When you think about Austin, Texas, you probably think about nightlife and an exciting downtown.
Well, what if I told you there are also numerous lakes in Austin?!
It’s true! Several lakes in and around Austin are the perfect place to escape the city for a while.
These lakes are one reason Austin continues to top the list of the best places to visit in Texas.
Whether you hike on the banks of the lakes or paddle across them, the Austin lakes are a great way to enjoy the city from a different perspective.
Thanks to its fabulous Texas Hill Country location, the Austin area has many lakes that are waiting to be explored.
These beautiful lakes are the perfect place to enjoy the day water skiing, paddle boarding, swimming, fishing, or just lounging on a hot summer day.
It only makes sense since Austin is one of the best places to visit in Texas!
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Gorgeous Lakes in Austin, TX
Lake Austin
Centrally located in the heart of Austin, Texas, Lake Austin is the perfect place to enjoy a day on the water.
What makes Lake Austin one of the best lakes to enjoy a day of recreation on the water?
Well, you see, the dramatic limestone cliffs that hug Lake Austin’s shoreline help provide a natural wind barrier, making it the perfect lake to try out some jet skiing or paddle boarding.
Lake Austin provides several boat ramps and access points to quickly get you on the water.
One of the most popular is located near Pennybacker Bridge.
Here, you can enjoy the recreation area under the architectural beauty of the bridge.
You can also check Emma Long Metropolitan Park to see if you prefer it.
Like Pennybacker, Emma Long Park also offers several amenities to make your day at the lake super enjoyable.
If you don’t have a boat, don’t worry.
Several companies in the area offer boat rentals, so you can hit the water while visiting Lake Austin.
Some companies will take you out on boat tours, including huge party barges.
While cruising Lake Austin, look for the incredible privately owned homes that dot the shoreline.
There are some incredible ones, for sure!
During your visit, be sure to check out Lake Austin’s hike and bike trails.
Lady Bird Lake
Lady Bird Lake is one of the best lakes in Texas that you can’t miss.
The fact that Lady Bird Lake is located right smack in the middle of the city center means that this is one of the Austin lakes that you are guaranteed to see.
You can’t miss it!
Once called Town Lake, Lady Bird Lake was renamed to pay respects to First Lady Lady Bird Johnson, who spent valuable time and energy working on beautification projects in Austin, Texas.
Today, Lady Bird Lake is a popular recreation lake for Austin locals and visitors.
In this lake, you will see people on paddleboards, in canoes, and even floating around on floaties.
If you are here visiting and don’t have your equipment, you will be happy to know you can rent any of these items around the lake!
You can also enjoy the miles of hike and bike trails surrounding the beautiful lake before visiting one of the picnic areas.
The 10-mile trail around the lake is a great introduction to some of Austin’s best landmarks.
These landmarks include the old railroad bridge, Zilker Park, and the Stevie Ray Vaughn statue.
This Austin, TX, lake is also where you will find the famous Congress Street Bridge, which is home to over one million Mexican free-tailed bats.
You can come here around sundown March-October to watch the bats head out on their nightly feeding.
Even if you are only spending a weekend in Austin, you should still make time to visit Lady Bird Lake!
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Mueller Lake
Mueller Lake is the smallest lake on our list of Austin lakes, taking up a mere 6.5 acres.
This lake is a little different as you can’t do water activities on the lake.
However, you can enjoy the trails that surround the lake.
These trails are great for walking, biking, or jogging outside.
I mean, walking by the lake makes for beautiful scenery!
When you visit this city park, you can also enjoy the open-air amphitheater and stage, interactive play area, and even public art.
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Lake Travis
Named after the county of Austin, Travis County, Lake Travis is one of the best lakes in Austin, TX!
Part of the Highland Lakes Chain system, Lake Travis is a gorgeous lake stretching for over 65 miles through the Texas Hill Country, reaching from the town of Marble Falls past Austin!
That means there is plenty of room to ride jet skis, find the perfect fishing hole, or just enjoy riding around Lake Travis.
With over 17 parks along Lake Travis’s shores, you will surely find the perfect scenic spot or a great group of picnic tables for you and your family to enjoy.
One of the parks to consider is Mansfield Dam Park.
As the name suggests, this park is near the Lake Travis Dam.
You will find a boat launch and a great recreation area with horseshoe pits, a playground, picnic sites, chess tables, and more!
Although several parks are located along the shores of Lake Travis, one of the most popular is Windy Point.
Windy Point has campgrounds with bathrooms and showers for you to use.
In addition, Windy Point is also a popular starting point for people who want to go scuba diving at Lake Travis.
The canyon system under the waters of Lake Travis is great for all levels of divers to explore!
If you are in the mood for a lazy summer afternoon on the water, you can do that at Lake Travis too!
Read Next: 19 Texas State Parks Near San Antonio
Lake Walter E. Long
Lake Walter E. Long is located about 20 minutes from the city center of Austin.
This lake is one of the best lakes in Austin for fishing, thanks to the abundance of largemouth bass that inhabit it.
While the lake is best known for fishing, you can enjoy other recreational sports on the lake as well.
There are also sand volleyball courts and picnic areas on this lake!
Lake Walter E. Long is the perfect Austin lake to enjoy the day!
Awesome Lakes Near Austin
Lake Marble Falls
Located about an hour from Austin, Lake Marble Falls is one of the most beautiful lakes in the Texas Hill Country.
A day on Lake Marble Falls is perfect for skiing, wakeboarding, or just cruising around, gawking at the beautiful privately owned lake properties.
There are so many things to do in Marble Falls that a visit to the town and lake can last a day or more.
After having fun out on the water at Lake Marble Falls, head to Marble Falls’ Main Street to shop the boutique shops and enjoy some homemade fudge from the chocolate shop!
When you are hungry, be sure to check out the infamous Bluebonnet Café. Trust us, you’ll want to save room for some pie!
Numerous wineries, breweries, and distilleries are also located in the Marble Falls community.
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LBJ Lake
Another of the Highland Lakes, Lake Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ Lake), is located in Burnet County, about an hour northwest of Austin, TX.
This 21-mile-long lake, stretching from Kingsland to Horseshoe Bay, is the perfect weekend in Texas!
Here, you can enjoy all sorts of fun recreational lake activities.
These activities include fishing, swimming, riding jet skis, or lounging around the lake shore.
Lake LBJ is another excellent fishing lake, known for the white bass, crappie, and catfish caught here.
There are loads of attractions surrounding Lake LBJ as well.
You can enjoy exploring the local breweries and wineries or checking out some fabulous restaurants in the area.
Take time to visit Longhorn Cavern State Park and tour the underground cavern system during your visit.
Lake LBJ is one of the lakes in Austin that is easy to make a great weekend trip out of!
Lake Pflugerville
What started as a water reservoir to help provide drinking water to the surrounding community is now one of the fun lakes you can visit in Austin.
The 180-acre Lake Pflugerville is the perfect Austin lake to spend the day water skiing, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, or even trying your skills at windsurfing!
A park on the lake includes a boat launch, a playground, and a fishing pier.
Of course, you can also use the nearby trail to enjoy outdoor exercise while visiting Lake Pflugerville.
Read Next: Austin to Fredericksburg: The Perfect Weekend Road Trip
Lake Georgetown
You will find Lake Georgetown on the San Gabriel River in the Central Texas town of Georgetown.
Georgetown is one of the small towns in Texas that we love. Come to Georgetown to spend a day on Lake Georgetown, but stay to enjoy all the other attractions that Georgetown has to offer!
Lake Georgetown boasts crystal-clear water and loads of local wildlife.
Some are here to enjoy an early sunrise over the calm, peaceful waters before enjoying a day of fun lake activities.
Lake Georgetown allows fishing, swimming, and, of course, boating.
There are amenities along the shore for you to enjoy as well.
These amenities include picnic areas with bar-b-que grills, campsites, and hiking trails.
Popular entry points and parks on Lake Georgetown include Cedar Breaks Park, Jim Hogg Park, and Russell Park.
Each of these parks offers a boat ramp, camping facilities, picnic areas, and restrooms.
A fee is associated with use at Cedar Breaks Park and launch fees at the other two parks, so keep that in mind when preparing for your visit.
Canyon Lake
Canyon Lake is located on the Guadalupe River in Comal County, about an hour southwest of Austin.
Canyon Lake is one of the most beautiful lakes in Central Texas.
Not only that, but it is also one of the deepest! That means Canyon Lake is perfect for lake recreation.
Swimming, skiing, fishing, and diving are popular at Canyon Lake.
Canyon Lake’s over 8,000 acres of surface area means you have plenty of room to enjoy a day on the lake.
Numerous parks along the shores of Canyon Lake offer all sorts of amenities for you to enjoy.
Some of the most popular places to enjoy on the lake include Overlook Park, Potters Creek Park, and Cranes Mills Park.
Canyon Lake is also a great place to float down the Guadalupe River.
The river’s slow current makes for a fun and relaxing day. Just remember to grab an extra tube for your ice chest and snacks!
If you are in the mood to explore Canyon Lake, you are in for a treat.
There are numerous golf courses, great restaurants, and even an opportunity to explore prehistoric history at the Heritage Museum of Texas.
Read Next: Lakes in Houston That Are Worth a Visit
Lake Buchanan
Another of the Highland Lakes, Lake Buchanan, stretches 30 miles and is just over 5 miles wide at its widest point.
Originally formed on the Colorado River as a water reservoir for the area and to generate hydroelectric power, this lake has become a favorite among locals and tourists.
Thanks to its natural beauty and plenty of room to spread out, you will find people enjoying all sorts of activities on Lake Buchanan.
Swimmers love the unique granite gravel shores that you will find spread around the lake.
These shores provide an ideal environment for swimming and sunbathing.
Fishing is another favorite activity on this lake.
You can head out on your own or hire one of the man fishing guides in the area.
Fish that populate Lake Buchanan include white bass, largemouth bass, striped bass, and catfish.
Just be aware that zebra mussels have invaded Lake Buchanan.
This invasive species can spread and take over the fragile lake ecosystem.
You must clean, drain, and dry your boat trailer, buckets, live wells, and other gear before going onto another body of water.
In addition to the camping areas on the lake, numerous bed and breakfast accommodations and independently run hotels are available.
See, producing hydroelectric power isn’t the only thing Lake Buchanan is good for!
Inks Lake
Inks Lake is another reservoir on the Colorado River that was built to help control floods in Lake Buchanan.
Since most of the property bordering Inks Lake is privately owned, most people head to Inks Lake State Park to enjoy a day out on Inks Lake.
The great thing about Inks Lake is that it is considered a constant-level lake since the Colorado River Authority controls its water level.
Inks Lake State Park allows visitors to enjoy the lake and offers amenities like campsites, hiking trails, and boat access.
There is also an area to purchase food and supplies inside the park.
There is plenty to keep you busy inside the State Park as well.
The park has over 9 miles of hiking trails, a bird blind, a volleyball court, and more! If you want to get out on the water, you can rent paddle boats, canoes, and kayaks at the park store.
While visiting Inks Lake State Park, you can also try geocaching.
If you have never done geocaching, don’t worry; anyone can do it. Geocaching is like treasure hunting.
People hide little treasures around for you to find using a GPS unit or smartphone app.
The treasures are often little trinkets for kids or a log book for you to sign your name in to prove you found it.
These treasures are camouflaged but never buried so that anyone can participate.
The whole idea is to get people exploring the outdoors.
One of the most popular activities at this Texas swimming hole is visiting the Devil’s Waterhole.
You will see people rock climbing on the face of the wall and cliff jumping into the deep water below when you visit the Devil’s Waterhole swimming hole.
Of course, like most Texas lakes, Inks Lake isn’t just a swimming hole.
Fishing is a popular activity here as well. At Inks Lake, people are known to catch crappie, catfish, largemouth bass, white bass, and sunfish.
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About the Author:
Michelle Snell-Founder/Writer
Born and raised in Texas, Michelle Snell graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and her Master’s Degree from Texas Wesleyan University. Her passion for travel has taken her all over the world. She has received multiple awards for her writing. She has been featured in numerous publications, including Travel Awaits, Fort Worth Magazine, Fort Worth Weekly, NewsBreak, Voyage Dallas, Ella Inspires Magazine, and more. You can view her complete profile on MuckRacks.
Sara
Friday 3rd of March 2023
Does anyone remember Mac's Marina from 1975? I lived there on a houseboat. The address is listed as being on Lake Austin but it was off BeeCaves Rd Rt 8 Box 131. I can't find any mention of it anywhere on the internet and just wanted to see if I could figure out exactly where it was.
texasonly
Saturday 4th of March 2023
Hi Sara. I don't remember this, but hopefully one of our fabulous readers will chime in and help you. :)
Olivia
Monday 21st of February 2022
I've never visited Austin before and was so surprised to learn it had so many lakes! I'd love to check out Canyon Lake - it looks like a great place to spend a hot day!
texasonly
Monday 21st of February 2022
It really is and it is such a fun city!!!
Linzey
Monday 21st of February 2022
Austin DOES have amazing lakes!! We are actually from Austin... I met my husband ON Lake Travis and we got married in Marble Falls ON Lake LBJ, lol!! I love the lakes in Austin... its one of the best things about the city! We loved eating at Hula Hut or Abels on the Lake on Lake Austin. Such a great time! This is a great list! Nice work! - Linzey @thefamilyfuntour
texasonly
Monday 21st of February 2022
That is so fun! I love that you have a connection with so many of these places! Thanks for reading and taking time to comment!
simplyjolayne
Sunday 20th of February 2022
My husband travels to Austin regularly for work. These ideas will be perfect when he is looking for a little downtime.
texasonly
Monday 21st of February 2022
Yes, these will do the trick for sure!
Krista
Sunday 20th of February 2022
I had no idea that there were so many beautiful lakes in and around Austin. I always enjoy a trip to the lake so thanks for sharing these great tips!
texasonly
Monday 21st of February 2022
Thank you for reading and taking time to comment!