There are countless reasons to love Austin all year round, but spring is a special time. The sun is shining, nature is coming out of its slumber, flowers are just starting to bloom, and tourists are flocking to Austin. You can even hear live music mingling in the gentle breeze….
Here are 10 reasons to Love Spring in Austin.
10) Snow cone stands
Photo: Flickr user Sean Loyless, creative commons licensed.
It feels like they just slipped away one night, but it’s plain to see your favorite snow cone stands are back in their usual places. As the weather heats up, the number of snow cone stands increases. By the heat of summer, you’ll find a stand near just about every major intersection in town.
9) Bluebonnets
Every Texan loves bluebonnets! You’ve probably already scoped out the perfect spot to take family pictures. Just make sure to check for wildlife before getting too cozy.
8) Hummingbirds
Photo from Pexels.com
Hummingbirds can be hard to find, but once you have them visit, chances are they’ll come back year after year to the same feeder. These little guys zip around, and even though they’re moving a mile a minute, they are easy for us to enjoy. Pick up your feeder today from The Hummingbird Store out in Spicewood!
7) Cedar season is over
Photo: Flickr user Elizabeth Murphy, creative commons licensed.
Were you sneezing all January and February? Like many Austinites, you probably have cedar fever. You can put away your tissues and allergy medicine (but not that JuiceLand allergy-soothing smoothie) because the trees have stopped shedding their pollen. And you can wash the yellow film off your car. Or, you can just go outside without feeling miserable. That’s nice, too.
6) Baseball
What’s cuter than little kids in baseball uniforms swinging bats that are about as tall as they are and running frantically to first base? Probably nothing. Sign your kiddos up for the local YMCA baseball league today!
5) Day trips
Salt Lick BBQ Pit, Photo by Ryan Schmidt
Part of the fun of Austin is that the fun isn’t contained within the city limits. You can drive less than an hour out of town and experience awesome things. Have you been to the original Salt Lick in Driftwood, Hamilton Pool in Dripping Springs or Gruene Hall in Gruene?
4) Greenbelts are green
The lush green nature of Austin makes it unique among large American cities. While big cities have parks, few have them in the size and quantity of Austin. We’d put up Zilker Park and Barton Creek Greenbelt against all comers! So would our readers, who voted Zilker Park the “8th Wonder of Austin”!
3) Cool mornings and mild afternoons
Though the oppressive heat of summer is just around the corner, take time to savor the cool mornings and mild afternoons happening right now. You walk out in the morning to a 45-degree day, but do you take a jacket? No, it’ll be 70 degrees by lunchtime and 80 by afternoon rush hour. Just about perfect!
2) Outdoor dining
Courtesy, Shady Grove on Facebook.
While the weather is nice, take advantage of Austin’s great outdoor dining spaces. Here are 10 of our favorite patio bars.
1) Festivals, festivals, and more festivals
Photo by Michele Schmidt
Before and after summer are Austin’s prime time for festivals. Tourists come with their money and leave without a good chunk of it. South by Southwest and Moontower Comedy & Oddity Fest are a couple of the big springtime festivals where Austin rolls out the red carpet for all comers. Keep an eye on the Austin.com community events calendar for more fun than you’ll know what to do with!
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Featured photo: Courtesy, Brad Ingram.
