Barton Springs Pool I heard from movies, hippie vibes and just general word of mouth content over…read morethe years in regards to what is in the Austin area. So I wanted to make sure we made a stop here while we were in Austin as it seemed essential for having a good city experience here. Barton Springs is open every day but Thursdays so plan accordingly for that. I am told it's a day where they clean the pool. It took a little bit of navigating to get to the pool as we had to plan to come here on a hot day as opposed to a rainy day which we were encountering here on our trip but it worked out fine. We landed on a warm day and got pool time. And Barton Springs is perfect to come to on a hot day. The temperature is between 68-70 degrees which makes it great swimming all year round here. The bottom of the pool has plant life and it's not all concrete and polished at the bottom so be aware of that... it's definitely has a natural look. There are also signs not to touch the rocks at the bottom as it is the home to some rare amphibians I believe. But aside from that as long as you follow the signs you're good. The water is extremely refreshing and invigorating and even after leaving the pool and you are on your way you still feel for a while thise sensations which added more to the impressive experience we had here. Parking fees and entrance fees to the pool are reasonable. It's $5 if you are a resident and $9 if you aren't. I highly, highly recommend making a stop at Barton Springs if you are in Austin... it definitely helps complete the city experience here.

As a tourist this was not what I was expecting. It was actually 10x better. This was a nice local…read morespot I'm happy we were able to learn about and had time to visit. It's a pretty big park, offering several different landscapes and activities. Great for families and outings with friends. The city views were beautiful. The forest and springs had that cooling effect that made the hot sun bearable. The springs were cold but very refreshing once fully submerged. A little too cold for my water loving 2 yr old. He also didn't like the green algae but still enjoyed the experience. Warning: VERY SLIPPERY in the springs and uneven rocky trails in some areas. Have water shoes if you don't like to be barefoot. The bottom of the springs swimming section feels smooth; slippery with some uneven dips. We stayed on the approved 4ft or less side for my kid's life vest. Bring a float or rent a canoe to enjoy the deeper waters. Pro:There are several ADA ramps we could have used for the stroller. As 1st time visitors we took some risky chances trekking down rocky slopes and too many stairs that wasn't necessary. Find the ramps. Con: Multiple entrances and parking. We were almost defeated by the parking situation on a Saturday early afternoon (1pm). We drove around over an hour looking for a spot in the many parking lots closer to the swimming pool section. With so many entries and people barely leaving it was a constant flow of new cars swooping in forcing us into lot loops. So close to turning back, we kept following the water trail and figure there had to be another way to the water! Bingo we parked on the other side of swimming section and took the 12 min walk directly through the fields to the pool area. If you're like us you'll drive around the parking lots so much you'll learn the landscapes. Must pay for parking. We got a ticket after following the advice that there are no parking fees on the weekend. Don't listen just pay the hourly rate parking fees. Swimming Pool Fee: There is a minimum fee associated with entering the springs. Fees are tiered by age and residence. As non-residents we only paid $13 ($9 adult/$4 young kid). Veterans are free, no ticket, must show VA ID. Reasonable fees for the amenities, especially the life guards and bathrooms. Downloading the app is easier and faster than standing in line at the credit card kiosks. The teller windows are a little faster but, cash only, We were pleasantly excited to also take advantage of the playground and train ride. Super cute. 2 year old loved both. Highly recommended for visitors who like to explore, be in nature and community, and stay cool.

Let me preface by saying I never write bad reviews. But for safety reasons I had to write this one,…read moreand if you don't have time to read it all let me just start by saying please just go literally anywhere else for your child's safety. So first of all, there are 4 larger water slides. And probably 3 or so smaller ones. They have a total of 2 lifeguards on watch. One lifeguard sits at a chair "watching over" the smaller, right side of the park. And the other one switching between the top of the larger water slides every so often depending on which is busier. There are multiple lifeguards but only 2 out on the park floor at a time, all very young teenagers. Not a single adult working there. I think that is a huge problem in itself but let me go on. I watched my 4 yr old like a hawk the whole time we were there because the lifeguards obviously weren't paying attention, lots of older kids running around, etc. I watch my son go down the larger slide. I'm waiting at the bottom for him for 5 minutes. Still hasn't came out. I go to the top to look down the slide where there should've been a lifeguard but no one to be found. I go to the lifeguard sitting in the chair at the front and tell him that my 4 yr old went down and has not came out yet and I think he's stuck in the slide. He ARGUES WITH ME and says "no I've been watching and there's no one in the slide" UMMMM WHAT?!! Obviously realizing they could care less about my child or any children there, and I don't have time to argue because I'm worried about my 4 yr old, I rush back to the top of the slide and go down it and what do u know, my son was stuck in the middle of the pitch black loop of the slide, terrified and crying. This is totally unacceptable, I don't even have words. Hopefully that's enough to let you know this is not the place to go but if not, let me move on to my next complaint. There was a group of older kids constantly trying to climb up the larger water slides in the back that no one can see unless you walk back there. Which in the 3 hours I was there not one lifeguard walked back there or even glanced to check on anything. The first time I notified the lifeguard about the kids going up the slide, she went back there and told them that's not allowed. Then they kept doing it and multiple other parents complained as well. The second time I complained that they were still doing it and almost seriously injured my 4 yr old, the lifeguard said "oh I know I already told them to stop". Ummmm okay??? So you're just going to keep letting them do it putting all the other kids at danger?? At MINIMUM their parent should've been notified but in my opinion they should've been asked to leave after the 3rd complaint/telling them to stop. Honestly I could go on and on but I don't have all day. I truly just hope they increase the amount of lifeguards and hire experienced lifeguards that actually care about children's safety and at minimum have one adult employee on-site.

Invited for a birthday party. Parking was easy. Inside the lobby was designated for check in for…read moreparty or just check in. We were given wrist bands and I had to ask where to go. We had a dedicated area with two picnic tables. Lots of kids there that day. Lots of chloramines in the air. My biggest complaint. Chloramines are chlorine that has bonded with organic matter and chloramine gas is released. It does not indicate cleanliness. That cannot be judged by smell but smell does indicate no free chlorine is available to sanitize. The odor was intense. It burned your eyes. It stayed on your clothes and hair afterward. The entire drive back home to DFW I was smelling chloramine and I never got wet. Anyway. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. Birthday boy loved it. His friends loved it. We didn't get in the water. We were being checked on frequently by staff. The water wasn't deep anywhere that I saw. You could see the kids easily. Slides and lots of typical splash pad things. It was a nice little place. The only complaint was the strong smell. We didn't buy food there so I can't speak to that. Overall it was a nice indoor splash park so despite the intense smell, I'm giving 3 stars.

Pretty cool park, skate park, pool, tennis courts, playground, covered pavilion. My kids enjoyed…read moreit, not crowded at all when we went. Good place to use up some excess physical energy. Well maintained, nice small town amenity.

it has a beutiful park and a nice creek and trail that goes down past the old football field and…read morewhere the well-kept baseball feild is and they also recently built a new small playscape for the smaller kids would play but the took down the old volley ball court but they re-built a new tennis court the little kiddie pool has been there as long as the bigger swimming pool and there is A baseball feild for the kids on the tee-ball team we live very close to johnson city so it is very convienent for me.

Great spot. Not over crowded and they do adult swim every hour for 15min…read more It's cold, it's awesome. Don't go here, I like it.

Clean cold safe ,, lots of parking space ,, only $3 and $2.5 for seniors !! Close to restaurantsread more