Barton Springs Pool  Not just the best swimming spot in Austin, Barton Springs may be the best swimming spot on Earth! Cool, clear, and teeming with life, this 1,100 foot-long spring-fed pool is one of the largest non-chlorinated swimming pools in the country. Ducks, bass, crawfish, and double-crested cormorants splash alongside swimmers and UT students desperately working on their tans. Open year round. Closes during heavy rainfall (call 512-867-3080). From 5am-9am and 9pm-10pm, you can swim, but there are no lifeguards on duty. From 9am-9pm, the red-suited lifeguards will watch your every move. Closed 9am-7pm on Thursdays for cleaning. Admission:Adults, $2.50 weekdays, $2.75 on weekends, 75 cents for ages 12-17, 50 cents for 11 and under.

Hamilton Pool Preserve  There are many reasons to visit this spot including a sand beach, a 75-foot waterfall and a huge rock formation that can be explored from the water or from a path that circles the pool.  Hundreds of cliff swallows live above the pool in tiny nests and are constantly coming and going.  The park also has good hiking trails and numerous species of birds.  Open from 9am to 6pm.  No glass, camping, fires or pets allowed.  Be sure to take drinking water.  Admission is $5 per vehicle.  The pool is also usually closed to swimmers after heavy rains.  Call 512-264-2740 for more information about Hamilton Pool Preserve.

 

Deep Eddy Pool  The huge shallow end, cool water, and massive cottonwood trees make this a family favorite for all ages.  This is actually the oldest man made pool in Texas.  Lap swimmers have their own pool, so the kids can frolic to their heart's content without getting in the way of the serious swimmers.  From May 24th to August 10th, adult lap swimming is available from 8am to 10am.  Recreational swimming and lap swimming is available from 10am to 9pm.  Admission: $2 for adults, 75 cents for ages 12 to 17 and 50 cents for 11 and under.  Call 512-472-8546 for more information and to confirm hours of operation at Deep Eddy Pool.


San Marcos River  You can tube it, snorkel it, or swim it...you choose! This spot is well worth the 30-minute drive from Austin.  Fed by the San Marcos Springs, there are several spots that are a ton of fun to explore along this river.  The falls just below the popular Peppers Restaurant have long been a favorite of the locals.  Many visitors wear a life jacket, swim mask, and snorkel and float down the river a mile or two.  Tubing, canoeing, and kayaking are also great ways to enjoy the river.  The river is full of wildlife, including rare plants, turtles, and fish.  However, the river has many cans and glass bottles in it, so be sure to protect your feet.


Sculpture Falls on Barton Creek  When there is no drought and the creek is actually flowing, this is an amazing urban oasis.  You'll quickly forget you're in the middle of town, as the waterfall drowns out the noise of the big city.  This is probably the loudest waterfall on the Barton Creek Greenbelt, and the water has carved out very interesting patterns in the rock.  Located about 1.3 miles upstream of the Mopac/Loop 1 bridge, the only way to get to Sculpture is by walking or cycling, which keeps the amateurs far at bay.  Curfew on city trails is always from 10pm to 7am.  Also remember that alcohol and glass containers are not legal in city parks.


Stacy Pool  This is by far the best place to swim during cold or cool weather.  Heated by a natural warm spring, this pool has actually been around since it was built by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s.  It's not big and there's not a lot of shade, but it's still popular, particular with lap swimmers.  Stacy Pool is open from 6am to 8pm during the week and noon to 7pm on weekends.  During the week the pool is reserved from 6am to 8am for adult lap swimming only and from 8am to 10am for swim team practice.  Stacy Pool is run by the city's aquatics department (512-476-4521).  Admission is always free and the pool is located at 800 E. Live Oak.


Krause Springs in Spicewood  This is one of the best, least-known swimming spots in Central Texas.  Krause Springs is actually privately owned and has a regular cement swimming pool as well as a rustic swimming spot on Little Cypress Creek.  The campground is open year-round and during the summer months for swimming, 9am to dusk.  Admission is $3 for children ages 4 to 11 and $4 for everyone else.  There is plenty of room for camping and there are 24 RV sites with hook ups.  Camping is $5 for children ages 4 to 11 and $8 for adults.  Pets and glass bottles are not allowed.  For more information or to make camping reservations, call the Krauses at 830-693-4181.


Hippie Hollow   In addition to being one of the best places on earth to see the rare black-capped vireo, a federally protected songbird, Hippie Hollow is one of the few public swimming spots in Texas where clothing is optional.  So make sure take your binoculars (just kidding).  Located on Lake Travis, the swimming here isn't as good as some of the other parks on Lake Travis, but it's still an interesting stop to experience.  No one under 18 is admitted.  Admission: $5 per vehicle and is open from 8am to 9pm.  No camping, cooking, glass or pets.  Call Travis County Parks Department for more information on Hippie Hollow (512-473-9437).



Blue Hole in Georgetown  Located in Georgetown just north of Austin and on the San Gabriel River, Blue Hole is a scenic lagoon bordered by gorgeous limestone bluffs.  This spot is underdeveloped, but worth the effort in getting there.  A small dam near the Austin Avenue bridge keeps water in this stretch of the river year-round and there's a grassy area on the riverbank that's great for picnics.  The park also features an actual picnic area, restrooms and wading areas.  Admission is free but make sure to visit the above link or call Georgetown Parks and Recreation to make sure the park is open.  Recent flooding had caused sever damage and the park may be closed.


Blue Hole in Wimberley   Located on Cypress Creek one quarter mile east of the Wimberley town square, this privately owned campground and swimming area attracts people from all over Central Texas.  Rope swings hang from the huge cypress trees that line the spring-fed creek.  Admission for a group of up to five costs $50 for a seasonal membership plus $1 per head; for more than five people, admission is $3 per person plus the seasonal membership.  Day use hours are 9am to 7pm.  No pets, no glass, and no minors are allowed without their parents.  Camping is available with fees starting at $15 per night, plus a weekly membership for an additional $15.  Call 512-847-9127 for more information.


*Special thanks to Land America Austin Title and Robert Bryce