List of fun things to do on hot summer days in Austin
AUSTIN, Texas - Austin experienced its hottest week on record this July, and temperatures are not expected to lower any time soon.
The city offers countless ways to beat the heat while having some fun.
Check out FOX 7 Austin's list of fun things to do and places to cool off around Austin this summer:
Outdoor activities
Barton Springs Pool
(City of Austin)
Cost: $2-$5 for Austin residents, $4-$9 for non-residents
Hours: Monday-Sunday 5 a.m.-10 p.m. with a weekly closure on Thursdays from 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Barton Springs is a three-acre spring-fed pool residing in Zilker Park. The pool's depths range from 0 to 18 feet.
To purchase entry tickets to Barton Springs or another one of Austin's many city pools, use the ATXSwims app, available on Google Play or the Apple Store or purchase them online.
Pace Bend Park
Cost: $5 for day use
Hours: Monday-Sunday sunrise to twilight, no new entries an hour before twilight
Pace Bend is a park located in west Travis County on the cliffs of Lake Travis. It provides access to the lake with designated swimming areas Mudd Cove, Kate's Cove and Gracy Cove. The park also offers fishing locations and boat ramps.
Zebra mussels have been found along the shoreline of the park, so visitors are advised to use caution when entering the water.
For more information, click here.
Zilker Botanical Garden
Cost: $6-$8 for adults, $3-$4 for youth
Hours: Daily 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
This botanical garden inside Zilker Park includes multiple themed gardens for visitors to immerse themselves in. It includes a Japanese garden, a prehistoric themed garden, a rose garden, and more. There are also streams and koi ponds located across the grounds, giving the location a relaxed feel.
To purchase tickets online, click here.
McKinney Falls State Park
Cost: $6 for adults for daily use, free for children under 12 years of age
Hours: 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
McKinney Falls is located just 13 miles away from the State Capitol and offers swimming, fishing, hiking and more. The park also includes an observation deck for viewing the Upper Falls and a bat cave.
The park's visitor center also lends out Junior Ranger Explorer Packs, fishing rods and tackle.
McKinney Falls recommends purchasing park reservations online, even for day use. Click here to make a reservation.
Quest ATX
Cost: $45 for a Water Park Pass for the day, $59 for Wake + Water Park pass for the day
Hours: Monday-Friday 12-8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. through August
Quest ATX offers an array of fun summer activities: a cable wakeboard park and wakeboard rentals, a lake obstacle course, a tower rope swing, a blob, two 85-foot slides and paddle boards!
There is a food truck located on site and visitors are also allowed to bring their own food and drinks, but there is a $10 cooler fee.
To learn more, click here.
COTA Karting
Cost: Pricing starts around $35 per person for a single fun or competitive race. Combo race packages are also available. Click here to view prices.
Hours: Monday-Tuesday 5-10 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Karting at the Circuit of the America's gives visitors the opportunity to compete in a fun race right next to Austin's Formula 1 track. The karting track features 15 turns and karts reach up to 55 mph.
COTA Karting is the country's premier karting destination for all skill levels. Kick fun into overdrive by challenging fellow competitors to a white-knuckle race next to the ONLY Formula 1 track in the United States! With 15 hair-raising turns, you'll feel a rush of adrenaline as you experience the thrill of racing at speeds up to 55 mph.
Click here to book online.
Typhoon Texas
Cost: $39.99 (General Admission) online, $44.99 at the gate
Hours: The park's hours vary by day, to view the hours by day, click here
Typhoon Texas is an outdoor waterpark located in Pflugerville. It offers cabana rentals, multiple food and drink options, bars and several attractions including a lazy river.
To purchase tickets, click here.
Other outdoor waterparks in the Austin area include Rock 'N River in Round Rock and Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels.
Top Golf
Cost: Pricing varies per day with Tuesdays being half-off. Click here to view pricing.
Hours: Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-11 p.m., Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.-12 a.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
Top Golf offers a high-tech, fun way to show off your golf swing. The hitting bays are climate controlled and each one is equipped with an HDTV. The location also offers a sports bar and restaurant.
Click here to plan your visit.
Indoor activities
Cidercade
Cost: $10 for a day pass that gives you access to 150+ arcade games
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 10 a.m.-12 a.m., Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.-1 a.m.
Cidercade is family friendly but after 8 p.m. only those 21 years or older are allowed entrance.
A day pass gives visitors access to nearly 200 arcade games. Each game is included in the game pass, so there's no need to pay with any sort of game card or cash.
There is a cider bar on site that offers hard ciders, hard kombuchas, hard seltzers and hard smoothies. There is also non-alcoholic drinks available and a restaurant.
Cidercade's outdoor patio is located right on Lady Bird Lake, giving visitors a great view of the downtown Austin skyline.
To learn more, click here.
Thinkery
Cost: $16 for General Admission
Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesday 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
The Thinkery is an interactive children's museum with a dozen different exhibits.
Click here to learn more.
Austin Bouldering Project
Cost: $18 for an adult day pass, $14 for a student/youth day pass
Hours: Monday-Friday 6 a.m.-11 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
Austin Bouldering Project is an indoor rock climbing gym. The gym only offers bouldering, which is rock climbing without a harness, however there are crash pads on the floors to provide a cushioned surface for when climbers jump off the wall or take a tumble.
To plan a visit, click here.
Upstairs Circus ATX
Cost: Project prices vary, click here to view the event calendar
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 3 p.m.-10 p.m., Friday 3 p.m.-11 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 12-6:30 p.m.
Upstairs Circus is a place for those 21 years and older to enjoy libations while getting a little crafty. After making a reservation, visitors get to choose a DIY project from the project menu. The menu offers a variety of projects with varying difficulties. Some examples include coasters, a leather pet collar, a beaded wrap bracelet and distressed wood art.
Click here to learn more.
Kalahari Resort
Cost: Day passes vary in price depending on the time of entry, click here to view day passes
Hours: The indoor waterpark's hours are 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Kalahari Resort in America's largest indoor waterpark! In addition to the waterpark, the resort includes bowling, an arcade, escape rooms, live entertainment and more.
In addition to offering rooms and suites, the park offers day passes for those not wanting to stay overnight.
Click here to learn more.
Chaparral Ice
Cost: $12 for Standard Admission, $6 for skate rentals
Hours: Private lessons, hockey games and private events are regularly held at Chaparral Ice, so public skating is held during various times. Click here to view the public skate schedule.
The ice rink features an onsite café offering hot food, drinks and desserts.
Click here to learn more.
Fareground
Cost: Varying costs
Hours: Daily 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Fareground is the perfect place to graze all day in the air-conditioning. It features six different eateries, two bars and all-day coffee as well as retail from local Austin artisans.
Different events and specials are held regularly, including happy hour, weekend brunch and live music.
To learn more, click here.