Austin's 400-acre crown jewel, featuring beautiful gardens, outdoor concerts and plenty of room for fun in the sun.

by Joshua Hinsdale

In Short
Just a stone's throw from downtown, this is the place for hiking, canoeing, picnicking and more outdoor activities. Kites color the sky at the annual kite festival and little goblins trick-or-treat around the grounds on Halloween. At Christmas, walk the Trail of Lights or take a spin under the famous Zilker Tree. Sports enthusiasts enjoy sand volleyball courts and soccer and rugby fields. The Botanical Gardens offer walking paths and the beautiful Taniguchi Oriental Garden.

05/08/06

Great for Kids and Adults

by travia

The only problem I have with Zilker is that the playground is extremely small for such a large park not to mention the abundance of traffic.The park doesn't have a seesaws, not enough swings, merry go round etc... While I've noticed that most parks have done away with the things mentioned above it seems that there would be other things in place of them. I do love that they have an operating train for the kids and beautiful scenery which almost makes up for the flaws noted.

• Pros: Train, canoeing/kayaking
• Cons: playground is lacking

01/05/04

Everything

by nathanstull_citysearch

I like how you can do pretty much everything here: hike, bike, swim, play sports, barbecue, ride a train--you name it. It's also the perfect spot to park your car and jump on the Lake Austin trail.

06/27/02

One Stop Shop for Fun

by lwoo

This park has many activities to choose from. Go for a swim at Barton Springs, rent a canoe on Town Lake or check out the Botanical Gardens. There is no way to get bored. It's a popular place so make sure to get out their early on the weekends to get a good spot and parking.