Take a swim

• Old — Did you know Austin is home to the oldest swimming pool in Texas? Deep Eddy Pool has a designated section to swim laps, a walk-in area, grass for sunbathing, trees for shade, and snacks + snow cones for purchase. Locals love heading to Pool Burger post-dip for dinner and a Mai Tai.
• New — ResortPass offers day passes to several rooftop pools in Downtown Austin. City Editor Morgan recently enjoyed lounging at Fairmont Austin’s pool and drinking cocktails from Rules & Regs.

Sip a beer

• Old — Founded in 1866, German restaurant Scholz Garten claims two titles: the oldest operating business in Texas and the longest running beer garden in the US. The patio is a prime location for tasting German fare + cold beer.
• New — Austin is packed with beer and wine gardens, and Cosmic Saltillo‘s launch in 2023 was a warmly welcomed addition. The east Austin gathering spot is a popular pick for co-working, weekend hangs, and everything in between.

Go bowling

• Old — After five decades in business, Highland Lanes will close by the end of 2024. There’s still time to experience the old-school bowling alley and the iconic burgers at Lebowski’s Grill inside.
• New — The South Congress Avenue site that was meant to become St. Elmo Public Market is now turning into a bowling alley, arcade, and bar. Pins Mechanical Co. is scheduled to open with 24 duckpin bowling lanes by the end of 2024.

• Stay Strong | Wednesday, May 29 | 10-11 a.m. | Meredith Heritage Tree Deck, 1301 Trinity St., Austin | Free | This workout — designed for Austinites age 50+ — is all about staying active and engaged through cardio health, flexibility, and strength.
• Live on the Lawn: Second Hand Rose Band | Wednesday, May 29 | 7-9 p.m. | Garey House at Garey Park, 6450 Ranch to Market Rd. 2243, Georgetown | $5 | This week’s music series will spotlight Second Hand Rose Band, a group featuring local country, blues, and jazz musicians.

• The Drop-In | Thursday, May 30 | 7 p.m. | Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr., Austin | Free with RSVP | Bring your blankets and lawn chairs to vibe, eat, drink, and dance to live musicians at the 3D-printed stage with a stellar view of Austin’s skyline.
• The High Curbs | Thursday, May 30 | 8 p.m. | Mohawk Austin, 912 Red River St., Austin | $16 | The SoCal band known for their song “Want” are working to release a new record this year but first, they hit the ATX stage.

• Azizi Gibson | Friday, May 31 | 9 p.m. | Parish, 501 Brushy St., Austin | $20-75 | The hip-hop and rap artist will bring “The Phantasia Tour” to ATX.
• “Black is Bold” | Friday, May 31 | 8 p.m. | The Ballroom at Spider House, 2906 Fruth St., Austin | $35-$250 | Shea Butter Babies Productions presents this burlesque + variety showcase designed to “celebrate the joy and empowerment intrinsic to Black culture.”

• 2024 Austin Pond and Garden Tour | Saturday, June 1-Sunday, June 2 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Multiple locations | $20-$25 | The Austin Pond Society will host this self-guided tour of the pretty ponds and gardens in and around ATX.

• We’re one step closer to the Austin Light Rail becoming a reality. Austin Transit Partnership announced Phase 1 is officially in the Project Development phase thanks to a Federal Transit Administration program, granting ATP eligibility to reimburse planning + design costs for the project.

• A new two-acre park is set to open on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail in mid-July. The Rainey Street Trailhead — situated between Cummings Street and East Avenue — will feature a nature play area, native flora, a floating dock, and seating areas. (KXAN)

• School may be out for the summer, but Austin ISD has had a busy month. The district held five groundbreakings + construction kick-off celebrations in May, beginning work on several major projects including Williams Elementary, Cook Elementary, and Sadler Means Young Women’s Leadership Academy. (KXAN)

• The Red River Cultural District dropped the dates for its free summer music festival. Over 100 local musicians will perform at Hot Summer Nights, which takes place in 20+ music venues, restaurants, and bars along Red River Street, and runs Thursday, July 18-Saturday, July 20.

• Austin loses ~21 gallons of water per person each day, and the leading culprit is leaking pipes. While these leaks drain resources, energy, and money, UT researchers found that some city trees along Waller Creek appear to benefit from the extra water + become more drought-proof. (KUT)

• In response to its months-long status at crisis-level capacity, Austin Animal Center introduced restricted intake hours yesterday. Animals showing signs of extreme distress or injury are exempt + can be taken in during normal operating hours. Find out how you can help.

• Frequent flyers, wake up and smell the coffee. Gates 11 + 16 at Austin Bergstrom International Airport will soon have new Costa Coffee machines, which are five generations more advanced than the UK-based company’s existing coffee robot in ABIA. (Austin Business Journal)

• Austin sits at No. 19 on WalletHub’s list of best places to raise a family in the US. Rankings are based on factors like the cost of housing, the quality of local school + health care systems, and the amount of kid-friendly activities in the area.

• The Dallas Stars take on the Edmonton Oilers tonight in game four of the Western Conference Final. Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Dallas Stars with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
  

• Whatever you think you know about the Omni Barton Creek Resort and Spa, rest assured the truth is even more exciting. ATXtoday team member Dalton recently took a staycation at the resort and enjoyed its fine dining + luxe amenities. See his experience and how you can Try This.*

• Cozy Earth’s best-selling bamboo viscose sheets — featured on Oprah’s 2018 Favorite Things list — are temperature-regulating and keep you cool on even the hottest summer nights.*

• Did you know you could finance your fixer-upper with home equity? You could get up to $50K with a HELOC — calculate your payment.*

• The heated pool features a swim-up bar
• Guests can dine at the cafe or order grilling ingredients to barbecue
• The camp store is stocked with necessities + souvenirs
• Pickleball and basketball courts offer opportunities to get active
• Kids can enjoy organized programming + their own amenities
• Wi-Fi and on-site laundry are available