Unleash in the heat

Unleash the fun at the 8 best dog parks in Austin

Dogs playing golden retriever Boston terrier coworking

Work & Woof lets you work hard while your pup plays.

The days following Fourth of July are notoriously difficult for animal rescue organizations across Austin, as the uptick of panicked or runaway pets leaves local shelters overcrowded and with too few resources to care for all the animals.

Throughout the summer, places like Austin Pets Alive! and the Austin Animal Center are calling on compassionate individuals to foster or adopt these animals. For dog-lovers thinking about adopting (or current owners looking to spend more quality time with your furry companions), Austin is filled with leash-free places for you and your furry friend to have some ferocious fun. Here are some of the best:

Auditorium Shores
Situated on the shores of Lady Bird Lake near the Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, Auditorium Shores offers a newly renovated off-leash dog park with plenty of open space for pups to chase after balls (and the occasional unassuming wildlife) along with three water access areas for waggin' and paddlin’ in the lake.

Know before you go: The renovation included the creation of doggy showers to make post-lake cleanup a breeze.

Barkin’ Springs
Appropriately nicknamed due to its popularity with four-legged swimmers, this secluded wading area right outside of Barton Springs Pool is a place for pooches and their people to catch some sun and enjoy the cool spring waters.

Know before you go: Farther upstream, the Barton Creek Greenbelt offers trails for hiking, rock climbing, and several swimming holes — all within a scenic Texas Hill Country backdrop.

Emma Long Metropolitan Park
With almost 1,200 acres of protected parkland, Emma Long is one of the largest parks in Austin but only a few minutes from downtown. Among the highlights of this expansive urban park are Turkey Creek, two miles of hiking trails, and a gorgeous bluff overlooking the city.

Know before you go: On its westernmost boundary lies Emma Long's 193-acre off-leash area.

Red Bud Isle
This park is a shady oasis for dogs and dog-lovers alike. Located on a 13-acre island in Lady Bird Lake, lake shores and river waters act as a natural barrier keeping it safe for adventurous pups to swim, run, and explore.

Know before you go: This park is just as fun for humans as it is for canine companions. The park offers a half mile of shaded hiking trails, large fields, and a tree-lined shore to relax while your dog takes a dip.

Shoal Creek Greenbelt
Here in Austin, living in the city doesn’t mean having to sacrifice outdoor adventures, as many picturesque natural landscapes blend seamlessly into our bustling metro. Shoal Creek is no exception. Flowing through the heart of the city from Lady Bird Lake to 38th Street, the 76-acre park offers impressive crushed limestone and gravel trails, access to local creekside eateries, and ample shaded green spaces.

Know before you go: Shoal Creek includes more than one mile of no-leash terrain running from 24th to 29th streets.

Yard Bar
Though there are plenty of parks, waterways, and hiking trails available for daring dogs, what about the lovable lap dogs and loungers? Yard Bar, a combination bar and off-leash dog park, offers a relaxing hangout space that both humans and their four-legged friends will enjoy. While you are sipping a local brew or chowing down on some hush puppies, your dog can play safely in a fenced yard filled with agility equipment, water bowls, and plenty of toys. Also, “Bark Rangers” are always onsite to monitor the play and keep the dogs in good spirits.

Know before you go: Enter with a day pass at just $5.50, or you can purchase a monthly or annual membership.

Work & Woof
We know how tough it can be to resist that heart-melting look on your furry friend’s face when you're leaving for work in the morning. Now, there’s a solution that’ll make both you and your canine companion happy. This modern coworking space and dog park offers over 10,000 square feet of work and play space, including traditional coworking amenities for humans and plenty of toys, beds, and agility equipment for furry companions. A large backyard area offers picnic tables for busy owners to enjoy a break with bites from rotating food trucks, while dogs are free to safely romp around.

Know before you go: Woof & Work offers day passes for $8 and a monthly membership for $45. A kennel-free daycare is also available with onsite staff treating your pups to plenty of playtime and care.

Zilker Dog Park
Arguably the best known spot on this list, Zilker features many “human-friendly” places to picnic, hike, stroll, and take in views of the downtown skyline. But, this Austin hot spot also has a doggone great off-leash area boasting rolling hills and impressive scenery along the shores of Lady Bird Lake.

Know before you go: The expansive area, located at 2100 Barton Springs Rd., is not fenced; keep a close watch on your furry friends.

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schools with high achievers

19 Austin elementary and middle schools rank among Texas' best for 2025

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Congratulations are in order for the Bats.

Several Austin elementary and middle schools are at the top of the class when it comes to educating and preparing the next generation for a successful life and career, according to U.S. News & World Report's just-released list of 2025 Elementary and Middle Schools Rankings.

One such school – Basis Austin – is the No. 1 best middle school in Texas for 2025.

U.S. News ranked more than 79,000 public schools on the state and district level using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Schools were analyzed based on their students' proficiencies in mathematics and reading/language arts on state assessments, and tie-breakers were decided based on student-teacher ratios.

Texas' best middle schools for 2025
Basis Texas Charter School's Austin campus has a total enrollment of 273 students, 19 full-time teachers, and a student-teacher ratio of 14:1, according to U.S. News. A majority of students at this charter school – 89 percent – scored "at or above the proficient level" in mathematics, and 92 percent showed at or above proficiency in reading.

"Basis Austin did better in math and better in reading in this [test score] metric compared with students across the state," U.S. News said in the school's profile. "In Texas, 51 percent of students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 41 percent tested at or above that level for math."

Basis Austin also ranked No. 16 in the statewide rankings for the best elementary schools for 2025.

Eight other Austin-area middle schools earned spots in Texas' top 100, including:

No. 31 – Canyon Vista Middle School, Round Rock ISD
No. 40 – Chaparral Star Academy
No. 47 – Hill Country Middle School, Eanes ISD
No. 64 – Cedar Valley Middle School, Round Rock ISD
No. 81 – West Ridge Middle School, Eanes ISD
No. 85 – Pearson Ranch Middle School, Round Rock, Round Rock ISD
No. 91 – James Garland Walsh Middle School, Round Rock, Round Rock ISD
No. 100 – Florence Stiles Middle School, Leander, Leander ISD

The best elementary schools in Texas
Jesus A. Kawas Elementary school in Laredo was crowned the No. 1 elementary school in Texas for 2025, while three Austin-area schools were among the top 25.

Round Rock's Cactus Ranch Elementary is the No. 18 best elementary school statewide, boasting 743 students, 47 full-time teachers, and one full-time counselor. Students at this public school scored 88 percent efficiency in math and 90 percent efficiency in reading.

U.S. News says student success at Cactus Ranch is significantly higher than the rest of Round Rock ISD.

"In Round Rock Independent School District, 64 percent of students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 52 percent tested at or above that level for math," U.S. News said in the school's profile. "Cactus Ranch Elementary did better in math and better in reading in this metric compared with students across the state."

Following one spot behind Cactus Ranch in the statewide ranking is Austin's Canyon Creek Elementary in Round Rock ISD, coming in at No. 19. Canyon Creek has a student population of 369 with 27 full-time teachers, and one full-time counselor. The school's student-teacher ratio is 14:1, and 90 percent of students are proficient in math, and 88 percent in reading.

Other Austin-area elementary schools that were ranked among the 100 best in Texas are:

No. 22 – Patsy Sommer Elementary, Round Rock ISD
No. 31 – River Ridge Elementary, Leander ISD
No. 42 – Elsa England Elementary, Round Rock ISD
No. 53 – Laurel Mountain Elementary, Round Rock ISD
No. 81 – Laura Welch Bush Elementary, Leander ISD
No. 88 – Mills Elementary, Austin ISD
No. 94 – Clayton Elementary, Austin ISD
No. 100 – Cedar Creek Elementary, Eanes ISD

"The 2025 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings offer parents a way to evaluate how schools are providing a high-quality education and preparing students for future success," said LaMont Jones, Ed.D., the managing editor for Education at U.S. News. "The data empowers families and communities to advocate for their children’s education. Research continues to indicate that how students perform academically at these early grade levels is a big factor in their success in high school and beyond."

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