Best Swimming Holes

The 12 best swimming holes in and around Austin

Summer is in full swing, which means it's time to plan a trip and take a dip in one of Austin's best swimming holes. We've created a guide to 12 of the best swimming holes in Austin and Central Texas.

Barton Springs
No list of swimming holes would be complete without Barton Springs, the refreshing sanctuary in the middle of the city. Whether you're looking to get in a few laps or lay out in the sun, this gem is a convenient getaway. Tip: Come at night between 9-10 pm, when admission is free and the pool is less crowded. That means more opportunities to jump off the diving board.
2201 Barton Springs Rd. Open year-round; summer hours are 5 am-10 pm, with limited hours on Thursdays. Cash only; $3 for adults, $2 for ages 12-17, $1 for ages 11 and under, $1 for seniors. No food or drink allowed. Lifeguard.More info here.

Deep Eddy
Just around the corner from Barton Springs is Deep Eddy, another spring-fed escape. This popular pool is our No. 1 pick for kids, and there's plenty of space on the hill for a picnic lunch.
401 Deep Eddy Dr. Open year-round; summer hours are 10 am-8 pm, closed Tuesdays. Cash only; $3 for adults, $2 for ages 12-17, $1 for ages 11 and under, $1 for seniors. No food or drink allowed in pool area. Lifeguard. More info here.

The Greenbelt
More than 800 acres between Zilker Park and the "Hill of Life" is yours for the taking. Hiking, mountain biking and rock climbing are fun activities, but when it gets too hot, take a stroll along Barton Creek and find a nice little spot to go for a swim. Best picks for swimming are along the Gus Fruh trail and east of the Loop 360 access point. If you have little ones, there are plenty of shallow areas where the kiddos can splash and wade.
3755 Capital of Texas Hwy (Loop 360 access). Open daily, dawn to dusk. Admission is free. Food and drink allowed; no glass (and please take your trash back with you). No lifeguard. More info here.

"Secret" Beach
This technically isn't a "swimming hole," and it's not very "secret," either, but Secret Beach is a must on this list. In the Roy G. Guerrero Metropolitan Park park along the Colorado River you'll find a sandy spot that's perfect for posting up and lounging. If tubing is your thing, you can also plan a leisurely float down the river. This little spot is dog- and kid-friendly.
400 Grove Blvd. Open daily; 5 am-10 pm. Admission is free. Food and drink allowed; no alcohol or glass (and please take your trash back with you). No lifeguard. More info here.

McKinney Falls State Park
In Southeast Austin you'll find this amazing state park. If you're in the mood to explore, there are plenty of trails to wander along and a handful of historical sites to visit. When it's time to cool off, relax in the shallow areas or scope out places that are deep enough for a full dip.
5808 McKinney Falls Parkway. Open daily, 8 am-10 pm. Cash preferred; $6 for adults, free for ages 13 and under. Food and drink allowed. No lifeguard. Camping allowed. More info here.

Hippie Hollow
Nothing beats the summer heat like taking off your clothes — perhaps all of them. This "clothing optional" beach on Lake Travis will force you to leave your inhibitions behind. This is our No. 1 pick for sunbathing (obviously). Entry allowed for those 18 and older only.
7000 Comanche Tr. Open daily, 9 am until dusk. Cash only, $15 per vehicle. Food and drink allowed. No lifeguard. More info here.

Georgetown's Blue Hole
The Blue Hole in Georgetown is technically a bend in the San Gabriel River, just minutes away from the city center. A steep cliff overlooks the warm, deep water and long, rocky banks. This is an ideal spot to set up camp for the day or bring an inflatable raft to lounge along the river. Make sure to bring sunscreen and perhaps a beach umbrella, because shade is very limited.
West Second Street and Rock Street, Georgetown, Texas. Open daily, dawn to dusk. Admission is free. Food and drink allowed, no glass containers. No lifeguard. More info here.

Krause Springs
Head west through the Hill Country to find this lush wonderland. There are 32 springs and two pools for swimming as well as one magical butterfly garden for exploring. If a single day in this enchanting place isn't enough, we suggest camping for a night or two.
404 Krause Spring Rd., Spicewood, Texas. Open daily, 9 am-9 pm. Cash only; $7 for adults, $5 for ages 4-11, free for ages 3 and under. Food and drink allowed, no glass containers. No lifeguard. More info here.

Jacob's Well
Jacob's Well is a wonderful place to swim, even with a few big, new changes. In order to protect the area, there are now admission fees and restricted swimming hours. Plan ahead, because you must reserve a two-hour slot for swimming via the Hays County website. Only 300 people will be allowed to swim per day.
1699 Mt. Sharp Rd., Wimberley, Texas. Open daily, 10 am-8 pm. $9 for adults; $5 for Hays County residents, children ages 5-12, active military and veterans; free for children 4 and under. Food and drink allowed, no glass containers. More info here.

Wimberley's Blue Hole
The Blue Hole in Wimberley is a swimmer's delight. This shady oasis offers plenty of deep water for swimming or jumping off rope swings as well as a current that's just right for a lazy float on an innertube. For the younger ones, there's a large lawn area where kids can run around and play.
100 Blue Hole Rd., Wimberley, Texas. Open daily, 10 am-6 pm. Cash only; $9 for adults, $5 for ages 4-12 and 60 or older, free for kids under 3. Food and drink allowed, no glass or alcohol. No lifeguard.More info here.

Pace Bend Park
This park is an exceptional island-like gem surrounded by Lake Travis. For those with swimming in mind, the east side of the park has the most accessible beaches. Boating is very popular here, so we suggest checking out Mudd Cover and Gracy Cove, which are swimming-only areas.
2201 N. Pace Bend Rd., Spicewood, Texas. Open daily, dawn to dusk. Cash only, $10 per vehicle. Leashed pets allowed. Food and drink allowed, no glass containers, no smoking. No lifeguard. Camping allowed. More info here.

Hamilton Pool Preserve
This picturesque lagoon is fed by a small, sprinkling waterfall. There's a 10-15 minute walk down to the pool, so bring appropriate shoes. Arrive early: A limited number of folks are allowed in. Note: Warm weather can cause bacteria levels to be too high for swimming, so call 512-264-2740 before you go.
24300 Hamilton Pool Rd., Dripping Springs, Texas. Open daily, 9 am-6 pm, no entry past 5:30 pm. Cash only, $15 per vehicle. Food and drink allowed, no glass containers. No lifeguard. More info here.

McKinney Falls.

McKinney Falls_State Park_lower falls_Austin

Photo by Nicole Raney

McKinney Falls.

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Be Free

Free Week is ready to rock again with new City of Austin funding

Chancla Fight Club performs at Valhalla during a previous Free Week Festival.

Photo courtesy of Red River Cultural District / Renee Dominguez

Chancla Fight Club performs at Valhalla during a previous Free Week Festival.

The Red River Cultural District (RRCD)'s Free Week music festival is back, and perhaps better than ever after some newly secured funding from the City of Austin.

On January 3 and 4, this admission-free winter music festival will bring Austinites back-to-back performances from dozens of local musicians, spanning over 20 venues, restaurants, bars, and food trucks in the Red River area.

Free Week, which began in Austin over 20 years ago, was nearly canceled earlier in 2024 due to lack of funding. But thanks to a decision made on November 7 — after a long and hard-fought battle between RRCD and City Council — Free Week and RRCD's other popular festival Hot Summer Nights are saved for the foreseeable future.

Here's what happened, according to RRCD interim Executive Director Nicole Klepadlo.

Back in 2023, RRCD — a few blocks featuring a high concentration of popular music venues and other nightlife destinations — started pleading its case for funding with the City of Austin. At the time organizers were hoping for a cultural funding grant to help support their donation-based summer festival, Hot Summer Nights. Unfortunately it was declined and still, today, Klepadlo is not really sure why.

"We were just kind of perplexed," she says.

So, they needed to pivot. In January of 2024, they presented their case to the City of Austin's Boards and Commissions, essentially requesting funding for the district as a whole, which would ultimately support their festivals. After some back-and-forth negotiating and even rejections early in the year, finally, on November 7, the RRCD's advocacy paid off.

"We received $150,000 annually for up to four years for cultural district funding," says Klepadlo. "It will largely go to supporting Free Week and Hot Summer Nights. But it will also go to an economic analysis. One of the things people kept saying is 'What is the economic impact of your district?' So this will help leverage us for other future funding opportunities through brands or donors."

It's not just about urgent needs, now. RRCD is also planning to start work on a new "cultural history project" showcasing the area's lasting value to locals.

"We want to start diving into the musical heritage of the Red River Cultural District and start telling the stories," says Klepadlo. "Many of these venues were different venues than they are today; we've had a lot of musicians who got their start here back in the 70s."

Some of the venues and businesses involved in the RRCD include the Waterloo Amphitheater, Mohawk, Cheer Up Charlies, Stubbs, Valhalla, The 13th Floor, Elysium, Empire Control Room and Garage, Creek and Cave, Chess Club, Swan Dive, Barbarella, Flamingo Cantina, various food trucks, restaurants, and groups like the German Texas Heritage Society, the First Baptist Church, and the Austin Symphony. All told, there are about 40 businesses that are engaged on a regular basis.

Of course, it wasn't always like this. After a wave of venue closures back in 2015, a group of music venue representatives, small businesses, and members of cultural institutions all got together for one of Klepadlo's "favorite meetings" at The Mohawk.

"Back then there were over 12 independent live music venues, so there was a lot of competition," she says. "But we were all sitting around this table at Mohawk realizing, 'We've got to band together.' And that has morphed into forging this unified voice and collective, that has really ended up identifying the needs for this particular place. Not just for locals, but for jobs and tourism."

A meeting at Mohawk back in 2015 helped form what the RRCD is today.Photo from redriverculturaldistrict.org.

Another of the RRCD's hopes is that it can keep the vibe of the area intact going forward, even through the fast development is sweeping across the east side of downtown. Organizers want to collaborate with the city to make sure the district stays there (and stays cool) for years to come.

When asked if there might be something the RRCD could do to prevent venues from getting bulldozed and replaced by condos or something, Klepadlo replies, "We wish."

Right now RRCD hasn't gotten the traction or support it'd like in order to ensure that future development in the area honors what the district is all about. But Klepadlo is hopeful.

"This funding gives me hope that as we start to think about what happens to the eastern part of downtown, there will be a Red River Cultural District that looks like it does today; only more vibrant," she says. "I'm really excited to see where things go from here."

Aside from this new funding from the City of Austin, this year's Free Week is also supported by sponsors and partners like Airbnb, Austin Chronicle, KUTX 98.9 FM, Downtown Austin Alliance, The Moody Center’s Red River Rising, and many more.

The music lineup for Free Week will be revealed soon, as well as a new lineup of food and drink promotions. CultureMap will share updates as they're available.

civic issues city council live music concerts festivals free

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