Plus, how a UT Austin alum is helping bring astronauts home.
 
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From our friends at KVUE

 
🏓 Dink to that
A pickleball court at Other Racquet Social Club, with a sign reading the name of the business in the background.
Other Racquet Social Club has three tournament-regulation pickleball courts. | Photo by ATXtoday
If you haven’t tried pickleball yet, chances are you will soon. The sport is the fastest-growing in America, with millions of people playing regularly and Major League Pickleball popping up in Austin.

Due to the popularity of the sport — which is like a smaller version of tennis, larger version of ping pong, and twist on badminton rolled up into one — reserving a court in Austin can be challenging.

That’s what we’re here for. Here are nine places to play pickleball in Austin, based on your athlete style.

For the athlete on a budget

A pickleball court, looking from right down the middle

The Austin Tennis Center is the largest public center of its kind in the city. | Photo by the ATXtoday team

Austin Tennis Center | 7800 Johnny Morris Rd. | $4-$16
This center is the largest in Austin, with eight pickleball courts and 10 tennis courts. Singles players can play up to 90 minutes for $8, while doubles teams can play for as long as two hours for $16 total.

For the happy hour athlete

Ski Shores Cafe | 2905 Pearce Rd. | Free
The pickleball court at this Austin institution (which has been serving Austinites since 1954, barring small closures) is first-come, first-served. Plus, you can play while munching on some fried okra and drinking a piña colada.

For the competitive athlete

Indoor pickleball court with green playing surfaces, black nets, and a colorful mural on the far wall that reads "Eastside Paddle Club." The mural includes graphics of people playing pickleball, a cowboy on a horse, and the text "Not Your Average Pickleball Club" and "Austin, Texas." A lone pickleball rests on the court.

No need to wait for courts at this Eastside Paddle Club — it’s one of the biggest in the city and features 10 courts.

|

Photo by ATXtoday

Eastside Paddle Club | 979 Springdale Rd., Ste. #115 | $50 per day, $155-$269 per month
With 30,500 sqft and 10 pickleball courts (six indoor and four on the rooftop), this facility is one of the largest in Austin. Plus, it offers corporate memberships and family memberships as well.
 
Asked
 
Pickleball was invented on a badminton court in 1965 — by what year had it spread to all 50 states in the US?
A. 1978
B. 1990
C. 2004
D. 2011
 
 
Events
 
Wednesday, Sept. 4
  • Small Talk: Small Business Mix & Mingle | Wednesday, Sept. 4 | 6-8 p.m. | Q2 Stadium in the Captain Morgan Club | Free | Talk about your small business with fellow owners from the community.
  • Buzz Kill Comedy | Wednesday, Sept. 4 | 9-10:30 p.m. | The Buzz Mill | Free | Hosted by Carlton Wilcoxson and Angelina Martin, this comedy show brings national + local talent together every Wednesday night.
Thursday, Sept. 5
  • “The Oath of the Sword” | Thursday, Sept. 5 | 6-10 p.m. | Zilker Botanical Garden | $20-$75 | Watch the Southern US premiere of a recently rediscovered silent film from 1914, featuring live accompaniment.
Friday, Sept. 6
  • Charley Crockett | Friday, Sept. 6 | 8 p.m. | Moody Amphitheater | $42-$45 | The "$10 Cowboy” tour will allow you to unleash your inner country star.
Saturday, Sept. 7
  • Class: Cook An 1800s Meal | Saturday, Sept. 7 | 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms | $75 | Learn how to cook a meal that would have been eaten by Texas pioneers in a historic log cabin.
Plan Ahead
  • Pediatric Meet + Greet | Thursday, Sept. 19 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Virtual | Meet with an Austin Regional Clinic pediatrician to learn more about breastfeeding, immunizations, safety guidance, and more.
Click here to have your event featured.
 
 
▼SPONSORED▼
Eat
 
🥂 Introducing Austin’s new restaurant club
A hand holding a cheeseburger with a brick wall in the background.
Offline partners with 40+ locally owned restaurants in Austin. | Photo provided by Offline
Offline, Austin’s newest restaurant club, just launched. If you love sampling our city’s restaurants (guilty) and wouldn’t say no to money off your tab (guilty again), an Offline membership is a no-brainer.

Every month, you get two credits to redeem at locally owned restaurants that boast at least a 4+ star rating. Current offers include:
  • $25 to spend at El Raval
  • $20 to spend at Cover 3
  • $15 to spend at Industry
Try your first month for free with code OFFLINE6AM.
 
News Notes
 
Announced
  • It’s official — Katz’s will return to Austin in its original location sometime after 2025. The owners of the mini-chain — which has four restaurants in Houston and a fifth on the way — re-purchased the building on auction and will develop the new location with Austin-based Michael Hsu Office of Architecture.
Development
  • Summer might have ended a little early. Barton Springs Pool will likely be closed for several weeks to repair two holes in the pool’s 1940s-era piping. In the meantime, Deep Eddy Pool will open at 6 a.m. daily to welcome swimmers. (KXAN)
Weather
  • Break out your sweaters, because a minor cold front is in the forecast. Low temperatures are expected to fall down to 63 degrees on Sunday, Sept. 8 and stay in the 60s until Friday, Sept. 13. (KVUE)
Tech
  • One of Tesla’s suppliers, Futronic USA Inc., is planting roots in Buda — just a few minutes south of Austin. The South Korean automotive parts manufacturer is working on $28 million worth of building improvements to be completed this year and will provide ~350 jobs. (Austin Business Journal)
Open
  • Fancy a (square) slice? Roman-style pizza restaurant Pizzeria Sportiva is now open on South Lamar Boulevard. In addition to pies with unique toppings like goat cheese, ham, pears, and grapes, the new spot also sells calzones, lasagnas, and desserts. (Eater Austin)
Number
  • $323 million. That’s how much Texas’ national parks generated toward local economies in 2023, according to a report from the National Park Service. The San Antonio Missions and Big Bend had the highest economic output, at $90 million and $48.5 million, respectively. (KXAN)
Sports
  • The Longhorns are favored to beat the Michigan Wolverines by 6.5 points when they face off on Saturday, Sept. 7. Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Texas Longhorns with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
    Finance
    • It’s almost fall — that chill you feel should be from the air, not your credit card bill. Experts recommend these four cards with 0% APR for up to 18 months (almost two years) on qualifying balance transfers.*
     
     
    Tech
     
    🚀 Meet the astronaut
    Astronaut in a blue uniform floating inside a module of the International Space Station, holding a binder labeled "International Space Station Robotics FS." The surroundings include various equipment, laptops, and cables attached to the walls and ceiling.
    Wilson pictured during a visit to the Auckland War Memorial Museum in 2012. | Photo courtesy US Embassy New Zealand
    A UT Austin alumna has been cut from SpaceX’s September space launch to make room for two astronauts who are stuck at the International Space Station.

    Astronauts Stephanie Wilson (a Longhorn) and Zena Cardman’s spots on the flight will now seat Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were left stranded in space after malfunctions on their spacecraft made it unsafe to return.

    After what was supposed to be an eight-day trip, Wilmore and Williams will now return in February.

    However, Wilson will have the chance to fly to space again. Here are some facts to know about her:
    • Wilson is an astronaut with NASA and has logged more than 42 days in space across three missions.
    • She grew up in Massachusetts, attended undergrad at Harvard, and achieved her Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from UT in 1992.
    • When she’s not literally in space, she enjoys skiing, stamp collecting, and traveling.
     
    The Buy
     
    Bring on all the cozy fall vibes. Here are five seasonal must-haves that scream luxury (without the hefty price tag):

    🍁 A pair of fleece-lined memory foam slippers for less than $25.
    🍁 This textured, oversized pullover that’s perfect for layering.
    🍁 An ultra soft blanket available in 35+ different colors and patterns.
    🍁 These sleek, water resistant men’s joggers made for all things outdoors (or just lounging).
    🍁 A portable mug warmer so you can enjoy your favorite cozy beverages all day long.
     
     
    The Wrap
     
    City Editor Figi poses with an adorable goat. Today’s edition by:
    Figi
    From the editor
    I’ve got delicious news. Cosmic Pickle has three new food trucks setting up shop: Wow Poke, Biggie’s Yardbird, and East Side King. I can’t wait to try the first two — I already know I’m an East Side King fan.
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