Cheap Things to Do in Austin, TX
Austin, TX's cheapest activities include Alliance Children's Garden (Free), Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail (Free), Auditorium Shores Off-Leash Area (Free), Austin Aquarium ($19.95-24.95), and Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co ($7-9 per pint, $12-16 pizza).
Free Tue 3-7pm and Sun 3-5pm — outdoor water play area will soak them
1830 Simond Ave, Austin, TX 78723 · Tue-Sun 10am-5pm, closed Monday · Ages 0–11
Shallow wading end for toddlers, diving board for big kids — 68-70 degrees year-round
2201 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78746 · Daily 5am-10pm (closed Thu 9am-7pm for cleaning)
Always free — hawks, owls, and a fossil dig pit in Zilker Park
2389 Stratford Dr, Austin, TX 78746 · Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun noon-5pm
$6 train ride through Zilker Park — under 2 rides free on your lap
2100 Andrew Zilker Rd, Austin, TX 78746 · Fri-Tue 10am-6pm (closed 1:30-2:30pm daily), closed Wed-Thu
Free everything — storytimes, rooftop garden, underground parking
710 W Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78701 · Mon-Thu 9am-8pm, Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun noon-5pm
Open since 1946 — BYOB after sunset (cans only)
1207 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704 · Mon-Thu 9am-10pm, Fri-Sat 9am-11pm, Sun 9am-10pm
Free splash pad that'll burn two hours minimum — pack a towel
1100 Kingsbury St, Austin, TX 78703 · Daily 8am-10pm (May 1 - Oct 31)
Free — peacocks just walk around, tail feathers out Feb-June
3505 W 35th St, Austin, TX 78703 · Daily 5am-10pm
Kids feed sharks and pet stingrays — plan 2-3 hours
13530 US-183 #101, Austin, TX 78750 · Mon-Thu 10am-6pm, Fri-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 10am-7pm
Real dinosaur footprints and koi ponds — $3-8
2220 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78746 · Daily 9am-5pm (last entry 4:30pm)
Free first Sundays — the 4D theater is worth the extra cost with kids
1800 N Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701 · Daily 10am-5pm
Free Tuesdays — the Kelly chapel light show mesmerizes kids
200 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Austin, TX 78712 · Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 10am-5pm, closed Mon
Nature-themed playground with sound buttons — free trails along the Colorado River
400 Grove Blvd, Austin, TX 78741 · Daily 5am-10pm · Ages 0+
Kids' exploration caves and water features in 284 acres of native wildflowers
4801 La Crosse Ave, Austin, TX 78739 · Tue-Sun 9am-5pm, closed Mon · Ages 0+
102 stairs to the best view in Austin — free, even small kids can do it
3800 Mt Bonnell Rd, Austin, TX 78731 · Daily 5am-10pm · Ages 3+
Oldest pool in Texas — spring-fed, wading area for toddlers, less crowded than Barton Springs
401 Deep Eddy Ave, Austin, TX 78703 · Daily 8am-8pm (summer), reduced winter hours · Ages 0+
Rescue zoo with petting zoo and train ride — smaller and more personal
10808 Rawhide Trail, Austin, TX 78736 · Daily 9:30am-5pm (last entry 4pm) · Ages 0+
Free garden built for kids — whimsical paths, planting areas, and exploration
900 Lydia St, Austin, TX 78702 · Daily dawn to dusk · Ages 0+
Dinosaur fossils and a 40-foot pterosaur — free on the fourth Sunday
2400 Trinity St, Austin, TX 78712 · Tue-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 1pm-5pm, closed Mon · Ages 0+
12 miles of free trails with swimming holes and limestone cliffs
3755-B Capital of TX Hwy S, Austin, TX 78704 · Daily 5am-10pm · Ages 3+
Go-karts, mini golf, laser tag, and bumper boats — all in one spot
16231 N I-35, Pflugerville, TX 78660 · Mon-Thu 11am-9pm, Fri 11am-11pm, Sat 10am-11pm, Sun 10am-9pm · Ages 0+
Top-tier playground, splash pad, and lake loop — Thinkery right across the street
4550 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX 78723 · Daily 5am-10pm · Ages 0+
Jade-green swimming hole under a 50-foot waterfall — book ahead, sells out fast
24300 Hamilton Pool Rd, Dripping Springs, TX 78620 · Daily 9am-5:30pm; reservations required · Ages 4+
Free Sunday concerts on the lawn overlooking Lady Bird Lake
701 W Riverside Dr, Austin, TX 78704 · Sundays, check Long Center schedule for times · Ages 0+
22,000 sq ft free skate park with a beginner area — helmets required under 18
8500 FM 969, Austin, TX 78724 · Daily 5am-10pm · Ages 3+
$5 to swim in a 68-degree spring-fed pool. Go early on weekends or don't go at all.
2201 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78746 · Daily 5am-10pm, closed Thu 9am-7pm for cleaning
The oldest pool in Texas. Spring-fed, no chlorine smell, $5. Lap swimmers take the morning, everyone else gets the afternoon.
401 Deep Eddy Ave, Austin, TX 78703 · Lap swim 8am-12pm, Rec swim 12pm-8pm daily
10-mile loop around the lake, totally free, open 24 hours. The boardwalk section is worth doing even if you skip the rest.
Along Lady Bird Lake, Austin, TX 78701 · Open 24 hours
Walk up, grab a kayak, paddle Lady Bird Lake. $20/hr, no reservation. Time it for sunset and the Congress Ave bats.
2418 Stratford Dr, Austin, TX 78746 · Daily 9am-7pm, last rental at 6pm
The swimming holes are incredible when the creek is running. Check water levels first — they're dry half the year and nobody tells you that.
2201 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78746 · Daily 5am-10pm
Austin's backyard. 351 acres, free to enter, connects to basically every trail in central Austin. Bring a frisbee.
2100 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704 · Daily 5am-10pm
Redesigned in 2023 and it shows. 18 holes through big oaks along the river, completely free. Park at the end of Grove Blvd or you'll walk forever.
400 Grove Blvd, Austin, TX 78741 · Daily 5am-10pm
Tight, wooded, technical. This is the course Austin disc golfers play when they want to actually be challenged. Free.
6301 W Slaughter Ln, Austin, TX 78739 · Daily 6am-10pm
$5, no membership, 8 lighted courts. Reserve two days out or just show up and wait for an open court.
2312 Shoal Creek Blvd, Austin, TX 78705 · Mon-Fri 8am-10pm, Sat-Sun 8am-6pm
Free indoor pickleball courts, no membership. Also has basketball. The senior pickleball crowd on Tuesday mornings is surprisingly competitive.
1100 Cumberland Rd, Austin, TX 78704 · Mon-Thu 11am-9pm, Fri 11am-6pm, Sat 9am-3pm, Sun 1pm-5pm
6 courts, permanent nets, free. The East Austin pickleball community basically lives here. Go midday on a weekday if you want to actually get on a court.
2100 E 3rd St, Austin, TX 78702 · Daily, dawn to dusk
$6 to swim at a waterfall 15 minutes from downtown. Feels like you drove two hours into the Hill Country. Check water levels first.
5808 McKinney Falls Pkwy, Austin, TX 78744 · Daily 8am-10pm
The trail nobody mentions to tourists. 3.7 miles through Pease Park, mostly shaded, a fraction of the Lady Bird Lake crowds.
707 W Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78701 · Open 24 hours
Every class is donation-based. Hot yoga, 90 degrees, pay what you want. Four locations across Austin. No reason not to try it.
913 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702 · Class schedule varies, check website
Free outdoor courts with lights, plus a full indoor gym. Summer evenings are the real scene — East Austin pickup basketball at its best.
3811 E 12th St, Austin, TX 78721 · Outdoor courts: daily dawn to dusk. Rec center hours vary.
$15/hr kayaks on Lady Bird Lake — cheaper than the other rental spots. South side launch, no reservation needed.
1621 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704 · Daily, hours vary seasonally
Full gym, sand volleyball, totally free. No membership, no fees, just walk in. North Austin's best-kept secret.
2913 Northland Dr, Austin, TX 78757 · Mon-Thu 9am-9pm, Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 10am-2pm
Quick 9-hole course, good for beginners or a lunch break round. Free, plus the park has tennis, basketball, and a pool.
5201 Berkman Dr, Austin, TX 78723 · Daily 5am-10pm
Free public courts between Lady Bird Lake and Zilker. Tennis and pickleball. After-work hours are a fight — go early.
2001 W Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78703 · Daily, dawn to dusk (closed during school use)
$10 drop-in yoga on South Congress. Unlimited monthly is $45. Hard to find a reason not to go at that price.
4601 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78745 · Class schedule varies, check website
Austin's last real dance hall — $10 two-step lessons Wed-Sat at 8pm
3201 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704 · Tue-Sat from 4pm, dancehall opens 8-9pm
Ellsworth Kelly's colored glass chapel is the draw — free Tuesdays
200 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Austin, TX 78712 · Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 10am-5pm, closed Mon
68-70 degree spring-fed pool year-round — three acres, where Austin goes to cool off
2201 William Barton Dr, Austin, TX 78746 · Daily 5am-10pm (closed Thu 9am-7pm for cleaning)
Free Broadway-style musical under the stars — Austin tradition since 1959
2206 William Barton Dr, Austin, TX 78746 · Thu-Sun 8:15pm, mid-Jul through mid-Aug
Free 10-mile trail around the lake — 1.5 million bats emerge at sunset (Mar-Oct)
2 Robert T. Martinez Jr St, Austin, TX 78702 · Open 24 hours; kayak rentals vary
102 limestone stairs to the best view in Austin — free, takes two minutes
3800 Mt Bonnell Rd, Austin, TX 78731 · Daily 5am-10pm
Free Afrobeat Sundays in the backyard — one of Austin's most eclectic music spaces
1413 Webberville Rd, Austin, TX 78721 · Nightly, shows typically start 8-9pm
Independent shops, street music, iconic murals — free to stroll, First Thursdays are best
South Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704 · Shops generally 10am-8pm; restaurants and bars later
Bungalow houses turned into bars with backyard patios — the chill alternative to Sixth Street
Rainey St, Austin, TX 78701 · Most bars open 4pm-2am daily
1.5 million bats emerge at sunset — largest urban bat colony in North America, free to watch
100 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701 · Nightly at sunset, Mar-Oct
Free in-store performances by major artists — Austin's legendary record store since 1982
600A N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78703 · Mon-Sat 10am-11pm, Sun 11am-9pm
Real dinosaur trackway fossils and koi-filled Japanese garden — $3-8
2220 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78746 · Daily 9am-5pm (last entry 4:30pm)
LGBTQ+-owned venue with a huge patio — eclectic bookings and free/low-cover most nights
900 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701 · Daily 4pm-2am
Locals say best beef ribs in Austin — skip the brisket line and go straight for the ribs.
1003 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704 · Sun-Thu 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-9:30pm
The migas taco here is the best breakfast taco in Austin — fight me.
1704 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702 · Daily 7am-3pm
Farm-to-table with a rotating menu — whatever's in season, they're cooking it.
1201 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704 · Tue-Sat 5:30-10pm, brunch Sat-Sun 10:30am-2pm
Best pizza in Austin per locals — Detroit-style with thick, crispy cheese edges.
1111 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702 · Sun-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm