TOWN LAKE

The greatest attraction Austin has to offer is the stretch of the Colorado River called Town Lake that winds through the heart of downtown. This wide, slow-moving river is banked with lush vegetation, ancient trees, and wildlife such as hordes of turtles and birds. What makes Town Lake so remarkable? By taking just a few steps you can go from bustling, urban downtown to an alternate world that’s peaceful, beautiful, and natural.

Town Lake’s Hike and Bike Trails are some of the best urban trails in the country, with several loops over and around the lake. Each loop’s bridge provides a different view of Austin, the lake, and surrounding hills. Although the trails are fit for bikes as well as pedestrians, and during peak hours bikers find it pretty hard to navigate all the joggers and speed-walkers, everyone seems to sweat in harmony. The trails are all lakeside and have lots of shade, benches, water fountains, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. That’s right! On the south shore of the lake is a life-size bronze statue of the Austin legend proudly standing as a sentinel with guitar in hand.

Other activities that take place on Town Lake include crewing, canoeing, and kayaking, which are great ways to get up close to the turtles and other wildlife. Texas Rowing Center (512/467-7799, www.texasrowingcenter.com, on the north side of Town Lake on the trail near Mo-Pac, 6:30 a.m.–dark daily) has rentals for water sports. Rates start at $10 an hour and go to $45 for all-day rental. There’s also a double-decker paddle-wheel riverboat that takes passengers on tours of the lake. Lone Star Riverboat (512/327-1388, www.lonestarriverboat.com, $9) operates this Mark Twain–style adventure March–October on weekends at 3 p.m.

Town Lake’s trails can be accessed at any of the downtown bridges and from several of the hotels on the river. The most convenient parking lot is at Auditorium Shores, on the south side of the lake at the foot of the 1st Street Bridge. However, a better place to park is in Zilker Park, on Stratford Drive under the Mo-Pac overpass. Peak recreation hours are before and after the workday, during the weekend, and on holidays. Swimming in Town Lake isn’t allowed due to dangerous whirlpools.