Lady Bird Lake - Austin, TX

A trip to Austin just wouldn't be complete without taking in and experiencing all there is to do at Lady Bird Lake.

The lake is in downtown Austin and caters to outdoor enthusiasts. Walkers, runners, and cyclists will appreciate the 10 miles of trails around the lake with several rest stops that allow you to enjoy the views.

For our canine friends, there is the Auditorium Shores Dog Park that borders the lake and has seen use as a venue for live music performances at South by Southwest and other events. There is plenty of park for the non-canines, too, with picnic tables and room for relaxing, flying kites, etc.

A statue near the lakeshore is dedicated to local guitar legend, Stevie Ray Vaughan.

If you're into water sports, there are plenty of opportunities for kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, and fishing.

There are a lot of rental companies along the lake. We chose Live Love Paddle (livelovepaddle.com) for our kayaking tour. Conveniently located on Riverside Drive, just a short walk from the rental counter to the lake. Our guide, ___, was a big hit.

And don't forget the evening cruises to witness the bats emerging from beneath Congress Bridge.

We chose Capital Cruises (www.capitalcruisesaustintx.com) and booked everything online. They have a short guided tour of Lady Bird and then, at dusk, you pull close to the bridge and wait patiently for the estimated 1.5 million bats to head out for their evening meal.

When you are in the Austin area, make time to explore and enjoy Lady Bird Lake.