One Day in Austin: A Practical South-to-Downtown Itinerary

Begin outdoors at Zilker Metropolitan Park, at 2100 Barton Springs Road. The park covers more than 350 acres where Barton Creek meets Lady Bird Lake, so leave room in your morning to enjoy the open parkland rather than trying to fit every attraction into one stop.

Zilker also contains several places you can add to the day: Zilker Botanical Garden, Austin Nature and Science Center, Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum, the Butler Hike and Bike Trail, and Barton Creek Trail. For a closer look at the park’s options, see this guide to Zilker Park.

The park’s history reaches back to Andrew Jackson Zilker’s land donations to Austin in 1917. It was officially named Zilker Park in 1934 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.

Austin parks are generally open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. unless posted otherwise, though events or maintenance can limit access. For transport, the City recommends public transit and biking; Zilker parking is first-come, first-served.

Weekend and holiday parking is listed at $3 per hour, with paid parking generally applying on Saturdays, Sundays, and official holidays from the first Saturday of Spring Break through Labor Day.

Inside Zilker Metropolitan Park, Barton Springs Pool offers a natural break between the park and downtown. The spring-fed pool covers three acres, and its average water temperature is 68–70 degrees Fahrenheit. If swimming is part of your plan, check its weekly schedule before setting your arrival time.

The pool is usually open every day except Thursday, with swim-at-your-own-risk hours from 5–8 a.m. and guarded swimming from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday hours differ: swim-at-your-own-risk swimming runs from 5–9 a.m., the pool closes for cleaning from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and guarded swimming is offered from 7–10 p.m.

Admission fees vary by age and residency. Infants under 1 and honorably discharged veterans enter free. For residents and nonresidents, fees are $2 and $4 for ages 1–11, $3 and $5 for ages 12–17, $5 and $9 for ages 18–62, and $2 and $5 for ages 62 and older.

The pool is at 2201 William Barton Drive, with a north parking lot at that address and a south lot at 1000 Azie Morton Road.

Parking is free Monday through Friday; on weekends and holidays from March 1 through Labor Day, it costs $3 per hour per vehicle. CapMetro bus route 30 serves the Barton Springs (Zilker Park) stop; from there, walk five minutes down William Barton Drive to the main entrance.

Pack with the pool rules in mind: coolers, food, pets, glass, hard balls, portable speakers, alcohol, smoking, and fishing gear are not allowed. Inflatable toys are permitted only in water 5 feet deep or less. For more planning details, read the Barton Springs Pool guide.

After the park, head downtown for a museum stop. The Blanton Museum of Art is one option, with hours Tuesday–Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed Monday, and its calendar lists special closures.

Admission is free for members, children age 5 and under, visitors with a UT-Austin ID, and K–12 teachers with ID. Other listed prices are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors age 65 and older, and $8 for youth ages 6–17 and non-UT Austin college students with ID. The museum also offers free admission on Tuesdays.

If you’re driving, Brazos Garage at 210 East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is the closest University garage, one block from the museum. The Bullock Texas State History Museum garage is across the street and lists all-day parking at $15, or $25 on UT home football game days.

The Blanton has elevators on all floors of the Michener Gallery and Smith buildings, wheelchair-accessible restrooms, and touch-free entrance doors. Wheelchairs are available first-come, first-served at Check-In. For more visitor details, use this Mexic-Arte Museum guide when comparing downtown museum options.

For a concert-focused evening, Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater is the downtown home of the Austin City Limits television program. The venue hosts concerts throughout the year; check ACL Live for the schedule and ticket information.

Television tapings have a separate schedule: gates, will call, and exterior venue bars open at 6 p.m., venue doors open at 7 p.m., and tapings start promptly at 8 p.m. ACL does not sell tickets to the TV tapings. If you’d rather choose another performance, Esther’s Follies and The Ritz are also downtown venues to consider.

Build the day around the opening hours of the places you most want to visit, especially if Barton Springs Pool or a museum is central to your plan. Parking rules and admission fees can vary by day and season, and park access can be affected by events or maintenance. Check the official site before you go.