Zilker & Barton Springs
49 places · 4 verified happy hours
Zilker & Barton Springs has 49 places on People of Austin, mostly restaurant (5), park (4), tour (4), food truck (4). Start with Peter Pan Mini-Golf, Austin Nature & Science Center, Zilker Botanical Garden. 4 happy hours here are verified on the venue's own site.
Photo: Downtown Austin / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Today in Zilker & Barton Springs
- Chuy's (Barton Springs) happy hour 3pm to 6pm: $5 chips and dips (queso, compuesto), specials on house 'ritas, Texas 'tinis, be
- El Alma Cafe y Cantina happy hour 3pm to 6pm: $5 beers, $5 sangria, $6 to $7 margaritas and discounted appetizers
- Juliet Italian Kitchen (Barton Springs) happy hour 3pm to 6pm: $3 off apps and pizza, $6 wine by the glass, $6 draft beer, $6-10 signature cock
- Salt Traders Coastal Cooking (Zilker) happy hour 3:30pm to 6:30pm: $1 off all oysters, $5 off 'beginnings' starters, $1 off drinks
- Austin Food & Wine Festival · Fri, Nov 6 · Daytime and evening sessions · Vic Mathias Shores (Auditorium Shores)
- Garden Gnome Grove Closing Celebration · Sun, Nov 8 · See listing · Zilker Botanical Garden, Oak Grove
- Free Day at Zilker Botanical Garden · Wed, Nov 11 · 9am-5pm · Zilker Botanical Garden
Peter Pan Mini-Golf
Two BYOB putt-putt courses under a towering fiberglass Peter Pan and a T-rex, running since 1948 on Barton Springs Road with a lease now secured through 2027.
Austin Nature & Science Center
Free city-run nature center on the west edge of Zilker with a dino dig pit, live rescued raptors and reptiles, and trails leading to the Barton Creek Greenbelt.
Zilker Botanical Garden
Thirty hilly acres of Japanese garden koi ponds, a pioneer village, dinosaur trackways, and a butterfly garden that feel far removed from the traffic on Barton Springs Road.
Zilker Eagle Mini Train
The rebuilt electric miniature train loops from the Zilker playground along Barton Creek and Lady Bird Lake, a 25-minute ride toddlers will demand twice.
Barton Springs Pool
Three acres of spring-fed 68-degree water in the middle of Zilker, with a grassy hillside for sunning, a diving board, and free early-morning and evening swims.
Zilker Metropolitan Park
Austin's 350-acre front yard: the Great Lawn for kite flying, Barton Springs, the mini train, a playground, and canoe rentals at the lake edge, all inside one park.
Barton Creek Greenbelt
Eight miles of creekside trail from Zilker to the Hill of Life, with swimming at Twin Falls and Sculpture Falls whenever the creek is running and limestone walls for climbers.
Rowing Dock
Paddleboard and kayak rentals under the Mopac bridge on the Zilker side of the lake, with glow-paddle nights and a quick route to the Barton Creek inlet.
Violet Crown Trail
A regional trail starting at Zilker and running through the Greenbelt toward Hays County, with the Sunset Valley and Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center segments among the quietest.
UMLAUF Sculpture Garden & Museum
Charles Umlauf's bronzes sit among ponds and shade trees on a hillside next to Zilker, a calm 20-minute wander that pairs well with a Barton Springs swim.
Beverly S. Sheffield Zilker Hillside Theater
A free summer musical on the Zilker hillside every July and August since 1959, with Singin' in the Rain in 2026; bring blankets, a cooler, and claim a spot early.
Carpenter Hotel
A 1948 carpenters' union hall turned 93-room hotel a five-minute walk from Barton Springs, with a shaded pool, Carpenters Hall restaurant and the Hot L coffee bar out front.
The Loren at Lady Bird Lake
A 108-room hotel-residence directly on the hike-and-bike trail, with a rooftop infinity pool over the lake, Nido restaurant and a spa that borrows Barton Springs' calm.
Dougherty Arts Center
The city's rebuilt community arts hub near Zilker Park, with gallery exhibits, theater space and classes in ceramics, painting and more.
Moonlight Towers
Austin's 17 surviving 1890s cast-iron moonlight towers, still lighting neighborhoods after dark and immortalized in the film Dazed and Confused.
Armadillo Christmas Bazaar
A beloved holiday season arts and crafts market at the Palmer Events Center, running since the original Armadillo World Headquarters days, with live music on stage.
Liz Carpenter Splash Pad
A free splash pad on the Lady Bird Lake hike and bike trail near Auditorium Shores gives toddlers a quick cool down between park laps.
Terra Toys
A South Congress toy shop packed floor to ceiling with puzzles, puppets and old fashioned playthings feels like a museum kids can shop in.
Butler Park
Rolling lawns, a splash pad and a skate park sit right next to Lady Bird Lake and the Zilker trailhead, a popular family gathering spot.
Auditorium Shores
Open lawns along Lady Bird Lake host festivals and concerts, and give dogs and picnickers a wide open downtown green space.
Live Love Paddle
This Lady Bird Lake outfitter rents paddleboards and kayaks and runs guided sunset and full moon paddle tours around the lake.
Zilker Park Boat Rentals
Canoes, kayaks and paddleboards launch right from Zilker Park onto Lady Bird Lake, a simple rental for a quick lake outing.
Butler Pitch & Putt
A short nine hole par 3 course by Lady Bird Lake makes for a quick, cheap round that's easy for kids and beginners.
Lone Star Riverboat
A narrated cruise down Lady Bird Lake aboard a paddle wheel style riverboat covers Austin history, wildlife and the bat bridge at dusk.
Barton Springs Nursery
A full-service nursery near Zilker stocking natives, vegetables, and landscaping supplies, with staff quick to give straightforward planting advice.
El Alma Cafe y Cantina
A colorful Barton Springs Road cantina with a plant filled patio, pouring mezcal cocktails alongside modern Mexican plates near Zilker Park.
Gimme Burger
A no frills smash burger counter near Zilker Park, good for refueling with a burger and shake after a day at Barton Springs Pool.
Lou's
A casual Barton Springs Road spot for sandwiches and easy plates, a low key stop between the Zilker Park crowds and the Lamar bridge.
Carpenters Hall
The restaurant and bar attached to the Carpenter Hotel, serving elevated Texas comfort food on a shaded patio near Zilker Park.
ATX Food Co
A Barton Springs Road food truck park with a rotating lineup of trailers and picnic tables, an easy pre or post Zilker Park stop.
Happy hours in Zilker & Barton Springs
| Venue | Days | Hours | Deals | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chuy's (Barton Springs)Zilker & Barton Springs · Chain-wide deal; site says hours vary by location | SMTWTFS Today |
3pm to 6pm | $5 chips and dips (queso, compuesto), specials on house 'ritas, Texas 'tinis, beer and wine Low-carb lane: wine by the glass |
Press-confirmed source |
| Salt Traders Coastal Cooking (Zilker)Zilker & Barton Springs · Monday runs all night 3:30pm-9pm | SMTWTFS Today |
3:30pm to 6:30pm | $1 off all oysters, $5 off 'beginnings' starters, $1 off drinks Low-carb lane: oysters |
Venue-confirmed source |
| El Alma Cafe y CantinaZilker & Barton Springs · Rooftop and ground-level patio; kids menu not confirmed | SMTWTFS Today |
3pm to 6pm | $5 beers, $5 sangria, $6 to $7 margaritas and discounted appetizers | Press-confirmed source |
| Juliet Italian Kitchen (Barton Springs)Zilker & Barton Springs · Wine and cocktail prices vary slightly between 2026 guides. | SMTWTFS Today |
3pm to 6pm | $3 off apps and pizza, $6 wine by the glass, $6 draft beer, $6-10 signature cocktails Low-carb lane: wine by the glass |
Press-confirmed source |