Austin: Attractions

Tour times are subject to change, please call 512-4-SPLASH for reservations and the most up to date schedule.

 Summer Schedule (June 1 - Labor Day) * Monday through Friday: 11 AM & 2 PM *

 Saturday: 10 AM. 12 PM, 2 PM & 4 PM

 * Sunday: 11 AM, 2 PM & 4 PM

Regular Schedule * Monday and Tuesday: 2 PM * Wednesday through Friday: 11 AM & 2 PM * Saturday & Sunday: 11 AM, 2 PM & 4 PM Departure *

All public tours depart from the Austin Visitor Center. Parking is available at the St. David's Episcopal Parking Garage. See Google Maps below for details!

New Works introduces fresh and contemporary art by local artists. Jade Walker transforms fabric and found objects into abstract natural forms that evoke the human body. Her installation Spectator Sport explores ideas about sports, gender, pain, and power. New Works

Artist Talk Thursday, January, 21 7 pm Jade Walker talks about the inspiration and process for making her installation Spectator Sport.

Take a break from the heat and chill out at AMOA! Discover an eco-friendly way to make art with minimum waste by painting with ice cubes. Join Bea Love Yoga for a family yoga class at 1 pm. Drop in and create! $7 for the whole family; $5 member families Date: Saturday, August 14, 2010 Time: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Repeat on the second Saturday of the month until 12/01/2010 This event does not require an RSVP. Registered users can request event reminders

Visit the Austin Museum of Art for free during austin's city-wide free museum day.

Noon - 5:00 PM

Visit AMOA-Downtown for FREE during the Congress Avenue Holiday Stroll! Enjoy the annual Holiday Sing-Along and Tree Lighting at the Capitol, and then come down Congress Avenue for FREE museum admission and an art activity! Check back later for details and more information about the exciting events, performances, art installations, and happenings up and down Congress Ave!

Date: Saturday, December 4, 2010 Time: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM This event does not require an RSVP. Registered users can request event reminders. 

We specialize in providing Austin in 90 Minutes —

A narrated Austin sightseeing tour that familiarizes you with over 30 of Austin's major historical, cultural, significant points of interest in just 90 minutes! This daily scheduled tour with satellite activated narration gives you a comprehensive overview of our great city. Tour departs from the Austin Visitor Information Center at 209 E. Sixth Street in downtown Austin.

Call (512) 659-9478 for reservations and information or register online

Hours & Admission Regular Hours (February 1 – October 31) Open daily from 9:30am – 6:00pm (No entry after 5:00pm) The gift shop closes at 5:00pm

Winter Hours: November 1 – January 31 Open daily from 10:00am – 5:30pm (No entry after 4:30pm) Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day The gift shop closes at 4:30pm

admission

Attractions Fun All Day Rain or Shine! Enjoy Austin’s Park attractions outside on more than 22 acres and inside with more than 50,000 square feet of indoor entertainment

Summer Hours, Park opens @ 11AM every day! MON-SUN 11AM-10PM Special Hours available for large groups Twilight starts @ 7pm

Buffet closes MON-SUN @ 8PM

Tuesday & Friday Special!Only $15.95 for unlimited rides, food, and soft drinks. Includes go karts, bumper boats, laser tag, rock climbing walls, tea cups, little shot, rio grande train, mini-golf, and moonwalk. Plus, unlimited video arcade games included! Offer valid every Tuesday & Friday, for limited time only.

Laser Tag, Rock climbing wall, Video Arcade, Go Carts, Miniature golf, Bumper boats, Batting cages, Little shot, Tea Cups, Jr.Go-Carts, Paint Ball Range

BEST PLACE TO HAVE A PARTY -Austin Family Magazine 2006 Thanks Austin!

Stop by any time we're open to play a game in our 3-story, 10,000-sq-ft arena - the largest in Texas.

 Laser tag games are 20 minutes long and start every 20 minutes. Or you can make a reservation for a corporate outing, church lock-in or birthday party! We also have a High-Tech Video Arcade, Snack Bar, and Austin's best Party Rooms!

SUMMER HOURS: Monday 11 am - Midnight Tuesday 11 am - Midnight Wednesday 11 am - Midnight Thursday 11 am - Midnight Friday 11 am - Midnight Saturday 10 am - Midnight Sunday 11 am - Midnight Games run every 20 minutes on the hour and up to 57 people can play in each game! PRICES w/ a Membership! 1 Laser Game: $8.50 per person $7.60 per person 2 Laser Games: $17.00 per person $13.00 3 Laser Games: $25.50 per person $19.50 We also have Group Discounts!

REGULAR HOURS:

Monday 4 pm - 10 pm

Tuesday Closed for Private Events

Wednesday Closed for Private Events

Thursday 4 pm - 10 pm

 Friday 4 pm - Midnight

 Saturday 10 am - Midnight

 Sunday 11 am - 10 pm

 Games run every 20 minutes on the hour and up to 57 people can play in each game! PRICES w/ a Membership!

On the first floor, The Story of Texas begins before this land was called Texas. It is a story of Encounters on the Land, of first meetings between Native Americans and explorers from Europe. Find out about the many native peoples who lived on this diverse landscape. What did the Spanish find here? What were the French doing? What did the Native American leaders think of these newcomers?

You will hear their words, see the objects that reflect their lives and have a sense of the environment where these encounters took place. Learn about the early missions, settlers and soldiers. Why did the Comanche, the Spanish, and the American and European immigrants come to Texas? The story continues through 1900 when the last unexplored region in Texas, the Big Bend area, was finally mapped.

On the second floor, explore the story of how Texas became an independent nation in Building the Lone Star Identity. From his jail cell in Mexico City, hear Stephen F. Austin's own words that herald the coming of the Texas Revolution.

 Experience the battles of the Revolution through the eyes of Juan Seguin, a Tejano military and political leader. Understand the different visions of Sam Houston and Mirabeau Lamar, both Presidents of the Republic of Texas. Follow Texas as it became the 28th state, then seceded from the Union, joined the Confederacy and fought in the Civil War, and shaped a new future that included freedom for all Texans. Discover how Texas grew into the 20th Century and celebrated its unique identity during the 1936 Centennial -- 100 years after Texas independence.

 See a giant time line of Texas history unfold on a 60-foot video wall, with interactive stations where you can learn more details about many important events in Texas history.

On the third floor you can see how Texans have persevered on the land and how they approached everything from drilling oil to redefining world technology.

Creating Opportunity explores the important role of ranching in Texas; how Texans have adapted to the diverse conditions of the land to prosper on it; and how oil changed Texas. Through recreated environments, interactive media produced by Pyramid Studios, and actual artifacts, you will learn how Texas-led explorations in the 20th Century frontiers of space, medicine and technology have impacted the entire world.

Take a seat in the "Oil Tank Theater" as native Texan Walter Cronkite narrates a media presentation exploring the impact of oil on Texas, and of Texas oil on the world. See why Texas was the place where America's military learned to fly. Hear and see Texas legends in music and sports, and join in an interactive experience in the "Connecting Texas Theater" to learn how the histories of key Texas cities pysically and culturally link the state together.

Capital Cruises' internationally famous bat watching excursion departs nightly approximately 30 minutes before sunset.

 The Congress Avenue Bridge is the home of the largest urban bat colony in North America. Our cruises provide the best possible

Bat viewing is available on a public tour nightly March-October ($10.00 for adults, $8.00 for seniors & $5.00 for kids 3 to 12) or you can customize your own excursion with dinner, cocktails, and more (please see dinner cruise and party boat pricing for rates)

Reservations are highly recommended for this very popular Austin experience!

Join us as the downtown Square comes alive with booths featuring handmade arts & crafts, jewelry, unique clothing, woodcrafts, ironworks, festive foods, antiques & collectables, stained glass, music, and entertainment fun for the children! Combined with the shops and restaurants around the Square, you’ll enjoy a delightful day for the whole family! Market Days are held the second Saturday of each month, March through November, in the heart of Downtown Georgetown. Market hours are 9 am until 4 pm.

 This year, a Concert Series has been added to the day’s festivities! See all of the concert infomation and get vendor applications and at the Downtown Georgetown Association website below. Historic Downtown Square (512) 868-8675 TheGeorgetownSquare.com

The Georgetown Farmers Market will start the season on April 2 at a new location! The Downtown Farmers Market is moving from last year's location on Austin Avenue to the San Gabriel Park! Just turn into San Gabriel Park on Morrow Street. They will be set up near Bob's Catfish. The Farmers Market in the park is open every Thursday from 3:30 - 6:30 p.m.

The Farmers Market also has a second location in Sun City in the Activity Center Parking Lot on Texas Drive. The Sun City Farmers Market is open every Tuesday from 9 a.m 'til noon. For more information, visit: www.gtfma.org or call 512-281-3699. When Thu Aug 12 3:30pm – 6:30pm Central Time Where San Gabriel Park, Morrow Street, Georgetown, TX (map)

Sun City Farmers Market

Every Tuesday, 9am – 12pm

 WhereSun City Activity Center parking lot, Texas Drive, Georgetown, TX (map) DescriptionThe Farmers Market inSun City is in the Activity Center Parking Lot on Texas Drive. The Sun City Farmers Market is open every Thursday from 3:30 - 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit: www.gtfma.org or call 512-281-3699.

This First Friday, come to the downtown Square. Shops will be open until 8 p.m. around the historic downtown Square for an evening of strolling, gallery-hopping, and dining. There is no more beautiful place to enjoy live music and a festive evening atmosphere! A relaxing stroll around the historic Square will captivate your senses. Treasure the experience of getting away to Georgetown! First Friday is sponsored by the Downtown Georgetown Association, on the web at www.dgagtx.org 512.868.8675.

When Fri Sep 3 6pm – 8pm Central Time

Where Downtown Historic Square

First Friday Tango Night An all levels introductory Argentine Tango class with guided dance is now offered at the Downtown Georgetown First Friday Night.

The class and dance is located in the RunTex Multi Purpose Room. The class and dance is held every 1st Friday and is open to the public. No experience necessary.

All levels class. 7:00 - 7:45 Class 7:45 - 9:00 Guided Practice

$5 per person.

When Fri Sep 3 7pm – 9pm Central Time

Where RunTex Multi Purpose Room, 809 S. Main St., Georgetown, TX 

Watch chuckwagon teams compete and see an authentic longhorn cattle drive in San Gabriel Park at this annual event and celebrate Georgetown’s location on the historic Chisholm Trail, as well as Williamson County’s rich cattle driving and raising heritage. There will be entertainment for all ages including live cowboy music, food, a western art show, western demonstrators, chuckwagons, a kids’ chuckwagon cook-off, historical trail drive re-enactors, and a ranch rodeo!

The 2010 Up the Chisholm Trail will be September 17 & 18. For more information, visit the website below. San Gabriel Park (512) 943-1670 www.upthechisholmtrail.org

Art in the Square – formerly known as Art in the Park – is Downtown Georgetown’s newest event! This up-scale venue features works from more than 175 fine and contemporary artists in a wide range of media including clay, drawing, sculpture, painting, jewelry, fiber, metal, mixed media and more.

 The 2010 Art in the Square will be Saturday, October 16 from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Sunday, October 17 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Wild Cave Tour (3 ½ to 4 hours) Must be 13 years of age and older. Any person under the age of 18 must have signed parental consent. All Wild Cave Tours are done by reservation on Saturday's only. We require a minimum of 4 people and a maximum of 8 per tour.

Explorer Tour (Special extended tour lasting 1 hour & 35 minutes). The Explorer Tour will normally depart at 11:00 AM & 1:00 PM on the weekends. During the weekdays, please call (512) 931-2283 for Explorer Tour times (scheduled departures may vary due to reserved school tours).

Adventure Tour

 Standard 1 hour 15 min tour

Operation: Open 7 days a week except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve & Christmas Day

 Summer Hours: Memorial Day weekend - Labor Day weekend open 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Off Season Hours: Weekdays 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM & Weekends 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Longhorn Cavern Calendar Summer Hours

9:00a-05:00p

Tours leave each hour beginning at 10:00 AM and ending at 4:00 PM. The tour lasts approximately 1 and 1/2 hours. The trip is 1 and 1/2 miles underground. Reservations are not necessary.

Groups of 20 or more can call for discount rates. For more information go to our website at www.longhorncaverns.com

11:00a-05:00p

 Tours leave each day at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm M-F. The tour lasts approximately 1 and 1/2 hours. The trip is 1 and 1/2 miles underground. Reservations are not necessary. Groups of 20 or more can call for di

scount rates. For more information go to our website at www.longhorncaverns.com

10:00a-05:00p

Tours leave each hour beginning at 10:00 AM and ending at 4:00 PM. The tour lasts approximately 1 and 1/2 hours. The trip is 1 and 1/2 miles underground.

Reservations are not necessary. Groups of 20 or more can call for discount rates. For more information go to our website at www.longhorncaverns.com

The Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum is one of thirteen presidential libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. The library houses forty five million pages of historical documents which include the papers from the entire public career of Lyndon Baines Johnson and also from those of close associates. These papers and the vast administrative files from the presidency are used primarily by scholars. The museum provides year-round public viewing of its permanent historical and cultural exhibits.

Special activities and exhibits are sponsored privately by the Friends of the LBJ Library and its parent organization, the LBJ Foundation.

Hours and Admission LBJ Library and Museum 2313 Red River St. Austin, TX 78705 (512) 721-0200

Museum Hours: Open every day, except Christmas 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Reading Room Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday Closed Saturday, Sunday, and on Federal Holidays. Admission is free

One block west of I-35 (between MLK and 26th Street) free parking

Cronkite: Eyewitness to a Century May 15, 2010 – January 3, 2011

The LBJ Library and Museum along with The Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas present an exhibit sponsored by University Federal Credit Union and KEYE Austin about the life and career of Walter Cronkite.

Open daily 11:00am to 11:00pm

Museum Admission: $4 Adults, $2 Kids under 12 As always, it's absolutely FREE to enter the Lucky Lizard gift shop!

HOMESCHOOL DAY. Historical reenactments, site tours and exhibits as we welcome Austin-area homeschool families for a special day of Texas history. Come early for this popular fall outing. Special admission price is $3 per person all day. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

September 19, Sunday: AUSTIN MUSEUM DAY.

Historical reenactments, new exhibits and site tours, and admission is free all day, as we participate in Austin Museum Day as a member of the Austin Museum Partnership. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

October 23, Saturday: TEXIAN DAY.

Historic pistols, rifles and cannon will headline a day of learning what it means to be a Lone Star citizen, as the Texian Legacy Association reenacts 1830s life in the Repulic with demonstrations of historic firearms, firebuilding with flint and steel and women's clothing and accessories in Texas' eary days. Regular admission prices. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Gutenberg Bible is the first substantial book printed from movable type on a printing press. It was printed in Johann Gutenberg's shop in Mainz, Germany between 1450 and 1455. The Ransom Center holds one of five complete copies in the United States.

Discovering the Language of Photography: The Gernsheim Collection

September 7, 2010 - January 2, 2011

This exhibition is made up of two complementary and interweaving narratives—the history of photography as told through the collection's imagery, and the history of the collection's formation and methodology. The Gernsheims assembled a peerless collection, most predominantly in the area of nineteenth-century British photography, and many highlights will be on display alongside works by unknown or lesser-known artists who used various means to improve or to exploit the relatively new invention of photography. The exhibition will highlight key moments in the history of photography, important technological and ideological shifts in the act of picture making, and narratives that served the Gernsheims as key points of collecting.

August 1 -  15 and August 21  10:00 Am - 8:00 PM

August 16 - 20 and August 28 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM 

August 22 and 29   10:00 AM - 6:00PM

September 1 - 30 closed EXCEPT sept 4&5 10:00 - 8:00 PM

September 6, 12, & 19 open 10:00 - 6:00 PM

September 11 & 18  open 10:00 Am - 7:00 PM

Winged Wonders Insects are the first organisms on Earth that took to the air – about 310 million years ago! They remain one of only three extant groups of flying animals (along with bats and birds).

The characteristics of insect flight are remarkable and still far superior to any attempts made by humans to replicate their capabilities. During the Permian Period (290 million years ago to 248 million years ago), the ancestors to dragonflies were the only aerial predators. Some had wing spans of nearly 30 inches, but otherwise looked very similar to their modern day counterparts.

 Insects also display a wide variety of colors and have evolved several ways of generating the colors we see. Some use pigments, while many others use microscopic structural differences in the exoskeleton to produce a spectrum of colors.

 Come see the diversity of wings and colors in insects and learn how flight has played a key role in the success of the most dominant group of animals on the planet.

We won Best Museum in Austin for Children in Nickelodeon's Parents' Picks Awards! Thank you for your support!

Texas Memorial Museum is the exhibit hall of the Texas Natural Science Center. It is located at 2400 Trinity Street, on The University of Texas at Austin campus, in Austin, Texas.

 Museum hours: Monday–Friday, 9 am–5 pm; Saturday, 10 am–5 pm; Sunday, 1–5 pm. Admission is FREE! The Museum is closed on major holidays.

Family Fossil Fun Day

Explore the amazing world of fossils with us on Sunday, September 19, 2010 from 1–5 pm. Fossil identifications, hands-on presentations by paleontologists, storytime, fossil dig pit, and paleo-themed crafts and activities. Free admission and free activities. This event is held annually.

The Texas Military Forces Museum is located in Building 6 on Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas. The street address is 2200 West 35th Street, just west of Loop 1 (MOPAC Blvd). A photo I.D. is required for entry onto Camp Mabry.

Hours of Operation

Wednesday - Sunday 10:00a.m - 4:00p.m.

 Monday and Tuesday Closed

 Inclement Weather Policy: To facilitate the safety of museum volunteers and provide timely information to the general public, the Texas Military Forces Museum’s inclement weather policy will be to close the museum at any time the Austin Independent School District closes due to weather, and/or the Texas Adjutant General’s Department directs the closing of the facility. Museum visitors and volunteers should call the museum’s main telephone number 512-782-5659 prior to traveling to Camp Mabry to learn whether the museum is closed due to weather when AISD is not in session or on the weekends. Free tours

 Free Tours of the museum may be scheduled by calling 512-782-5659 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

About Starlight Terrace From March until the end of November, The OASIS on Lake Travis has live music Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 7:00 - 10:00 PM, including free dance lessons on Thursdays & Sundays. CORNELL HURD is appearing on Thursdays with Country & Western music through July. Located on the third floor of The OASIS, Starlight Terrace has retractable roofs to allow the outdoor atmosphere to come inside. Rain or Shine, Starlight Terrace is always open for private events, too.

A family friendly atmosphere, so bring the whole family and dance the night away while enjoying the spectacular view of Lake Travis. Check out the Starlight Calendar to see when your favorite band is playing!

Remember, admission is free! During the cold weather, enjoy the fireside atmosphere of The OASIS just before the sunset and after dark. Whether warm or cold weather, there is always a spectacular view which adds to a lovely evening at The OASIS.

Our street address is 6550 Comanche Trail, Austin, TX 78732

Regular Scheduled Trip - 2 hour cruise

Gradually, each leafy tree and plant surrenders its green mantle to the bright yellows and crimsons that signal the end of the summer and the start of fall. Add to that the cooler temperatures and the splendid colors of a new season and you have an especially ideal time of year to travel. In general fall conditions there are so many photo ops that your challenge will simply be deciding what to shoot. In addition to the foliage this is the time of year when the wildlife goes into feeding frenzy to fatten up for winter.

Migrating birds are attracted to the area as the food up North is mostly gone, but down here birds can fill up one more time for the rest of their southward journey. Both song birds and raptors migrate through this area to the lakes and rivers to feed on fish.

MENU: "Captain's Box Lunch" (optional) $6.25 Sandwich, Chips, Dessert, Iced Tea and Water Adults: $18.82 per person Seniors (60+), Active Military and Students (13+): $16.47 Children (2-12): $12.00 Reservation Policy: We require a credit card number, including VC and billing zip code to guarantee your space. Changes or Cancellation Policy: Cost of items reserved are charged to your card on the day you make your reservation. You may cancel your reservation less $5 fee per ticket if cancellation is made on or before 12:00 NOON THE DAY BEFORE YOUR CRUISE.

Regularly Scheduled Trip - Scenic Wilderness Cruise

View the scenic beauty of the Colorado River Canyon along our 22 mile route. Enjoy visions of waterfalls, towering cliffs, abundant native Texas wildlife, world-class birding and many scenic vistas along the river banks. Regular Scheduled Trip - 2 hour cruise 10:30am Check In 11:00 am Departure

MENU: "Captain's Box Lunch" (reservations required) Sandwich, Chips, Dessert, Iced Tea and Water $6.25 Adults: $18.82 per person Seniors (60+), Active Military and Teens (13-19): $16.47 Children (2-12): $12.00

Freedom Flight

Dates: Sun August 15, September 19,October 17, November 21 2010

Time: 11:00a-01:00p

Join us for our wonderful freedom flight. We partner with Last Chance Forever from San Antonio which is a rehabilitation center for birds of prey. Rehabilitated birds are brought on this cruise for release back into the wild. This is a wonderful experience for all passengers aboard.

It's Texas' Fault And We're Showing it Off!

WE ARE OPEN YEAR ROUND

welcome to wonder world park, a one-of-a-kind theme park, known as the 1st show cave in texas. visitors have enjoyed touring the balcones fault line cave for over 105 years, and now, the park has many other attractions for family fun and entertainment.

enjoy a guided tour and discover the nation's only true example of an earthquake-formed cave. go deep underground and see up close the devastation of a major quake. exit by the "stratavator" and ride high into the sky to the tejas observation tower. be amazed by the topsy-turvy world of the anti-gravity house where everything is backwards, even water flows up hill! board the train and splash through the waterfalls of mystery mountain on your way to the texas wildlife petting park.

educational and fun for all ages, wonder world park cave and attractions is just minutes from i-35 in san marcos between austin and san antonio. we are open year round. gift shops, free picnic grounds, free parking and much more await your visit.

 See Texas' most visited cave! Wonder World Park is a Texas Historical Site. The unique attractions here are entertaining and educational for the whole family. Enjoy guided tours through the nation's only earthquake-formed cave. Exit by elevator and catch a breathtaking view of the fault line's drop-off point from atop the Tejas Observation Tower. Play in our crazy Anti-Gravity House and take a train ride through the waterfalls of Mystery Mountain to meet and feed the friendly animals in the largest petting park in Texas!

open year round!

summer hours
memorial day - labor day
8:00 am - 8:00 pm

winter hours
september thru may
monday - friday: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
saturday and sunday: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

closed on christmas eve and day -
weather conditions do not affect our tours.