Congress Bridge Bats in Austin TX
Austin is the state capital of Texas, an inland city surrounding the Hill Country region. Home to the University of Texas flagship campus, Austin is known for its eclectic live-music scene centered around nation, blues and rock. Its lots of parks and lakes are popular for treking, cycling, swimming and boating. South of the city, Formula One's Circuit of the Americas raceway has hosted the United States Grand Prix.
Austin's most popular tourist attraction with the tourists is the Congress Bridge Bats. It's a remarkable visual to enjoy 1.5 million bats fly across the sky in their nighttime departure from Congress Bridge in their never ending pursuit to their meal of mosquitoes.
The Congress Avenue bridge spans Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin and is home to the biggest metropolitan bat colony in North America known as the Congress Bridge Bats. This nest is approximated at 1.5 million Mexican free-tail bats. Each night from around mid-March to early November, the Congress Bridge Bats bats emerge from under the bridge to blanket the sky as they go out to forage for food. This occasion has turned into one of the most amazing and uncommon traveler attractions in Austin Texas. The most spectacular bat flights are throughout hot, dry August nights, when numerous columns of bats emerge. During a rainy season (unusual in Austin), there are more bugs out and the bats do not have to leave as early to forage for food and you might not see as lots of bats. If you're on a boat searching for at the bats, the contrast against the evening sky assists show them better. There is a good spot to watch the bats along the Lady Bird Lake walking and bike path just East of the bridge on the South side of Lady Bird Lake. Many individuals will enjoy them from the bridge above. Both spots can get really crowded and neither provides as excellent of an experience as viewing it from the water on among the tours listed below.
Capital Cruises Bat Watching Tours
Capital Cruises is house of the largest electrical paddle wheel boat in the country and the now famous Sunset Bat Watching expedition that offers an amazing view of the Congress Bridge Bats as they fly out overhead where the contrast against the night skyline helps them stick out. This tour fills nearly every night throughout bat season often a few days beforehand. Costs are $10 for grownups, $8 for seniors, and $5 for kids. You require to arrive about 30 minutes prior to sundown to get on the boat and buying tickets beforehand is highly suggested throughout peak summer season as they sell out almost every night, including weekdays.
Lone Star Riverboats Bat Watching Tours
Like Capital Cruises, Lone Star Riverboats likewise uses bat watching tours along Lady Bird lake. Both companies provide weekend afternoon tours, however Lone Star likewise has a Friday night trip. Both business tend to run as roll over for the other specifically click here for more when one boat is booked for a private event. The tours vary some, but the exact same terrific bat enjoying from underneath the bridge in the convenience of a seat is readily available here too. Ticket prices are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, $7 for children under 12, and children under 2 are free. This is a great tour for the views of downtown and the Austin bats. I 'd recommend some water on hot summer nights.
Live Love Paddle Kayak Bat Watching Tours
Kayaking on Lady Bird Lake with Live Love Paddle's bat viewing tour is one of our favorite ways to view the bats. The cool water of the Colorado river beneath you drops the temperature almost 10 degrees. Plus the view of downtown at sundown can produce some amazing images that are nearly as fantastic as the bats themselves. Trips begin at 1602 East Riverside Drive, cost $45 per person, and tandem boats are offered. The minimum weight on bat-watching trips is 30 lbs and maximum weight is 275 lbs. That means THIS TOUR IS KID FRIENDLY. Tours start just before sunset so times differ with the season.
Your Biker Gang Bat Watching and Sunset Ride
Our pals at Your Biker Gang have an unique trip devoted to bat watching. You get to cruise around an electric hog with some rad helmets and hip tour guide. They'll show you a few of Austin's finest downtown websites and after that swing over to view the bats as they fly East on their nightly mosquito eating quest. This flight features complimentary treats, an unique surprise, and bragging rights to share with your buddies! Moody Theater, the Driskill Hotel, plus numerous cultural and historic sights, street murals!
Don't Miss the Yeti Flagship Store
Located straight across the street from the bats primary departure point is a store with a different character than your normal retail outlet. Yeti was founded in Austin in 2006 and they selected this iconic crossway to open their very first store front. The Yeti Flagship Store elevates the customer experience by inspiring visitors to go out and check out the wild as it catches a core tenet of the brand in 8,000 square feet. It's a gathering area for locals and out-of-towners to enjoy a cold beer, listen to music, see a movie or learn from a pro. There's a lot of product to explore and acquire and the shop features an energy that is special to Austin and the Yeti brand name. Plus there's a bar on the side where you can buy a cold one! It's absolutely worth coming by before or after your bat watching experience.