The kids are out of school and it is time to unleash the fun in ATX and the surrounding Texas Hill Country. The 2019 agenda includes music fests, boating, fishing, kayaking, tubing, and road trips to the beach just to name a few things. Time to pack up the laptops and cash in a few vacation days. Summer of fun is in full swing.
Schlitterbahn
One of the finest water parks in the world is located about 50 miles south of Austin in New Braunfels. You can stay at the park at one of two locations. The town provides access to tubing on the Comol and Guadalupe River just a few miles away. It is a must for our crew to make a few trips down to Schlitterbahn each summer.
Inland Surf Park
Austin is home to a gigantic man-made surf parks. This is not one of those fake surfing rides that you see at the water park. It’s the size of multiple football fields and they make perfect waves for actual surfing. You can have a session and lesson for around $100. This look like something that could qualify as super fun and is at the top of my personal summer bucket list. A few surfers I’ve talked to have said it is amazing.
Boating on the Hill Country Lakes
For those looking for the Party Cove, Lake Travis’s Devils cove is the big one. You can also find party coves on LBJ and other areas of Lake Travis. The Resort at Horse Shoe bay is nice place to take the family and has great golf courses, tennis courts, and a nice pool area on lake LBJ. For the serious anglers, the fishing is best at Lake Buchanan where you can land some nice sized stripped bas. If you don’t have your own boat, Inks Lake is a cool place to go where you can rent kayaks and paddle boat. It’s also a small lake with a nice cliff jumping and swimming area. Inks Lake also has cabins and tent camping right on the lake.
Zip Lining on Lake Travis
Things are bigger in Texas, including the zip lines. The lines go from one hill top to another across good size coves on Lake Travis. This place is sweet and worth every penny of the not so modest price tag
Splash Mob
A new tradition in Austin is the downtown water balloon and water gun fight on 6th street. After you get soaked out in the sun, the party gets started during the middle of the day in the downtown bars. Yes it’s as fun as it sounds.
Float Fest
Music fest with inter tubes and camping. The lineup can be a little hip-hip-ish for some. Ice Cube is one of the headliners this year and the venue has now moved to Gonzales.
ROT Republic of Texas Biker Rally
The rally is officially in downtown Austin, with bikers making road trips out into the hill country all weekend. It’s one of the bigger biker events in the country and always a good time even if you don’t sport a hog. On second thought, since most of us on the GTS Surf staff have a motorcycle of some kind we don’t’ really know if it’s fun if you don’t have a 2 wheel ride.
Blues on the Green
The Free music series in Zilker Park is a great reason to go for a swim in Barton Spring and take in a show on a random Wednesday.
Willy Nelsons 4th of July Pick nick
Willy still jams it in ATX for USA’s Birthday. The event is now at Circuit of the Americas.
Fishing Trip to Port Aransas
Port A is our favorite fishing destination on the Texas Gulf coast. The hotels are decent and cheap, the beaches in Port A are decent. We typical send a few days fishing in the bays in our boat and then take one of the big charter boats out into the Gulf for Snapper Fishing. Over the past 10 years the Feds and the State of Texas have put strict limits on the Red Snapper, and as a result the fishing is now the best I’ve seen in my lifetime. The boat now routinely bring back and handful of giant 20+ lb Red Snappers. Port A is also near the North Padre Inland beach. You can drive up and down the 40 mile stretch and go camping right on the ocean front. The wind can be a little stiff, but it’s camping on the beach.
