Bird in a park

LOCATIONS

Welcome to the Asian American Resource Center!

Asian American Resource Center Building

With over 12 miles to explore, the Barton Creek Greenbelt offers a variety of recreational activities and stunning natural beauty. Visitors can hike through scenic trails, wade in refreshing swimming holes, and bike along the rugged terrain renowned for its limestone cliffs. A trail map, trailhead listing, and hiking tips can be found below!

Within Zilker Park's 358 acres lies one of the crown jewels of Austin: Barton Springs Pool. The pool itself measures three acres in size, and is fed from underground springs with an average temperature of 68-70 degrees, ideal for year-round swimming.

Get information on how to visit, including hours, ticket prices, and what to bring:

Visit Barton Springs Pool

Alamo Recreation Center

 

Alamo Recreation Center offers year-round inclusive Therapeutic Recreation programming for adults and seniors with differing abilities. The park includes a playscape, multi-use field, Gaga pit, and a covered, lighted basketball court.

The Austin Fire Museum is being relocated. This page will be updated as soon as it is available to visit again. We hope to welcome you to a new location soon!

Previously located in historic Central Fire Station No. 1, the Austin Fire Museum features 19th to 21st Century uniforms, photographs, and memorabilia from the firefighters of Austin. Operated by the Austin Fire Museum Hook & Ladder Society.

 

Since 1960, the Austin Nature & Science Center has provided hands-on nature exhibits, education programs, and recreation activities for countless visitors, teachers, and children of all ages that increase awareness and appreciation of the natural environment. Located on the western edge of Zilker Park, ANSC is dedicated to the exploration of the natural world.

Disc golf may not have started in Austin, but it sometimes feels that way. The City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department is proud to host 6 disc golf courses, including Bartholomew Park, the oldest course in Texas still open. Other courses can be found at Zilker Metropolitan Park, Mary Moore Searight Park, Circle C Ranch Metropolitan Park, Roy G. Guerrero Colorado Park and the newest course at Davis Spring Special Park. Click here to learn more about disc golf in Austin (PDF, 2011).

 

Sweat bee

Austin is a Bee City!

Temporary Closure 

Date of closure: February 15, 2024–Spring 2025

 Carver Banner

The George Washington Carver Museum, Genealogy and Cultural Center offers the Boyd Vance Theatre and one indoor atrium space for rental. Events can be either private or public.

Volunteer Opportunities at the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural, and Genealogy Center

Photo collage of volunteers filming, greeting, and working with youth.

Commons Ford Ranch Metropolitan Park is located at 614 Commons Ford Ranch in Austin.

The Parks and Recreation Department offers a wide variety of programs for youth and teens, adults and 50+ seniors at our Community Recreation Centers. Youth programs include camps, sports, art clubs, teen events, toddler sports, and youth sports hosted year round.  Adult and senior classes include anything from arts and crafts and aerobics to pickleball, citywide events, and field trips. Recreation Centers provide a comprehensive menu of activities and events for all ages and abilities to come together, connect with each other and create community through various experiences.

Danny G McBeth Recreation Center

 

Danny G. McBeth Recreation Center and Annex provides social opportunities through quality programs that challenge, support and teach leisure skills for the citizens of Austin with differing abilities. The center offers year-round programs for youth, teens, and adults.

Dittmar Recreation center promotes individual and community wellness that enhances the quality of life by unleashing the human potential through services and programs that meet the emotional, social and physical needs of the far South Austin community.

The Dottie Jordan Recreation Center offers activities for youth, teens, and senior citizens,including Therapeutic Recreation programs for teens and adults with disabilities. The park consists of a multi-use field, a playscape, two-lighted tennis courts, a lighted basketball court, a walking trail, one multi-purpose room, kitchen/computer lab area, a community garden, and a swimming pool.

Dougherty Arts Center

Experience the dynamic environment of Austin’s oldest community arts venue through theater, music and dance performances, art exhibits, events, and studio arts programs for youth and adults. Discover why the Dougherty Arts Center has been the Heart of the Arts in Austin since 1978. We support emerging through established artists by creating opportunities to showcase work and experience art first hand.

Eastwoods Splash Pad

3001 Harris Park Blvd., Austin, TX. 78705

Phone Numbers:  (512) 974-9332

Status:  Closed

The Elisabet Ney Museum is the historic home and studio of Elisabet Ney, a wildly iconoclastic German sculptor who moved to Austin in 1882. The museum enthusiastically celebrates her art, her history and her legacy through exhibitions and events for the whole family.

The museum enjoys numerous historic designations and is a cornerstone of the Hyde Park National Register Historic Neighborhood. Admission is free.

Emma Long Metropolitan Park (City Park) is open year-round from 7:00am to 10:00pm.  The park features open space, camp sites, boat ramps, reservation based large picnic table sites and a designated beach entry swimming area.

PEAK SEASON PARK DAY PASSES - Pre-purchased day passes online March through September. Required Friday - Sundays & holidays March - September. See the Park Day Pass section below for details and links!

The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB-MACC) is dedicated to the preservation, creation, presentation, and promotion of the cultural arts of Mexican Americans and Latino cultures.

NOTICE: The ESB-MACC will be closed for its Phase 2 expansion and renovation project starting in January 2023. Programs and events will be held at other sites. Check ESB-MACC website for locations of our 2023 programs. The ESB-MACC main office will be at the Dougherty Arts Center and the number will remain the same: 512-974-3772.

 

The George Morales Dove Springs Recreation Center opened its doors on March 28, 1998 to provide citizens of the Dove Springs community recreational and educational resources.

Boat Ramp Reopening

Public access to the boat ramps at Lake Walter E. Long reopened at noon on Thursday, January 25, 2024 as the lake level is now high enough to safely allow boat launching.  Austin Parks and Recreation will continue to monitor available water elevation levels.

Image of Lamar Senior Activity Center

The Lamar Senior Activity Center (also called "The Senior Activity Center - Lamar") offers instructed classes, health and wellness programs, educational seminars, workshops, trips, dances, volunteer opportunities, support groups, special events, meeting space and private rental space.

Liz Carpenter Splash Pad

201 Dawson Rd. Austin, TX. 78704

The Lorraine "Grandma" Camacho Activity Center is dedicated to providing quality outdoor recreation, nature-based education, and cultural art programs to youth, teens, and adults.  Camacho specializes in adventure programming such as mountain biking, kayaking, rock climbing, filmmaking, hiking, and much more!

Mayfield Park's 23 acres boast historic buildings, a picturesque cottage available for wedding and event rentals, unique ponds covered in water lilies and the beautiful peacocks for which the park is known.

Montopolis Recreation and Community Center

Montopolis Recreation and Community Center and Park contains a gymnasium, kitchen, boxing room, two meeting rooms, shower and dressing room facilities, playscape, swimming pool, and a lighted softball/football field.

The Chapel is a visitor center where we can, as an act of remembrance, learn about our cultural heritage through the people who were buried in the surrounding cemetery. Genealogy reveals our forebears' influence on the past and future. We share and collect individual narratives to create a framework for the collective human story. 

The Old Bakery & Artisan Emporium is a historic building located in downtown Austin. Local artists and craftspeople keep our artisan shop full of unique, handmade items.

Our Art Gallery features the work of local artists who are 50+ years old. We provide Visitor Center information and have a history exhibit that explores Austin's immigrant history through the Lundberg-Maerki Historical Collection.

Photo of Pickfair Community Center

Pickfair Community Center hosts a variety of recreational and leisure activities for the far Northwest Austin community, utilizing the old fire department building as a "micro-gym" and an additional room as an activity and meeting space.

The Austin Parks and Recreation Department currently operates two skate parks - one in Mabel Davis District Park and the Heath Eiland and Morgan Moss BMX Skate Park at 1213 Shoal Creek Boulevard next to Austin Recreation Center.

                                                                              South Austin Recreation Center

Located in South Austin minutes from Zilker Park, the South Austin Recreation Center offers year round special events and programs for tiny tots, youth, adults and seniors.

South Austin Senior Activity Center

The South Austin Senior Activity Center (SASAC) functions as a special use resource facility for persons 50 years of age and older. 

Southern Walnut Creek Trail is a nature lover’s delight.  Located in East Austin, this beautiful twisting and turning maze of trees and foliage is the city’s newest recreation resource for hikers, joggers and bicyclists.

The Parks and Recreation Department maintains several types of trails for hiking, biking, skating and other activities. View the trail directory to see the location and usage types of all City-maintained trails. Use the Parks GIS Viewer to find a trail near your location.

Walsh Boat Landing is a concrete boat ramp on Lake Austin, operated by the Parks and Recreation Department. Boat launch fee: $10, payable by card/credit at the kiosks located in the parking lot.

SERVICES

Zilker Metropolitan Park is considered "Austin's most-loved park." This 351-acre metropolitan park is home to a variety of recreation opportunities, facilities, and special events for individuals and families.