Just northwest of Austin’s is Texas’s most visited lake, Lake Travis.
This lake is BIG folks. It’s 63.75 miles long, has over 271 miles of shoreline and its maximum width is 4.5 miles.
Lake Travis is THE most visited freshwater recreational vacation destination in the state. It’s limestone bottom results in it’s unique crystal clear blue waters, making it a freshwater haven for water enthusiasts.
It’s hard to fit in all the sites and sounds on Lake Travis in a day, but if that’s all you have here are some ideas…..
Visit A Park
If you’re just looking to be outside, or your hitting the lake on a budget, one of Lake Travis’ parks might be just for you.
There are 17 parks on Lake Travis. The parks are operated by the Lower Colorado River Authority, Travis County Parks, and private park owners.
Several of these parks provide campgrounds, beaches, picnic areas, boat ramps and opportunities for swimming and shoreline fishing. Entrance and/or launch fees are charged at some parks.
The Oasis on Lake Travis
No trip to Lake Travis is complete without a trip to The Oasis. If grabbing a bite, hearing some live music and taking full advantage of the lake’s magnificent views is in your day’s agenda, this is your spot. The Oasis has a terrific mall complex built around it with a craft brewery and get shopping.
This restaurant 450 feet above the lake has it’s own Wikipedia page and a 4 story parking garage. It’s hard to argue Beau Theriot’s “Sunset Capital of Texas” with its terraced views looking west over Lake Travis isn’t the lake’s most famous venue.
The 30,000 square foot restaurant sits on a bluff 450 feet above the lake and is the largest outdoor restaurant in Texas. Built in 1982 by Houston entrepreneur Beau Theriot, who purchased a 500-acre ranch overlooking the lake and converted it into the current multi-use venue, The Oasis has been thrilling visitors near and far with amazing sunset’s over the lake for over 25 years.
Location: 6550 Comanche Trail
Phone: (512) 266-2442
Web: The Oasis on Lake Travis
Related links:
Lake Travis Hotels
Lake Travis Vacation Rentals
Lake Travis Marinas
Lake Travis Sailing
Lake Travis Boat Rentals
Lake Travis Restaurants
Lake Travis Golf
Lake Travis Wineries
Lake Travis Craft Breweries
Waterloo Adventures
If your hauling teens or kids out to the lake, check out Waterloo Adventures.
Waterloo Adventures is an on-the-water Lake Travis waterpark and challenge course. Located on the eastern shores at the lake, Waterloo features a 600 foot water playground offering more than 20 obstacles, including climbing walls, monkey bars, slides, hurdles, balance beams and bridges. The park is adjacent to it’s sister park Lake Travis Zipline Adventures.
You begin your adventure with a boat ride to beautiful “Adventure Island”. Once on the island, enjoy a 45 minute pulse pounding session on the 600 foot state-of-the-art challenge course. Admission includes the boat ride to Adventure Island, 45 minutes on the floating obstacle course, followed by unlimited access to Adventure Island, which has a free fall slide, springboard jumping tower and 24-foot wide trampoline. Adventure Island also offers food and beverages, including wine, beer and frozen drinks.
Location: 14529 Pocohontas Trail
Phone: (512) 614-1979
Web: Lake Travis Waterloo Adventures
Related Links:
Lake Travis Golf
Lake Travis Wineries
Lake Travis Craft Breweries
Lake Travis Zipline Adventures
This is fun for all ages.
Located on the north shore of Cypress Creek Arm of Lake Travis, Lake Travis Zipline Adventures has 5 zip lines ranging from 250 feet to the longest zipline in Texas – over 2800 feet.
It is the longest and fastest zipline in Texas. While waiting between each zip, you will enjoy amazing views of Lake Travis and the Texas Hill Country.
Your professionally trained tour guides offer education and fun throughout your challenging hikes and nature walks. For the grand finale, imagine launching off a cliff 20 stories high and zipping over 2800 feet across beautiful Lake Travis.
Lake Travis Zipline Adventures opened for business July 2011. The zipline park has quickly become one of the destination fun spots on the lake. Your Adventure includes all necessary equipment, boat transportation, water and a light trail snack. You also are entitled to access the Private Beach where you can picnic, swim, play games or simply relax in a waterside hammock.
Location: 14529 Pocohontas Trail
Phone: (512) 614-1996
Web: Lake Travis Zipline Adventures
Related links:
Lake Travis Hotels
Lake Travis Vacation Rentals
Rent A Boat
Lake Travis has over 50 boat rental venues operating on the lake.
From stand-up paddleboards, kayaks & jet skis, to run-abouts, wakeboard boats, pontoons, sail boats, party barges, luxury yachts & houseboats, this Lake has it all. Certainly one of the most popular activities on the lake is taking to the water.
The boat rental businesses typically offer their rentals two ways – bareboat rentals – meaning you rent the boat un-captained and are responsible driving the boat and navigating around the lake, and captained or chartered rentals – meaning a captain/driver is supplied and your job is relegated to just enjoying the day. Most of the rental companies provide an array of water toys with your rental.
Devil’s Cove is the go-to party spot on the lake where boats anchor and tie together in huge partying floating condo complexes. If solitude is more your thing the lake offers countless lesser traveled coves and anchor spots.
Wakeboarding and wakesurfing are great mornings and evenings (low traffic times) in some of the lesser trafficked coves, and upriver west of Lago Vista and Pace Bend Park where Lake Travis begins to look like Lake Austin (without the traffic).
Related links:
Lake Travis Hotels
Lake Travis Vacation Rentals
Lake Travis Restaurants
Lake Travis Live Music