Taking a Dip into Austin’s Lady Bird Lake
By Ethan Martinez
Unlike other parts of the world, Austin, Texas only has two seasons, a short winter followed by a nine-month-long summer. With 300 days of sunshine each year accompanied by an average temperature of 71 degrees Fahrenheit in November, wearing sandals and swim trunks in late February is far from absurd.
Thankfully, Austin provides a plethora of spots to cool down and beat the heat. A young city nestled between the Colorado River and The University of Texas, Austin boasts a lively outdoor culture, making it the perfect destination for a day’s visit.
It’s no question that a day’s trip in the 10th largest city has plenty to do but picking a place to start this adventure can be challenging. Deep Eddy’s Pool is well known for being the cool destination spot when the sun is out without a cloud in sight. While being only within walking distance from the well-known Lady Bird Lake, the Austin experience can all along the riverbank on foot.
As I arrived at the parking lot, I was met with a lifeless grey concrete and brick building. The steel gates entrance and the concrete stairs felt outdated and polarizing from the natural vibe Austin offers.
Deep Eddy’s entrance is far from the outdoor vibe expected at the natural spring water pool. A place surrounded by a vibrant and young lifestyle, Deep Eddy’s exterior sticks out like a sore thumb.
Founded in 1902 by two siblings, the pool was privately owned and open to the public until it was purchased by the United States Government in 1935 for $10,000 and rebuilt as part of the New Deal to help combat the Great Depression. Eighty-nine years later, the pool still operates and is a staple in the history of Austin.
Beach towels and tote bags sprawled out throughout the grass, while Austinites dip in the natural pool is an everyday occurrence at Deep Eddy. Surrounded by trees and greenery with a nice view of the lake, Deep Eddy resumé for a hot summer day is very suitable. Green-tinted water fed in from Lady Bird Lake combats the Austin heat for a relaxing stay.
What sets aside Deep Eddy from other destinations in Austin is the socialization happening inside and around the pool. For 20-year-old Alondra Perales, Deep Eddy’s has been her go-to spot to beat the heat and meet new people.
“You can always find me at Deep Eddy,” Alondra Perales admitted. “I really love that everybody is so friendly and open to conversation. I feel like that’s something that is just embedded in the Austin culture.”
Deep Eddy’s never claimed to have luxury seating, five-star service, or a 20-foot waterslide, but instead, the attraction has stayed consistent for 89 years and counting by doing the simple things right. For pool-goers like Perales, the pool continues to be a place of relaxation and socialization, which brings her back weekend after weekend.
“It’s Austin summed up on a block. It’s March and it’s only going to start getting hotter and Deep Eddy’s is that perfect location to cool off,” Perales said.
Bringing in 2.6 million visitors a year, the 10-mile Lake Austin trail passes through Deep Eddy’s pool and branches out to the rest of the lakeside area. Shaded by the dense foliage and feet away from the lake, all sorts of Austinites can be found on the trail when the sun is up.
For 53-year-old Denise Merrick, her kids being at school with a day off from work meant spending time walking the trail.
“Twenty-two years ago, I left Denver and knew my next home needed to have a nature scene like Colorado’s mountains,” Merrick said. “I have since called Austin home and I can safely say I’m not disappointed.”
Merrick finds comfort in walking the trail and taking photos in her free time. For her, spending time outside has always been her favorite hobby in Austin.
“When I bring my kids to Lake Austin, they love the [Austin] Nature Center just across the bridge. From the playground to the animals, they can spend all day there,” Merrick said.
Not even a quarter mile away from Deep Eddy’s Pool, the Austin Nature and Science Center has served the Austin Community since 1960 with “hands-on Nature exhibits”. Feeling more like a park than a museum, the nature center has a handful of wildlife and scenic spots to visit.
For many, the Lake Austin area is simply a place of recreation. Mayan Watson, a local Austinite and yoga instructor regularly teaches alongside Lady Bird Lake. Since the age of 15, Watson has guided yoga classes in the Lake Austin area and highlights the importance of being outdoors and connecting with others through her lessons.
“The outdoor life and yoga lifestyle that Austin cultivates was a perfect segue for me to start offering outdoor opportunities for people to meet up, stretch, get some yoga in and jump in the pool,” Watson said.
For Watson, it has always meant more than just offering yoga classes.
“I just love being able to wake up every day and be around groups of people who enjoy what I enjoy which is just being outside,” Watson said.
The importance of Austin’s natural scene is implemented across the city, especially in places like Deep Eddy’s Pool. A lively city located in the beauty of Central Texas, Austin’s nature has become more than just a component, but a culture and lifestyle. Through Watson’s 10 years of residing in Austin, this culture has become a part of who she is.
“The culture of Austin is a holistic lifestyle, always revolving around nature. Whether it’s city life or active lifestyle, being in Austin is about having a social community with good well-being,” Watson said.
If you go: Open from 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. a $5 entrance fee and paid parking are the only expenses you’ll have to pay. Located on 401 Deep Eddy Ave., it is always a hot, sunny day in Austin, so sunscreen and water are a must. With the Lake Austin trail being very rocky, sneakers are preferred over sandals.
