Austinites can walk across a miniature replica of the Pennybacker Bridge at Skyline Park. | Photo by Jane Yun
Whether you’re looking for a place to play with the kiddos or decompress with some off-screen time, Austin features plenty of parks and recreational spots for you to enjoy.
Ready to plan your trip to the park? Grab your shades and trusty water bottle — here are some of the Capital City’s best parks for kids to enjoy.
Skyline Park
There are 21 acres to explore at this southeast Austin green space — also known as Easton Park — which features an event lawn + pavilion, a splash pad, a zip line, swings, musical sculptures, a bounce pad, and playscapes with a view.
Kids can climb on top of and through grassy tunnels at Alliance Children’s Garden.
Alliance Children’s Garden
This one-of-a-kind playground contains climbing walls, a sand pit, a splash pad, interactive music features, and tunnels.
Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park
This north Austin park boasts 293 acres of hiking, swimming, sports facilities, a castle-like playground, and an off-leash dog area.
Desert Door Tiki Week | Thursday, Aug. 14-Sunday, Aug. 17 | Times vary | Desert Door Distillery, Driftwood | Cost of purchase | Sit back and relax with a fruity drink and soak up island vibes from the Hill Country.
“The Wizard of Oz” | Thursday, Aug. 14-Sunday, Sept. 21 | 7:30-10 p.m. | The Topfer at Zach | $29+ | See the Dust Bowl-era story about the journey to the Emerald City retold at this beloved local theater.
Drew and Ellie Holcomb | 8 p.m. | The Paramount Theatre | $26+ | The husband-and-wife duo, who have toured with Willie Nelson and Lauren Daigle, will stop by on the “Memory Bank Tour.”
Friday, Aug. 15
Backyard BBQ: Old School BBQ Night | 6-10 p.m. | Meanwhile Brewing Co. | $63 | Beloved restaurants Franklin BBQ and Loro will send off summer with some comfort food, Meanwhile will serve a limited-edition cocktail for pairing, and Honey Made will perform live to close it out.
Chris Botti | 8 p.m. | The Paramount Theatre | $35+ | The GRAMMY-winning trumpeter has worked with A-list names like Lady Gaga, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Sting, Barbra Streisand, Yo-Yo Ma, and many more.
Sunday, Aug. 17
Miranda Lambert & Parker McCollum’s Band Together Texas Benefit | 7-11 p.m. | The Moody Center | $191+ | The country music stars will join forces with legends like Lyle Lovett, Lukas Nelson, Matthew McConaughey, Colt McCoy, and more at this fundraising event to support flood relief efforts.
Fill your belly with this — a new coffee shop and bakery is coming to north Austin in September. Neon Belly will serve creative drinks with locally roasted coffee + matcha, plus, housemade sourdough bites, pastries, and gelato. (Community Impact)
Open
Bar, kitchen, live music venue, and walk-in only space East End Ballroom is now open in the former Koko’s Bavarian space. The concept — thought up by industry veterans Brice Jones, Dustin Terry, Colter Peck, and Jacob Sciba — hosts a monthly concept series, serves a $5 martini happy hour, and boasts a weekend brunch.
Sports
Do you have what it takes to join the Austin Spurs? The San Antonio Spurs’ G-League affiliate team will host local player tryouts on Saturday, Sept. 13 at Leander’s Premier Athletic Complex. Since 2013, 14 players from local tryouts have played on opening night. Register here.
Civic
If you’ve got something to say, Travis County will begin gathering public comments for voting sessions, work sessions, and meetings via an online system starting Tuesday, Aug. 19. (KXAN)
Quoted
“Everybody here loves animals.” That’s what All Things Wild Rehabilitation Director Sharon Dunning said about her fellow coworkers and volunteers, who have cared for 3,754 animals this year alone. (Community Impact)
Arts
“Grimm Tales,” “The Nutcracker,” and “Marie Antoinette: Vampire Queen of Versailles” — those are just a few of the shows on Ballet Austin’s 2025-2026 season. Tickets are on sale now starting at $25, if you’re ready to get in on the dance.
Development
The Texas Department of Transportation has gone to great lengths to survey land in Central Texas for I-35 construction, including spending 18 days studying Inner Space Cavern in Georgetown. TxDOT will use the info to avoid damaging the tourist destination. (KXAN)
Shop
The countdown is on to shop ‘til you drop at Le Garage Sale, which will debut a host of local brands that are new to the boutique extravaganza. Visitors will be able to shop Art from the Streets, Mi Luz Jewelry, Anderson Parker, and more during the Saturday, Aug. 23-Sunday, Aug 24 event. (CultureMap)
Listen
The Aggies have their nose to the grindstone working on rushing — how does it compare to its SEC opponents? Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Texas A&M Aggies and the SEC with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Giveaway
Have you entered our Ultimate College Football Tailgate Kickoff Giveaway in partnership with the Deep Eddy Vodka Tasting Room? Today is the last day to enter for a chance to win the ultimate football tailgate setup. Enter to win.*
Job
We’re hiring a Sales Executive to grow digital advertising partnerships in Austin. If you’re a driven sales pro ready to earn uncapped commission and work remotely with a dynamic media team — let’s chat. Apply today.
Beauty
Restore thinning hair with Happy Head’s dermatologist-developed, customizable treatment plans. See how good customer results are + take 45% off your first six Rx orders with code 6AM.*
Amy’s Ice Creams is going to have you wishing for triple-digit days with this new special.
Head to your nearest Amy’s creamery from 12 to 3 p.m. anytime it hits 100º or higher, and the team will give you a free scoop of Mexican Vanilla with your purchase. You can thank us later.
For jam-packed days, these five on-the-go essentials keep us sane:
👜 This stylish + functional crossbody boasts multiple pockets and a soft leather feel for under $35.
💦 We stash these deodorizing body wipes in our car + purse because you never know when you’ll need a quick refresh.
👟 When rushing out the door, these slip-on canvas sneakers are our go-to kicks.
🌬️ This styling cream + wand stays in our purse to quickly tame frizz and flyaways that pop up on humid days.
🪫 We never have to worry about dead batteries and missed calls thanks to this portable power bank that can charge up to five devices at once.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
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