, trails and even a botanical garden. There's even a mini train for kids that goes through a rainbow-painted tunnel. If you go, bring a picnic blanket and be prepared to see lots of dogs! read more

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ACL, which is held at Zilker Park, is a massive music event spanning 2 weekends. There are 10s of thousands of people who attended from the ages of 15 to 50. The Music stage areas are packed with drunk obnoxious people so tightly smashed together that you get to smell everyone's sweat as they slowly roast in the high heat of the day. Don't even think about moving because a tin of sardines has nothing on how you'll be packed in together. There are no isles to get someone out quickly if needed, no emergency exits, and not much more then a feeling of claustrophobia to wrap yourself in for comfort. The stages are massive, the headliners are too, but so are the crowds. Massive is an understatement! Lots of alcohol tents, places to eat, and wide open areas (as long as you want to see the concerts from a Mile away). This is Austin's version of Woodstock... and for me it is a very expensive way to spend a day with little comfort from the heat and overwhelming crowds. I can say I've done it... but I won't again. read more

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What an awesome green space in Austin! I think every major city should have a quintessential park that they can escape to, no matter how urban the area. It was such a refreshing break from the city to visit Zilker Park. Zilker Park is huge! I loved how many trails there were, which many were on, either jogging, walking or biking on a weekday afternoon. The trails were also very walkable and easy, as they were flat, so not much of a hike. Along the trails is Barton Springs, where people can rent canoes and kayaks to paddle on. There is one section designated for swimming at the public pool, which has a separate entrance. I only saw some of the park, walking from South Congress then towards downtown. It's a great way to see the city, and is easily accessible by foot. If I lived in Austin this would be my ideal place to spend half a day when it's clear out, either swimming in Barton Springs or reading on the many lawns here. What a wonderful public space in Austin! read more

Zilker Metropolitan Park - Barton Springs - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

Zilker Park was a highlight of our trip to Austin and honestly would love to live near by to continue to explore the area. So much to do including paddle boarding, renting scooters, close walk to the food trucks, kite festivals, etc. read more

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Zilker Park is a massive plot of land with a big open grassy area that is usually packed around sunset with humans and dogs. It is probably the most popular park in all of Austin and if you have not yet been to it, you should definitely go check it out. There is much beyond the main grassy area with the view of downtown Austin, but it is a bit of a walk to Barton Springs and the sides of the park with other features. The view of downtown from Zilker is quite nice and unobstructed since it is a huge open field. One thing to note is that after the rain, the grass is very soggy and you must be careful where you step as to not get stuck in a marsh. My favorite part of Zilker is definitely the amount of dogs that are almost always there. Austin is a big dog city and there are many dog owners in and around the area that bring their furry friends to run around in the large open space. The dogs are usually preoccupied with other dogs or running around, but it is a nice vibe and good to see that the pets are enjoying the space as much as the humans. Good time overall, would recommend. read more

Zilker Metropolitan Park - View of downtown from Zilker. - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

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One of Austin's best gems! Zilker Park is beautiful and massive - seriously. Centrally located - few minutes from downtown and a quick drive from South Austin. Zilker has so much to offer all of its visitors. We love the trails while our pup really enjoys running around and exploring. What's not to like about Zilker - it's nature at its best. read more

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The huge and very clear pool. I don't know if the water is heated or naturally warm, but next time I'll spend some time here. read more

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This is a very peaceful park. The location is very close to downtown and also very big. I've come here more than once to just relax and also have picnics. There are plenty of trees in case you would like to hang up a hammock, take a nap or just relax in the shade this is your place of peace. There are training groups who come in the evening which are very relaxing and also people are out with their pets. It's a really calm environment and highly recommended. read more

Zilker Metropolitan Park - City view By The Shade - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

I like this park. It's not that crowded. It's a lot of space for everyone. You can walk or ride a bike. River makes this place be special. It has a nice view from a river on downtown if you fan of "skyscrapers" A lot of turtles, fish, squirrels. read more

Zilker Metropolitan Park - Turtle getting the sun - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas