Local places to stay cool
By Jazmyn Mora
Sons Island
Located in Seguin, Sons Island is a great place to have some fun outside with your family or friends and they even have lakeside cabanas to rent.You can also go glamping by renting out one of their several tents that come with air conditioning and electricity. They have kayaking, paddle boarding and hammocks spread around to sit and relax. You can get an all day kayaking and tubing wristband for $30 on their website.
https://bluerivercamp.com/book-now
Spicewood, TX
Krause Springs located in Spicewood is a great place to cool down and swim in a natural spring water-fed pool. They have springs that feed fresh water into their natural and manmade pool and guests can rent camping spots for overnight stays or day spots that come with grills for an afternoon snack. This is a good place to have fun with friends on a hot day or night.
Go see the Texas Wildflowers
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in southwest Austin displays 650 native Texas plant species in gardens and on nature trails (open by reservation only). Or, you can take a day trip out to the Texas Hill Country where tons of wildflowers and bluebonnets bloom every spring. When out in the Hill Country, be sure to stop in historic Fredericksburg and visit Wildseed Farms, a family-owned wildflower farm featuring blooming fields.
About an hour away from Austin, you can also visit the city of Burnet which is known as the “Bluebonnet Capital of Texas.”
Go to an Austin Swimming Hole
The Twin Falls and Sculpture Falls areas of the Barton Creek Greenbelt are local secrets. Hike for about a half-mile and you’ll find Twin Falls, known for its relaxing shallow stream waters and rocky areas for climbing. Hike a mile further and you’ll reach Sculpture Falls, another hidden gem watering hole.
Paddle SMTX
The Crystal Kayak Glow is a tour that takes you down the San Marcos River at night using translucent kayaks that contain underwater LED lights. The tour is accompanied by a tour guide and the translucent kayaks allow you to see the amazing aquatic world beneath you. The last 20 minutes of the trip, you are able to paddle on your own. The tour is 75 minutes long and you can book on their website online. Tickets are $39.95 for each person.
